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By alyshadragonfriend · Updated August 2023
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Diminutive of Melanie
"black, dark"
Not one but two Spice Girls are named Mel, which led to it briefly being more popular for girls than boys in the 90s and early 00s, but it has now fallen out of favor for both sexes.
English
"woman from Magdala or high tower"
Biblical name long associated with the fallen-yet-redeemed Mary Magdalen, now rising improbably into the ranks of the fashionable among parents hungry for classic yet distinctive girls' names. The…
Diminutive of Mary, Miriam, and others
Sweet, nicknamey name belonging to the tragic heroines of both La Bohème and Rent . Mimi might feel too slight for many parents to use on the birth certificate, but as a short form, it's one of the…
Short form of Martha or Martina, Aramaic or Latin
"lady or warlike"
Marty and Martie are old-fashioned gender-neutral nickname names, boyish nicknames not heard much since the middle of the last century. That could change, though, with the rise of vintage boyish…
Latin, feminine variation of Maximus
Max names were one of the hottest trends for boys in the mid-2010s, and are still very popular. The girl versions haven't seen so much love, unfortunately. (Or fortunately, if you love them and want…
Variation of Muriel via Meriel, Irish
"of the bright sea"
Meryl is a name that's at once rare and famous, thanks to Meryl (born Mary Louise) Streep. Streep's name is an invented short form of Mary Louise, but Meryl might also be a contraction of the unique…
Latin
"modesty"
Modesty is a virtue name dating to Roman times, but never widely used, except for hot 1960s movie spoof heroine, Modesty Blaise, based on a comic strip.
German variation of Magdalen
On "Sex and the City," Magda was the elderly nanny from the old country -- which is what this name sounds like. While Magdalene and Magdalena are enjoying fresh life, Magda still feels dated.
French, diminutive of Marie
"bitter"
Manon is an endearing French pet name for Marie or Marianne; it has the international yet straightforward feel that makes it a viable import. Manon of the Spring was a gorgeous French film, Manon…
Short form or Martina or Martha or variation of Marto, Latin, Hebrew, Javanese
"warlike; lady; soft-hearted, gentle. refreshing"
A spelling variation of Marty and Martie, this form has the retro charm of Joni, Patti, and Suki, and the contemporary feel of Remi, Romi, and Kaeli. Derived from the more classic Martin/a and…
English, combination of Mary and Jo
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + god"
Cute combination name which is now past its peak. It may be written as one word, two words (Mary Jo), or hyphenated (Mary-Jo). The original meaning of Mary is uncertain, but theories include "drop of…
English word name
The numerical -illion names (Billion, Trillion, etc.) are more common for boys — Million is the only one that also ranks for girls. No doubt it's because of the natural nickname, Millie.
"lighthearted, happy"
She'd better be. Merry is one of the classic names for Christmas babies .
English, French and Breton
"prince"
An elaboration on the Breton name Maël or Maëlle, or an English combination of Mae and Ella.
Mariann is a feminine name that functions as a variant of Marian or a combination of Maria and Ann. With roots in both Hebrew and Latin traditions, it carries the meanings of 'bitter' (from…
French
"warlike"
Sleek and sophisticated.
Sanskrit
"peahen"
Mayuri is the feminine version of the name Mayur, which means peacock. The name has a mellifluous sound to it, which makes it well placed to make the transition to the West. Dancer and chorerographer…
"my lady"
There's only one. Okay, two.
"from the sea"
Marine was trending for a long time in France, but the far right politician Marine (born Marion) LePen has dampened the mood.
Michella is a feminine name that serves as a variation of Michelle, which itself is the French feminine form of Michael, meaning 'who is like God?' in Hebrew. The addition of the 'a' ending gives…