Names of Woe and Whimsy

Scarlett

English

"scarlet, red"

Scarlett Johansson is doing more for this sparky southern name than Scarlett O'Hara ever did. Since the turn of the 21st century, Scarlett has gone from an obscure literary name to one of the most…

Ruby

Latin

"deep red precious stone"

Vibrant, sassy, and bubbly, Ruby is a vintage gem that hasn't lost any of its sparkle. Currently popular in a number of English-speaking countries, Ruby is proof of the 100 Year Rule, trending again…

Maeve

Irish

"she who intoxicates"

Maeve is a short and sweet name that has become one of the most stylish Irish names for girls in the modern US. It joined the Top 100 for the first time in 2023 and now ranks at Number 75. Maeve…

Ruth

Hebrew

"compassionate friend"

Ruth, with its air of calm and compassion, was the third most popular name in the 1890s, remaining in the Top 10 through the 1920s. It's still in use today as some parents tiring of Rachel and…

Ophelia

Greek

"help"

Floral, elegant, and bold, Ophelia re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2015 after more than 50 years off the charts. It has risen more than 700 spots since then and shows no signs of slowing down. Now in…

Selena

Latinized variation of Greek Selene

"moon"

Selena is smooth, shiny, and sensual, a nineteenth-century name that found new life in the Latino community, following the biopic of slain Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla, starring Jennifer Lopez.…

Lilith

Assyrian, Sumerian

"ghost, night monster"

Lilith is derived from the Akkadian word lilitu meaning "of the night." In Jewish folklore she is portrayed as Adam's rejected first wife, who was turned into a night demon for refusing to obey him.…

Morgan

Welsh

"sea-born, sea-song or sea-circle"

Morgan has long been a traditional Welsh male name, a variant of the Old Welsh name Morcant, from the Welsh elements mor , meaning "sea" and cant , "circle." The female Morgan is unrelated to the…

Mallory

French

"unfortunate"

Early 1980s sitcom ( Family Ties ) name that has been well used ever since, with an upbeat three-syllable sound and a slightly tomboyish edge.

Briar

English

"a thorny patch"

Fairy-tale memories of Sleeping Beauty inspire some parents—such as Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christensen—to call their daughters Briar Rose. But Briar plus a different middle name might work even…

Raven

Word and animal name

Bird name Raven, once a symbol of pride for both African-American and Wiccan parents, is finding new life as a superhero name. Raven Darkholme is the real name of Mystique, heroine of the X-Men films…

Salem

Biblical place-name or Arabic

"safe"

Salem is a biblical place-name in Canaan, believed to be the same as Jerusalem. Americans may be more familiar with Salem as the name of the Massachusetts town famous for its witch trials in the late…

Lorelei

German

"alluring, temptress"

The lovely Lorelei, a name from old German legend, was a beautiful Rhine River seductress whose haunting voice led sailors to hazardous rocks that would cause them to be shipwrecked. And this siren…

Eve

Hebrew

"life"

Eve, the oldest name in the Book, is now coming back into style, having the virtues of simplicity and purity, yet with more strength and resonance than other single-syllable names like Ann. British…