Traditionally used by the ultrareligious, the French boys' name Baptiste comes from the Greek word meaning "to dip". Baptiste is one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names/france">Top 100 Boy Names in France</a>.

Baptiste

The sweetest and most sensitive of the pet names for Elizabeth, now also one of the most dated. 

Beth

Bethany is a lyrical name that still strikes many parents as a fresher, more substantial substitute for the overused Brittany/Brittney or the more antiquated Beth. 
 In the New Testament, Bethany is the name of a village just outside Jerusalem where Jesus stayed during Holy Week. Mary of Bethany was the sister of Martha and Lazarus.
 A spelling variation was introduced by Real Housewife of New York Bethenny Frankel.

Bethany

Though it's related to the Virgin Mary, this name was once perceived as the height of sensuality, a role since taken over by nicknames Lola and Lolita. 
 Dolores is one of the many titles given to the Virgin Mary — Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, or Our Lady of the Sorrows, and was one of the Spanish names that really caught on in this country — at one point in time, in 1930, Dolores was the 13th most popular girls' name in the US. But in the twenty-first century, you might prefer one of the other names derived from Mary's Spanish epithets — Mercedes, Soledad, Rosario or Luz. Dolores does have some Harry Potter cred, via the witch Dolores Umbridge. Addison Timlin and Jeremy Allen White gave the name to their daughter in 2020.

Dolores

Literally meaning "lady" in Italian, Donna was the perfect ladylike housewife mom name on The Donna Reed Show in the fifties and sixties. And there were plenty of namesakes: Donna was in the Top 10 in 1964. These days we'd be more likely to associate it with the emanciatpated clothes of Donna Karen than as a baby name.
 Though it seems to have a midcentury date stamp, Donna goes back to at least the late nineteenth century, reaching the Top 100 in 1926 and the Top 20 in the 1940s. In 1960, Donna was the fifth most popular name in the United States. Off the charts now, Donna is still remebered as the subject/object of many pop songs, and via the Queen of Disco, Donna Summer,and current bestselling author Donna Tartt.

Donna

Estella is a pretty Latin name that's sounding more and more stylish, remembered as the ward of Miss Haversham in Dickens's Great Expectations. Though Estella ranked as high as Number 110 in the 1880s, it now sits near the bottom of the US Top 1000 along with near-twin Estelle. Either would be well worth considering as an alternative to the popular Stella.
 Ali Landry used the Estela spelling for her daughter's name. Estrella is another possibility.

Estella

Maybe it's because she shares that winning -elle sound with Isabel and Bella, but Estelle is no longer seen as a muumuu-wearing canasta player of a certain age (think George Costanza's mother on Seinfeld or Joey Tribbiani's talent agent in Friends). This could be in part thanks to the young Royal Couple of Sweden, who chose it for their firstborn daughter, or the single-named British R&B singer. It reentered the US Top 1000 in 2012 after a nearly fifty-year absence.
 Latin version Estella, introduced in Great Expectations, also has energy and charm, while Estrella is another stylish member of this star-related club. Ali Landry has a daughter named Estela. Este and Estee are also in the wind.

Estelle

Esther was derived from the Old Persian word stāra, meaning "star." In the Old Testament, Esther, originally named Hadassah, was the captured Jewish wife of the King of Persia who risked her life to save her exiled people from annihilation. This story is celebrated by Jews on the holiday of Purim, so that it has traditionally been given to girls around that time.
 
One of the major female figures in the Bible, quiet, studious Esther was in the Top 50 a hundred years ago and stayed in the Top 100 until 1935. It is now on the ascent again, appealing to parents—Ewan McGregor is one—seeking an underused biblical name with a strong history and serious image.
 Judy Garland played two memorable Esthers--in Meet Me in St. Louis and A Star is Born; Esther Summerson is a main character in Dickens' Bleak House and Esther Greenwood is the autobiographical character's name in Sylvia Plath's A Bell Jar. Someone who glamorized the name is champion swimmer-turned-movie-star Esther Williams.
 Madonna adopted Esther as her Kaballah name.

Esther

Evangeline is a romantic old name enjoying a major comeback, thanks to its religious overtones, Eva's popularity, and the star of the TV megahit Lost, Evangeline Lilly. Evangelia and Evangelina — two variants of Evangeline — are sure to tag along for the ride.

 Evangeline was introduced to the English-speaking world by Longfellow in his hugely popular eponymous narrative poem, and can also be found in Uncle Tom's Cabin (it was Little Eva's full name), as well as two novels by Evelyn Waugh. More recently, there were Evangelines in the films Nanny McPhee and Disney's The Princess and the Frog.

Evangeline

Though familiar to all via such childhood icons as Hans Brinker, Hans(el) and Gretel, and Hans Christian Andersen, few Americans have chosen this name for their sons because of its intractably Old Country image. 

Hans

Jack may have fallen from its Number 1 place in England, but in the US it's as popular as it was at its height in the 1920s and 1930s. A durable, cheery, everyman form of John, Jack ranks as one of the most popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/boys-names/j">boy names starting with J</a>. 
Jack is a derivative of John that originated in medieval England. The name went from John to Johnkin to Jankin to Jackin to Jack. The name was so common in the Middle Ages that Jack became a generic term for a man. 
 
Jack is familiar to all from earliest childhood via Jack and Jill, Jack Sprat, Jack and the Beanstalk and Little Jack Horner et al. It is still a recent favorite for novel, TV and movie characters. 
 
Jack is at the top of the charts in Ireland and Scotland, and also ranks highly in Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Belgium.
 
The jaunty Scottish version is Jock.

Jack

Biblical Jacob ceded his Number 1 spot to biblical Noah, in 2013, after holding first place on the list of <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">baby boy names</a> from 1999 to 2012, given a huge boost by the Twilight phenomenon.
 
Jacob has widespread appeal to a range of parents, with an image of honesty and warmth. Another plus is the friendly nickname Jake — also given on its own to thousands of boys every year — which shares the cool-yet-earthy appeal of equally stylish cousins Max and Sam. 
 Jacob comes from the Latin name Iacobus, which was ultimately derived from the Hebrew name Ya’aqov. In the Old Testament, Jacob was one of the most important patriarchs of the tribes of Israel. He was the youngest son of Isaac and Rebecca and the twin brother of Esau, as well as the husband of both Leah and Rachel. The 12 tribes of Israel evolved from his 12 sons.
 Jacob is still among the most popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/boys-names/j">boy names starting with J</a>, along with James, Jack, and Jackson, and is Number 1 for boys among <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/gen-z-names">Gen Z names</a>.
 
The downside is that Jacob is at this point way overused. Jacoby is one trendy variation. Jakob, meanwhile, is an alternate spelling used by the Dutch, Scandinavians and Germans. Some interesting international versions include the Scottish Hamish, the Cornish Jago, and the Dutch Jaap.

Jacob

Jacqueline originated as a feminine form of Jacques, the French variation of James, and therefore Jacob. Jacob was ultimately derived from the Hebrew name Ya’aqov, and gets its meaning, "supplanter" from the story of Jacob supplanting his brother Esau as the first-born son in the Bible. Jacqueline was first used in France in the Middle Ages.
 
To most Americans, the French Jacqueline still recalls the Kennedy era and its elegant First Lady, although it's lost a good measure of its glamorous image and Gallic gloss. Jacqueline and Jackie peaked as names in 1961, the age of Camelot, reaching a high of Number 37. 
 The name was imported into England by a French sister-in-law of Henry V (known as Dame Jack) and had reached the Top 50 in this country by the 1920s. It's one of those names with a bunch of different spellings, the most common of which is Jacqueline.
 Barbara Walters named her only child Jacqueline.

Jacqueline

Classic French name that becomes pretentious when used for an American baby. 

Jacques

James is one of the classic Anglo-Saxon names, a stalwart through the ages that is more popular—and yes, stylish—than ever today. It recently came out Number 1 in a poll of America's favorite boys' baby names, and is the most common male name, counting people of all ages, in the US.
 James, which reentered the Top 5 in 2016, is a current favorite among fashionable parents looking for a baby name that has both style and substance. Like Henry and Theodore, it manages to combine these two stellar qualities.
 
An English derivation of the Hebrew name Jacob, James is biblical (the name of two apostles in the New Testament), royal (kings of both England and Scotland), and presidential (with more U.S. Chief Executives -- six -- than any other name). The name James is also shared by countless great writers and entertainers.
 
There are fewer Jimmys, Jimbos or even Jamies these days; the most fashionable form of the name is James itself. Several stylish celebrities have chosen it in recent years for their sons, including Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, Liz Phair, Colin Farrell and Isaac Hanson. Brendan Fehr thought out of the box and named his daughter James, which has now become a fashionable middle names for baby girls..
James has some interesting foreign variations: Diego and Jaime (Spanish), Jacques (French), Giacomo (Italian), Hamish (Scottish), Jaako (Finnish), Seamus (Irish), Jaap (Dutch) and Jago (Cornish).
 Along with being one of the most popular first names in the US, James is also one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/top-last-names-in-the-us">most common American last names </a>.

James

More grown up than Jamie, but never given to more than 13 baby girls in the US per year (and that back in 1968). Modern parents prefer Jamie, Jameson or even James itself, as Blake and Ryan Reynolds chose in 2014.

Jamesina

No, we don't consider Jane too plain. In fact, for a venerable and short one-syllable name, we think it packs a surprising amount of punch, as compared to the related Jean and Joan.
 A very old name, Jane has been around since Tudor times, in this country moving in and out of fashion. Jane was once so common that it became generic—as in Jane Doe and G.I. Jane—then spent a considerable time as the back end of such smooshes as Maryjane, Bettyjane, and Sarajane.
 We think it's time for a fresh look at Jane—and not only in the middle place. Just think of all the awesome Janes of the past, both real and fictive—from Austen to Addams to Eyre to Fonda. 
 Jimmy Kimmel recently named his baby girl Jane.

Jane

Janet started as a pet form of Jane but has long been used independently. Jane is a feminine form of John, which derived from the Hebrew name Yochanan. Janet can also be considered a variation of Jeannette, a derivative of Joan and another feminization of the name John.
 
Five hundred years ago Janet was a royal favorite in Scotland, where it remains a common name. Here in the US, however, Janet has been on a downhill slide since the 1960s, with Grandma Janet now knitting booties for baby Janae. Or even, increasingly, Jane.
 There have been several Janets recently involved in US government, Janet is a leading member of the Jackson family, and Janet Evanovich is a bestselling author; and in the past there have been first Best Actress Oscar winner Gaynor, Psycho actor Janet Leigh, and the mother of Jackie Kennedy.
 There are several attractive foreign versions that might prove appealing alternate namesakes for Gran Jan—Gianetta, Zaneta, Janneth, Sinead or Janica.

Janet

In Paris, it's charming, but in America, it's still Jean, as in blue jean.  Or Aunt Jean.

Jean

Originally a feminine of John, Jean was popular in Scotland long before it found favor elsewhere, and had its most shining moment here in the era of Jean Harlow (born Harlean), ultimate symbol of silver screen glamour. Now, though there are many grandmas and even moms with the name, it doesn't seem all that baby-friendly. Though that could change, and Jean could join Jane.
 A perennial on the popularity list until it finally dropped off in 1994, Jean was in the Top 20 from 1922 to 1936 and ranks among the 100 most <a href="/list/653/100-most-common-names-for-girls">common names for girls</a> of the past century. It was extremely well-used as a middle name, as in Michael Jackson's song "Billie Jean" and tennis champ Billie Jean King, not to mention Hermione Jean Granger from Harry Potter/. It was also the actual first name of Scout Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. Maggie Smith shone in the 1969 film The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, and nickname Jeanie was commemorated in the Stephen Foster classic song "I Dream of Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair," as well as in the early sitcom, I Dream of Jeannie.

Pronounced just like Jean in the English-speaking world, but as the more unusual zhahn in France, this has sailed away with the first wave of French favorites: Denise, Michelle, et soeurs.

Jeanne

Joan was the perfect name choice for one of the leading characters on Mad Men, being a quintessential girls' name of the period. A Top 10 name in the 30s, a Top 50 name from the 40s through the early 60s, it was the fifth most popular name in the country for three years running and ranks as one of the most <a href="/list/653/100-most-common-names-for-girls">common names for girls</a> in the 20th century. But alas, Joan hasn't even appeared in the Top 1000 for a dozen years, and these days it's primarily associated with Joans of the generation of Joan Crawford, Joan Collins and Joan Rivers--just a few of the noted Joans whose ranks also include the singers Joan Sutherland, Joan Baez, Joan Armatrading and Joan Jett. But it's possible that modern parents who are reviving Jane might move on to Joan, inspired by Joan Hollaway Harris.
 The first English bearer of the name was Henry II's daughter, Jhone, but the modern spelling was soon established, which is why Saint Jeanne d'Arc was translated as Joan, making her the most illustrious wearer of the name. By Shakespeare's time, Joan had become so overused that it was ripe for replacement by the newly coined Jane, the reverse of what happened in twentieth-century America.
 Some livelier foreign versions of Joan include Giovanna, Siobhan, Ione and Juana.

Joan

Joanna derives from the Greek name Ioanna, which in turn came from the Hebrew name Yohannah. It is featured in the New Testament as a woman who accompanied Jesus on his travels and eventually reached saint status. Other names related to Joanna include Joan, Joanne, Johanna, and Jana.
 
The most usable name in her family, Joanna has been unobtrusively fashionable since the 1980s and continues to be appreciated for its New Testament history and its melodious three-syllable sound, though the simpler Anna ranks much higher. Joanna was most popular in the mid-80s, when she made it into the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">Top 100</a>.
 Audrey Hepburn played a lovely Joanna in the film Two for the Road and Keira Knightley embodied it in Last Night. Both O. Henry and William Faulkner used it for characters. 
 The rhythmic Joanna is our choice over Johanna and Joanne.

Joanna

The traditional German spelling of this name, used by Goethe, Bach and many other luminaries.

Johann

Johanna is the version of this name used in Holland, Germany, and Scandinavia. The extra h makes Johanna a slightly more dignified version of Joanna. 
 A notable namesake is the author of Heidi, Johanna Spyri. There are Johannas in Sweeney Todd, The Hunger Games, and the Bob Dylan song, "Visions of Johanna."

Johanna

An Old World name that might have a chance to rise again with other ancient and worldly forms. Be sure to say yo-HAHN-es.

Johannes

John reigned as the most popular of all boys' Christian names for 400 years, from the time the first Crusaders carried it back to Britain until the 1950s. Then American baby namers finally seemed to tire of this straight-arrow, almost anonymous John Doe of names, replacing it with fancier forms like Jonathan and the imported Sean and Ian.
 
John is an English derivative of the Hebrew name Yochanan via the Latin name Iohannes, itself coming from the Greek Ioannes. John was a key name in early Christianity, borne by John the Baptist, John the Apostle and John the Evangelist, plus 84 saints and 23 popes, as well as kings and countless other illustrious notables. Contrary to popular belief, the names John and Jonathan are unrelated, the latter being an elaboration of Nathan.
 
Because many of today's baby Johns get their names for familial rather than stylistic reasons, John isn't as ubiquitous as it once was. For modern parents, the nickname Jack or an international form like Gianni feels much fresher. But John is still one of the Top 10 <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/boys-names/j">boy names starting with J</a> of all time.
 
The international versions of John are perennial classics in their own cultures: the French Jean, the Irish Sean, the Scottish Ian, the Welsh Evan and Ewan, the Italian Giovanni, and Gianni the Spanish Juan, the German Johann/Johannes, the Slavic Jan, the Russian Ivan, and on and on.
 
Celebrities who have gone with the timeless John include Michelle Pfeiffer, Bono, Johnny Depp, Lauryn Hill, Bridget Moynahan, and Rob Lowe.
 
Jon may be an abbreviated spelling of John or a short form of Jonathan.

John

Juan, the Spanish version of John, is ubiquitous in the Spanish-speaking world, and is familiar internationally via such references as Don Juan and San Juan.
 Juan has countless high-achieving namesakes. Internationally, it's one of the most recognized <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/806/spanish-names-for-boys">Spanish names for boys</a>. As a baby name, Juan in the US is off its 1990s peak.

Juan

Juana has not achieved the popularity in the U.S. of the male version Juan.  Whereas Juan has made it almost to the Top 50 on the U. S. hit parade, sister Juana has barely entered the thousand most popular. 

Juana

Pervasive in all Spanish-speaking cultures, Juanita, like Juana, has not emigrated. 

Juanita

This pet form of Helena and other ena-ending names, long used as an independent name, is attracting notice again as an option both multicultural and simple. Lena was a Top 100 name from 1880 to 1920.
 A past inspiration might be the lovely singer Lena Horne, a contemporary one is the hot creator of and actress in Girls, Lena Dunham, another might be Game of Thrones actress Lena Headey.
 Lena Grove is a simple but strong character in William Faulkner's Light in August.

Lena

Lucia is a lush, rich Latinate equivalent of Lucy, popular in Spain and throughout Latin America and also a cross-cultural favorite. You might be surprised to know that Lucia has ALWAYS ranked among the Top 1000 girl names in the US, though she's really taken off only since the turn of this century.
 
Derived from lux, the Latin word for light. Lucia is considered to be the feminine form of Lucius. Due to its connection to light, Lucia was traditionally given to babies born as daylight was breaking.
 
A variety of references include Santa Lucia, a fourth century martyr who was revered in the Middle Ages and the Caribbean island named for her, and the tragic opera Lucia di Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti.
 
Lucia has for several years ranked as the Number 1 name in Spain. It was chosen for their daughters by James Joyce, Mira Sorvino, Giovanni Ribisi, Mel Gibson, and Sasha Alexander and Eduardo Pointi, among others.

Lucia

The French spelling of Lucy feels particularly light and shimmery.

Lucie

Lucille is a name that had long been overpowered by its link to Lucille Ball, with an image of tangerine-colored hair, big, round eyes, and a tendency to stage daffy and desperate stunts. But with the newfound craze for double-L names like Lily and Lila, Lulu and Luna, and as the choice of Lucille by hipster parents Maya Rudolph and Paul Thomas Anderson, Lucille is breaking free from its old clownish image, moving rapidly up the charts over the past decade after a long nap.
 Lucille has a history that far predates Lucille Ball and the 1950s. It was well used by Christians of the Roman Empire and began to be used in the U.K. and the U.S. in the nineteenth century, making it one of the most <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/322/classic-baby-names-for-girls">classic names for girls</a>. Reaching as high as Number 27 on the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular names</a> list of 1919—when there was a vogue for French sounding names like Marguerite and Genevieve—Lucille stayed in the Top 40 from 1906 to 1924. This was followed by an almost thirty-year slump starting in 1977, when it fell off the list completely, only to return in 2003.

Lucille

Lucius is an old Roman clan name that has lots of religious and literary resonance, yet is still vital today. It was the name of three popes, appears in several Shakespeare plays, and, like all the names beginning with 'luc' relates to the Latin word for light.It was one of a limited number of forenames used in ancient Rome, and because of its meaning was often given to boys born at dawn.
 In the Bible, Lucius is the name of three people; Shakespeare used it for the son of Titus in Titus Andronicus, a young servant of Brutus in Julius Caesar, a lord in Timon of Athens and a Roman general in Cymbeline.
 Other fictional bearers of the name can be found in Le Morte d'Arthur, The Golden Ass, Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man, Faulkner's The Reivers, Batman, Talladega Nights, and The Incredibles. Lucius Malfoy, the father of Draco, is a Harry Potter villain, and other Luciuses have been portrayed on screen by Morgan Freeman, Joaquin Phoenix and Luke Wilson.
 Real-life namesakes include renowned World War II General Lucius B. Clay, and writer, photographer, and bon vivant Lucius Beebe.

Lucius

A versatile classic, Lucy is both sweet and solid, a saint's name, and the heroine of several great novels. First fashionable in England and Wales, Lucy is now a popular choice in the US, The Netherlands, and New Zealand.
 
The English form of the Roman Lucia, Lucy derives from the Latin word lux, meaning “light.” Once given to girls born at dawn, Lucy is also associated with Saint Lucia, the patron saint of the blind.
 
Lucy has a wide range of namesakes, from the bossy friend in the Peanuts comic, to psychedelic "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," to the rash and zany heroine of I Love Lucy. 
 
It is a name with a rich literary history, chosen for the heroines of Charlotte Brontë’s novel Villette, E.M. Forster’s A Room With A View, Jamaica Kincaid’s Lucy, and C. S Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia - just to name a few. 
 
Beyond fiction, Lucy Stone was an important American activist, Lucy Worsley is a successful author and historian, and Lucy Lui is an actress who has imparted strength and style to the name.
 
Simple but sophisticated, playful but grounded, it is no wonder Lucy is a popular choice. Given to over 4000 girls in the US each year, it is a classic that doesn’t feel dusty.
 
If you love Lucy, but don’t love its popularity, you could consider one of its many variants. From vintage Lucille, to the musical Lucetta, to the fresh, unexpected Lux; from nickname-y Lou to sleek Luciana, there are plenty of possibilities.

Lucy

Pronounced LOOSE, this name that refers to the Virgin Mary—"Our Lady of Light"—is one of the most widely used <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/495/spanish-names-for-girls">Spanish name for girls</a>. Its sleekness and stylish final z gives it a modern appeal, like sister name Lux. Nicknames and variations include Chitta, Lucecita, Lucelida, Lucelita, Lucha, Lucida, Lucila, Lusa, and Luzana.

Sophisticated and sweet, delicate but substantial, Madeleine is the classic French variation of Magdalene. 
Once a Top 10 option in France, its popularity waned in the 70s, though it is slowly on the rise again now. In the US, it is outranked by on trend Madelyn and English variant, Madeline, while in the UK, Madeleine is still preferred. 
Perfect for parents who like the most "proper" spelling, it does lend itself to multiple pronunciations, from the classic French "Mad-lehn" to the English options of "Mad-uh-lin" and "Mad-uh-line". 
Love the elegance of Madeleine but don't want your baby to be lost among all the other Maddys? Lucienne, Genevieve, Marcelline, and Marianne might appeal.

Madeleine

Madeline, a lovely name with a soft and delicate image, is an old-fashioned favorite that returned to favor in the 1990's, combining a classic pedigree with a cute nickname option: Maddy. 
 Madeline has been found frequently in literature, from the poems of Keats and Tennyson to Dickens' Nicholas Nickleby to the charming and much loved children's books of Ludwig Bemelmans starring the sprightly French schoolgirl.
 The name has numerous spelling variants, including the French Madeleine and the new options, like Madelyn and Madalyn.
 Never off the Social Security list, Madeline entered the Top 100 in 1994, peaking at Number 50 in 1998. It remains one of the most popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/m">girls' names starting with M</a> and is the favorite spelling option among Nameberry users. 
 While Madelyn is now the preferred choice in the US - perhaps to avoid confusion over that end sound - Madeline doesn't rank far behind and is still given to more than 2500 babies every year. When you combine all the spelling variants together, however, Madeline and co begin to feel a lot like a Top 10 option. 
 Not necessarily a bad thing - it is a versatile and sophisticated option after all - but if you were looking for something a little more unexpected, Gwendoline, Marigold, Amandine, Maude or Marcelline might appeal to you.

Madeline

Madonna

Mae, a sweet and springlike old-fashioned name, hadn't been on the national charts in forty years, but finally made it back in 2010. Mae is derived from May, the month name that was chosen for its connection to Maia, the Roman goddess of growth and motherhood. 
 
Mae can be used as a nickname for the names Mary and Margaret — actress Mae West was born Mary. Alternate spellings include May, Mei, and Maye. The May spelling makes it more of a month name, while Mae makes it an antique nickname name. Both can stand on their own, as seen by Hilary Duff's choice of Mae as her daughter's first name.
 Mae along with twin sister May is now one of the prettiest and most popular middle name options for girls (Eric Clapton has an Ella Mae, Greg Kinnear an Audrey Mae, Ian Ziering a Penna Mae). 
 
A Top 100 name through 1920, Mae was big in early film history — there were leading actresses named Mae Clarke, Mae Marsh, Mae Busch, and Mae Murray. Towering over them (figuratively) was Mae West, who changed the name from sweet to sophisticated. Madonna also played a character called Mae in the 1992 movie A League of Their Own.
 
Mae Jemison was the first African-American woman to travel in space. Mae Whitman is a rising young actress seen recently on Parenthood and Arrested Development.
 
It may be worth noting that Mãe is the Portuguese word for mother, so if you've got Brazilian or Portuguese relatives, it's probably best to stick to May or Mei.

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.

Magda

Magdalena is a pretty name forever associated with the fallen-yet-redeemed Mary Magdalen; often heard in the Hispanic community.  But forward thinking parents are reviving Magdalena along with Magdalene and the unrelated but similar-sounding Marguerite.

Magdalena

This name made famous in the New Testament has gone from crusty grandma to sleek and chic in recent years, or is it months?  The name's image is perhaps helped by the fact that Mary Magdalene was one of the most intriguing women inthe Bible, both a saint and a sinner.

Magdalene

Mally

Has a dotty, antic feel via dotty, antic Auntie Mame. 

Mame

Mamie is back. Having finally shorn her Mamie Eisenhower bangs, this insouciant and adorable nickname name is perfect if you want a zestier way to honor a beloved aunt Mary. Meryl Streep's actress daughter, properly named Mary Willa, is called Mamie Gummer. You might think of Mamie as a sister of the stylish Maisie.
 Mamie was a Top 100 name from the time records were published through 1912, falling off the list in 1966. There have been Mamie characters on two recent sitcoms: Hot in Cleveland and 3rd Rock from the Sun.

Mamie

Manette might be a fresh way to spin Mary or Marie, but popular French Manon has more grace and heft. Manet takes Manette in an artistic direction.

Manette

As a highly popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ name</a> in all Spanish-speaking countries, this saintly Latin variation of Mary retains a timeless beauty. Through the centuries, Maria remains one of the most widely-used <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/m">girl names starting with M</a>.
 This widespread name understandably has produced notable namesakes in almost every field – opera's Maria Callas (born Sophia Cecelia), tennis's Sharapova, education's Montessori, ad infinitum. And she's been celebrated in song as well, from Ave Maria to the eponymous song in West Side Story to "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?" in The Sound of Music. 
While the usual English pronunciation these days is the same as it is in non-English-speaking countries – mah-REE-ah – the British used to pronounce it mah-RYE-ah, like Mariah Carey.

 Maria ultimately dervies from the Hebrew name Maryam/Mariam. The original meaning of Maryam is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

Maria

Thanks to Mariah Carey, everyone now knows this name – and is aware that Mariah's pronounced with a long i – just as Maria was in the Jane Austen era. And though Mariah now sounds modern, it was heard as far back as 1550 in Great Britain.
 The song 'They Call the Wind Maria' (pronounced Mariah) was introduced in the 1951 Broadway musical Paint Your Wagon and was the inspiration for Mariah Carey's name. Though Mariah reached a peak in the mid-1990s, it is still a popular choice. 
 Mariah may derive from Hebrew Moriah, meaning "the Lord is my teacher". It may also be a variant form of Maria, the meaning of which is uncertain. Theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

Mariah

Popular among parents with Arab roots. Also found as Maryam.

 Mary was ultimately derived from the Hebrew name Mariam. The original meaning of Mariam is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

Mariam

Marian's (and sister spelling Marion's) image has gone through a sea change of late, recalling less middle-aged matron and more Robin Hood's romantic Maid Marian. Some influences: the SJ Parker-M. Broderick twin daughter Marion and the glamorous French actress Marion Cotillard.
 Marian was a Top 100 name from 1912 through 1934.
 Marian Anderson was a great African-American contralto singer and Marion (born Marian) Ross was the mom on Happy Days. And – trivia tidbit – Marion Tweedy was the maiden name of Molly Bloom in James Joyce's Ulysses.
At one time Marian was considered the female form and Marion the male – John Wayne was born Marion.
 The meaning of Marie is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

Marian

While Marianna looks like a spelling variation of Mariana, the two names have different etymologies. While the one-N spelling derives from the Roman name Marianus, Marianna is a combination of two classics, Maria and Anna, used in many European languages.

 Marianna was on and off the US Top 1000 list throughout the twentieth century, and it has now ranked consistently since 1995. While it has never appeared in the upper half of the US popularity charts, it's a very popular choice in Italy and Poland.

 The meaning of Maria is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

Marianna

A midcentury Catholic classic that's not chosen by many parents today. Leonard Cohen fans might think of the beautiful song So Long, Marianne, named for his lover and muse Marianne Ihlen.

 The meaning of Marie is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

Marianne

The ubiquitous French version of Mary came into the English-speaking world in the nineteenth century. In the United States, Marie was a huge hit at the turn of the last century and for the ensuing fifty years, becoming the seventh most popular name in the country for three years, from 1901 to 1904.
 Now, though, Marie sounds more dated than either Mary or Maria, though it once rivaled both. Even its days as a widely-used middle name have passed. The freshest way to use Marie today may be as the first part of a traditional French double name: Marie-Christine, Marie-Claude, and so on, or the French diminutive Manon.
 There have been countless notable Maries over the years, from French Queen Marie Antoinette to physicist Marie Curie to singer Marie Osmond (born Olive Marie).
 Marie is the French form of Maria, which ultimately was derived from the Hebrew name Maryam/Mariam. The original meaning of Maryam is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

Marie

Lilting and nearly unknown here, with the currently popular ella ending, makes a good Marissa alternative.

 The meaning of Maria is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

Mariella

Marietta would make for a classy and uncommon long form for cool nickname Etta.

 The meaning of Maria is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

Marietta

Marilla is a names that's familiar via its resemblance to Mary and variations, but also distinctive: It hasn't been on the Top 1000 since the 1800s and was given to only 27 baby girls last year. 
 
Delicate and sweet, Marilla might be seen as a Latinate form of Maria or a short form of the flower name Amaryllis. Marilla Cuthbert was a character in L. M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables.
 Not heard much since the 1880s, Marilla could make a distinctive alternative to Marissa.

Marilla

This pretty sea-born name was used to dramatic effect by Shakespeare in his play Pericles for the virtuous princess who says she is "Call'd Marina, for I was born at sea." Marina was an epithet of Venus, and there was more than one saint of that name. It was used in Britain from as early as the fourteenth century.
 Although it reached as high as Number 219 in 1994, Marina never had the trendy feel of cousins Melissa and Marissa. It's now very popular in Spain.
 A prominent current bearer is Marina Abramovic, widely publicized New York-based Serbian performance artist. And actor Matt LeBlanc chose the name for his daughter, Marina Pearl.

Marina

Maris is an unusual and appealing name that has never appeared in the U.S. Top 1000, overshadowed by its twentieth century elaboration, Marisa/Marissa. It derives from the phrase "Stella Maris," star of the sea, one of the many epithets of the Virgin Mary, and became familiar via the unseen (but unliked) character of sitcom Frasier's ex-sister-in-law.
 
As a surname, Maris is associated with legendary NY Yankee, Roger Maris.

Maris

A name made famous by Marisas Berenson and Tomei, never became as saturated as its cousin Melissa, so still a feasible choice. Marisa is one of those Spanish and <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/505/italian-names-for-girls">Italian names for girls</a> that sounds at once unusual and familiar, which makes it truly an international choice.

 The meaning of Maria is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

Marisa

Pretty feminissima name that never became as overused as cousin Melissa. The more streamlined Maris is a more modern sounding option. Namesakes include Marissa Mayer, the CEO of Yahoo!.

 The meaning of Maria is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

Marissa

Marlena

Marlene Dietrich made it famous when she condensed her first two names, Maria and Magdalena. Now more often pronounced with two syllables rather than three. 

Marlene

Mary is the English form of Maria, which ultimately was derived from the Hebrew name Maryam/Mariam. The original meaning of Maryam is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

 Mary, the quintessential New Testament name, was #1 for girls until the mid-twentieth century. Though still popular, Mary is used now mostly for religious or family reasons. If it's style you're after, Mary's many diminutives and derivatives such as Maire, Mamie, May, Mitzi, Molly, Maura, Marietta, and even Maria may seem more fashionable. 

 Mary was the most popular and enduring female Christian name in the English-speaking world (as were Maria and Marie in Spanish and French) until the 1940s. That was when in the US Mary was finally dethroned by such trendy upstarts as Linda and Karen.

 There are six Marys in the Bible, including the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene, Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and Mary the mother of Mark, and there have been British royal Marys beginning in the sixteenth century. In earlier times Mary was considered too sacred to be used; it finally gained usage in England in the twelfth century, and by the sixteenth had blanketed the female population, to the point where dozens of pet forms had to be contrived to distinguish one Mary in the family from the others.

 The poet Byron deemed Mary a "magic" name, and Bing Crosby proclaimed it "a grand old name." Mary has always been a good-girl name, as reflected by such mid-century icons of propriety and wholesomeness as Mary Poppins and Mary Tyler Moore. The lovely Lady Mary Crawley of Downton Abbey has restored some freshness to the name.

 Among the celebs who dropped their birth name of Mary are Meryl Streep, Debbie Reynolds, and Lily Tomlin.

 For more detail on the origins and possible meanings of the name Mary, see this <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/in-search-of-the-meaning-of-mary">excellent post on the subject</a>.

Mary

May is a sweet old-fashioned name that hasn't been on the national charts in several decades, but is definitely sounding fresh and springlike. Parents are beginning to see it once more as one of the prettiest middle name options. May was as high on the list as Number 57 in the 1880s; it's now 228 on Nameberry.
 May started as one of the innumerable pet forms of Mary and Margaret, as well as a springtime month name along with April and June. She's represented in literature by May Bartram in Henry James's The Beast in the Jungle and May Welland in Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence. 
 Actresses Emily Morton and Madeline Stowe named their daughters May, and Eric Clapton and Jodie Sweetin used it in middle place for theirs.

Mercedes is one of the few names attached to luxury living that we can wholeheartedly recommend, it being a legitimate Spanish appellation stemming from one of the epithets given to the Virgin Mary--Santa Maria de las Mercedes, or Our Lady of the Mercies. The car, by the way was named after the eleven-year-old daughter of the Daimler company's French distributor in 1901.
 Always well used in the Spanish-speaking community, Mercedes had a sudden spurt of overall popularity in the 1990's, moving as high as Number 164 in 1991.
 Mercedes has been widely used in a variety of art forms--from the opera Carmen to Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo to the film Pan's Labyrinth to the TV show Glee.

Mercedes

Minnie was wildly popular at the turn of the last century — it was the fifth or sixth most popular name throughout the 1880s — but is completely obscure today. Blame Mickey's girlfriend. Regardless, it's possible that the up and coming trend toward old-fashioned nickname-names — think Maisie, Mamie, Millie — may give Minnie (all on its own, not as a short form of anything) a new moment in the sun. Minnie Driver (born Amelia) has given it some modern celeb cred. 
 There have been characters named Minnie in Dickens's Little Dorrit and Eugene O'Neill's Mourning Becomes Electra. Cab Calloway's "Minnie the Moocher" is a jazz classic.
 Minnie can really be short for just about any M name (and some non-M names as well, such as Wilhelmina), including Minerva, Mary, and Margaret.

Minnie

The oldest-known form of Mary, serious and solemn Miriam has been a particular favorite of observant Jewish parents. But we can see it extending beyond that sphere into the next wave of Old Testament names post-Rachel, Rebecca, Sarah, Hannah, and Leah. Miriam is currently the Number 1 girls' name in Israel.
 Miriam is the Old Testament form of the Hebrew Maryam. The original meaning of Maryam is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).
 In the Old Testament, Miriam appears in Exodus as the older sister of Moses and Aaron, a prophetess who led the triumphal song and dance after the crossing of the Red Sea and deliverance of the Israelites from the Egyptians.
 Miriam is an artistic character in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Marble Faun and in Henry James's The Tragic Muse, Miriam Rooth is a talented young half-Jewish actress, Miriam Leviers is a farm girl in D. H. Lawrence's Sons and Lovers, and Miriam is the eponymous central character of a haunting Truman Capote short story.
 One notable namesake is South African singer Miriam Makeba. More relaxed nicknames: Miri, Mira, and Mimi.

Miriam

Mitzi is a spunky German nickname name that might appeal to parents drawn to the genre of lively vintage chorus girl names that proliferated in 1930's musicals. 
Lively entertainer Mitzi Gaynor--who was originally named Francesca Marlene de Czani von Gerber--made the name notable in mid-century America.
 You may be surprised to know that Mitzi was on the Top 1000 list through 1979, as high as Number 420 in 1955. Today, Mitzi is one of those <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/339/vintage-baby-names">vintage baby names</a> still stuck in an earlier era, for better or worse.

Mitzi

Molly is one of the original nickname names, ALWAYS ranking among the US Top 500 girl names since statistics began, in 1880. Molly peaked in 1991 only to rise just as high again in 2011, and though softening retains a good measure of popularity and charm.
 
What is Molly short for? Molly originated as a diminutive of Mary, spawning from medieval variations Malle and Molle. Molly has been used as a stand-alone pet form of Mary since the Middle Ages, and has been consistently popular as an independent name in the U.S. over the past several decades.
 Likable and down-to-earth, mild yet saucy, Molly has a distinctly Irish feel as well, with such Gaelic associations as 'Sweet Molly Malone' and the martyred reformers known as the Molly Maguires. In the Jewish culture, Molly Goldberg was an early television personality. 
 Other references include the Revolutionary War heroine Molly Pitcher and the Molly Bloom character in James Joyce's Ulysses, as well as characters in novels by Fielding, Hardy, George Eliot, Dickens and Thackeray. More recently, "Good Golly, Miss Molly" was a Little Richard hit and Molly Ringwald a celebrity bearer.
 Amanda Peet is the mother of a Molly, as are Monica Potter and Veronica Webb.

Molly

Pedro is one of the most familiar <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/496/spanish-names-for-boys">Spanish names for boys</a>, via baseball star Pedro Rodriguez and many others. 

Like its Anglo equivalent Peter, Pedro is not as popular as it once was. But it's among the elite group of boys' names that has ALWAYS ranked among the US Top 1000.

That final O sound, so fashionable today, gives this name an extra spin of style.

Pedro

Peter is derived from the Greek Petros, meaning "rock" or "stone." One of the most important figures in the Christian hagiography is Saint Peter, keeper of the Gates of Heaven. Born Simon bar Jonah, he was given the nickname Peter by Jesus, to signify that he would be the rock on which Christ would build Christianity. Centuries later, there was Peter the Great, the czar who developed Russia as a major European power.
 
For generations, there have been pleasant childhood associations with this classic New Testament name, what with Peter Rabbit, Peter Pan, et al. But as user-friendly as this makes the name, it has a solid, traditional side as well.
 
Never as widely used as some of the more traditional Anglo-Saxon stalwarts, Peter retains an enduring appeal to parents seeking a less-used classic, with those nice childhood associations. Peter also has some interesting derivatives: The Brits like Piers; the Irish, Pierce and Pearse; the Italians, Piero and Pietro; the Spanish, Pedro; the French, Pierre; and the Dutch, Piet.
 
One potential problem: in some parts of the world, "peter" can be a slang term for "penis".

Peter

Actor Pierce Brosnan brings a strong helping of charm to this name. Pierce was actually a popular name long before Mr. Brosnan came along, from 1880 to the end of the 1930s.

Pierce Brosnan inspired the return of the name in the 1980s, and it's still going strong. Pierce is actually pronounced differently from father name Piers, which has more of a z sound at the end.

About 500 baby boys were named Pierce in the US last year....and about 30 baby girls.

Pierce

Piers was the first version of Peter to reach the English-speaking world, via the Normans, but it's never made it in the US, despite its large measure of understated panache. This might change due to the high visibility of TV personality and former news editor Piers Morgan.
 There's a famous satirical medieval poem called Piers Plowman, in which the title character symbolizes the virtues of honesty and industry. Piers Whiteoak is a main character in the sixteen-book series Jalna by Canadian author Mazo de la Roche; Piers Polkiss is the best friend of Harry's cousin Dudley in the Harry Potter books.
 The surname form of the name, Pierce, is better known in the U.S., partly via actor Pierce Brosnan.

Piers

An alternative to the no-longer-fresh Molly, the initial 'P' gives Polly a peppier sound, combining the cozy virtues of an old-timey name with the bounce of a barmaid. 
 Associated with Tom Sawyer's aunt, 'Polly, put the kettle on,' parrots, Polly Peachum, Nirvana and Kinks songs, and the movie Along Came Polly, as well as characters in Noel Streatfeild's Ballet Shoes, C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia and now on the Netflix show Orange is the New Black, Polly never achieved the comeback that her cousin did, perhaps because she sounds too Pollyanna-ish. But although she has been off the Social Security list for decades, Polly is Number 457 on Nameberry.
 But we'd love to see some new baby Pollys.

Polly

Santiago is a spirited Spanish name with great crossover potential. It's a place-name (a city in Chile), a surname, and the name of the patron saint of Spain. 
 
Santiago has been rising through the popularity charts in the US for more than 30 years now, and shows no signs of slowing down. It might make a creative honor name for an ancestral James.
 Santiago has been featured in several works of fiction: it was the main character's name in Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Chronicle of a Death Foretold and Paolo Coehlo's The Alchemist, and there was also a Santiago in Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire.

Santiago

Could Simeon be the next Gideon? Parents seeking a less simple form of Simon might consider this biblical appellation that was chosen by Wynton Marsalis for his son. Simon is actually the Greek substitute for Simeon. 
 The first known Simeon was Leah and Jacob's son, who gave his name to one of the twelve tribes of Israel, the Simeonites; in the New Testament it is the name of the man who blessed the infant Christ. Both Simeon and Simon were popular names for saints.
One caveat: Simeon is undeniably similar to the word meaning "apelike".

Simeon

Simon is pure and simple (not in the nursery rhyme sense), and an appealingly genuine Old and New Testament name that's not overused – making Simon a stylish choice. In the Bible, Simon was the second son of Jacob and Leah and the original name of Saint Peter, as well as the name of several New Testament figures. Historically, Simon Bolivar is known as The Liberator of Latin America.
 

The New Testament spelling of Simon (rather than Simeon) was probably influenced by the unrelated Greek name Simon, meaning "flat-nosed". The Hebrew Shim'on or Simeon means "He has heard". Later, it was also conflated with the Old English name Sigemund ("victory-protection") — so there's an element of several origins and meanings in the name.

 Simon was one of the more appealing characters in Lord of the Flies, then became part of the British invasion of names that hit U.S. shores along with the Beatles. Other recent notable Simons include Simon Templar, aka The Saint; Simon Cowell, snarky judge on The X Factor; Simon Le Bon, lead singer of Duran Duran; and Simon Baker, Australian-born star of The Mentalist. 

 Simon is currently very popular in several European countries, including Austria, Denmark, France, Sweden, Switzerland and Belgium.

Simon

Stella is a name with star quality and sparkle, that manages to sound both ethereal and earthy. Celestial but not otherworldly, it lands somewhere between the popular Ella and bold Seraphina. 
 
The name Stella was derived from stella, the Latin word for “star”. It was coined by the poet, Sir Philip Sidney who used it in his 1590 sonnet collection, Astrophel and Stella, which translates literally to “the star lover and his star.” 
 
While Astrophel has remained obscure, Stella came into common usage in the 1800s. Inspired perhaps by its similarity to Ella and Esther, and by its association with the Virgin Mary, from her Catholic title, Stella Maris, it was popular in the early decades of the 20th century.
 
After fading in the 70s, Stella is now back and brighter than ever. Following on the heels of Gabriella and Isabella, it ranks in the US Top 50 and is given to almost 5000 babies each year. With equally astronomical Luna now making the Top 10, Stella might rise even higher.
 
Stella holds international appeal too and has taken shining spots on the charts in Switzerland, Sweden, Australia, Italy, and France. 
 
The name Stella was famously bellowed by Marlon Brando in Tennessee William’s A Streetcar Named Desire, and it has proved a popular choice among celebrities, including Matt Damon, Ellen Pompeo, Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott, and Gena Lee Nolin. 
 
Designer and animal rights activist Stella McCartney is another notable namesake, as is Stella Adler, an influential acting teacher. 
 
If Stella is shining for you but it’s not quite the brightest star on your list, then you could consider its variants, the literary Estella, or the French Estelle. Alternatively, you might like another starry name, such as Astraea, Seren, or Izara, or something just equally celestial, like Elara, Celia, or Celeste.

Stella

Virginia is a lovely place name starting with the fashionable V and having deep historical roots, yet, unlike some other other girls' classics, has been sorely neglected in recent years. 
 The colony/state of Virginia was given its name by Sir Walter Raleigh in honor of Elizabeth I, known as the Virgin Queen, and the first child to be born of English parents in the New World was christened Virginia Dare.
 Virginia was in the Top 10 for 25 years, from 1912 to 1937, hitting a high of Number 6 in 1921, when there were 19,000 newborn Virginias in their cradles.
 She does have a couple of possible downsides—those teasable virgin associations, and the not-quite-ready-for-revival Ginny nickname. But we think they're outweighed by more positive factors, and Virginia is in line for a possible revival.
 Virginia has such distinguished namesakes as writer Virginia Woolf, has been the subject of songs by groups ranging from The Rolling Stones to the Foo Fighters, and has appeared as a character in a number of books, movies, and TV shows—currently co-starring on Masters of Sex. Ginger Rogers was born Virginia.

Virginia

BerryPiedPiper's list "Mary Peter James and John" of 81 great name ideas: Baptiste - Virginia!

Mary Peter James and John

You can't go wrong with Mary, Peter, James, and John. The most traditional, Christian names have interesting and worthy variations to consider!