User-created list
By vek1092 · Updated April 2023
Across 8 pages
of 8
French variation of Ariel
"lion of God"
While not as popular as the Ariel spelling of Little Mermaid fame, this rendition has achieved popularity in its own right. Arielle has been on a steady rise, perhaps helped by the -elle ending…
Latinate form of Estelle
"star"
Estella is a pretty Latin name, most notably associated with the character in Dickens's Great Expectations , adopted and raised to reek Miss Haversham's revenge on men. With the popularity of Stella,…
Arizona place name and Greek
"dark red"
Phoenix is a New Age name symbolizing rebirth and immortality. It's also a place name, a color name, a mythological name, AND an animal name, combining several of today's hottest trends in one…
Welsh
"sea-born, sea-song or sea-circle"
Morgan, once split evenly between the sexes, is a strong and attractive Welsh favorite, still a common boys’ name in Wales. Morgan is now more often a girls' name in the U.S. – about 2000 girls were…
Arabic, Swahili
"faith"
Another strong Arabic name, related to Iman. Imani one is popular throughout the Muslim world but especially East Africa. It was chosen for her daughter by actress Jasmine Guy.
Modern invented name or diminutive of Harald, English or Norse
"Thor's stone"
Until the beautiful actress Halle Berry inspired hundreds of parents to emulate her name, it was the diminutive Swedish families used for their sons christened Harald. Now, in a complete turnaround,…
Japanese
"strong and healthy"
Kenzo is a common Japanese name with several creative bearers: the single-named fashion designer, prizewinning architect Kenzo Takada, and painter Kenzo Okada, which makes it internationally…
Spanish, contracted form of Maria de la Soledad
"Mary of Solitude; sea and sun"
Bright and vivid, Marisol is a sunny name of Spanish origin and an excellent candidate to cross languages, a la Soledad, Paz, and Solana. Familiar in its native Spain (though no longer a top choice),…
English surname, variation of Massey
"hill"
Singer Macy Gray has popularized this cute and upbeat choice—once solely associated with the department store. A modern replacement for Stacy and Tracy, Macy was most popular in the early 2000s when…
Scandinavian, German, Polish, and Russian variation of Carina
This sweet and loving name, favored in recent years by a mix of Hispanic-American parents and Bob Dylan fans, was chosen for her daughter by TV actress Melina Kanakaredes.
French
"sun"
An attractive French word name known here via former child TV star Soleil Moon Frye, aka Punky Brewster. It started to be lightly used in the U.S. in the 1920s and is now attracting some attention as…
Italian
"from Milan"
This makes Milan sound like less of a place, more of a name.
English or French place-name and surname
"green valley; from Anvers"
Yet another creative character name from Toni Morrison, Denver was a daughter of Sethe's in the novel Beloved . Today Denver is most familiar as the name of the largest city in Colorado, used almost…
Greek
"Indian dye"
Indigo is one of the most appealing and evocative of the new generation of color names. Color names have joined flower and jewel names -- in a big way -- and Indigo, a deep blue-purple dye from…
Sioux
"people of a different language"
The name of a courageous tribe, Cheyenne became quite popular in the 1990s, inspiring a wide range of spelling variations—Shyanne is one example that's still on the rise.
"pretty"
Jolie is as pretty as its literal meaning; nowadays it is also seen as a girls’ name , via Angelina for whom Jolie was originally her middle name. Although it is French, Jolie is rarely if ever used…
Norse
"fair; Ing is beautiful"
The luminous Ingrid Bergman's appeal was strong enough to lend universal charisma to this classic Scandinavian name, which has been somewhat neglected in the US. Even today, a child named Ingrid…
Spanish variation of Rachel
"ewe"
Attractive name popular in the Latino community, long identified with half-Bolivian actress Raquel Welch. Similarly to the Hebrew form Rachel, Raquel is past its peak. Nonetheless, it retains a…
French surname
"golden"
Dior has joined Chanel and Armani on the fashionista hit parade of names, appealing due to its designer quality, its succinct sound, and contemporary air. Nearly 400 baby girls were named Dior in the…
Spanish from Arabic
"hidden river, valley of the wolves"
Popular Spanish name that relates to the patron saint of Mexico. It could conceivably, like Soledad and Consuelo, cross the border into multicultural territory, but the name's decline since the…
