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The names
Eleanor
English variation of French Provencal Alienor, meaning unknown
Eleanor's straightforward feminine image combined with its royal medieval history is striking just the right note for parents in search of a girls' name that combines substance and style. Big plus:…
Nora
Diminutive of Honora or Eleonora, Latin
"honor or meaning unknown"
Nora is a lovely, refined name that conjures up images of Belle Epoch ladies in fur-trimmed coats skating in Central Park. Long seen as a quintessentially Irish name though its roots are not in…
Lainey
English diminutive of Elaine, French and Scottish
"bright shining light"
Nickname name Lainey has been rising since the turn of the century to become a Top 200 girls' name in the US today. Mother name Elaine has reversed a long slide to start an upward climb too. And the…
Jackson
English
"son of Jack"
Jackson is one of those names that's much more popular than you think, coming in near the top of our annual Playground Analysis, which ranks names by grouping all their spellings together. Last year,…
Rose
Latin
"rose, a flower"
Rose is derived from the Latin rosa , which referred to the flower. There is also evidence to suggest it was a Norman variation of the Germanic name Hrodohaidis, meaning "famous type," and also Hros…
Barrett
German
"bear strength"
Barrett is one of many surname names that are up and coming for boys in recent years. Barrett joints Bennett, Beckett, and others in the trend of "-tt" ending boy names taking over the charts.…
Tate
English from Norse
"cheerful"
A strong single-syllable surname with a joyful meaning, Tate is finding a place on more and more birth certificates. Former Spice Girl Emma Bunton named her second son Tate Lee. Tate also has a…
Rosemary
Latin or English
"dew of the sea, or rosemary (herb)"
Despite appearances, Rosemary is not a "smoosh" name, not even a traditional one. The name derives from two Latin terms "Ros" meaning dew and Marinus meaning of the sea. The plant was termed dew of…
Zane
Possible variation of John
"God is gracious"
Western novelist Zane (born Pearl!) Grey made this name famous. Now, it's in tune with the style of our times, retaining that appealing cowboy image. Zane Grey was the great-grandson of Ebenezer…
Maia
Greek
"mother"
Maia was derived from the Greek word maia , meaning "mother." In Greek legend, she was the fair-haired daughter of Atlas who mothered Zeus's favorite illegitimate son, Hermes. To the Romans, Maia was…
Rocco
Italian from German
"rest; rook, crow; roar"
Cool and edgy meets sunny and beachy with this charming Italian option that might be more timeless than you think. Borne by St. Rocco, the 14th-century patron of the sick, known for helping those…
Luz
Spanish
"light"
Pronounced LOOSE, this name that refers to the Virgin Mary—"Our Lady of Light"—is one of the most widely used Spanish name for girls . Its sleekness and stylish final z gives it a modern appeal, like…
North
English word name
"cardinal direction of north"
A lot of attention was drawn to this name when Kim Kardashian and Kanye West announced it as the name of their baby daughter, making it instantly unisex. North is a word name that's long been used,…
Artie
Diminutive of Arthur, Celtic
"bear"
Artie is a cute short form rarely given on its own, unlike the more grownup Art. But for a young Arthur, it's adorable.
Helene
French variation of Helen
"bright, shining one"
Whether it's pronounced with an "een" or an "aine" or an "enn" sound at the end, Helene doesn't feel as current the more forthright Helen or the airier Helena. Helene reached a high of Number 228 in…
Orson
Latin and English
"bear cub"
In the past, Orson has felt like a one-person moniker, tied to film director Orson Welles, who dropped his given name of George in favor of his more distinctive middle. While the Citizen Kane creator…
Calista
Greek
"most beautiful"
Spelled with either one 'l' or two, Calista came to the fore in 1997 when Calista Flockhart hit it big as Ally McBeal. Flockhart, who bears her mother's middle name, didn't just introduce a name, she…
Pavel
Russian variation of Paul
"small"
Pavel may be widespread in the former Soviet Union, but it has a somewhat impoverished image here.
Keon
Modern invented name; Gaelic, variation of John
"God is gracious"
Keon, a mashup of Kevin and Leon, has been in the Top 900 for a decade and a half, following in the wake of female cousin Kiana. Keon also has roots as a Gaelic variation of John.
Norris
French
"northerner"
Somehow more modern and likable than Morris or Doris.