Palindromic name often heard in Ethiopia.

Abeba

Abram was Abraham's original name in the Bible; it's more user-friendly but with a bit less gravitas. And it does offer that cool nickname Bram, as well as the friendly Abe. After some early American usage, in 1936 Abram completely disappeared for nearly forty years, until its return in the 1970s.
 It was the middle name of President James A. Garfield.

Abram

Aiden in all its spelling variations is the Anglicized version of the Irish Aodhán, which was originally a pet form of the Irish name Aodh (pronounced 'ee'), who was the old Celtic god of the sun and fire. St. Aidan was a famous seventh century Irish saint, noted for his kindness and generosity and for spreading Christianity.
 
Aiden has been a spectacular name success story—especially if you add all its various spellings together. Counted together, Aiden in all its versions is still a Top 10 boys' name.
 
The Aiden spelling has become the predominant version of the name in the US, followed by Ayden -- and then, in order of popularity, Aidan, Adan, Aden, Aydin, Aydan, Eiden, Aidyn, Eydan, Eyden, Adin, Aedan, and Aiyden. And then there's a pack of popular rhyming offshoots such as Brayden and Kaden.
 
Irish actor Aidan Quinn introduced the name to the US. The Aiden spelling was used by actress Tracey Gold and Rod Stewart for their sons.

Aiden

Alana, in all its various spellings, was at one time reserved for daughters of dads named Alan, but is now much more widespread. It came into prominence via model/actress/celeb spouse Alana Hamilton Stewart. 
 While Alana is by far the most popular spelling, the name can also be spelled Alanna and Alannah, as in musician Alannah Myles. The variation Alanis (via singer Alanis Morissette (daughter of an Alan) sounds a bit more original, as does the Hawaiian Alani, now in the Top 500. Alaina is another popular variation.
 
Alana is a Hawaiian word meaning "awakening," and the variation Alannah is a Gaelic term of endearment for a child.

Alana

Allyn

Asher—an excellent, soft and sensitive Old Testament choice—is a <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">baby boy name</a> on the rise, and is a Nameberry biblical favorite. 
 
Asher's ascent is especially amazing given that the took a century-long hiatus from the Top 1000, from the 1890s until it reappeared in the 1990s. Asher has been in the US Top 100 for more than a decade now.
 
In the Bible, Asher was one of Jacob's twelve sons who gave their names to the tribes of Israel. Asher is derived from the Hebrew word osher, which means "happiness." Rabbinical scholars claim that the Asherites lived up to this meaning, as they had the most oil, wisdom, and male children compared to the other tribes.
 
The novel My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok, often taught in schools, is the story of a New York Hasidic Jewish boy with artistic aspirations.
 
Oh—and another plus for Asher: the handsome diminutive Ash.

Asher

Avery is a hugely popular name in the US, especially for girls. But while nearly four times as many girls as boys are named Avery today Avery's popularity is starting to soften for girls while it continues to strengthen for boys.

Unlike many gender-neutral surname-y names popular today, Avery began life as a first name and later became a patronymic last name. It originated in the Middle Ages as a Norman-French pronunciation variation of the Anglo-Saxon name Alfred and the Ancient Germanic name Alberich. The elements aelf, meaning "elf" and ric, meaning "ruler" give Avery its meaning. 
 
Angie Harmon and Jason Sehorn may have started it all when they chose it for their daughter in 2005, just as they did with daughters Finley and Emery. Amy Locane used the name in 2009 and now Dr. Phil has a granddaughter named Avery.
 
On 30 Rock, Elizabeth Banks had an extended cameo playing Alec Baldwin's glamorous fiancée, Avery Jessup.

Avery

Aviva is vivacious and memorable, a fresh spin on the Vivian and Vivienne names that have been getting more popular since Angelina and Brad chose one for their twin daughter. Another A-beginning palindrome name: Aziza. 

Aviva

Ayele

A sweet and warm Arabic name with a meaning to match.

Basma

With the recent arrival of fruit names like Apple and Plum, this more traditional example, symbolic of fertility, might rise in popularity. Photographer Berry Berenson was born Berinthia.
 And...inspired by us... a babyberry was actually named Berry!

Berry

Caius is classical and serious but also has a simple, joyful quality. There was a third century pope named Caius, as well as an early Christian writer, several Shakespearean characters, and a Twilight vampire. We would pronounce the name to rhyme with eye-us though at Cambridge University in England, where it's the name of a college, it's pronounced keys. 
 Nickname Cai is a definite asset.

Caius

Cyrus is one of those surprising names that have always ranked among the Top 1000 boy names in the US. On an upward trend since the mid-90s, Cyrus now sits in that comfortable place between too popular and too unusual.
 
Long popular in the Iranian community, this name of the founder of the Persian Empire has had a more down-home, corncob pipe-smoking image for most Americans in the past, but today it's one of those antique names that sounds fresh again. 
 The powerful Cyrus the Great was the fifth century B.C. Persian leader who conquered Babylon to establish his empire. He is noted in the Old Testament as freeing the Jewish captives in Babylonia and permitting them to return to their homelands. Since his name is mentioned in the Old Testament, it was fashionable with the Puritans.
 Cyrus McCormick was the inventor of the reaper, and Cyrus Vance was Secretary of State under Jimmy Carter. The name is also associated these days with singer Miley Cyrus. Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy named their baby boy Cyrus, and there have been Cyruses on Gossip Girl, Law & Order and Scandal.
Ciro is the catchy Italian version.

Cyrus

Devilishly handsome, Devin arrived as Kevin was moving out. Not to be confused (though it often is) with the English place-name Devon. While both Devin and Devon are flagging somewhat for boys, the names have dropped out of the Top 1000 for girls, making it more a masculine and less a unisex name these days.

Devin

Edith was a hugely popular name a hundred years ago that's being revived among stylish parents in Stockholm and London. It's currently beginning to gain traction in the US among those with a taste for old-fashioned names with a soft but strong image. 
 The name of two American First Ladies, Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt and Mrs. Woodrow Wilson, as well as that of several early English queens, Edith is one of the oldest surviving Anglo-Saxon names. Widely used in nineteenth century novels, Edith was chosen by Louisa May Alcott for the heroine of her first novel The Inheritance, written when she was seventeen.
 Edith Wharton makes a fine literary namesake, with other noted bearers including poet Edith Sitwell, iconic Hollywood movie designer Edith Head, and for francophiles, there is the reference to Edith Piaf. With the rise of so many other E-starting names from Ella to Evelyn, and the adorable short form Edie, we predict that Edith will soon sound more like a cute toddler than a dated granny, especially with the Despicable Me character and the emergence of one of the most interesting characters on Downton Abbey, Lady Edith Crawley.

Edith

Strong, charismatic, and sleek, Elias has followed in the footsteps of Elijah and Eli to become a popular choice among parents today. 
While it may sound cool and fresh, Elias is a name with history and substance. It is the Greek form of the name Elijah, meaning “Yahweh is God,” and was used in both the Greek New Testament and medieval tales. Elias was then given to early saints, to honor the miracles and work of the popular Biblical figure. 
Revived by Puritans in the 18th century, notable namesakes include the inventor of the sewing machine, Elias Howe, writer Elias Canetti and Walter Elias Disney. 
Felix Mendelssohn composed a popular oratorio named “Elias”, while Sir Walter Scott, Anthony Trollope, and Thomas Hardy all have characters called Elias in their novels, giving the name literary and classical charm. 
In the US, Elias has seen significant usage from the 90’s onwards with its popularity doubling during the 2010’s. Given to over 6000 boys each year, Elias continues to climb the charts and has overtaken Eli as a go to El- choice. 
While still outranked by Elijah in the US, across Europe and South America, Elias is the preferred form. Popular in Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, Uruguay, and Mexico, Elias travels well. Most recently, it entered the UK Top 100 in 2022, replacing Ollie. 
The name has been chosen for characters in the popular horror podcast, The Magnus Archives, Cassandra Clare’s trilogy “The Infernal Devices”, and the TV series “Person of Interest.” Elias has the celebrity seal of approval too, with singer Michael Bublé, actor Robert Downey Jr, tennis player Boris Becker and actress Barbara Becker choosing to use it for their sons. 
Handsome and refined as it is, the main problem with Elias is deciding whether you want to use it, or keep Elijah, Eli, Elliot, Elio, Eliza, Elizabeth, or Elise in the running. To avoid the problem, you could go with similar but lower ranking Tobias, Linus, or Ozias.

Elias

Emery is one of the newly popular Em- names that has great potential, though right now for girls more than boys: it received a boost in 2009, a year after Angie Harmon and Jason Sehorn used it for one of their daughters. 

Emery ranks on the Top 1000 for both boys and girls, but all the way up in the Top 100 for girls and down in the 700s for boys. Many <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/baby-name-trends-em-names-beyond-emily-and-emma">related names</a> are also trending for baby boys, from Emerson to Emrys to Amory to Emmett.

Emery

Emily may have dropped somewhat in the current standings, but it was the most popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls' name</a> for over a decade because it appeals on many levels: Emily is feminine, classic, simple, pretty, and strong. Emily is Number 1 among <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/gen-z-names">Gen Z names</a>. It also has those nice literary namesakes, like Emily Dickinson and Emily Brontë.
 
Parents who a decade ago might have chosen Emily have moved on to Emma and now are looking at such alternatives as Amelia and Emmeline. But those girls' names, like Emma, may soon feel overused too.
 
Emily was derived from the Roman name Aemilia, which may have evolved from the Latin word aemulus, meaning "hardworking" or "rival." Emilia has the same Latin root as Emily, but Amelia has separate origins — it was derived from the Germanic name Amalia, meaning work. Emma is also rooted in German and means universal.
 
Modern Emilys in the spotlight include a number of the hottest young actresses — Emily Blunt, Emily Mortimer, Emily Deschanel — and even Emma Stone was christened Emily. And Emily is still one of the most widely used <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/e">girl names starting with E</a>, on its way to overtaking A as the most fashionable first initial.

Emily

Ethan is a name that succeeds in being at once classic and fashionable, serious and cheery, strong and sensitive. Given a big boost via the name of the Tom Cruise character in the Mission Impossible film series, Ethan has fallen from its peak at Number 2 in 2009 and 2010, but is still popular in the US along with several other countries.

There are several Ethans in the Old Testament, the most prominent of whom, Ethan the Ezrahite, is praised for his wisdom. 
 
Ethan's prime historic namesake in the US is Ethan Allen, Revolutionary War hero; in literature the name is associated with the eponymous Ethan Frome of Edith Wharton's novel. A more current namesake is actor Ethan Hawke. 

Along with the English-speaking countries, Ethan is popular in France and other French-speaking European countries and in Latin America.

While Americans and Brits pronounce the name EE-thun, most other languages follow the pronunciation of its native Hebrew: AY-tahn. International variations include Etan, Izan, and Eitan, from which the name derives.

Ethan

Fable, like Story, is a word name with real potential, combining enchanted tale-telling with a moral edge. And soundwise, it would fit right in with the likes of Abel and Mabel.

Fable

Fleur is a generic, delicate flower name that emigrated into the English-speaking world when John Galsworthy bestowed it on one of the Forsytes in his celebrated saga. More recently, there was Fleur Delacour, a French witch and the Beauxbatons champion for the Triwizard Tournament in Harry Potter. 
 Fleur is currently in the Top 100 in Belgium and the Netherlands, home of the tulip and other fleurs.

Fleur

Freya has long been popular in the U.K. but has only taken off in the US in the last decade, along with the entire category of mythological names. Derived from the Old Norse name Freyja, meaning "Lady, noble woman", Freya is the name of the Norse goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. 
 Freya has been one of the fastest-rising names of the past few years and is even more popular in England and Wales. We predict that along with the original Nordic spelling Freyja, Freya will continue its meteoric rise in the coming years.
 Freya can be considered a feminization of Frey or Freyr, the name of the goddess’s brother.
 .There is a Joseph Conrad novel titled Freya of the Seven Isles. A noted bearer was the explorer and writer Freya Stark.

Freya

Fadia

Fadil

Fayiz

Hadia

The second most popular spelling of this name is also the most straightforward. 

Haley

Haven is a recently invented safe-harbor name that appeals to an increasing number of parents who don't want to voyage quite as far as Heaven. 
 Haven Kimmel is the author of the bestselling memoir A Girl Named Zippy, and Haven Denney is a medal-winning skater. There was also a supernatural TV series called Haven.
 
Jessica Alba's younger daughter and middle child is named Haven, sister of Honor and Hayes. Robert Herjavec and Kym Johnson named their daughter Haven, twin of Hudson.

Haven

Hazel has a pleasantly hazy, brownish-green-eyed, old-fashioned image that more and more parents are choosing to share. Former Old Lady name Hazel reentered the popularity lists in 1998 and now is near the top of the charts.
 
Hazel is a name that comes from the English word hazel, referring to the hazelnut tree. The word was derived from the Old English hæsel of the same meaning. Historically, a wand of hazel symbolized protection and authority.
 
When Julia Roberts named one of her twins Hazel in 2004, there was a great public outcry against "another one of those nutty celebrity names", though we saw it as the deserved revival of a lovely vintage name with roots in nature. Hazel was one of the botanicals that were all the rage at the turn of the twentieth century, when it was in the Top 25, then fell out of favor, off the list completely from 1976 to 1998.
 
Other celebrities with daughters named Hazel include Emily Blunt & John Krasinski, and Taylor Neisen & Liev Schreiber.
 
Hazel Motes is the protagonist of Flannery O'Connor's 1952 novel Wise Blood, and In The Hunger Games, one of the characters is the variant Hazelle. But the most influential Hazel of recent years is the heartrending heroine of Fault in Our Stars.

Hazel

Actor Heath Ledger's tragic death has cast a pall over this otherwise pleasant and distinctive name. Nonetheless, it remains in the Top 1000.
 Heath is the name of a popular toffee candy bar by Hershey's.

Heath

Jabez has a rare combo of three appealing elements: a Biblical heritage, a captivating Southern accent, and a jazzy feel. It was popular with the Pilgrims and on into the nineteenth century (there have been four U.S. Congressmen named Jabez), but it hasn't been in the Top 1000 since 1880.
 Jabez came back into the spotlight in 2000 with the publication of Bruce Wilkinson's book The Prayer of Jabez, based on the Old Testament passage beginning "Jabez was more honorable than his brothers." The book became an international best seller, selling nine million copies and heading the New York Times bestseller list.
 In literature, Jabez Stone was the main character in the story and film "The Devil and Daniel Webster," and a principal character in a Sherlock Holmes story. Real life Jabezes include a founding partner of Standard Oil.

Jabez

The new Jason, spelled many different ways, and popularized by basketball star Jalen Rose. 

Jalen

Jamir is a modern invention, based on traditional Arabic names like Jamal and Amir.

Jamir

Jayna

One of the most appealing Muslim names, both in sound and meaning. 

Jinan

Jonah, the name of the Old Testament prophet who was swallowed by the whale, only to emerge unharmed three days later, is increasingly appreciated by parents looking for a biblical name less common than Jacob or Joshua, yet not too obscure. Plus, Jonah comes with a ready-made nursery-decorating motif.
 The appealing Jonah has been featured in such movies as Sleepless in Seattle and Knocked Up and is currently represented by actor/writer Jonah Hill.
 Jonas is the Greek version and Yona is a female spin.

Jonah

Though there were two apostles named Judas, everyone remembers the one who betrayed Jesus, and the name has been permanently shunned. 

Judas

Though Jules hasn't been on the US popularity list in fifty years, it is a current hit in its native France—where it's currently in the Top 10—and we can definitely see it making a comeback here, being far more romantic than, say, Jim. 
 The glittering Jules has a solid history, attached to such cultural notables as author Verne, opera composer Massenet, painter Olitski, and cartoonist Feiffer, as well as appearing as a character in such iconic films as Pulp Fiction and St. Elmo's Fire and in Balzac's novel The Human Comedy and Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged.
 These days, Jules is also apt to be heard as a nickname for the feminine Julia or Julie, as in TV personality Jules Asner, the Keira Knightley character in Bend it Like Beckham, and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's wife—spelled Jools.

Jules

A strong and energetic Turkish name with a positive meaning. Written with a dotted I in Turkish.

Kadri

A rare choice in the US. Kubra first made an appearance on the American charts in 1991 but has never been given to more than five baby girls in any one year.

Kubra

The Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born and the order in which they were born. Most Ghanaians have a name using this system (think Kofi Annan, whose name means born on a Friday). 
 Kwaku is the male name for babies born on a Wednesday (the female variant is Akua or Akuba).

Kwaku

Kyrie may be a name of God used widely in the ancient church refrain Kyrie Elieson, or Lord, have mercy, but it's rising in popularity for boys in the US on the strength of basketball star Kyrie Irving. Irving pronounces the first syllable of Kyrie to rhyme with my, whereas with the religious word it rhymes with fear.

Kyrie

A lovely musical name (remember the old Eric Clapton-Derek & the Dominos song?), Layla's seen a significant surge in popularity, partly partly all names with a double L are stylish, and partly because all the forms of the name push it into the Top 15 for girls.

Layla is the most popular spelling of the name, as well as the one with the most phonetic spelling. Other popular forms are, in order, Leila, Laila, Laela, Laelah, Laylah, Leyla, Lejla, and Leighla.Leila, Laila, Leyla, Laylah, Leilah, Lailah, Leylah

If you're concerned about the name's popularity, you might consider that there are many other names that are similar. There's Leilani, for instance, along with Leah and Leia and Lily and new favorite Lyra.
Layla is derived from the Semitic element layl, meaning "night." It has roots in the Arabic, Hebrew, and Persian languages. In the Arabic story Qays and Layla, Layla is the subject of the poet’s unrequited love. 
 The spelling Laila is represented by boxer Laila Ali.

Layla

Could Lilac be the next Lila or Lily or Violet? It certainly has a lot going for it--those lilting double 'l's, the fabulous fragrance it exudes, and the fact that it's a color name as well, providing a ready made nursery theme. In addition, the lilac is symbolic of first love.
 Actor Stephen Moyer was ahead of the curve when he named his daughter Lilac in 2002.

Lilac

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

Lydia is one of the first place names, after an area of Asia Minor whose inhabitants are credited with strong musical talent great wealth. Always among the US Top 1000 girl names, Lydia is a quietly fashionable classic.
 Although mentioned in the New Testament (Lydia was the first European convert of Saint Paul), it didn't really emerge as a viable first name until the eighteenth century, promoted via the character of Lydia Languish in Sheridan's popular 1775 play The Rivals, and the youngest of the Bennett girls in Pride and Prejudice.
 Lydia continued to be a literary favorite, found in the novels of George Eliot and D. H. Lawrence. And there's also the iconic Groucho Marx ditty: "Lydia the Tattooed Lady."
 Lydia is increasingly appreciated for its history and haunting quality. Cute nickname: Liddy or Lydie.

Lydia

A musical name that's more popular for girls, but has been hovering just inside the Top 1000 for boys since 2007.

Lyric

Lamis

Lutfi

Mabel is a saucy Victorian favorite rising in popularity in the US over the past decade, after a 50-year nap If you love offbeat old-fashioned names like Violet or Josephine, only sassier, Mabel is one for you to consider.
 In the 1880s and 1890s, Mabel was a Top 20 name. Some of Mabel's vintage cultural references include Charlie Chaplin's favorite leading lady Mabel Normand, jazz singer Mabel Mercer, the lead character in Gilbert & Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance
 There is a Princess Mabel in the Netherlands today, born a commoner and the widow of Prince Friso. Several celebrities have named their daughters Mabel, including Chad Lowe, Nenah Cherry, Bruce Willis and Dermot Mulroney., and the baby on the sitcom Mad About You (in which Mabel was an acronym for Mothers Always Bring Extra Love--a nice thought).

Mabel

Majdi

Malia was made famous by the older daughter of Barack and Michelle Obama, given a Hawaiian name as a nod to President Obama's childhood home state. 

Malia can be an original way to make Grandma Mary or Maria's name fresh and modern. Malia's popularity may also have been helped by modern favorite Aaliyah, with which it rhymes.

Malia

If Apple and Juniper, Oak and Pine can be baby names, why not Maple? Why not indeed. We've heard Maple starting to be used quietly, but with its lush sound and attractive image, we predict its use as a first name will grow &mdash; and its choice by the Jason Batemans &mdash; who combined it with the sweet middle name Sylvie &mdash; will only accelerate that growth.

Maple

Margo and Margot sound exactly the same, so why has the Margot spelling hopped back onto the Top 1000, outpacing Margo in numbers more than two to one? (Over 350 baby girls were named Margot in the most recent year, versus 150 named Margo.)

Credit the Gwyneth Paltrow character Margot in The Royal Tennenbaums and hot Australian star Margot Robbie. And maybe to some parents, the Margot spelling seems more like a complete name.
But it may also create some pronunciation confusion. And Margo gives you the same blend of fashionable o-ending and classic feel.

Margo

Mason is an occupational surname that ranked among the Top 10 name for boys throughout the 2010s, after its choice as one of the first Kardashian baby names.
Part of its appeal is as a fresher-sounding replacement for dad name Jason. It's also one of the leaders of the Jackson-Hudson-Grayson-Kayson trend.
Along with Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Dissick, Mason was chosen for their sons by several other celebrities, including Cuba Gooding, Jr., Melissa Joan Hart and Kevin Richardson (as well as by Kelsey Grammer for his daughter).
And there were two cute TV werewolves named Mason: Mason Greyback on Wizards of Waverly Place and Mason Lockwood on Vampire Diaries--a far cry from the name's wholesome image.

Mason

Miles, which has a permanent veneer of cool thanks to jazz great Miles Davis, is a confident and polished boys' name that's an American classic. Always ranking in the US Top 1000, it's been drifting up the charts for the past half century but has never been TOO popular.
 
Miles is a favorite of celebrity baby namers, given to their sons by Elisabeth Shue, Mayim Bialik, Larenz Tate, Joan Cusack and Lionel Ritchie. It also makes a great honor name for all the Grandpa Michaels out there.
 Miles was the name of the first translator of the Bible into English--the English monk Miles Coverdale, which is also the name of a character in Hawthorne's The Blithedale Romance. Miles Hendon figures in Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper, and Miles was one of the young children in Henry James's The Turn of the Screw. Miles--or Myles--Standish was the leader of the Pilgrim fathers.
 Miles has also been a favorite movie and TV character name from the days of Murphy Brown to 24 and Avatar.

Miles

As an Arabic name, the normal transcription is Na'ima, with an apostrophe. It was a Top 200 name in France in the 1970s and '80s, and ranked in the US Top 1000 from 2005 to 2008.
 
Naima can also be a variation of Naema, a Scandinavian form of Naomi.

Naima

Though greatly overshadowed by the trendy Olivia, Olive has a quiet, subtle appeal of its own -- and is now enjoying a remarkable comeback. Olive is one of only four <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/o">girl names starting with O</a> on the US Top 1000. Cool couple Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen chose it for their daughter, reviving the name to stylishness, and now Drew Barrymore has a little Olive too, as has country singer Jake Owen. 
Olive has positive associations to the olive branch as a symbol of peace and the ancient olive wreath that celebrated success.
 Olive was the name of the adorable Abigail Breslin character in the popular movie Little Miss Sunshine. Olive Chancellor is a major character in Henry James's The Bostonians and Olive Kitteridge is a Pulitzer Prize-winning Elizabeth Strout novel that was adapted into a TV miniseries in 2014. Kids might be familiar with Olive the Other Reindeer.
 Olive came into fashion at the end of the nineteenth century along with other botanical names, when it had a run in the Top 100.

Olive

Oscar is one of the most stylish Old Man Names of our era. While it's softened slightly in popularity over the past 20 years, that may be considered a very good thing.
 
In the nineties and the aughties, Oscar looked to be one of the grandpa names heading straight for the top of the charts, ala Elijah or Theodore. But instead of rising into the Top 100, Oscar has settled into that comfortable place between being too far in or out.
 
Oscar has Irish and Norse roots—Norse Oscar comes from the Old English Osgar, a variation of the Old Norse name Ásgeirr. The Irish form was derived from the Gaelic elements os, meaning "deer," and car, "loving." In Irish legend, Oscar was one of the mightiest warriors of his generation, the son of Ossian and the grandson of Finn Mac Cumhaill (MacCool).
 
Oscar also has remarkable international versatility. In addition to being a top name in Sweden, where it has royal connection, Oscar ranks high on popularity lists in all the English-speaking countries as well as in France, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, and other European and Latin American countries.
 
Actors Hugh Jackman and Gillian Anderson chose Oscar for their sons.Famous Oscars include Wilde (whose given name was Fingal), Isaac, Madison, Hammerstein, Peterson, de la Renta, the Academy Award, and the Grouch.

Oscar

Poppy, unlike most floral names which are sweet and feminine, has a lot of spunk. Long popular throughout the rest of the English-speaking world, Poppy is finally starting to rise toward the top in the US, where it entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2016.

 British TV chef Jamie Oliver used the name for his eldest daughter, Poppy Honey Rosie, as did Anthony Edwards, Jessica Capshaw, and Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer. A notable adult Poppy is Australian Without a Trace star Poppy Montgomery (full name Poppy Petal Emma Elizabeth – she and her sisters are all named after flowers: Lily, Daisy, Marigold and Rosie).

 Due to the flower's bold crimson color, Poppy makes an especially good choice for a redhead. In the UK, it is a traditional <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/605/names-for-november-babies">name for November babies</a>, due to the flower's association with Remembrance Day (Nov 11), honoring the memory of members of the Armed Forces who have died in the line of duty.

 Other Poppy-like names to consider: Pippa, Piper, Posey and Petal.

Poppy

Puabi

Quinn is one of the first popular Irish unisex surnames, a strong and attractive choice on the rise for girls but still popular for boys. Quinn was used for about 3000 baby girls and 700 boys in the US last year.
 
Quinn is the Anglicized version of the Irish patronymic surname Ó Cuinn, meaning "descendent of Conn." Conn has two possible derivations—the Old Irish cond, meaning "intellect," or cenn, meaning "chief." One of the most notable Quinn clans was from County Tyrone in Northern Ireland. 
 Quinn started taking off for girls in the mid-nineties, possibly influenced by the popular show Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. Since then, there have been female Quinns on the animated MTV show Daria, on Zoey 101, and—most prominently—on Glee, featuring cute blond cheerleader character Quinn Fabray.
 Some other, more <a href="https://nameberry.com/lists/category/unusual-names">unusual names</a> with the Q-factor: Quincy, Quintina, Quintana, Quinta, Quilla--and, on a different note, Queenie.

Quinn

Known in America via the wife of Soviet head Mikhail Gorbachev; a possibility for parents of Eastern-European descent wanting to move beyond Natasha and Nadia or for parents from the Middle East looking for a name that works in both cultures.

Raisa

Popular Arabic name for boys and sometimes girls too, that's also a term of authority in India.

Rayan

The sassy, steel magnolia appeal of Oscar-winning Reese (born Laura Jeanne—Reese is her mother's maiden name) Witherspoon has single-handedly propelled this formerly <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys’ name</a> into girls' popularity.
 Reese was recently in the Top 10 Unisex names looked at on Nameberry.

Reese

River shares the tranquil feeling of all the water names, and seems to have pretty much escaped its past strong association with River Phoenix and his unfortunate fate. Actor Joaquin Phoenix named his son with actress Rooney Mara after his brother River.

River's popularity is rising for boy genders, but it's still predominantly given to baby boys. Last year nearly 3500 boys were named River vs. about 1900 baby girls.

Keri Russell and the Taylor Hansons both have sons named River, Natasha Henstridge used it as the middle name of her boy Tristan, and Jason Schwartzman pluralized it for daughter Marlowe Rivers.

River

Ronan is the compelling legendary name of twelve Irish and Scottish saints that is now drawing some deserved attention; this cousin of the ascending Roman and Rowan was chosen by actor Daniel Day-Lewis and his writer-director wife Rebecca Miller in 1998, and more recently by actress Catherine Bell.
 Ronan is a Harry Potter name—that of a centaur who lives in the Forbidden Forest. Ronan Keating is an Irish singer, Ronan Farrow is a TV personality and Hollywood scion, and its presence as a surname is represented by young actress Saoirse Ronan.

Ronan

With its gentle sounds and earthy vibes, the name Rowan feels like a fusion of different styles. A word name, a surname, and a gender-neutral name, Rowan is rustic but trendy, blending the vibes of both Owen and Oakley. 
Just as it’s hard to fit Rowan into one category, it’s equally difficult to identify one definitive root. It could be considered an Anglicized form of the Irish name Ruadhán, meaning “little redhead” and it was used as an English surname before it became a given name. 
Alternatively, it could be linked to the rowan tree, whose name derives from Old Norse and means “to redden.” In folklore and mythology, rowan trees are seen as a symbol of protection and of life, adding extra meaning to Rowan. 
 To complicate matters further, some scholars identify Rowan as a girls’ name, deriving from Rowena and Rhonwen, meaning “famous friend” or “white spear.” This gives it solid credentials as a unisex name and lends it a slightly more rugged vibe. 
What is certain, however, is that Rowan has quickly become a stylish choice, chosen for over 3000 boys every year. Once an obscure name in the US, it rapidly climbed the charts during the 2010s and has now entered the Top 100 Boy Names for the first time. 
Rowan is popular in the UK, Canada, and the Netherlands too, but even more so among Nameberry users, where it ranks in the <a href=“https://nameberry.com/popular-names/nameberry/boys/allNameberry Top 1000”> Nameberry Top 30.</a> 
The most prominent bearer of the name is probably Rowan Atkinson, the British comic actor of Blackadder and Mr Bean fame. Other namesakes include the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Douglas Williams, and the Australian swimmer, Rowan Crothers. Pokémon fans and Sarah J. Maas readers might recognize it too as the name of a character in both the game franchise and in the Throne of Glass series. 
Gentle but powerful, stylish but not oversaturated, Rowan may well continue to climb the charts, so if you love Rowan but want to stray from the trends, Ruan, Sylvan, Lorcan, Lennox, Wren and Sloan might inspire you.

Rowan

This lovely Arabic name is gaining popularity in the US, used equally for boys and girls. Indeed, its sound (it rhymes with the feminine Tamar but ends with the fashionably masculine -ar sound, as in Oscar) and most logical nickname (Sam) make it a choice that's at once accessible and unsual for both boys and girls.


Samar

Selim

Sofia is a variation of the Greek name Sophia, which was derived directly from sophia, the Greek word for wisdom. It was the name of a Roman saint—the mother of Faith, Hope, and Charity—and queens of Russia and Spain.
 
Sofia is the elegant choice of several celebrities. Lisa Remini, Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy all named their daughters Sofia.
 
The streamlined Sofia spelling is widely used throughout Europe, in Italy, Spain, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. The Disney Junior show Sofia The First gave Sofia an elegant, royal feel. 
 Variants and diminutives of the name include Sophie, Sofie, Sonia, Zosia and Vivi.

Sofia

Talib is a North African name with an admirable meaning, associated with rapper Talib Kweli.

Talib

Despite its somewhat menacing meaning, this name has been widely used in recent years, probably due to the appeal of its trendy on ending. 

Talon

Tatum is one of the rare examples of a name that was exclusively female, as in Tatum O'Neal, but now is used for boys too, entering the male Top 1000 in 2010. Khloe Kardashian made headlines when she revealed her son is named Tatum Robert, breaking from the family theme of using unique word names for their children.
 
Jazz legend Art Tatum and actor Channing Tatum are two notable male bearers, albeit as a surname. Country singer Luke Bryan has a son Tatum Christopher, called Tate. We also recommend the cool and crisp Tate as a standalone name.

Tatum

Twyla

Teuta

Xiang

In the US, Yousef is a less commonly used spelling.
 
In England and Wales, both variants are even more popular.

Yusuf

Zaria, the name of the Nigerian capital city, could be another Z name for parents to consider. It currently ranks lower than variations Zariah and Zariyah.
 Popular 1990s sitcom The Parent 'Hood included a character by the name.

Zaria

eviecheesey's list "5 Letter Names I'm Feeling Today" of 79 great name ideas: Abeba - Zaria!

5 Letter Names I'm Feeling Today

A collection of baby names that are all five letters long that fit todays vibe. 