User-created list
By ocjac · Updated May 2023
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Scottish
"white, fair"
Fiona entered the American consciousness with the opening of the 1954 Broadway musical Brigadoon , but didn't come onto the U.S. popularity list until 1990. Fiona is the best known of a group of…
Italian
"white"
Bianca, the livelier Italian and Shakespearean version of Blanche, has been chosen by many American parents since the 1990s, just as Blanca is a favorite in the Spanish-speaking community. Its…
Russian, Arabic
"hope; tender, delicate"
Nadia, an accessible Slavic favorite, has a strong run of popularity in the US in the early 2000s, partially thanks to the character on Lost called Nadia but actually named Noor, but it's since…
German
"work"
Originally popularized in eighteenth century Europe due to the fame of Anna Amalia, a Duchess who was a great patron of the arts, Amalia is now a widely cross-cultural name, heard from Italy to…
Spelling variation of Isabella
One fewer L makes this name much less popular than the more traditional spelling. This spelling has two notable namesakes: Mexican actress Isabela Corona and Brazilian actress Isabela Garcia.
Russian, diminutive of Greek Alexander
"defending men"
Sasha, largely male in Russia--and also spelled Sascha and Sacha--is an energetic name that has really taken off for girls here, chosen by Jerry Seinfeld (using the alternate Sascha spelling) and…
Latin, Greek
"a Christian"
Christina, a pretty and feminine, crystal clear classic, may be trending downward, but it's never out of style and its extra syllable does keep it fresher feeling than Christine. Christina's short…
Variation of Lee or Leah
"meadow; weary"
While traditionally pronounced as a homonym for Lee, Glee actress Lea Michele pronounces her name like Leah, and it may also rhyme with Freya. Regardless of your preferred pronunciation, it's…
Feminization of Carl, German, Carlo, Italian, and Carlos, Spanish
"free man"
While Charlotte and Caroline are considered stylish and classic members of the Charles family, this Germanic form peaked in the US at Number 76 in 1965. It fell out of favor in the 2010s, but recent…
German diminutive of Elisabeth
"pledged to God"
Lost in limbo for decades and decades, Elsa now stands a good chance of following along in the progression from Emma to Ella to Etta, thanks to the ice queen heroine who "Let It Go" in the wildly…
Variation of Liana, French
"to climb like a vine"
Subtle botanical choice with cross-cultural appeal. Streamlined Liana is more common.
Latin, Germanic, Spanish , Italian., "white, light; elf; dawn"
"white, light; elf; dawn"
Bright, lively, and multicultural, Alba has the vintage mellowness of Alma but spirited feel of Ebba, Phoebe, and Pippa too. Derived from multiple different sources, a recent year saw it appear as a…
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…
"most beautiful"
Spelled with either one 'l' or two, Calista came to the fore in 1997 when Calista Flockhart hit it big as Ally McBeal. Flockhart, who bears her mother's middle name, didn't just introduce a name, she…
Feminine form of Cassius or Greek
"cinnamon"
Cassia is related to the cassia tree, which has yellow flowers and produces a spice that can be a substitute for cinnamon. Keziah, the name of Job’s daughter in the Old Testament, derives from the…
Italian variation of Luke and Lucas, Hungarian variation of Lucia
"light; man from Lucania"
Very much a boy's name in Italy, it's beginning to be seen as a unisex possibility here: actress Jennie Garth used it for her daughter, as did influencers Alyssa and Dallin Johnson, When spelled…
Irish
"noble good"
Mona had more than a moment in the sun, peaking in 1950 at Number 230 but falling off the Top 1000 completely in the late 1980s. Its similarity to the word "moaner" undercuts the appeal of its…
Diminutive of Christina et al
Tina, despite its petite and tinkly image, is apt these days to be replaced by the more elegant originals, Christina and Martina.It does have some strong namesakes, though, in Tina Turner (born Anna…
Anabela is a feminine name with Portuguese and Spanish origins, representing a variation of Annabella or Anabel. These names combine the Hebrew 'Hannah' meaning 'grace' with the Latin 'bella' meaning…
Alfa is a distinctive feminine name with multiple cultural origins. It can be related to the Greek letter 'alpha,' symbolizing the beginning or the first, suggesting leadership and originality. In…
