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Back & Forth with Lily - July

periwinkle
By periwinkle
Updated Fri Mar 17 2023
  1. Adria

    • Description:

      Adria is a feminine name with multiple origins. It derives primarily from the Adriatic Sea, which was named after the ancient city of Adria in northern Italy. The name has Latin roots, connecting to 'Hadriaticus,' meaning 'dark' or 'from Hadria.' Adria is used across several European cultures, including Spanish, Catalan, Italian, and Slavic languages. While never extremely common in English-speaking countries, it maintains consistent usage as an elegant alternative to more popular names like Adriana or Adrienne. The name has a graceful, Mediterranean quality and carries associations with the sea. Adria peaked in popularity in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s but remains a relatively uncommon choice with timeless appeal.

  2. Aiden

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "little and fiery"

    • Description:

      Aiden in all its spelling variations is the Anglicized version of the Irish Aodhán, which was originally a pet form of the Irish name Aodh (pronounced 'ee'), who was the old Celtic god of the sun and fire. St. Aidan was a famous seventh century Irish saint, noted for his kindness and generosity and for spreading Christianity.
  3. Albany

    • Origin:

      Scottish place name

    • Description:

      Not yet on the place-name map, this name has Shakespearean ties via the Duke Of Albany character in King Lear.
  4. Aleem

    • Origin:

      Hindi

    • Meaning:

      "knowledgeable"

    • Description:

      Surname of a noted modern Urdu poet.
  5. Alex

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Alexander, Alexis

    • Meaning:

      "defending men"

    • Description:

      The independent Alex has become a classic in its own right. One of the truest unisex names, Alex is used almost equally for both sexes. Alex is used both on its own and as a short form of formal names of both genders, such as Alexander, Alexandra, and Alexis.
  6. Almonzo

    • Origin:

      Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "the victorious"

    • Description:

      Introduced to the lexicon by the husband of Little House on the Prairie writer Laura Ingalls Wilder, most scholars agree that this unusual name comes from the Arabic El-Mansur.
  7. Amabelle

    • Origin:

      Variation of Amabel

    • Description:

      This unusual Belle name just might have a chance at greater visibility in this era of all names bell-related, from Queen Isabella to the upwardly mobile Belle and Annabelle to -- why not-- Amabelle.
  8. Amelie

    • Origin:

      French variation of Amelia

    • Meaning:

      "work"

    • Description:

      Emily gets a Bohemian spin and a French accent when it becomes Amelie. This favorite among French girl names has been gaining notice here thanks to the charming 2001 French film Amelie; it entered the American popularity list in 2002 and is now solidly established in the Top 1000.
  9. Annalie

    • Origin:

      Nordic, German

    • Meaning:

      "grace"

    • Description:

      Melodious and unusual form of a name with an uncountable number of variations. Many will understand it as the more down-to-earth Annalee.
  10. Arden

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "valley of the eagle; high"

    • Description:

      Arden is a gender-neutral name that's sleek and stylish but always seems to bob just below the surface of popularity, despite ticking all the boxes with its fashionable two-syllable, N-ending shape and its awesome nature-inspired meanings. In the 2021 US statistics, 41 percent of the babies named Arden were boys to 59 percent girls.
  11. Asher

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "fortunate, blessed, happy one"

    • Description:

      Asher—an excellent, soft and sensitive Old Testament choice—is a baby boy name on the rise, and is a Nameberry biblical favorite.
  12. Auden

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "old friend"

    • Description:

      A softly poetic surname name, associated with poet W.H., Auden is enjoying quiet but marked fashion status. It was chosen for his daughter by Noah Wyle and is definitely one to watch.
  13. Benny

    • Description:

      Benny is traditionally a masculine name that originated as a diminutive form of Benjamin, which comes from Hebrew and means "son of the right hand" or "son of the south." Benny can also serve as a nickname for other names like Benedict, Bennett, or Bentley. Throughout the 20th century, Benny gained recognition through notable figures like bandleader Benny Goodman and comedian Benny Hill. The name has a friendly, approachable quality that has maintained modest popularity over the decades. While some parents choose Benny as a given name, it more commonly serves as an affectionate nickname that conveys warmth and familiarity.

  14. Bentley

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "meadow with coarse grass"

    • Description:

      Bentley, a somewhat stuffy British surname, previously associated primarily with an incredibly expensive English car, has had a recent surge in popularity, thanks largely to the reality TV shows 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom, with Bentley being the name of the son of breakout star Maci (another new favorite) Bookout.
  15. Bianca

    • Origin:

      Italian

    • Meaning:

      "white"

    • Description:

      Bianca, the livelier Italian and Shakespearean version of Blanche, has been chosen by many American parents since the 1990s, just as Blanca is a favorite in the Spanish-speaking community. Its meaning of white relates to snow, making it one of the prime names for winter babies.
  16. Billy

    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of William

    • Meaning:

      "resolute protection"

    • Description:

      Cute kid with freckles, bouncing a Spalding ball. Cool couple Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton put the name Billy Burton on their son's birth certificate. While the classic William, name of the future king of England, may in fact be German, the nickname Billy along with such other classic short forms as Jim and Joe are authentically English names for boys.
  17. Blume

    • Origin:

      German and Jewish surname

    • Meaning:

      "flower"
  18. Brielle

    • Origin:

      Short form of Gabrielle, French, Cajun, Hebrew, Celtic

    • Meaning:

      "god is my strength; hunting grounds"

    • Description:

      Though it sounds modern, Brielle is, among other things, a traditional Cajun contraction of Gabrielle, and the name of a historic seaport in the Western Netherlands, also known as Brill. Today, it is used more widely as a nickname for Gabrielle and as a stand-alone name that fits in easily with Isabelle, Briana, and Brinley. In a recent year, it appeared in the US Top 200, ranking above the longer form and used nearly four times as often.
  19. Caddie

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Caroline, French

    • Meaning:

      "free man"

    • Description:

      Trapped somewhere in the nether region between Haddie and Catie, with the added confusion of sounding like someone who works on a golf course. Caddie Woodlawn was a TV heroine of the Old West in the 1980s. Caddie had its moment, but we don't see it becoming one of the more popular girl names starting with C.
  20. Caleb

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "dog; whole heart"

    • Description:

      Caleb is an attractive Old Testament name that has been in the US Top 100 for nearly three decades now. Consistently popular but never too popular, Caleb feels more like a classic than a momentary trend.