Unique and common word names
- Poppy
Origin:
Flower name, English from LatinMeaning:
"red flower"Description:
Poppy, unlike most floral names which are sweet and feminine, has a lot of spunk. Long popular throughout the rest of the English-speaking world, Poppy is finally starting to rise toward the top in the US, where it entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2016.
- Paige
Origin:
English, occupational nameMeaning:
"page to a lord"Description:
Paige is more name, and less word than the occupational Page. Paige is also sleek and sophisticated a la Brooke and Blair and reached as high as Number 47 in 2003, when there was a very popular television show, Trading Spaces, hosted by the energetic Paige Davis.
- Raven
Origin:
Word and animal nameDescription:
Bird name Raven, once a symbol of pride for both African-American and Wiccan parents, is finding new life as a superhero name. Raven Darkholme is the real name of Mystique, heroine of the X-Men films played by Jennifer Lawrence. And there is another Raven superheroine in Teen Titans. Some parents may still choose Raven to signal black pride or mystical powers or maybe even Edgar Allan Poe fandom, but we are guessing most inspiration is coming from the comics.
- Frank
Origin:
Diminutive of Francis or FranklinMeaning:
"Frenchman or free man"Description:
A Top 10 name from the 1880s until the 1920s, Frank has been falling for decades but last year reversed course for the first time in a century, edging up the popularity list a few notches. And Frank still has a certain warm, friendly real-guy grandpa flavor that could come back into style, like other such choices as Jake and Jack.
- Eve
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"life"Description:
Eve, the oldest name in the Book, is now coming back into style, having the virtues of simplicity and purity, yet with more strength and resonance than other single-syllable names like Ann. British actor Clive Owen chose Eve for his daughter, as did Jessica Capshaw.
- Skye
Origin:
Scottish place-nameDescription:
The e-addition takes the name from slightly hippie-ish nature name to the place name of a picturesque island off the coast of Scotland, and for baby namers it's by far the more popular spelling.
- Drew
Origin:
Diminutive of AndrewMeaning:
"strong and manly"Description:
Drew, which projects a polished, somewhat intellectual impression, is rapidly becoming the Andrew nickname of choice, replacing the past favorite, Andy. It is fully capable of standing on its own, which it has for many decades, non-stop since 1942.
- Drew
Origin:
English diminutive of Andrew, GreekMeaning:
"strong and manly"Description:
Drew is an elegant formerly male-only alternative to Andy that joined the stylishly upscale Paige-Brooke-Blair sorority, thanks largely to Drew Barrymore. Barrymore comes by her first name legitimately: it was the maiden name of her paternal great-grandmother, Georgiana 'Georgie' Drew Barrymore, one of many esteemed actors in her family history.
- Laurel
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"laurel tree"Description:
Laurel takes Laura back to its meaning in nature, resulting in a gentle, botanical option. Even more directly than Laura, Laurel relates back to the laurel wreath signifying success and peace in ancient Greece and Rome.
- Penny
Origin:
English, diminutive of Penelope, GreekMeaning:
"weaver"Description:
Like Peggy and Patsy, Penny is a peppy vintage nickname that fell out of favor (and the Top 1000) for a while, but has recently rebounded by reentering the charts in 2013. Expect it to continue gaining traction on the heels of Penelope.
- Trace
Origin:
Diminutive of Tracy, word nameMeaning:
"of Thracia; to discover or track down; to copy"Description:
Undoubtedly inspired by country singer Trace Adkins, Trace is part update on 20th century fave Tracy, and part modern word name. Derived from Tracy, it originated as a Roman name meaning "of Thracia" or as a short form of Teresa; as a word name, it's got something slightly arty about it, but outdoorsy too, along the lines of Hunter, Chase, and Wilder.
- Weaver
Origin:
Occupational nameDescription:
Weaver, which made an appearance as a first name on the U.S. Top 1000 in the late 19th century and then vanished, may rise again along with its occupational brethren, from already-popular choices such as Cooper and Parker to au courant ones like Archer to occupational hotties of the future, including Booker and Sayer.
- Lance
Origin:
English word name or English variation of Lanzo, German "long, pointed, medieval weapon; land"Meaning:
"long, pointed, medieval weapon; land"Description:
Though the fuller Lancelot has for the most part been shunned as a 'too-much-name' name, the short form Lance has been consistently in or around the Top 500 since 1938, climbing as high as Number 76 in 1970. It was used as a character name by Walter Scott as far back as 1823. Lance is also the name of a medieval weapon, making this name all boy.
- Grey
Origin:
Color nameDescription:
The girls have Violet and Scarlet and Ruby and Rose, but for the boys there's a much more limited palette of color names. Grey/Gray is one exception, which could make for a soft and evocative—if slightly somber—choice, especially in the middle. Kaitlin Olson and Rob McElhenney named their son Leo Grey.
- Shepard
Origin:
Occupational nameMeaning:
"sheep hearder"Description:
A phonetic variation of Shepherd, an occupational surname. Sam Shepard, the actor and playwright, is a notable figure to use this spelling for his last name.
- Will
Origin:
Diminutive of WilliamMeaning:
"resolute protector"Description:
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 in the US and the UK, it wouldn't feel totally out of style.
- Candy
Origin:
English word name or diminutive of Candace, LatinMeaning:
"white, pure, sincere"Description:
Too sugary sweet and inconsequential for a modern girl.
- Cadence
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"rhythm, beat"Description:
The musical word name Cadence, seemed to come out of nowhere to zoom up the charts; it rose over 700 spots between 2002 and 2004, and showed up in the Top 200 in 2007. It's gone down in the popular names list since then, though. Some might see it as a feminine relative of the popular Caden. Kadence and Kaydence are also rising.
- Dolly
Origin:
English, diminutive of DorothyMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
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 Parton, but more recently, it's been singing a fashionable note again along with sisters Dottie and Millie.
- America
Origin:
Place-nameDescription:
Given to children of both sexes as far back as colonial times, this carries a lot of baggage. However, parents continue to take the risk. Actress America Ferrera may be have inspired some families to choose the name. Ferrera's Honduras-born mother shares her unusual name.
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