*1 list you'll never forget (a list of interesting names)

  1. Regan
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "little king"
    • Description:

      Like somewhat more popular twin sister Reagan, this vibrant last-name-first Irish choice makes a strong, straightforward option.
  2. Rhea
    • Origin:

      Greek mythology name
    • Meaning:

      "a flowing stream"
    • Description:

      Old-style creative name of the Greek mythological earth mother of all the gods. A lot better than the Roman equivalent: Ops. Rhea reentered the US Top 1000 in 2015. Its only previous appearance on the list since 1968 was 2004.
  3. River
    • Origin:

      Nature name
    • Description:

      River shares the tranquil feeling of all the water names, and seems to have pretty much escaped its past strong association with River Phoenix and his unfortunate fate. Actor Joaquin Phoenix named his son with actress Rooney Mara after his brother River.
  4. Roan
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Rowan
    • Meaning:

      "little redhead"
    • Description:

      Warm-hued spelling spin on Rowan that was chosen by Sharon Stone for one of her three young sons.
  5. Ronan
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "little seal"
    • Description:

      Ronan is the compelling legendary name of twelve Irish and Scottish saints that is now drawing some deserved attention; this cousin of the ascending Roman and Rowan was chosen by actor Daniel Day-Lewis and his writer-director wife Rebecca Miller in 1998, and more recently by actress Catherine Bell.
  6. Ross
    • Origin:

      English and Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "upland, peninsula"
    • Description:

      Like Friends, Ross is off the air and into syndication as a baby name, having plummeted from its zenith in the late 80s to fall off the US Top 1000 in 2013. Today, Ross is more likely to be a dad name than a newborn name.
  7. Rowan
    • Origin:

      Scottish and Irish
    • Meaning:

      "rowan tree; little redhead"
    • Description:

      With its gentle sounds and earthy vibes, the name Rowan feels like a fusion of different styles. A word name, a surname, and a gender-neutral name, Rowan is rustic but trendy, blending the vibes of both Owen and Oakley.
  8. Ryan
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "little king"
    • Description:

      Ryan’s use as a given name was inspired by the surname Ryan, a variation of the Irish O’Riain meaning "son of Rían." Rían is composed of the Irish-Gaelic elements , meaning "king" and an, a diminutive suffix. Ryan is considered a unisex name in the US, where variant spellings Ryann and Ryanne are also valid for girls.
  9. Sabine
    • Origin:

      French and German form of Sabina, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "Sabine"
    • Description:

      This slightly more compact version of Sabina has ties to France and Germany. Unlike its sister name, Sabine has never charted in the United States Top 1000. Today, both names are given to roughly the same number of baby girls in the US, about 70 each year.
  10. Sable
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "animal name"
    • Description:

      Sable is often associated with the Dynsaty soap opera, but it is actually a type of animal historically hunted for its fur. Sable is also used as a word for a warm, rich black color. Both associations carry hints of luxury.
  11. Safire
    • Samiya
      • Origin:

        Arabic
      • Meaning:

        "high, exalted, praised"
      • Description:

        Samiya is a name used by parents of both Arabic and African ancestry. Spelling variations include Samiyah, Samiah, and Samia.
    • Satine
      • Origin:

        French
      • Meaning:

        "smooth, shiny"
      • Description:

        Satine, the name of the Nicole Kidman character in Moulin Rouge,, is, by definition satiny smooth. Jacinda Barrett named her daughter Satine Anais.
    • Sawyer
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "woodcutter"
      • Description:

        Sawyer is a surname with a more relaxed and friendly feel than many others, and is one of the hottest occupational names right now, with the Nameberry seal of approval. Sawyer is becoming one of the top unisex names. Both Sara Gilbert and Diane Farr used Sawyer for their daughters, while it was given a boost as a boys' name by the character Sawyer on Lost, an alias for the character really named James Ford.
    • Seraphina
      • Origin:

        Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "ardent; fiery"
      • Description:

        Seraphina is one of the most-searched name on Nameberry, destined for even greater popularity. The highest-ranking angels, the six-winged seraphim, inspired the lovely name Seraphina, which was brought into the contemporary spotlight when chosen by high-profile parents Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck for their second daughter, following the influential choice of Violet for their first.
    • Sian
      • Origin:

        Welsh variation of Jane
      • Meaning:

        "God's gracious gift"
      • Description:

        Simple and pretty and user-friendly, the Welsh Sian was used by U2's Dave "the Edge" Evans for his daughter. In Welsh, it is also spelled Siân.
    • Sienna
      • Origin:

        Italian color name
      • Meaning:

        "orange red"
      • Description:

        Sienna has been a Top 100 choice in England & Wales since 2005, the year after Sienna Miller's acting breakthrough in the hit movies Alfie and Layer Cake. In the US, it also got a big boost in the early noughties, before dropping slightly then rebounding to reach an all-time high in 2022.
    • Silas
      • Origin:

        Aramaic, Latin, Greek
      • Meaning:

        "of the forest; or prayed for"
      • Description:

        Sleek and smart, with a hint of mystique about it, Silas is a recent addition to the US Top 100. Both mythological and Biblical in origin, Silas joins the ranks of Isaiah, Atlas, Elias, and Sebastian: polished and contemporary feeling names with plenty of history.
    • Silver
      • Origin:

        English word name
      • Meaning:

        " a metallic chemical element with atomic number 47"
      • Description:

        Among the first wave of word names used in the hippie era, it actually is a legitimate girl's name with a lot of luster.
    • Silvia
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "from the woods"
      • Description:

        This original form of the name -- the more familiar Sylvia spelling came later -- seems more modern now.