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3 Letter Names
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Nia
Swahili; Welsh form of the Irish Niamh
"resolve; brilliance"
Short but energetic and substantial, Nia has special meaning for African-American parents, as it's one of the days of Kwanza. Nia also benefits by its similarity to (yet differentness from) the…
Ray
Diminutive of Raymond, word name, English
"wise protector; beam of light"
Simple, short, and cool, Ray gives off retro vibes thanks to its 20th century popularity, and its links to jazzy Ray Charles and Ray-Ban sunglasses. A popular middle name for boys , it is well…
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…
Ben
Hebrew
"son of"
Ben, the diminutive of Benjamin or Benedict, can easily stand on its own as a simple, strong, nice-guy choice, though it's somewhat attenuated. Ben is this generation's Bob or Bill.
Lea
Variation of Lee or Leah
"meadow; weary"
While traditionally pronounced as a homonym for Lee, Glee actress Lea Michele pronounces her name like Leah, and it may also rhyme with Freya. Regardless of your preferred pronunciation, it's…
Van
Dutch
"of"
Whether it's used as a short form or on its own, this jazzy midcentury name is poised for a comeback along with brothers Ray and Walt. More often heard as a surname prefix (e.g. Vincent van Gogh,…
Abe
Diminutive of Abraham. Hebrew
"father of multitudes"
Old-time nickname that's following in the fashionable footsteps of cronies Jake and Sam. Abe feels both fresher and cuter -- which is maybe the same thing? -- than those choices right now. You can…
Ann
English variation of Hebrew Hannah
"grace"
Ann, the name of the sainted mother of the Virgin Mary, was among the top girls’ names for centuries, in both the original English Ann spelling and the French Anne. Both left the Top 100 around 1970…
Ara
Armenian
"king"
Simple and yet distinctive, Ara is a mythological name of a famously handsome king. Although it originated as a boys' name, in the contemporary US, it's now much more commonly used for girls. Ara was…
Ash
Diminutive of Asher, English
"ash tree"
Ash has Southern charm plus the arboreal-nature appeal. Plus your little boy will prize Ash as the name of the hero of the Pokemon cartoons. Ash can also be a dashing short form of Asher, Ashton, or…
Ayn
English
"grace"
Ayn is a nonconformist name associated with controversial Russian-born writer and philosopher Ayn Rand, (born Alisa) author of The Fountainhead , who adopted it when she moved to the US in 1926.
Bay
English word, Old English
"an inlet of the sea where the land curves inward; berry"
One of the most usable of the pleasant, newly adopted nature/water names (like Lake and Ocean), especially in middle position. It's gentle, slightly whimsical, but grounded by its similarity to May…
Bea
English diminutive of Beatrice, Latin
"she who brings happiness"
Bea is a former old lady name that's cute again as a short form — and is now beginning to stand on its own. Bee is a variation that, like Bea, can work as a diminutive for any name that starts with…
Bud
English nickname
"friend"
An upbeat and friendly nickname, Bud is more often reserved as a term of endearment, though it was once a Top 500 choice in the US and remained in the charts right up until the 60s. While long-form…
Cat
Diminutive of Catherine, Greek
"pure"
May be the most modern, stylish Catherine nickname: more unusual than Kate or Cate, with an animal and word name edge. Cat Power is a trendy folksinger.
Coy
English
"shy, taciturn"
Though rarely heard now, Coy has been around for a century and was not an uncommon name a hundred years ago. There have been a couple of NFL players named Coy, Coy Bowles is in the Zac Brown band,…
Dex
Diminutive of Dexter
"dyer; right-handed"
Dex, the nickname for Dexter that is sometimes used on its own, has lots of energy and dynamism. It was chosen by comedian Dana Carvey for his now grown son. With the growing popularity of Dexter, we…
Gal
Hebrew
"wave"
A unisex name in Israel but in the U.S., it might as well be Sue.
Gil
Hebrew
"happiness"
Pronounced zheel, it's a dashing conquistador; as gill, it's the nice and slightly boring guy down the street.
Hal
Diminutive of Harold or Henry, English, Scandinavian, German
"army ruler or estate ruler"
Could Hal be the Jack, Max, or Gus of the future? It just might happen in the new nickname environment, especially with Cal and Cy feeling cool, and with the interest in vintage, cowboy-esque…