User-created list
By Caroline’s Names · Updated May 2023
Across 5 pages
of 5
Kazakh
"moonlight"
A pretty Kazakh name derived from Turkish ayla , meaning "moonlight". The Hawaiian name 'Ailana (with the 'okina mark) means "loving".
Spanish
"hope, expectation"
Esperanza is a Spanish classic that's found its way onto the national popularity list in recent years. It came into the spotlight not long ago when jazz singer Esperanza Spalding "stole" the Best New…
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…
English, diminutive of Dorothy
"gift of God"
Dottie and Dot are old Dorothy nicknames that some cutting-edge Brits are bringing back to fashion. It's been half a century since Dottie ranked on its own in this country, one of those nickname…
Tahitian
"welcome"
Though it sounds like a variation of the Irish Maeve, Maeva actually hails from Tahiti, and is currently enjoying a wave of popularity in France, where it ranks in the Top 100, possibly via popular…
"gracious gifts, benefits"
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…
French variation of Nadia, Russian
"hope"
Part of the vogue for French-sounding names in the 1920s and 30s, Nadine has been replaced by the Russian sound of Nadia and Natasha.
"most holy"
This name of the Cretan goddess of fertility is most popular now as the more melodic Ariana, but Ariadne has possibilities of its own. It first entered the US Top 1000 in 2014. The renewed interest…
Welsh
"blessed, happy"
Because of Gwyneth Paltrow, this has almost become a one-person name, but not in the prohibitive there's-only-one-Oprah sense. Also seen as Gwenyth and Gweneth, this mellifluous appellation is…
Sweet and cosy with a touch of sass, this nickname-y choice was a familiar option up until the sixties in the US. Then, for a while, it was a bit of a one-person name, associated with singer Dolly…
Sanskrit
"beloved"
Priya originated in India as a name derived from the Sanskrit word for "beloved." In India, where names are often given based on one's birthday and horoscope, Priya is traditionally given to girls…
Ancient Egyptian via Spanish
"holy to Anath"
A highly unusual Biblical girls' name whose popularity in Latin America is beginning to spill over into the U.S.. Azeneth is one of those unique baby names we'll be hearing a lot more of.
Hebrew
"gift"
Shai is a name newly-used in the US for both boys and, slightly less often, girls. Though the correct pronunciation is "shy", many will say shay, which might be all right with you.
Japanese
"beloved child"
Aiko is a very common Japanese name with a lovely meaning that is rarely heard outside the Asian community.
Hawaiian, Greek
"remembrance of a loved one, cherished memory; briny"
Halia is one of Hawaii's top baby names, in the Top 50 for girls in 2021. Rare yet quietly on the rise outside of Hawaii, it was given to around 64 girls in a recent year. With its appealing meaning…
Arabic
The lilting name of a range of mythical mountains, with an extensive menu of spellings, and a more unusual way of fitting in with current favorites Lila and Lola.
Feminine variation of Darrell, French
"dear one, beloved"
Dariela may have a not-quite-authentic provenance, but it's a pretty name and an unusual choice in the girly Isabella-Gabriella group.
English surname derived from Tobias
"God is good"
Tobias-related name that makes an attractive and modern-sounding form of the biblical original. It was recently chosen by Karolina Kurkova for her son.
French and German form of Matthias or Matthew
Very popular in France and Belgium, this name -- pronounced mat-tees, like the surname of the painter Matisse -- might make an appealing new way to say Matthew here.
Feminine variation of Amado, Spanish
"loved"
Amada is an unusual Spanish name that's becoming more famous thanks to Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes, who named their second daughter Amada Lee and their first Esmeralda Amada. Amada was also the name…
