Names I Love in General
- Canaan
Origin:
Biblical place name, HebrewMeaning:
"The Promised Land; humble, low"Description:
Pronounced KAY-nan, this Old Testament place name has a strong modern feel that blends in with on-trend choices like Carter, Colton, and Kayson, but also with Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Tobias. Associated in the Bible with "The Promised Land", it is also the name of one of Noah's grandsons.
- Nevaeh
Origin:
Modern invented nameDescription:
Nevaeh: an already bold word name with the unusual twist of being spelled backwards; a nightmare for those who love traditional, classic names; a divisive option on name forums across the internet; and a spelling and pronunciation that aren’t quite intuitive at first glance.
- Keturah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"incense"Description:
Keturah, the Old Testament name of Abraham's second wife, is a possibility for anyone seeking a truly unusual and interesting biblical name; certainly a lot more distinctive than that of Abraham's first wife, Sarah.
- Hadassah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"myrtle tree"Description:
This Hebrew name of Queen Esther is well used in Israel (especially for girls born around the holiday of Purim), and in the US is the name of a Zionist women's philanthropic organization. Formerly shunned as hyper-religious, this name entered the Top 1000 in 2007 and has since climbed into the Top 700. Nickname Haddie feels like a natural companion for Addie and Maddie.
- Skylar
Origin:
Variation of Schuyler, Dutch "scholar"Meaning:
"scholar"Description:
This Americanized spelling of the Dutch name is now used nearly exclusively for girls in the US.
- Kaylie
Origin:
Short form of Kayla, Arabic and HebrewMeaning:
"laurel, crown"Description:
A cute nickname name that's risen high over the past decade or so, more especially as Kaylee, this name combines the attributes of Hailey and Kayla, Kylie and Callie.
- Catriona
Origin:
Scottish form of Katherine, GreekMeaning:
"pure"Description:
This Katherine variation, used through Ireland and Scotland, is pronounced like Katrina. The name became popular after the Crusaders brought home stories about the colorful fourth century martyr, Catherine of Alexandria. Its later popularity increased following the success of Robert Louis Stevenson's 1893 Catriona, the sequel to Kidnapped.
- Charity
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"charity"Description:
Charity is one of the Big Three abstract virtue names, along with Hope and Faith, though far less widely used than the others. But as Faith, Grace and Hope grow more common, some parents are beginning to look at the more unusual three-syllable choices like Verity, Amity, Clarity and Charity, which sound much fresher and also have that pleasingly rhythmic 'y'-ending sound.
- Janelle
Origin:
American, modern elaboration of JaneDescription:
It's far cooler to drop the first syllable and go for Elle.
- Meghan
Origin:
Variation of Megan, WelshMeaning:
"pearl"Description:
Megan was one of the first trendy names to spawn lots of spelling variations and this form of the name is less popular than its streamlined counterpart, but nevertheless familiar to those in the English speaking world. A variant of Margaret, the name was rarely heard outside of Wales before the mid-20th century.
- Eldridge
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"old, wise leader"Description:
Name long associated with eloquent Black Panther activist Eldridge Cleaver and jazz great Roy Eldridge.
- Tierney
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"descendant of a lord"Description:
Tierney is a Celtic surname with a definite Irish twinkle, a name just waiting to be discovered. Though now sometimes used for girls (in the US, not Ireland), as in jazz singer Tierney Sutton, it still has plenty of masculine punch.
- Adella
Origin:
Variation of Adele or AdelineDescription:
Now that all names Adel- are the height of fashion, Adella is an unusual name that nevertheless sounds very trendy. Adella is one of Ariel's sisters in The Little Mermaid.
- Casiphia
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"place of the treasury"Description:
A Biblical place name referred to by the Old Testament prophet Ezra. It may be a corruption of Caspian, or may derive from Hebrew keceph "silver, money".
- Brayleigh
Description:
Brayleigh is a modern feminine name that embodies contemporary naming trends combining popular sounds and elements. Created as a variation blending the popular prefix 'Bray-' (as in Brayden) with the trendy suffix '-leigh' (a stylized version of 'lee'), the name represents the creative combination style that gained popularity in the early 2000s. Brayleigh has a melodic quality with its flowing syllables and soft ending sound. The name has particularly gained traction in the United States, appealing to parents seeking something distinctive yet following familiar phonetic patterns. While some might view it as part of the trend toward newly-created names, others appreciate its fresh sound and the personalization it offers. Brayleigh typically evokes images of brightness and modernity.
- Daulton
Origin:
Spelling variation of DaltonDescription:
Stick with the original.
- Neviah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"forecaster"Description:
All too likely to be confused with the ultratrendy Nevaeh.
- Adanna
- Shailene
- Josiah
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