Collection Babynames Part I

Floral, elegant, and bold, Ophelia re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2015 after more than 50 years off the charts. It has risen more than 700 spots since then and shows no signs of slowing down. Now in the US Top 300, could Ophelia one day become the next Olivia or Amelia?

Bonnie is an adorable nickname name, heading back up the popularity list after a 50-year nap. A Top 100 girls' name throughout the rest of the English-speaking world, Americans are later to jump on the Bonnie bandwagon but now it's trending here too.

Upbeat nickname-name that can't help but make you smile. You might want to use it as a short form for a more "serious" name such as Sunniva, but Sunny is undeniably, well, sunny.

For a name related to a Scottish town, a patterned Indian fabric, and a country singer named Brad, Paisley has seen remarkable success. After appearing, seemingly out of nowhere, it is now an American favorite.

Although Disney's cute deer was a male, Bambi has always been used for girls. It first appeared on the charts in 1943, the year after the Disney movie was released. Bambi featured in the Top 1000 from 1954-1964 — a decade where girl names ending in I, like Lori and Teri, were big — and again from 1977-1982.

Yes, it's pronounced with a long o sound at the end, just like Margo and Margot. This spelling was popularized by supermodel, actress, and tragic Hemingway granddaughter Margaux, whose name spelling came courtesy of a bottle of French wine. (The original spelling of her name was Margot; she changed it when she heard her parents were drinking a bottle of Chateau Margaux the night she was conceived.) Margo itself is a diminutive of Margaret, which means "pearl" or, in its French version, "daisy." Margaret or Marguerite would be more stylish variations now.

This Elizabeth nickname has a decidedly retro feel--think Betsy Ross and the Betsy Wetsy doll-- once seen as a perkier, younger-sounding alternative to Betty. But with Betty on the brink of a comeback, pigtailed Betsy could return as well.

Another feminine form of the old saint's name Mael. Spelled Maëlys, it is a very popular name in France today.

If you're a lover of the beach and sea, and want a name that relates to the largest body of water, there are several variations you could consider.

Mercedes is one of the few names attached to luxury living that we can wholeheartedly recommend, it being a legitimate Spanish appellation stemming from one of the epithets given to the Virgin Mary--Santa Maria de las Mercedes, or Our Lady of the Mercies. The car, by the way was named after the eleven-year-old daughter of the Daimler company's French distributor in 1901.

Nickname name in the era of Grease. Sandy fits well in the era of boyish nicknames for girls - a la Scottie and Stevie - or as an alternative to the rapidly rising Goldie. While it peaked in 1960, Sandy is still given to about 60 baby girls each year.

Samaira is a feminine name with Sanskrit origins meaning 'enchanting' or 'one who casts a magical spell.' The name has gained popularity in India and among the Indian diaspora, while also appealing to parents globally seeking melodious, meaningful names. Samaira conveys a sense of wonder and captivating beauty, evoking images of someone with a naturally magnetic presence. The name flows gracefully with its three syllables and soft sounds. While relatively modern in widespread usage, Samaira connects to ancient linguistic traditions. Its rising popularity can be attributed to its exotic yet accessible quality, making it distinctive without being difficult to pronounce across cultures. Samaira strikes a balance between uniqueness and elegance.

In the Noongar language of Western Australia, Bindi means butterfly. Bindi is usually seen as a girls' name, as seen in Bindi Irwin, daughter of the late Steve Irwin.

Debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2016, only to immediately dip back under the radar. While Maylee is an invented name, it can also be considered a compound name made up of May and Lee. May is a month name that's a diminutive of Mary and Lee commonly means meadow.

A feminine and fragrant member of the Rose family.

Rosalie has officially been revived, breaking into the Top 200 in 2020. And as with many on-trend baby names, the creative spellings have started to roll in. Rosalee is one such name, that could also be read as a compound of Rosa and Lee, giving it the alternative meaning of "rose meadow" and the potentially to more obviously honor a Lee. It was a fast rising option in 2024, when it entered the Top 1000.

In this country, likely to conjure up visions of leafy lettuce.

Variant of Maribella

Truncated form of Marylouise.

Frilly but undeniably beautiful. The meaning of Mary is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).