User-created list
ABC Name Game
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Alex
Diminutive of Alexander, Alexis
"defending men"
The independent Alex has become a classic in its own right. One of the truest unisex names , Alex is used almost equally for both sexes. Alex is used both on its own and as a short form of formal…
Reid
English
"red-haired"
The Reid spelling is the most popular by half, probably because it feels more like a name than Reed, which looks more like a word. It's used occasionally for girls but this name is firmly in the…
Zane
Possible variation of John
"God is gracious"
Western novelist Zane (born Pearl!) Grey made this name famous. Now, it's in tune with the style of our times, retaining that appealing cowboy image. Zane Grey was the great-grandson of Ebenezer…
Serena
Latin
"tranquil, serene"
Serena, a name used since Roman times, was given fresh life by tennis star Williams, and then again with the leading character on Gossip Girl , Serena van der Woodsen. There have also been Serenas on…
Heidi
Diminutive of Adelheid; German
"noble, nobility"
Heidi became known — and popular — via the 1880 eponymous children's classic by Swiss writer Johanna Spyri and, despite decades of American Heidis of all sizes, shapes, and personalities, the name…
Uriel
Hebrew
"God is my light, God is my flame"
The name of the archangel in Rabbinic and Russian Orthodox tradition, Uriel is associated with truth, wisdom, and light. Also appearing in medieval literature, the name shares a similar meaning to…
Felicity
Latin
"good fortune, happy"
Felicity is as accessible a virtue name as Hope and Faith, but much more feminine -- and dare we say, happier. The hit TV show did a lot to soften and modernize the once buttoned-up image of…
Shane
Anglicized variation of Sean
"God is gracious"
Shane ambled into the picture via the 1953 movie, adding a cowboy twist to its Irish essence. A variation of Sean with a hint of Shay and Zane, it is a popular choice in Ireland. Singer Siobhan…
Quincy
French
"estate of the fifth son"
Quirky in the way that all Q names are quirky, Quincy was once a buttoned-up, patrician New England name, an image countered in recent years by the talented and ultracool musician Quincy Jones…
Lionel
Latin
"young lion"
Lionel is one leonine name that hasn't taken off as cousins Leo and Leonardo have, though it did reenter the Top 1000 in 2010 after several years away; it was at its highest point in the 1920s and…
Hugh
English from German, Irish
"mind, intellect; fiery one"
Tough yet gentle in look and sound, Hugh was a Top 100 choice in the US back in the late 19th-century and while it's never reached those heights again, it has always managed to remain in the Top 1000…
Odette
French, from German
"wealthy"
Odette is the good swan in Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake , a role for which Natalie Portman won an Oscar ---and it would make a particularly sophisticated yet upbeat choice. In fact, it charted in…
Yasmin
Persian
"jasmine flower"
This name, whose sweet and fragrant floral essence has always been widespread across the Near Eastern world, has now landed on US popularity lists in a variety of spellings. It's been dropping…
Alcyone
Greek mythology name
"kingfisher"
Alcyone was the wife of Ceyx, but the happy pair angered the gods by calling each other Zeus and Hera. Ceyx's ship was sunk, Alcyone hurled herself into the sea, but then in sympathy for their grief…
Bellatrix
Latin
"female warrior"
J.K. Rowling is a modern master of naming who brought a whole constellation of ancient and celestial names to modern parents. Bellatrix, of one of the stars of Orion, combines fashionable names Bella…
Blaise
French
"to lisp, stammer"
As modern as it sounds, Blaise is an ancient Christian martyr name. In Arthurian legend, Blaise is the name of Merlin the Magician's secretary. Its relation to the word and name Blaze gives it a…
Callia
Callia is a feminine name with Greek origins, derived from 'kallos' meaning 'beauty.' It can be considered a variation of Calliope (one of the Muses in Greek mythology) or related to Calla (as in the…
Cedric
Celtic
"bounty; loved"
Soft yet solid, Cedric was invented by Sir Walter Scott for the noble character of the hero's father in Ivanhoe , presumed to be an altered form of the Saxon name Cerdic ("bounty"), or the Brythonic…
Gisella
Italian form of Giselle, French, German
"pledge, hostage"
A bright, musical name, Gisella is the Italian form of the French Giselle. With its zippy "Zella" sound and potential nickname Gigi too, it could make an underused and appealing choice. Associated…
Isadora
Greek
"gift of Isis"
For a long time, Isadora has been overlooked in favor of Isabella, owing perhaps to its association with the tragic modern dancer, Isadora Duncan, or because parents would rather their daughter be a…