User-created list
Most Common Names In Canada For Girls
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Caitlin
Irish variation of Catherine
"pure"
An Irish and Welsh form of Catherine, Caitlin was a boom name of the eighties, rocketing from obscurity (Americans first heard it via the wife of doomed poet Dylan Thomas) to the height of popularity…
Hilary
Latin from Greek
"cheerful, happy"
Hilary (also spelled with two 'l's) is a hot potato of a name, so closely identified with Sen. Clinton that it's hard for most parents to see it as a baby name. A pity, really, as it's got so much…
Cindy
English diminutive of Cynthia, Greek, or Lucinda, Spanish and Portuguese
"moon goddess, woman from Kynthos; "
Cindy as a name in its own right made it into the Top 20 in 1957 and remained a Top 200 girls' name until the end of the 20th century. Although it's fallen precipitously since then and left the Top…
Marian
French medieval variation of Marie, Hebrew
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
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.…
Kerry
Irish
"dark, dark-haired"
Kerry is the name of one of the most beautiful and lush counties of Ireland was a seventies favorite. Related, updated versions might include Cerys and Keira.
Jackie
English
"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.
Martine
French
"warlike"
Sleek and sophisticated.
Sheena
Anglicization of Sine; Irish variation of Jane
"God is gracious"
Animated Gaelic name popularized by singer Sheena Easton, also brings to mind Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, the Amazonian comic book and TV series heroine. Sine is considered to be and English…
Lesley
Variation of Leslie, Scottish
"garden of holly"
Lesley runs a distant second to more popular sister Leslie, used for about 30 baby girls in one recent year vs. Leslie's 400+. And interestingly, no baby boys were named Lesley though about 40 were…
Barb
English diminutive of Barbara, Greek
"foreign woman"
Barb is a midcentury nickname name that, like Deb and Sue, feels terminally dates now. But with the revival of Barbie, Barb may not be far behind.
Noreen
English, diminutive of Nora
Noreen's in limbo, especially now that Nora has made a comeback.
Fern
English
"plant name"
Of all the botanicals, Fern has been one of the slowest to move back from the front parlor into the nursery, despite the appealing girl character in the children's classic Charlotte's Web . Fern was…
Marjorie
Scottish variation of Margery, diminutive of Margaret
"pearl"
Scottish Marjorie and her English twin Margery were early twentieth century favorites that date back to medieval times, when it was popular among the royals. They were at their height in the 1920s,…
Cynthia
Greek
"moon goddess; woman from Kynthos"
Sleek and serious, yet bright and energetic at the same time, Cynthia appears in classic mythology as an epithet for Artemis or Diana. While it is now a more neglected choice, it was once hugely…
Karen
Danish variation of Katherine, Japanese
"pure; lotus flower"
Karen, a once sweet Danish import, was so popular during the baby boom (Karen was Number 3 in 1960) that it's become a mem in recent years, representing a hostile white woman—one who usually wants to…
Arlene
English
Popular in the US from the 1920s to the 1950s, Arlene is of uncertain origin and seems to be a modern innovation, perhaps based on names like Marlene and Darlene which were popular around the same…
Gail
Hebrew, short form of Abigail
"my father rejoices"
Gail was a mid-twentieth century favorite, which has been far surpassed by its original form, Abigail and nickname Abby. Spelling variations include Gale and Gayle, the latter represented by TV…
Janice
Variation of Jane
"God is gracious"
For a minute or two this sounded more modern than Janet, now equally outmoded.
Tammy
English, diminutive of Tamara
Made famous in fifties movies as a wholesome backwoods gal, Tammy was a Top 10 choice from the mid-60s to early-70s, but is now given to fewer than 100 babies per year in the US.
Lindsay
English surname
"marshlands of Lincolnshire"
In the early eighties, Lindsay, in tandem with Courtney, approached the Top 10. Lindsey is one of the few truly unisex names (rather than being a name that has changed genders). Over time the ey…