sophiekihm's list "I've only met one person named..." of 20 great name ideas: Nika - Noreen!

I've only met one person named...

Enticing modern nickname name possibility. 

Nika

Manny

Bold and distinctive, Yolanda is a floral name that doesn't sound frilly or delicate. Ultimately deriving from the Greek words ioles meaning "violet" and anthos meaning "flower", it appears in a variety of forms internationally, including Jolanda, Jolanta, Iolanthe, Iolanta, Iolanda, and Jolana.
 
While some may associate Yolanda with Quentin Tarantino's crime movie, Pulp Fiction or with reality TV personality, Yolanda Hadid, Yolanda has also been borne by several members of European royalty, and by activist Yolanda King, gospel singer Yolanda Adams, and presenter Yolanda Vega.

Yolanda

Another two-syllable surname zooming up the ladder for boys, and poised to be grabbed by the girls. 

Keegan

This Akan day name is very much associated with Kofi Annan, the seventh secretary general of the United Nations. 
The Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born and the order in which they were born. Most Ghanaians have a name using this system. 
 Kofi is the male name for babies born on a Friday (the female variant is Afua/Efua).

Kofi

Cute short form of Esther, now associated with the iconic nail polish brand.

Essie

Silvana is a feminine form of the Ancient Roman Silvanus, sharing the same woodsy meaning. A mix of elegance and energy, Silvana may appeal to those who enjoy Sylvie, Sylvia, Savannah, and Solana. 

Silvana

Ayelet is an unusual -- and somewhat challenging -- Israeli name familiar thanks to sometimes controversial Jerusalem-born novelist-essayist Ayelet Waldman.
 Well used in Israel, the name was taken from the phrase 'ayelet hashachar', meaning 'gazelle of dawn', the morning star.
 Other related Hebrew choices with the same meaning are Aya and Ayala.

Ayelet

Multicultural with a contemporary unisex feel, Kayan is a versatile choice. Given to 40 boys and 36 girls in the US in 2024, it also counts as a truly neutral choice in America. 
 
From its Persian and Kurdish roots, Kayan can mean "high status", "leader", and "ruler", or it can be considered a variation of the similar Kayhan, meaning "universe, cosmos". From its Yoruba and Nigerian roots, it is an alternative spelling to Kayin, a name meaning "celebrated" or "wished-for child", while from its Arabic and Quranic origins, it an variation of Keyan or Kiyan, meaning "being, essence, existence, entity". 
 
Other possibilities include that it is a Malaysian or Indonesian name, relating to the Kayan River, or to the indigenous Kayan Dayak tribe from who the river takes its name. Some sources also link it to the Turkish words kaya and kayan meaning "rock" and "sliding, slithery respectively. 
 
Beyond that, it might be used as a modern invention, inspired by Kian, Kayden, and Kayne, or, it may relate to either the indigenous Kayan people of Myanmar, or to places called Kayan in Armenia, Afghanistan, and Iran.

Kayan

Used for baby girls every year since the 80s, Kyler provides an alternative for parents wanting something with the sounds or style of Skyler, Carter, Kaia, Kylie, and Kyla. 
 
On one hand, Kyler can be seen as a modern invention, created by combining Kyle and Tyler together, and creating the meaning "tiler of roofs on the narrow spit of land". 
 
Alternatively, Kyler could be an Anglicized form of the Dutch surname "Cuyler ", which may mean "hole, pit", "bowman, archer", "chapel", or "victory of the people" according to different translations.
 
Given to around 70 girls each year, Kyler is about as popular as Rorie, Karly, and Precious, but with Miller, Kya, and Denver rising upwards, perhaps the number of Kylers may increase. 
 
Female Kylers include singer, dancer, and songwriter Kyler Kesick and fashion influencer Kyler Carter Powe.

Kyler

Calista Flockhart spotlighted this lovely Greek name that has a long future in the English-speaking world.  Kallista is another spelling; Calixta and Calixto are related.

Callista

This spirited Spanish variation of Rosa was familiar in the mid-20th century, but is used more quietly now. Given to around 35 babies in the US each year, it could work as a fresh alternative to Roberta or Rosie. 
 
Characters named Rosita have featured in the children's TV show Sesame Street, the movie Sing,and the series The Walking Dead while famous Rositas include singer and actress Rosita Serrano, writer and explorer Rosita Forbes, and singer and performer Rosita Amores.

Rosita

Arnulfo is a masculine name with Germanic roots, derived from the elements 'arn' meaning eagle and 'wulf' meaning wolf. It was borne by several medieval saints and nobles, including Saint Arnulf of Metz, a 7th-century bishop. The name traveled to Spain and Latin America where it gained more widespread usage and remains particularly popular in Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries. Arnulfo combines powerful natural symbols—the eagle's vision and the wolf's strength—creating a name that conveys courage and nobility. While never extremely common in the United States, it has maintained a steady presence in Hispanic-American communities, appreciated for its distinctive sound and strong heritage.

Arnulfo

With Win and Winner gracing birth certificates, why not Champion?
 
Champion was first used all the way back in 1914, only to fall off the charts two years later until reappearing in 1995.

Champion

This form of Theodoric, familiar via Marlene, is a possible German import. It is an Anglicized ancestor of Derek and all its variations. A noted bearer was acclaimed classical German baritone and conductor Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, and there have been Dietrichs in Henry James's The Princess Casamassima,/em and more recently on the TV show Psych.

Dietrich

Pronounced with two syllables, as if spelled Ilsa, Ilse is popular in The Netherlands and may rise here with cousin Elsa.

Ilse

Deondre is a masculine name that emerged in American naming patterns primarily in the 1980s and 1990s. The name appears to be a creative combination of the popular prefix 'De-' (seen in names like Deon, Devin) with elements of the name Andre (derived from the Greek Andreas, meaning 'manly' or 'brave'). This follows a pattern of name creation that became popular in the late 20th century, combining recognizable name elements to form distinctive new names. The prefix 'De-' may also show influence from French-derived naming patterns. Deondre peaked in popularity in the early 1990s but has since declined in usage. The name has a rhythmic, three-syllable structure that flows well phonetically, contributing to its appeal. Various spelling variations including Deandre and D'Andre exist as alternatives.

Deondre

Hillel the Great was a famous Talmudic scholar, the spiritual and ethical leader of his generation, and his name is greatly honored by parents in Israel and, to some extent, here. 

Hillel

Dinah is a charming, underused Old Testament name with a rich literary and musical resume. In the Old Testament, Dinah was the beautiful daughter of Jacob and Leah and while some conflate her with the Biblical Adinah, they are in fact different figures.
 Meaning "God will judge", Dinah is the heroine of the best-selling Anita Diamant novel The Red Tent, and is also a central character in the George Eliot novel Adam Bede, where she acts as a moral center. In the classic film The Philadelphia Story, Dinah is the heroine's sassy kid sister while it also appears in Alice in Wonderland as the name of Alice's kitten. 
 One important thing to note is that "Aunt Dinah" has been used as a racial stereotype, from the character of the cook in Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. It may also sound too reminiscent of the American diner in some accents. 
 The name Dinah was adopted by two great singers: Dinah Washington (born Ruth) and Dinah Shore (born Frances).

Dinah

Noreen's in limbo, especially now that Nora has made a comeback. 