User-created list
By RedRose · Updated September 2023
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Diminutive of Terence or Thierry, English
"soft; thresher; ruler of the people"
One of the first breakaway unisex baby names , Terry, used independently since the days of Terry and the Pirates. Popular in the mid-20th-century, it has fallen out of favor in recent years, replaced…
English and Irish from German
"ruler with the spear"
Both a saint's name and a presidential one via Gerald Ford—who was born Leslie—Gerald is a quintessential 1930s-40s name, when it ranked as high as Number 19. Hence all those nice middle-aged and…
Welsh, variation of Ambrose
"immortal"
Magical and powerful, but gentle and approachable too, Emrys is a Welsh name which may be worth considering if you're looking for something less common that Dylan, Evan, or Morgan. An offbeat epithet…
English, diminutive of Matilda
"battle mighty"
A surprise recent hit revival with cutting-edge British, Tribeca and Malibu parents; Tillie, also spelled Tilly, is cute, frilly, and sassy all at once. Tilly features in the England and Wales Top…
English
"the flooder"
This strong single-syllable boys’ name has been finding favor with parents since the fifties, though it's been slipping in recent years; it fell out of the Top 500 for the first time since 1959 in…
Arabic
"happiness"
Farah is a soft and lovely Arabic name, best known here in this original spelling via the last Empress of Iran, Farah Palavi. It's currently a Top 250 name in both France and the Netherlands, which…
Norse feminization of Eric or Italian word name
"eternal ruler; heather"
The straightforward Erica is a Norse feminization that was long associated with the complex, mega-popular character Erica Kane, played by Susan Lucci for decades on the soap opera All My Children .…
German
"peace"
The dynamic personality and paintings of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo have inspired growing numbers of parents to resurrect this form of the name. It does much better in certain European countries,…
Variation of Terence.
Variation of Lester, English
"military camp by the river Ligore"
A popular choice in the US in the early 20th-century, Lester made the Top 100 consistently for 46 years between 1886 and 1931. It then remained in the Top 500 until the mid-80s before dropping out of…
English, diminutive of Theresa
"to harvest"
Cosy and warm but with plenty of substance and strength, Tess is a literary diminutive that works perfectly well as a stand-alone name. Stylish in the Netherlands, it currently sits outside the Top…
Diminutive of Regina, Eugenia, Georgina, and similar, English, German, Spanish
"queen; well born; farmer"
A short form for a whole variety of names, this short form has been used across Europe as a stand-alone since the 1920s. It spiked in popularity in the 1950s, owing to the fame of Italian actress…
French
"of Thracia"
In the Top 25 in the unisex seventies, these days Tracy would more likely be Gracie.
Diminutive of Eugene, Greek
"wellborn, noble"
Like Ray, a formerly funky nickname name that is newly cool. Comedian Amy Schumer used it for her son. While technically Gene is short for Eugene, it can certainly be used on its own as an honor name…
English diminutive of Euphemia, Greek
"pleasant speech"
Effie is the old-fashioned short form for Euphemia. It shares a vintage charm with Hattie and Letty although is much rarer than either. Effie is a character in The Hunger Games and Sisterhood of the…
Latin
"earth"
A video-game import (Final Fantasy VI) for a character with green hair and a name that brings the outmoded Terry and Tara into the postmodern age. In ancient Rome, Terra was also a minor goddess and…
Feminine variation of Eugene, Greek
Eugenia, a name scarcely used at all since the 1980's, is another that flourished a century ago and could be due for a revival. Eugenia has some interesting literary references, including the…
Diminutive of Christina et al
Tina, despite its petite and tinkly image, is apt these days to be replaced by the more elegant originals, Christina and Martina.It does have some strong namesakes, though, in Tina Turner (born Anna…
"heavenly"
Celestine is a pretty, crystalline extension (actually a diminutive) of Celeste that would make a choice that is both delicate and strong. It is also a popular name in France, though typically…
Russian diminutive of Tatiana
Long integrated into the U. S. name pool but still retaining some Slavic flavor, Tanya feels a bit tired; it's ready for replacement by cooler Russian choices like Sasha, Mischa, or parent name…
