Character Names For Me

Andie

Diminutive of Andrea, Greek

"strong and manly"

Boyish nicknames for girls are all the rage — just look at the success of Charlie, Frankie, Stevie, Billie, and Scottie in recent years. Andie has history as a nickname for Andrea, popularized by…

Melina

Greek

"little honey"

This traditional Greek name has held somewhat steady in the lower half of the US Top 1000 for the past 25 years, which makes it a great option for parents looking for a name that both fits in and…

Jolene

Invented name

While for some, it may feel stuck in the shadow of the Dolly Parton song, Jolene re-entered the charts in 2010 and has seen increased use in recent years, ranking in the US Top 700 in the latest…

Paislee

Spelling variation of Paisley

"church, cemetery"

Just when we thought Paisley couldn't get trendier, this -ee suffix showed up. Although it's not our favorite, parents are choosing this spelling more and more often.

Lakelyn

American invented name or variation of Lachlan

"pretty lake; lake; lake land"

If you can add Lyn to it, someone will. This particular -lyn name is a rising star of the 2020s, having entered the US Top 1000 in 2022, alongside sister spelling Lakelynn. Meaning "lake lake" or…

Laney

Diminutive of Elaine

"bright shining one"

A kind of old-fashioned nickname name that's enjoying some fresh life thanks to trendy brother Lane. Lainie is a more old-school spelling.

Aliza

Hebrew

"joyful"

Aliza might seem like yet another variation of the eternal Alyssa/Alicia/Eliza loop, but it's a distinct name all its own. The z adds zip.

Whitley

English

"white meadow"

Surname style Whitley emerged in the late 1980s as a spin on the (then) mega-popular Whitney, rising dramatically from obscurity to the Top 500 after it featured on a character in the TV sitcom, A…

Coraline

Variation of Coralie, French from Latin

"coral"

Coraline may not be original to Neil Gaiman's wonderful book of the same name, but it might as well be. Gaiman's young heroine Coraline Jones is constantly called Caroline but as a name Coraline is…

Sasha

Russian, diminutive of Greek Alexander

"defending men"

Sasha, largely male in Russia--and also spelled Sascha and Sacha--is an energetic name that has really taken off for girls here, chosen by Jerry Seinfeld (using the alternate Sascha spelling) and…

Dallas

Place name, surname and Irish

"meadow dwelling, valley house, skilled"

A name with a bit of glamor but also cowgirl vibes, Dallas entered the US Top 1000 for girls in 1992. It fell out of style during noughties, but reappeared in 2012 when other gender neutral names…

Emberly

English elaboration of Ember

"ember"

The Kimberly of the current age, but currently less popular than either Ember or Everly.

Kinley

Scottish surname

"fair hero"

A Scottish surname name, more popular as the Presidential McKinley, meaning "son of the fair hero". Kinley also feels like a modern invention, ala Kenzie or Kimbry. Kinley peack in 2011-12, when it…

Lara

Russian, diminutive of Larissa or Larisa

"citadel"

This is an alternative to Laura or Lauren made romantic by Dr Zhivago , and badass by video-game heroine Lara Croft. In mythology, Lara was a nymph in Ovid's Fasti known for her beauty and inability…

Baylor

English

"horse trainer"

Baylor is a possible occupational alternative to the tired Taylor, especially for a horse lover.

Emmie

English diminutive of Emily and Emma

"work; universal"

A variation of mega popular name Emma and all of her cousins, Emmie came back to the US Top 1000 for the first time in 80 years in 2016. It's phonetically the same as more popular Emmy, but this…

Romy

Diminutive of Rosemary, Roma, Romana, Romilly etc.

Austrian actress Romy Schneider seemed to be the singular bearer of this international nickname name until it found new style currency in the past decade, entering the US Top 1000 for the first time…

Rowyn

Variation of Rowan, Scottish and Irish

"rowan tree; little redhead"

Rowan has been shooting up the charts on both the boys' and the girls' side, carrying the appeals of a trendy "o" vowel, a soft sound, and a nature connection to top it off. The modern variation…

Averie

Spelling variation of Avery

"ruler of the elves"

This spelling has been on the rise since it entered the charts in 2004, hot on the coattails of trendy Avery. Avery is actually an extremely popular name, ranking in the Top 100 for 20 years now,…

Merritt

English surname name

"boundary gate"

Merritt has a long and distinguished history as a surname; the Merritt Parkway in Connecticut and the Merritt Building testify to that. But it wasn't until Emmy-winning actress Merritt Wever came…