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bb names

  1. Alaska

    • Origin:

      Native American

    • Meaning:

      "great land"

    • Description:

      State name Alaska stems from an Aleutian word for the land mass itself. The number of baby girls named Alaska has doubled in the past five years, and is sure to continue increasing as more place names are annexed as baby names. Wilder but as habitable as Dakota or Cheyenne, Alaska is a girls' name choice for the future.
  2. True

    • Origin:

      Word name

    • Meaning:

      "true"

    • Description:

      Many parents seeking a return to more basic values and a simpler lifestyle are turning to such virtuous girls' names as Grace, Faith, and Hope, but there are a handful that work just as well on boys, including True.
  3. Cove

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "small bay"

    • Description:

      Cove is an up-and-coming nature name whose cool sound and peaceful image saw it rising for both sexes until COVID-19 hit. It decreased slightly for boys in 2020 and remained steading in 2021, but it has actually increased for girls, although it remains a seriously rare and distinctive choice.
  4. Violette

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "purple"

    • Description:

      Now that Violet is becoming more popular, parents are starting to explore same-but-different options such as the French Violette, which would properly be pronounced with a long e sound in the first syllable and three syllables -- vee-oh-let -- as well as the Spanish Violeta — both of which were among the fastest-rising girl names of 2023.
  5. Laine

    • Origin:

      Variation of Lane

    • Meaning:

      "a small roadway or path"

    • Description:

      Unisex Lane is a hit for boys in the last few decades, remaining around the 200s in popularity. Laine may lean a bit more feminine, but still has that unisex feel.
  6. Honor

    • Origin:

      English word and virtue name

    • Meaning:

      "honor"

    • Description:

      Honor is a somewhat more straight-laced virtue name than Hope or Grace, placing a high standard on any girl carrying it, but it's a goal worth setting. By choosing Honor for her daughter, Jessica Alba brought it very much into the modern world.
  7. Palmer

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "pilgrim; one who holds a palm"

    • Description:

      Palmer is a name that derives from the fact that pilgrims often carried palms, thus the double meaning. It's a fresher sounding twist other surname style names, such as Spencer, Carter, Porter and Parker.
  8. Patience

    • Origin:

      Latin virtue name

    • Meaning:

      "ability to accept or tolerate inconveniences, and suffering without anxiety or anger"

    • Description:

      Patience is a passive virtue turned engaging name, fresher than Hope, Faith, or even Charity. Its resemblance to the trendy Payton may be one reason that it returned to the US charts back in the 90's and 2000s, having been absent for a century.
  9. Journey

    • Origin:

      English word name

    • Meaning:

      "passage from one place to another"

    • Description:

      One of the new word names, appealing to parents attracted to the idea of a spiritual -- or even an actual -- voyage. The Journee spelling is also being used. Unisex alert: Jenna Jameson used Journey for one of her twin boys, as did the Black Eyed Peas rock musician known as Taboo.
  10. Karma

    • Origin:

      Hindi, Sanskrit "destiny, spiritual force; deed, fate"

    • Meaning:

      "destiny, spiritual force; deed, fate"

    • Description:

      Some parents are hoping to bestow good karma on their children with this name, derived from the Sanskrit word for "fate". Associated with the Hindu and Buddhist belief that someone's actions in this life (and their previous ones) decide their future existences, it is more informally used in the Western world to refer to good or bad luck.
  11. Tempest

    • Origin:

      English word name

    • Meaning:

      "turbulent, stormy"

    • Description:

      Tempest is one of those names that could go either way. Cool, evocative modern word name? Or asking for trouble? Your call, but if you decide the former image is dominant, be warned that some people will see it as the latter.
  12. Ezrah

    • Origin:

      Hebrew, variation of Ezra

    • Meaning:

      "help"

    • Description:

      Ezra (and Ezrah) is potentially an abbreviation for the Hebrew phrase Azaryahu, meaning "Yah helps." In the Bible, Ezra led a group of fifteen hundred Israelites out of slavery in Babylon and back to Jerusalem. The Ezrah spelling is definitely less popular than the original Ezra, but is rising itself as well — Ezrah entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2022.
  13. Adah

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "ornament"

    • Description:

      Adah is a biblical name twice over—one was the mother of Jabal and Jubal, the other was a wife of Esau. The latter Adah and Esau’s descendants settled in Edom and became the Edomites. Adah is unrelated to the visually similar name Ada, which is Germanic in origin.
  14. Azaria

    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Azariah

    • Meaning:

      "Yahweh has helped"

    • Description:

      A Biblical name with a modern feel, Azaria is a spelling variation of the Hebrew name, Azariah. Used as a masculine name in the Bible, this spelling is now more commonly used on girls.
  15. Eason

    • Origin:

      Scottish surname

    • Meaning:

      "son of Adam"

    • Description:

      Scottish names that started as surnames are a class unto themselves. This old Scottish surname name debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2016 -- bolstered, no doubt, by the extreme popularity of Easton, just one letter away.
  16. Akira

    • Origin:

      Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "bright, intelligent"

    • Description:

      A popular Japanese name for both sexes that's migrated to the West because of its appearance in manga and video games and because of its international feel. It was a fast rising choice in 2024, when it entered the Top 1000.
  17. Isiah

    • Origin:

      Variation of Isaiah, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "Salvation of the Lord"

    • Description:

      Streamlined spelling of the biblical name, as in basketball great Isiah Thomas, falling fast from its height in the charts.
  18. Sincere

    • Origin:

      English, Word name

    • Meaning:

      "honest, genuine, and heartfelt"

    • Description:

      Reminiscent of Puritan and Pilgrim name choices, Sincere is a relatively modern virtue name that has been in the US Top 1000 since the 2000s.
  19. Kaine

    • Description:

      Kaine is a masculine name with multiple origins and meanings. In Celtic tradition, it's a variant of Kane or Keane, meaning 'warrior' or 'tribute.' It can also relate to the Hebrew name Cain, though without the biblical associations. As a modern name, Kaine gained modest popularity in English-speaking countries during the early 2000s, appreciated for its strong sound and contemporary feel. The name's distinctive spelling with the 'i' gives it a modern edge while maintaining its traditional roots. Kaine offers a powerful yet accessible option for parents seeking a name that sounds assertive and stylish without being overly common.

  20. Ester

    • Origin:

      Variation of Esther, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "star"

    • Description:

      This simplified spelling is a bit too polyester, though this is also the authentic Slavic version of an Old Testament name that's being rediscovered.