User-created list
Names I wish were used more in novels.
Across 7 pages
of 7
Jude
Latin diminutive of Judah, Hebrew, Arabic
"praised; to be generous, to be good to others"
Jude is a modern star, maintaining a steady level of popularity — but not TOO much popularity, in the US at least. Thank Jude Law and the great Lennon-McCartney song "Hey Jude", both responsible for…
Elliott
English diminutive of Elias, Greek
"Yahweh is God"
One of the four perfectly proper spellings of this name ranging from the spare (but poetic) Eliot to the full-blown Elliott. Elliott and Elliot are the two most popular, and they have given to almost…
Gemma
Italian, Catalonian, Spanish
"precious stone"
Gemma is a jewel of a name, an Italian classic that was very popular in 1980s England, but has only recently been started to be used here; it entered the list in 2008. Coming from a medieval Italian…
Rosalie
French variation of Rosalia, Latin
"rose"
Rosalie hit its apex in 1938 and then slid straight downhill until it fell off the U.S. Top 1000 completely in the 1980s, only to spring back to life in 2009 as the name of a character in the…
Vivienne
French variation of Vivian
"life"
Vivienne is an elaborated Gallic version of the name Vivian, chosen first by Rosie O'Donnell for her daughter and then catapulted to superstardom when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie used it for their…
Haven
Word name, English
"a place of safety"
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…
Zara
Hebrew and Arabic
"blooming flower; God remembers"
Zara has multiple origins, but most notably is a variation of Zahrah, a name derived from the Arabic zahrah , meaning "blooming flower." Zara can also be a diminutive of the Bulgarian name Zaharina,…
Dahlia
Flower name, from Swedish surname
"Dahl's flower"
One of the flower names, used occasionally in Britain (where it's pronounced DAY-lee-a). It seems to have recovered from what was perceived as a slightly affected la-di-dah air. The flower was named…
Oscar
English or Irish
"God spear, or deer-lover or champion warrior"
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…
Elise
French variation of Elizabeth
"pledged to God"
Elise is one of those golden names that stylish but not TOO popular. Its appeal is due in large part to its French flair and to the love for El-names in general. Elise originated as French diminutive…
Warren
English from French
"park-keeper"
Long lingering in limbo, Warren suddenly seems to be on the cusp of revival. One of the oldest recorded English surnames, Warren's popularity in the U.S. dates back to the nineteenth century, and by…
Ronan
Irish
"little seal"
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…
Cyrus
Persian
"sun"
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…
Sylvie
French variation of Latin Sylvia
"from the forest"
Although Sylvia seems to be having somewhat of a revival among trendsetting baby namers, we'd still opt for the even gentler and more unusual Sylvie. Despite being dated in its native France (where…
Aurelia
Latin
"the golden one"
Aurelia is an ancient Roman name that's become a surprise hit in the contemporary world. A top favorite on Nameberry, it reentered the US Top 1000 in 2014 after a 70-year absence and continues to…
Reid
English
"red-haired"
The Reid spelling is the most popular by half, probably because it feels more like a name than Reed, which looks more like a word. It's used occasionally for girls but this name is firmly in the…
Esme
French
"beloved"
Esmé comes from the past participle of the Old French verb esmer , meaing "to esteem" or "to love." It can also be considered a derivative of the Spanish name Esmeralda, which means "emerald". Esmé…
Harlow
English surname
"rock hill or army hill"
Jean Harlow (born Harlean Carpenter), the original platinum blonde bombshell, was a symbol of 1930s glamour, a factor that first Patricia Arquette and then Nicole Richie and Joel Madden probably had…
Elodie
French, variation of Alodia, German
"foreign riches"
The lyrical and melodious Elodie, a Nameberry favorite, is starting to rise through the US popularity charts for the first time since the 1880s. This once uncommon member of the El- family is a Top…
Sullivan
Irish surname
"black-eyed one"
Sullivan is a jaunty Celtic three-syllable name, with a real twinkle in its eye. It was immortalized in the 1930s classic film Sullivan's Travels and was chosen for one of Patrick Dempsey's twin…