Character Names For Me

Liv

Diminutive of Olivia, English, Norse

"olive tree; life, protection"

Liv combines the succinct charm of a nickname—people might assume it's short for Olivia—with the solidity of being a classic stand-alone Scandinavian name with a life-force meaning. It was brought…

Liora

Hebrew

"light"

A beautiful Hebrew name that would work perfectly for a child today.

Rayne

Variation of Rain or Rayna

Rayne is the unique name used for one of the girl sextuplets on the Sweet Home TV show.

Micah

Hebrew

"who is like the Lord"

While Micah is traditionally a boy name, it is now increasingly used for girls too, likely because it works as an alternative to Michaela, Maia, and McKenna. Still, Micaiah, the name from which Micah…

Stormi

Word name, variation of Stormy and Storm

Stormi is like Sunni, with angst. If naming your child Storm or Stormy is asking for trouble, naming her Stormi -- as Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott did -- is asking for trouble of several different…

Bennett

English medieval form of Benedict, Latin

"blessed"

Bennett, with its 'ett' ending, has a softer feel compared to some other Ben- names, and with celebrity style Benny and Beni catching attention, this variation of Benedict with its gentle meaning has…

Eliora

Hebrew

"the Lord is my light"

A pretty and melodic name of Hebrew origin that combines the elements el referring to God, li meaning "for me", and or meaning "light". The name entered the UK Top 1000 for the first time in 2023,…

Raina

Slavic and German variation of Regina

"queen"

Strong and solid, with a touch of foreign intrigue, it's the most popular of the rain-related names, with a variety of pronunciations—RAY-na, rah-EE-na, or RY-na. Alternate spellings Reyna and Rayna…

Zaylee

Modern invented name

A contemporary spin on Hailey, Bailey, and Kailey, using the stylish letter Z and the double -ee ending, Zaylee ticks the boxes as trendy choice for a modern baby. It joined the US Top 1000 back in…

Emmeline

Old French form of archaic German Amal

"work"

Emmeline is an Emma relative and Emily cousin that is destined for greater use in the wake of the megapopularity of those two names. A recommended Nameberry fave, Emmeline hopped onto the US Top 1000…

Maddie

Diminutive of Madeline or Madison, English

"woman from Magdala or son of Matthew"

Britney Spears' little sister Jamie Lynn was one of the first to put this nickname on the birth certificate. Cute for a child, but we recommend giving her the option of the full name for later use.

Hadlee

Spelling variation of Hadley

This extra-trendy -ee suffix helped Hadlee ride the wave of Hadley's popularity into the US Top 1000 in 2013.

Kallie

Variation of Callie, diminutive of Caroline, English, or Calliope, Greek

"free man; beautiful voice"

Kallie is usually used as a nickname for more unusual names like Calliope, Kalliope, and Calendula. We also think this is a fresher alternative to Kelly.

Landry

French and English

"ruler of the land"

A rising surname, perhaps inspired by legendary Dallas Cowboys football coach Tom Landry, this name is historically associated with St. Landry, a 7th-century bishop of Paris and founder of the city's…

Kimber

Diminutive of Kimberley

This diminutive of Kimberley is gaining momentum as a standalone name. For our part, we're stumped by its rise.

Darla

English

"darling"

Borrowed from the term of endearment darling , Darla (and the related Darlene) have been in use long enough that they now sound more name-y than cutesy and twee. It might help too that it rhymes with…

Elara

Greek mythology name

"hazelnut, spear"

A bright, airy choice, Elara appears in Greek mythology and is borne by a lover of Zeus who gave birth to a giant son called Tityos. One of Jupiter's moons is named after her, adding a celestial feel…

Mariella

Italian and Dutch diminutive of Maria

"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"

Lilting and nearly unknown here, with the currently popular ella ending, makes a good Marissa alternative. The meaning of Maria is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots…

Madalyn

Variation of Madeleine, French

"of Magdala"

Madalyn is a variant of the French name Madeleine — one of several which have graced the US top 1000 in recent years. While sister spellings Madeline and Madelyn have always been more popular,…

Sunday

Day name, English from Latin

"day of the Sun"

Sunday is among the most usable of the day names with its sunny first syllable, its sweet sound, and its potential to be both a sassy or a spiritual choice. The name initially made headlines in 2008…