User-created list
By alyshadragonfriend · Updated May 2023
Across 11 pages
of 11
Irish
"dark"
One of the first of the appealing Irish surnames to take off in this country, this boys’ name has long outgrown its "Mellow Yellow" association, which came via the single from a sixties…
American variation of Amaya and Amaia, Spanish
"the end"
While this name is a phonetic variant of Amaya and Amaia, its popularity could also stem from its similarity to names such as Aliyah, Amelia, and Amara too. It entered the US Top 1000 back in 2003,…
"little dark one"
Keira is a sweet yet tough name that's gotten a huge boost from the meteoric rise of Keira Knightley. Original spelling Kiera, which relates more directly to the male Kieran, was the more popular…
Arabic
"night traveler, night rain"
Bright and pretty, resembling Aaliyah, Delilah, Amaya and Sarah, Sariyah is a celestial and stylish choice, Sariyah can be a variant of the Mormon 'Sariah' meaning "Yahweh is ruler", or it is an…
Spanish variation of Maurice
"dark-skinned"
This Spanish version of Maurice has been on the US charts since the 60s. Mauricio peaked in the early 2000s, getting as high as #353 before falling again. With lively, "-o" ending names getting the…
Scottish
"black water"
Douglas, and more particularly its nickname, Doug, had a real romantic swagger in the 1950s and 1960s dating back to swashbuckling Douglas Fairbanks, but today is more likely to conjure up your mom's…
Irish, French
"dark one; from Arcy; from the fortress"
A favorite in England and Wales, Darcy is a unisex option with delicacy, grace, and strength. Associated with classic literary and courtesy thanks to Jane Austen's hero, Mr. Darcy, and Bridget…
English and French from Latin
In the USA, Maurice was in the Top 200 for most of the 20th century; since 1990, however, it has been on a slow and steady decline. This name has the potential for some old-school cute nicknames such…
Variation of Melanie, Greek
"black, dark"
Lobbing off the final E makes Melanie more modern.
Kiera entered the American popularity list in 1988, though it lags behind the alternate spelling Keira, largely due to the fame of actress Keira Knightley. The original Irish spelling is Ciara, the…
"dark warrior"
Duncan is jaunty, confident, and open, a Scottish royal name that's brimming with friendly charm and makes it into our golden circle of names that are neither too popular nor too strange. Popularity…
Spanish and Greek variation of Melanie
"black"
The current wife of Donald Trump, Slovenian model Melania Knauss, brought this pretty version to the fore. Saint Melania was an heiress who freed thousands of enslaved people.
Turkish
"dark moon"
Lovers of Esme and Ayla might also like this beautiful Turkish name, with its mysterious, moonstruck meaning. The last syllable sounds like "rye", rather than with ray. A notable bearer was Esmeray…
Ciara is very popular in Ireland, more familiar here as the Anglicized Kiera or Keira. The uninitiated will tend to pronounce Ciara as the Italian Chiara, a form of Claire—kee-AHR-a or even…
Persian or Arabic
"long night; era"
A common name in the Muslim community, where it may be a Persian name or a variation of Ayan, a name with a timely meaning.
"little black-haired one"
Extremely popular in Ireland, Ciaran is also well used in England and is beginning to be adopted by parents in the U.S., though usually via the more American-friendly Kieran spelling. The Irish…
Indian, Tamil, Hindi
"dark blue; moon"
A sweet, simple Sanskrit name which would work in many languages and has an sparkling, colorful meaning. Fitting in besides Nina, Mila and Nola, Nila was one of the fastest rising names for girls in…
English variation of Maurice
Morris is as quiet and comfortable as a Morris chair, and has the same vintage feel. Once a Top 100 name in the early 1900s, Morris fell completely off the roster in 1995, probably due to lingering…
English, Dutch, German
"gray, black; hare"
Hazen is a variation of the Dutch surname Hasin, which has two separate origins. The first is as a nickname for Haso, a Germanic given name derived from haswa , meaning "gray" or "black." Hasin was…
"dark-haired"
This name shares sounds with Keagan and Teagan, but has its own roots in Irish culture. It comes from the surname O'Duibhginn, meaning "descendent of the dark-haired one". Freestyle Motocross rider…
