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Will
Diminutive of William
"resolute protector"
Will has definitely replaced Bill, not only as a nickname for William but as a stand-alone name as well, partly thanks to England's Prince William, also known as Wills. Currently outside the Top 1000…
Yan
Yan is a concise, powerful masculine name with multicultural origins. In Chinese, it can mean "strict," "colorful," or "handsome," depending on the character used. It's also a Russian, Dutch, and…
Bell
English and Scottish occupational name
"ringer of the bell"
Simplicity and pleasant associations give the word Bell real possibility as a first name -- but somehow it seems better for a girl, a la Belle.
Yen
Em
English diminutive of Emma or Emily
"universal; rival"
There are a lot of little girls called Em today, but not that many named Em, just Em. As a first name, it's a bit reductive, especially with all the children named Emma, Emily, Emilia, Emeline, and…
Flo
Diminutive of Florence, Latin
"flourishing, prosperous"
Flo is an antiquated nickname not often used these days, possibly because "Aunt Flo" is a euphemism for a period.
Jan
Feminine variation of John, Hebrew
"God is gracious"
Jan, not short for Janet or Janice but standing on its own, ranked in the Top 200 throughout the 1950s but dropped off the Top 1000 in the 1980s and now is a truly extinct name, given to fewer than…
Jean
English and Scottish, from French variation of Johanna
"God is gracious"
Originally a feminine of John, Jean was popular in Scotland long before it found favor elsewhere, and had its most shining moment here in the era of Jean Harlow (born Harlean), ultimate symbol of…
Jen
Jen is a short, crisp feminine name that originated primarily as a diminutive of Jennifer, though it can also be a nickname for names like Jenna, Jenny, or Genevieve. The root name Jennifer comes…
Jill
Diminutive of Gillian or Juliana
"youthful"
Probably due to its nursery rhyme association, Jill has the perpetual air of a rosy-cheeked tot -- even though it is one of the oldest names on the roster, a medieval variation on the Roman Julia.…
Joyce
Latin
"merry, joyous"
Joyce was once a boy name , but took off for girls during the mid-twentieth century, when it spent 1930 to 1947 in the Top 20. Now, Joyce is one of the girls' names starting with J least likely to…
Kim
English diminutive of Kimberly; Vietnamese; Scandinavian diminutive of Joachima; Soviet name
Kim was the coolest name... of the 1960s. Kim was popularized by actress Kim Novak, and its energy is still maintained by rapper Lil' Kim, but it holds lil' or no appeal for new babies. Parents who…
Liz
Diminutive of Elizabeth
"pledged to God"
Some might think a girl named Liz on her birth certificate would feel deprived of her full identity, but in a time when mini names like Liv, Kit, Tru, Kai, Lou, and Bea are in style, Liz feels…
Meg
Diminutive of Margaret, Greek
"pearl"
Meg, perennially one of the Little Women, is a Margaret short form that manages to be neither quite in nor quite out of style. Meg is sleeker and more sophisticated than Maggie, more contemporary…
Rue
Botanical names or word name
"herb; regret"
Rue has gone from Golden Girls actress to Hunger Games heroine to a fresh alternative to beloved middle name Rose. This botanical name is also a coincidental double word name, meaning "regret" in…
Shai
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.
Shaw
English
"lives by the thicket"
Shaw is a streamlined and more modern-sounding Shawn, with many notable surname namesakes.
Tess
English, diminutive of Theresa
"to harvest"
Cosy and warm but with plenty of substance and strength, Tess is a literary diminutive that works perfectly well as a stand-alone name. Stylish in the Netherlands, it currently sits outside the Top…
Tris
Diminutive of Beatrice, Latin
"she who brings happiness; blessed"
In the Divergent series, Tris was used as a short form of Beatrice, but it could also be given as a nickname for names like Tristan, Patricia, or Demetris.
Jo
Diminutive of Joanna or Josephine, Hebrew
"Jehovah increases"
The name Jo still evokes the spunky image of the character in Louisa May Alcott's Little Women . Its literary status makes Jo one of the OG boyish nicknames for girls, ala Frankie, Billie, and…