​
​
Advanced Search

Read or heard 9/25

  1. Alison

    • Origin:

      Norman French, diminutive of Alice

    • Meaning:

      "noble"

    • Description:

      Alison has been long popular in Scotland and widely used here since the fifties. This more feminine medieval elaboration of Alice had long surpassed the original in popularity, but now sounds a tad dated in the U.S., with Alice having leapfrogged back over Alison, Allison, Alicia and other variations.
  2. Brett

    • Origin:

      Celtic

    • Meaning:

      "from Brittany"

    • Description:

      Football great Brett Favre single-handedly kept this name in the limelight, though it continues to sink in popularity.
  3. Luis

    • Origin:

      Spanish variation of Louis

    • Meaning:

      "renowned warrior"

    • Description:

      Luis has long been one of the most popular Hispanic names in America — it was in the Top 100 every year from 1980 to 2014, though it's dropped a bit in popularity. It's familiar, yet would add a worldly touch to a basic surname.
  4. Tim

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Timothy, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "honoring God"

    • Description:

      Tim is a boyish short form occasionally given on its own. There were 37 baby boys named Tim in the US last year, versus over 1700 named Timothy.
  5. Alex

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Alexandra or Alexis

    • Meaning:

      "defending men"

    • Description:

      One of the most evenly divided unisex names these days; strong and energetic, if overused, for both genders.
  6. Tony

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Anthony

    • Meaning:

      "priceless one"

    • Description:

      Tony, as in classy. Or To-nyyy, as yelled out a tenement window.
  7. Shelby

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "estate on the ledge"

    • Description:

      Though Shelby was trendier ten years ago, it's still a widely used choice.
  8. Azrael

    • Origin:

      Hebrew, variation of Azriel

    • Meaning:

      "help of God"

    • Description:

      This is the name of Angel of Death in Jewish and Muslim tradition, but that isn't putting contemporary parents off. With its cool letter Z and popular -ael ending, Azrael has been in the US Top 1000 since 2019 and has continued to rise since then.
  9. Mandy

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Amanda

    • Description:

      Nickname left over from the last generation.
  10. Mindy

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Melinda

    • Meaning:

      "beautiful honey"

    • Description:

      This sweet nickname style name combines contemporary Indy with vintage Minnie. Popular in the 80s, it fell out of style by the mid-90s, but, with the likes of Annie, Edie, Ellie, Bonnie and Heidi getting more attention, could Mindy make a comeback?
  11. Kerry

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "dark, dark-haired"

    • Description:

      An Irish county name almost exclusively used for girls now. Kerrigan would be a more modern and masculine choice.
  12. Leigh

    • Origin:

      Variation of Lee, English

    • Meaning:

      "pasture, meadow"

    • Description:

      Leigh as a masculine name has Anglo-Saxon origins, derived from the Old English 'leah' meaning 'clearing' or 'meadow.' While Leigh has become increasingly popular as a feminine name in recent decades, it has a long history of masculine usage, particularly in England and English-speaking countries.
  13. Greg

    • Description:

      Greg is a masculine name that originated as a diminutive of Gregory, which comes from the Greek name Gregorios, meaning 'watchful' or 'alert.' While Gregory has been used since early Christian times, Greg gained popularity as a standalone name in the mid-20th century. It reached its peak usage in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s. Greg has a friendly, approachable quality with a classic yet casual feel. The name's brevity and straightforward pronunciation have contributed to its enduring appeal across English-speaking countries. Though less commonly given to newborns today than in previous decades, Greg maintains a steady presence and is recognized as both a complete name and a nickname.

  14. Brad

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Bradley

    • Description:

      Pitt is the prototypical blond Brad.
  15. Keely

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "slender"

    • Description:

      Keely is well-used in modern Ireland, also found as Keeley and Keela. The boys' form is Keelan. Largely unknown in the US, this could make an interesting update for Kelly or Kaylie or Kylie -- though it might ultimately prove to close to one of those trendy names.
  16. Rene

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "reborn"

    • Description:

      Though it's used for boys, most non-French people would hear it as a girls’ name. Most would be surprised to learn that Rene has always charted in the US Top 1000 for boys.
  17. Ron

    • Origin:

      Short form of Ronald, Norse

    • Meaning:

      "ruler's counselor"

    • Description:

      Ron is a masculine name that functions both as a standalone name and as a shortened form of longer names like Ronald, Aaron, or Byron. Ronald, its most common source, derives from the Old Norse 'Rögnvaldr,' meaning 'ruler's advisor' or 'decision maker.'
  18. Rochelle

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "little rock"

    • Description:

      While Rochelle may sound like a twist on Rachel, it has a different origin entirely. Rather than having Biblical and Hebrew ties, it comes from the name of a city on the west coast of France, La Rochelle. Meaning "little rock", it rose to prominence in the 1930s, likely popularized by the actress Rochelle Hudson (though she was born Rachael).
  19. Ivey

    • Origin:

      Surname name, variation of Ivy

    • Meaning:

      "son of Ive; person from Ivoy; ivy plant"

    • Description:

      Ivey can be considered an alternate spelling of the botanical name Ivy, but it also has separate origins as a surname. For the Anglo-Saxon Ivey line, Ivey means "son of Ive," while for the English-Norman Iveys, it means "person from Ivoy," a commune in the Cher department of France.
  20. Turner

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "works with a lathe"

    • Description:

      Turner is a name that's both preppy and painterly, recalling the exquisite watercolor seascapes of British painter J.M.W. Turner. An occupational name in the Taylor-Carter mold, Turner is a more distinctive choice than many of the usual suspects.

Introducing the Nameberry App

Nameberry App
Find your perfect baby name together with our new mobile app.
  • Swipe through thousands of names with your partner
  • Names you match on are saved to your shared list
  • Get personalized recommendations that learn based on your and your partner's preferences
  • Partner with friends and family to find names you all love
  • Backed by Nameberry's 20 years of data around name preferences.
Sign up to be notified when the app launches and to receive a discount on full access.
Nameberry App Logo