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the next step names

  1. Jake

    • Origin:

      Hebrew, diminutive of Jacob

    • Meaning:

      "supplanter"

    • Description:

      This unpretentious, accessible, and optimistic ("everything's jake" -- meaning OK) short form of the top name Jacob is itself widely used, though more parents these days are opting for the full name Jacob. Jake (born Jacob) Gyllenhall is its most prominent current bearer.
  2. Skylar

    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Schuyler, Dutch

    • Meaning:

      "scholar"

    • Description:

      Skylar is a name with a hint of both edginess and whimsy and it makes for a nature-inspired choice that is neither too wordy nor too floral. Popular since the 90s, Skylar has remained in the US Top 100 for over a decade and is the most popular spelling of the name for girls.
  3. Summer

    • Origin:

      Word name

    • Description:

      The temperature is definitely rising for this popular seasonal name, which began being used in the seventies, and has been heard consistently ever since.
  4. Heather

    • Origin:

      English botanical name

    • Meaning:

      "small shrub"

    • Description:

      This flower name was one of the most popular in her class in the seventies and eighties, a fact reflected in the 1989 movie Heathers, in which every snobby girl in the high school clique bears the name. Now, though still pretty and evocative of the Scottish moors, it has faded in favor of other purplish blooms. It fell out of the Top 1000 in 2016 after having been as high as Number 3 in 1975, when it was given to close to 25,000 girls. Across the pond in the UK however, it remains near the latter end of the Top 1000.
  5. Amanda

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "she must be loved"

    • Description:

      Amanda may no longer be the most popular girls' name in her class, but it still holds appeal with its pleasing meaning and solid yet romantic sound. Its heyday however was back in the eighties when it skyrocketed alongside Samantha, Vanessa, Melissa, and co.
  6. Marcel

    • Origin:

      French variation of Marcellus

    • Meaning:

      "little warrior"

    • Description:

      Marcel, despite distinguished namesakes including Proust and Duchamp, suffers from a terminal headwaiter image in this country. But along with its sister name Marcella and French variation (and Jolie-Pitt pick) Marcheline, Marcel may be on the brink of a style renaissance.
  7. Deborah

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "bee"

    • Description:

      Deborah has suffered from the fact that in the mid-twentieth century there were so many Debbies on the block that the beauty and meaning of the original name got lost. Deborah may no longer be among the most popular girl names starting with D, but now this lovely name of an Old Testament prophetess suddenly sounds fresher than overused Sarah, Rachel, and Rebecca.
  8. Tyler

    • Origin:

      English occupational name

    • Meaning:

      "maker of tiles"

    • Description:

      The presidential Tyler rocketed up popularity charts in the late 1980s and early 1990s (it ranked Number 9 for that entire decade), along with cousin Taylor, becoming almost pandemic across the land-- and to make matters more confusing, both (especially Taylor) have been used for girls as well.
  9. Giselle

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "pledge, hostage"

    • Description:

      Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen undoubtedly gave this name a boost. The French pronunciation (jiz-ELLE) gives it a more graceful, balletic, gazellelike feel.
  10. Mackenzie

    • Origin:

      Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "son of Kenneth"

    • Description:

      Originally inspired as by eighties TV actress Mackenzie Phillips, parents since have flocked to Mackenzie for their daughters. Now a staple All-American choice, Mackenzie has ranked in the US Top 1000 for nearly 50 years.

      Mackenzie originates from the Scottish surname which itself an anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Coinnich. Coinnich is one of the original Gaelic forms of Kenneth meaning "handsome, beautiful, comely".
  11. Angela

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "angel"

    • Description:

      Angela was a Top 10 name from 1965 to 1979, the fifth most popular name for three years, and staying in the double digits until the turn of the 21st century. Today, though, Angelina or Angelica would be more fashionable options.
  12. Jude

    • Origin:

      Latin diminutive of Judith or variation of Judah, Hebrew, Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "praised; to be generous and good to others"

    • Description:

      Jude may be a popular boys' name, thanks to Jude Law, but boyish nicknames for girls - like Frankie and Teddy - are on trend and Jude is also a new way to spin Judy or Judith. It's long been used quietly for girls as well as boys, and may start to pick up steam, though as of 2024, it was given to just shy of 90 girls in the US compared to over 2000 boys.
  13. Presley

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "priest's meadow"

    • Description:

      Presley is a much more popular name for little girls than you might think, entering the charts as a girls' name in 1998 and hovering around Number 200 for the last decade.
  14. Tiffany

    • Origin:

      English variation of Theophania, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "of divine manifestation"

    • Description:

      One of the first luxury brand names and the quintessential Booming Eighties status-conscious moniker; used by Donald Trump for his daughter, Tiffany has plummeted far from its high in the Top 25.
  15. Cassie

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Cassandra, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "prophetess"

    • Description:

      Though not much in use, still retains a cozy Little House on the Prairie-type pioneer feel.
  16. Josh

    • Description:

      Josh is a friendly, approachable masculine name that originated as a shortened form of Joshua, which comes from Hebrew meaning 'God is salvation.' While Joshua has biblical significance as the successor to Moses, Josh emerged as a standalone name in the 20th century, embodying a casual, down-to-earth quality. It gained significant popularity in the 1970s through the 1990s in the United States, ranking consistently in the top 100 names. Josh conveys an accessible, unpretentious character with its brief, one-syllable structure. The name suggests a straightforward, trustworthy personality and has maintained steady usage without seeming dated or trendy. Josh represents a perfect balance of familiarity and timelessness in contemporary naming practices.

  17. Beth

    • Origin:

      English diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"

    • Description:

      The sweetest and most sensitive of the pet names for Elizabeth, now also one of the most dated.
  18. Izzy

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Isabel and Isabella

    • Description:

      The longer Isabella stays in the Top 10—and it's been there for more than a decade—the more we hear the nickname Izzy (especially if we watch Grey's Anatomy). it's just a matter of time before it stands on its own, as it has as a first name for the daughter of Eddie Murphy and Paige Butcher.
  19. Kingston

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "king's town"

    • Description:

      Chosen for their first son by musical couple Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, this Jamaican place and elegant British surname also boasts the more regal yet user-friendly short form, King.
  20. Chris

    • Origin:

      English nickname for Christian, Christopher

    • Meaning:

      "one who carries Christ"

    • Description:

      Chris is a long-running nickname used almost equally for boys and girls. While past its prime, Chris stands out as sounding completely appropriate for both sexes, perhaps because of its widespread use as a short form of both the popular Christopher and Christine. Chris manages to retain its crisp appeal even though its fashion moment is over.