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Matthias
Aramaic variation of Matthew
"gift of God"
With Matthew sounding somewhat exhausted, and ancient endings sounding new again, this New Testament apostolic name makes an appealing and recommended choice. Both Mathias and Matias are well used in…
Kieran
Irish
"little black-haired one"
Long popular in Ireland and England, Kieran, the name of Ireland's first-born saint and twenty-five other saints, has been building its U.S. fan base thanks to its strong and attractive sound, and…
Lauren
English from Latin
"from Laurentum or bay laurel"
Lauren was derived from Laurence, an English name from the Roman family name Laurentius, meaning "from Laurentum." Laurentum, an ancient Italian city, got its name from the Latin word laurus ,…
Fiona
Scottish
"white, fair"
Fiona entered the American consciousness with the opening of the 1954 Broadway musical Brigadoon , but didn't come onto the U.S. popularity list until 1990. Fiona is the best known of a group of…
Mae
Diminutive of Mary or Margaret, Hebrew, Latin
"beloved, bitter, drop of the sea; pearl"
Mae, a sweet and springlike old-fashioned name, hadn't been on the national charts in forty years, but finally made it back in 2010. Mae is derived from May, the month name that was chosen for its…
Frankie
Diminutive of Frances, Latin
"from France; free man"
Frankie is a vintage nickname name for girls, with a down-to-earth country feel. It's one of the hottest boyish nicknames for girls, in the forefront of that trend. This renewed interest placed…
Jordan
English from Hebrew
"flowing down"
Originally used for children baptized in holy water from the river Jordan, it became one of the leading androgynous names of the nineties. As the balance tips toward the boys' side, it's slipping on…
Billie
English, diminutive of Wilhelmina, Wilma
"resolute protection"
Billie is a tomboy nickname name, part of the growing trend for using boyish nicknames for girls and now destined for stardom along with its most famous contemporary bearer, music sensation Billie…
Amos
Hebrew
"carried by God, load, burden"
Amos is a robust biblical name that's being discovered by a new generation of parents in a major way. Similar to other popular choices like Amias, Asa, Moses, and Thomas, it has a contemporary air…
Adele
French diminutive of Adelaide
"noble, nobility"
Credit the award-winning single-named British singer for taking the girls’ name Adele from a quiet semi-retirement back into currency. Adele reentered the US Top 1000 popular baby names in 2011 and…
Celia
Latin
"heavenly"
Celia, splendidly sleek and feminine, is a name that was scattered throughout Shakespeare and other Elizabethan literature, but still manages to feel totally modern. Derived from the Latin Caelius,…
Raylan
Modern invented name
Raylan, one of an uncountable number of two syllable, surname-like boys’ names end in n that are in style these days, is inspired by Raylan Givens, the cowboy hat-wearing U.S. Marshall created by…
Ben
Hebrew
"son of"
Ben, the diminutive of Benjamin or Benedict, can easily stand on its own as a simple, strong, nice-guy choice, though it's somewhat attenuated. Ben is this generation's Bob or Bill.
Johanna
Hebrew
"God is gracious"
Johanna is the version of this name used in Holland, Germany, and Scandinavia. The extra h makes Johanna a slightly more dignified version of Joanna. A notable namesake is the author of Heidi ,…
Amilia
Amilia is a feminine name that represents a variant spelling of Amelia, which derives from the Germanic word 'amal' meaning 'work' or 'industrious.' This alternate spelling maintains the melodic…
Annabel
Scottish variation of Amabel
"loving"
Annabel is a spirited name that embodies quirky British gentility. Appearing in Scotland as early as the twelfth century, where it was a royal name, it also recalls the romantic Edgar Allan Poe poem…
Kay
English, diminutive of Katherine, Greek
"pure"
Kay, a cigarette-smoking, nightclubbing name of the 1930's, could be ready for a comeback along with cousins May/Mae and Ray/Rae. Kay has been out of sight since the mid-eighties, but was in the…
Ida
German
"industrious one"
Many vowel names stylish a century ago are coming back, and Ida seems like a possible, logical successor to Ada and Ava. A century ago, Ida was considered "sweet as apple cider," and was Number 10 on…
Antonia
Latin
"from Antium"
Antonia is stronger than most feminized boys’ names , reflecting the pioneer spirit of Willa Cather's classic novel My Antonia . Antonia is hovering near the bottom of the US popularity list, which…
Ellen
English variation of Helen
"torch; shining light"
An medieval English form of Helen, the sensitive but clear-eyed Ellen has swung in and out of style for centuries, often alternating with the parent name. Ellen was the more common in medieval…