User-created list
There Can Be Only One
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About this list
The names
Aaliyah
Variation of Aliya, Arabic
"heavens, highborn, exalted"
Both powerful and pretty, with a melodic sound, Aaliyah joins Layla, Lila, Zara, and Aisha as a name of Arabic origin that is also popular in the English-speaking world. Back in 1993, the name was…
Jesus
Hebrew
"the Lord is salvation"
Jesus -- pronounced hay-SOOS -- is used exclusively and extensively among Spanish speakers, though JEE-zus as in the first name of Christ is never used in the Anglophone world. Jesus Quintana was a…
Messiah
Aramaic word name
"expected savior or deliverer"
A handful of years ago, a judge in Tennessee ruled that parents could not name their son Messiah, "because there's only one." That decision has since been overturned and the name no longer looks out…
Celine
French variation of Celeste
"heavenly"
French-Canadian singer Dion made us notice this variation. Similar in sound but not related to the names Selene and Selena ("Moon"), sleek Celine has a more celestial, heavenly vibe. Typically…
Adonis
Greek, from Semitic Adonai
"lord"
The name of a figure from Greek mythology, Adonis is a high-pressure name often synonymous with masculine beauty. Nonetheless, many mythological names that would have previously been deemed off…
Romeo
Italian
"pilgrim to Rome, Roman"
It wasn't so long ago that Romeo was considered as outre for an American baby as Casanova or Cupid. But that really changed when David and Victoria Beckham chose it for their second son in 2002, a…
Hendrix
Dutch and German, from first name Hendrik
"estate ruler"
Hendrix is one of those hip rock and roll names, like Lennon, Jagger and Presley, that have been used by fellow celebs and others, to honor the seminal guitarist/singer/songwriter Jimi. And this one…
Armani
Italian surname derived from Herman or Arman, German or Persian
"son of Ermanno; soldier; wish,hope"
Armani is catching on along with other brand names, and this one is among the most gender-neutral — sitting in the Top 500 for both boys and girls. Its similarity to the likes of rising stars Amari,…
Moses
Egyptian
"delivered from the water"
Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin's choice of this white-bearded Old Testament name helped bring it into the modern age, along with brethren Elijah, Isaiah and Isaac. User-friendly nicknames include…
Lennon
Irish
"lover"
A growing number of high-profile (and other) parents are choosing to honor their musical idols, such as Hendrix, Presley, Jagger, and now Lennon. Lennon first came to notice when Liam Gallagher and…
Darwin
English
"dear friend"
Enough parents have found naturalist Charles Darwin, the father of the theory of evolution, a worthy hero to keep Darwin relatively consistently in the Top 1000. It has a lovely meaning too—"dear…
Poseidon
Greek mythology
"lord of the earth, husband of the earth"
In Greek mythology, Poseidon is the wild God of seas, storms, earthquakes and horses — which he could tame with a strike of his trident. He is notable for helping the Greeks against the Trojans…
Zeus
Greek mythology name
The supreme Olympian god represents a mighty image for a little fella to live up to, but more and more parents are beginning to consider it seriously. The Roman equivalent Jupiter has also come down…
Lucifer
Latin
"light-bearer"
Lucifer is the name of the archangel cast into hell and while theologians disagree on whether he and Satan are separate beings, it long been on the list of forbidden names for religious and…
Aphrodite
Greek mythology name
"foam or born from the sea"
The name of the Greek goddess of love has rarely descended to mortal use, though the Roman equivalent Venus, thanks to tennis star Williams, now seems completely possible. But with the new fashion…
Cleopatra
Greek
"glory of the father"
A royal name in ancient Egypt that's never quite made it to the modern world, though nickname Cleo is widely used. Other now-extinct Cleopatra diminutives, including Cleora and Cleola, achieved some…
Mozart
German musical name
A daring middle name possibility for classical concertgoers. Alternatives are Wolfgang and Amadeus.
Xena
Pop culture, Greek
"guest, hospitality"
Likely a variation of the Greek name Xenia, Xena is associated with the the TV Warrior Princess, played by Lucy Lawless back in the 90s. Also used as a diminutive form of Alexina or Zenobia, the name…
Oprah
Variation of Orpah, Hebrew
"fawn or gazelle"
The misspelling that created an indelibly one-person name. And we mean that literally: Despite Oprah Winfrey's fame and appeal, there were no baby girls named Oprah last year, OR Orpah. The Biblical…
Aretha
Greek
"virtuous"
There's still only one.