User-created list
By helenwhite · Updated May 2024
Across 5 pages
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American, modern elaboration of Jane
It's far cooler to drop the first syllable and go for Elle.
English
"hay field"
The second most popular spelling of this name is also the most straightforward.
French from Latin
"youthful, sky father"
Wildly popular in the 1960s and '70s, Julie is no longer anywhere near as stylish as the name's longer forms. Try Juliet, Juliana, or even the more grownup Julia. Julia and Julie derive from Julius,…
Welsh diminutive of Margaret
"pearl"
Megan originally evolved from Meg, which itself derived as a nickname for Margaret. Margaret ultimately comes from the Greek word margarites , meaning "pearl." Megan is no longer a common nickname…
Spanish, Portuguese and Italian
"pretty"
Linda will live forever in baby name history for toppling Mary from its four hundred year reign as Number 1. Queen of Names in 1947, Linda has fallen even further in favor than Mary today. Still,…
Spanish
"to harvest"
How do you spell Teresa? Teresa, the simpler phonetic form of this name, was the most popular variation for its early life, when it was used exclusively in Spain and Portugal. Other spellings of…
English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Italian
"pledged to God"
Elvis naming his daughter Lisa Marie and Nat King Cole's hit song "Mona Lisa" conspired to catapult one of Elizabeth's many offshoots to a high of #4 in 1970. It has largely fallen from favor in the…
Spelling variation of Cara or Norse mythology name
"wild stormy one"
Kara and the soundalike (though not necessarily related) Cara are among the most multi-cultural names around. Cara has roots in Latin, Italian, Irish, Spanish, and Portuguese, and Kara can be viewed…
International feminine variation of Jan
A sweet name with many cross-cultural ties: it's an equivalent of Jane in languages including Czech, Slovak, Dutch, German, Slovene, Catalan, Estonian, and Latvian.
Hebrew
"a plain"
This Old Testament place name was in the Top 10 fifty years ago, but now Sharon, along with sound-alike Karen, have fallen out of favor.
Diminutive of Elizabeth
Some might think a girl named Liz on her birth certificate would feel deprived of her full identity, but in a time when mini names like Liv, Kit, Tru, Kai, Lou, and Bea are in style, Liz feels…
Persian
"dawn"
Best known as the beautiful heroine to whom Cyrano de Bergerac says, "Your name is like a golden bell". After peaking in 1954, the name dipped out of the Top 1000 in 2012. It returned at Number 986…
English surname meaning "Marshlands of Lincolnshire"
"Marshlands of Lincolnshire"
Lindsey is one of the few truly unisex names (rather than being a name that has changed genders). Over time the "ey" ending was usually reserved for women and the "ay" ending reserved for men, and…
Short form of Kayla, Arabic and Hebrew
"laurel, crown"
A cute nickname name that's risen high over the past decade or so, more especially as Kaylee, this name combines the attributes of Hailey and Kayla, Kylie and Callie.
Short form of Luzia or Terézia, Hungarian, Portuguese
"light; harvest"
A short and zippy name that would blend right in with but also stand out among a group of girls named Mia, Gia, Lia and Tia. It is a multicultural choice, used in Hungary as a short from of Terézia,…
Anglicized variation of Maire, Finnish, Irish variation of Mary"sweet; drop of the sea, bitter"
"sweet; drop of the sea, bitter"
Somber, almost mournful name that still has a lovely sound. Neither really in nor out, Maura has played around at the lower half of the Top 1000 since the late 1940s. It might make one of those…
French, diminutive of Nicole, feminine variation of Nicholas, Greek
"people of victory"
Frilly and feminine, Nicolette is the name of an enchanting princess in the medieval French romance, Aucassin et Nicolette , but really got its publicity from the heyday of Desperate Housewives and…
German, combination of Anna and Liese
"grace and pledged to God"
Annaliese is a distinctly German smoosh name that's found some popularity in the US, especially with the simpler spelling Annalise. Annalise is among the Top 1000, given to about 750 baby girls in…
Norwegian diminutive of Katarina or variation of Carrie, English
"pure; free man"
Kari and all her many sisters, from Carrie to Carey to Kerry and onward, originated for the most part as short forms of either Catherine Katherine or one of the Charles feminizations such as Carol or…
"supplanter"
Jackie Kennedy gave this name a lot of style, but it doesn't seem destined for a comeback the way brother name Jack has. Jackie and Jacqueline both peaked in 1961.
