here's some names i like '20
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- Maeve
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"she who intoxicates"Description:
Maeve is a short and sweet name that has become one of the most stylish Irish names for girls in the modern US. It joined the Top 100 for the first time in 2023 and now ranks at Number 75.
- Arlo
Origin:
Irish or EnglishMeaning:
"between two hills"Description:
Quirky cool Arlo is now well and truly back. Last year it broke into the US Top 200 boy names and consistently ranks among the most popular boy names on Nameberry.
- Wren
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"small bird"Description:
Wren, a lilting songbird name, could be the next Robin. Wren entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2012 and is among the new wave of popular English names for girls.
- Orion
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"boundary, limit"Description:
Orion is a rising star, with both mythical and celestial overtones.
- Asa
Origin:
Hebrew; JapaneseMeaning:
"healer; born in the morning"Description:
A short but strong biblical name with multicultural appeal, Asa is enjoying new visibility thanks to hot young actor Asa Butterfield of Hugo fame.
- Faye
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"fairy"Description:
Soft and simple, but no less magical, Faye is enjoying a quiet spell of popularity in the US. It broke the Top 1000 in 2014, and by 2023, was one of the fastest rising names on the charts. Faye is a perfect example of a name that fits in and stands out, recognizable and yet unexpected. It also makes a beautiful middle name option, if Mae and Rae are feeling too overdone.
- Arden
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"valley of the eagle; high"Description:
Arden, the name of the magical forest in Shakespeare's As You Like It, is a stylish A name with a strong, straightforward image. Another reason to love Arden: its similarity to "ardent." Arden is solidly unisex, with the current gender distribution running about 49 percent girls and 51 percent boys.
- Sage
Origin:
Herb name, LatinMeaning:
"wise and knowing"Description:
Sage is an evocatively fragrant herbal name that also connotes wisdom, giving it a double advantage. It entered the Top 1000 at about the same time for both genders in the early 1990s, but it has pulled ahead for the girls. Toni Collette named her daughter Sage Florence.
- Lennox
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"elm grove"Description:
Lennox is an aristocratic and powerful Scottish surname name made truly special by that final x. The worldwide fame of British boxer--World and Olympic champion--Lennox Claudius Lewis brought the name into the spotlight as a first name, while as a last it's tied to Eurythmics singer Annie L.
- Wilder
Origin:
Surname or word nameMeaning:
"wild, untamed, uncontrolled"Description:
Rugged, outdoorsy, and full of energy, Wilder entered the US Top 1000 back in 2015. Part bad boy, part Western, part preppy, and part nature-loving, Wilder is given to nearly 800 babies each year.
- Circe
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"bird"Description:
In Greek myth, Circe, daughter of Helios, the sun, was a sorceress living on the island of Aeaea, who could turn men into animals with her magic wand, which is just what she did to Odysseus's crew in Homer's Odyssey, transforming them into swine. All was forgiven, however, as Circe and Odysseus later had a child together—Telegonus.
- Riven
Origin:
English from NorseMeaning:
"to split"Description:
This ancient name makes an intriguing alternative to River.
- Ever
Origin:
Word nameMeaning:
"always, eternally, constantly"Description:
A simple, unusual word name with an evocative meaning, Ever feels similar enough to Eva, Evelyn, and Everly that it shifts easily into name territory. Actor Robert Carradine was ahead of the trends when he named his now grown-up actress daughter Ever back in the 70s, while more recently, it was used by both Milla Jovovich and Owain Yeoman.
- Solace
Origin:
English word nameDescription:
A rare unisex word/virtue name that is currently given to around 10 babies of each gender per year in the US. It could make for an unexpected route to bright, easygoing nickname Sol (or trendy nickname Ace).
- Sarai
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"princess"Description:
Sharp but sweet, ancient but with a contemporary sound, Sarai has been rising steadily up the US charts since the 90s and now sits comfortably in the Top 1000. In the Old Testament, God changed Sarai's name to Sara, so this would make a clever and legitimate honor name for an ancestral Sarah.
- Wilde
Origin:
English surname, variation of Wild, English word nameMeaning:
"undomesticated, uncultivated"Description:
The final -e takes this from a daring word name to a literary honor name, for the inimitable Irish author, poet and playwright Oscar Wilde, infamous for his wit and flamboyance.
- Brinley
Origin:
English, combination of Brynn + Lee "burnt clearing; hill + meadow"Meaning:
"burnt clearing; hill + meadow"Description:
Brinley was a surprise entrant to the US Top 1000 in 2009, however, in 2023, it doesn't feel surprising at all. In fact, alternative spellings Brynleigh and Brynlee also rank in the Top 1000, with Brynley not too far behind.
- Ailani
Origin:
Hawaiian, Hispanic variation of Aileen or Aylin, "high chief; shining light; of the moon"Meaning:
"high chief; shining light; of the moon"Description:
Lilting and lovely, Ailani entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2016 and was a fast climbing choice in 2024 when it rose 267 places, placing it in the Top 400 of that year. With Hawaiian, Spanish, Irish, and Turkish influence, it is an appealingly multicultural choice.
- Rin
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"dignified, severe"Description:
A very popular girls' name in Japan whose sound is consistent with its meaning. Another possibility is Ren.
- Isaias
Origin:
Latin variation of IsaiahMeaning:
"Salvation of the Lord"Description:
Widely used in the Hispanic community, as is the shorter Isai. While the original Isaiah and cousin Isaac are much more popular, Isaias commanded attention as the name of a storm in the summer of 2020.