bb names
- Salem
Origin:
Biblical place-name or ArabicMeaning:
"safe"Description:
Salem is a Biblical place name in Canaan, believed to be the same as Jerusalem, as well as the Massachusetts town famous for its late 17th century witch trials. Salem is also a popular first name in its own right throughout the Arabic world.
- 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.
- Azaria
Origin:
Spelling variation of AzariahMeaning:
"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.
- Journey
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"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.
- Kamora
Origin:
Variation of Kimora or Kamara, MalagasyMeaning:
"chameleon"Description:
Kamora may be a variation of Kamara, a Malagasy name from Madagascar with an unexpected animal meaning. Alternatively, it might be an invented name, inspired by the similar Kimora or Amora - in which case it could also mean "woods by the village" or "love".
- Lyric
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"of the lyre; songlike; a personal, emotive poem"Description:
Associated with poetry, pop music, and the Greek lyre, Lyric has a light and zippy sound to it. Currently more popular for girls in the US, it was in the Top 1000 for boys between 2007 and 2020. Currently given to around 170 boys each year, for every baby boy called Lyric, there are three girls given the name.
- Honor
Origin:
English word and virtue nameMeaning:
"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.
- Violette
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"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.
- Tempest
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"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.
- Knowledge
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"information, understanding, and awareness gained through experience or education"Description:
Knowledge is a word name that's surprising popular in the US, where a recent year saw it given to 184 boys. And if Maverick, Legend, and Justice can be popular baby names, why not Knowledge? It's an important quality for any child to possess, via their name as well as their brain, and you can have all kinds of knowledgeability, in the classroom or the great outdoors, emotionally or spiritually and beyond.
It may feel like a heavy name to wear, however, though nicknames Nol or Ned might help to ground it.
- Bishop
Origin:
English occupational nameMeaning:
"senior member of the church"Description:
Occupation names and spiritual names are in style, so it's hardly surprising that Bishop has been making appearances in the Top 1000. Popular back in the late 19th and early 20th century, it reappeared in the charts in 2015. Given to 170 boys in a recent year, it tends to drop in and out of the Top 1000.
- Akira
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"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.
- Patience
Origin:
Latin virtue nameMeaning:
"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.
- Adah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"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.
- Sincere
Origin:
English, Word nameMeaning:
"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.
- Ester
Origin:
Variation of Esther, HebrewMeaning:
"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.
- Lenox
Origin:
Variation of Lennox, ScottishMeaning:
"elm grove"Description:
Lennox is one of the hottest unisex names of recent years, and this spelling retains the appealing surname vibe and cool -x ending. This form does distance the name slightly from the literary and boxing associations of the original, linking it instead to a tableware manufacturer, a 17th naval ship, and several American places.
- Kaleah
Origin:
Variation of Kalea, HawaiianMeaning:
"joy, happiness"Description:
More common than the original Hawaiian Kalea.
- Ezrah
Origin:
Hebrew, variation of EzraMeaning:
"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.
- 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.
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