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Pls dont name ur kid Aiden

  1. Barney

    • Origin:

      Variation of Barnabas

    • Meaning:

      "son of comfort"

    • Description:

      The name Barney is hot among hip Londoners and it has been above the Top 500 in the UK since 2012. You can see why - it's got a friendly happy sound and a lovely meaning and is more easily worn than Barnabas. However, Barney is a more difficult sell in America, due to Barney the Dinosaur and Barney Gumble, the loveable lout from The Simpsons. In the positive column for Barney are jazz clarinetist Barney Bigard and guitarist Barney Kessel. For those who love the name but can't get past the dinosaur, may we suggest the related names Bernard or Barnaby?
  2. Thisbe

    • Origin:

      Greek mythological name, meaning unknown

    • Description:

      Thisbe, the name of a beautiful but tragic lover in mythology, is lively and cute -- in a slightly thistly, prickly way. Ovid retold the story of Thisbe and Pyramus, young lovers in ancient Babylon kept apart by family rivalry, which was the inspiration for Romeo and Juliet. A modern bearer of the name is writer Thisbe Nissen.

      In Sarah Dessen's novel Along for the Ride, the baby daughter is named Thisby, nn Isby.

  3. Bridger

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "lives near the bridge"

    • Description:

      A recent addition to the Most Popular list, Bridger has the trendy two-syllables and 'er' ending, and a historical reference to Jim Bridger, a foremost nineteenth-century frontiersman, explorer, trapper, scout, and teller of tall tales.
  4. Devin

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "poet"

    • Description:

      Devilishly handsome, Devin arrived as Kevin was moving out. Not to be confused (though it often is) with the English place-name Devon. While both Devin and Devon are flagging somewhat for boys, the names have dropped out of the Top 1000 for girls, making it more a masculine and less a unisex name these days.
  5. Imogene

    • Description:

      Imogene is a feminine name of Celtic origin, believed to be derived from the Gaelic word 'imogen,' meaning 'maiden' or 'daughter.' Some scholars suggest it may also have connections to the Latin phrase 'Iphigenia,' from Greek mythology. The name gained literary significance through Shakespeare's play 'Cymbeline,' where the virtuous protagonist bears this name. Imogene enjoyed moderate popularity in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries before declining, though it has seen renewed interest in recent years as part of the revival of vintage names. With its combination of classical literary associations and a distinctive, melodic sound, Imogene appeals to parents seeking names with historical depth, intellectual connections, and a touch of antiquated elegance.

  6. Maribel

    • Origin:

      English combination of Mary and Bel, or Spanish short form of María Isabel, "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + beautiful"

    • Meaning:

      "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + beautiful"

    • Description:

      This modern name gathers some steam from the wildly popular Isabel.
  7. Elvis

    • Origin:

      Meaning unknown

    • Description:

      When the King was alive, and for years afterwards, few people (except Declan McManus who became Elvis Costello) dared use his singular name, but now it's very much up for grabs.
  8. Carlisle

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "from the walled city"

    • Description:

      This stuffy English surname and hotel name took on Twilight cool when attached to vampire Carlisle Cullen. Inspired by the character, it's more popular in this spelling than as Carlyle and more widely used for boys than for girls.
  9. Jillian

    • Origin:

      Phonetic spelling of Gillian

    • Meaning:

      "youthful"

    • Description:

      This spelling of Jillian is now much more popular than the original, maybe because the G version invites pronunciation problems.
  10. Neville

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "new town"

    • Description:

      More often used in Britain than here, where most names ending in ville fall into the unthinkable class, this might make an exception via fans of the musical Neville Brothers.
  11. Nelson

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "son of Neil"

    • Description:

      Nelson is a rather stiff and dated surname name that is sometimes used to honor distinguished South African activist Nelson Mandela, as Celine Dion did for one of her twin boys. Other notable associations are with the British Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson, New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, novelist Nelson Algren and movie operetta star Nelson Eddy. It was also the given name of "Rabbit" Angstrom, protagonist of John Updike's series of novels.
  12. Darren

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "little great one"

    • Description:

      Darren and wife Sharon shop for fifties memorabilia on eBay. The Connecticut place-name Darien might offer an update.
  13. Glory

    • Origin:

      Word name

    • Description:

      Glory sounds fresh and uplifting and a lot more modern than Gloria (which is definitely feeling the stirrings of a revival, though some might still view it as a terminal Old Lady name). Glory, as in "Glory Be" and "Old Glory," has both a religious and a patriotic flavor.
  14. Flannery

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "descendant of Flannghal"

    • Description:

      Long before the vogue of using Irish surnames for girls, writer Flannery O'Connor gave this one some visibility. It has a warm (flannelly) feel and the currently popular three-syllable ee-ending sound.
  15. Carlyle

    • Origin:

      Variation of Carlisle, English

    • Meaning:

      "from the walled city"

    • Description:

      Carlisle is more popular than Carlyle for both genders, and in both spellings more widely used for boys than for girls. It's a name we see on the rise in either spelling.
  16. Devin

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "poet"

    • Description:

      Used far more for boys with this spelling, but still has a nice impish Irish feel for a girl.