User-created list
Usable Alternatives for Nerd Names
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The names
Samuel
Hebrew
"told by God"
Samuel has been so popular for so long that it's hard to believe it's still climbing, ranking in the US Top 20, just as it did all the way back in the 1880s. Friendly, solid, and versatile, it has…
Aria
Italian and Hebrew
"air; song or melody; lion"
Aria is a multi-cultural name with two extremely popular versions: this more word-like one along with Arya, the spelling used for the feisty young heroine of Game of Thrones . There were about 6400…
Theo
Diminutive of Theodore
"gift of God"
See the popularity graph below for the name Theo? It's been heading straight uphill since 2010, when it hopped back onto the Top 1000 after a 60+ year absence. Now in the Top 100 in this form, Theo's…
Cora
Greek
"maiden"
Cora is a lovely, old-fashioned girls' that has been recently rejuvenated by its contemporary-feeling simplicity. In fact, Cora seemed headed straight for the top of the popularity list when the…
Harmony
Word name
"harmony"
If Melody and Lyric are on your style sheet, the peaceful Harmony, popularized by Buffy the Vampire Slayer , should be too. Girls names starting with the "Har" sound like Harper, Harley, and Harlow…
Brian
Irish
"strong, virtuous, and honorable"
The origins of the name Brian are not entirely clear, but it is suspected that it evolved from an Old Celtic word related to nobility. In Ireland the name is associated with Brian Boru, the most…
Elle
French
"she"
Combine the charming heroine of the movie Legally Blonde with supermodel Elle Macpherson and the trend toward all names beginning with "el"—Ellie, Ella, Eleanor—and you have one hit name. Elle Driver…
Soren
Danish, Norwegian
"stern"
This gentle Scandinavian name, soft and sensitive, is being discovered in a major way by parents in the US. It's most closely identified with the nineteenth century philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, but…
Angel
Spanish and English
"angel, messenger"
Angel is one of those names that has a very different trajectory for girls and boys. As a female name, it was most popular in the US from the 1970s until the turn of this century, almost breaking…
Danielle
French feminine variation of Daniel, Hebrew
"God is my judge"
Along with Daniela, Michelle, Nicole, and Denise, Danielle was a big hit from the 1960s to the nineties, sitting comfortably in the Top 20 for several years. Parents then responded to its chic,…
Sky
Nature name
Sky may be a bit hippie-ish, but it's bright and sunny nonetheless. Sky rejoined the Top 1000 in 2013 after spending many years off the list. Sky was the choice of magician David Copperfield for his…
Dove
Nature name
"dove, a bird"
One of the new bird names, like Lark and Wren, this one's associated with the billing and cooing sounds of love. Soft and gentle, Dove also has the admirable association with peace. Dove was actually…
Holmes
English
"from the island in the river"
Possible middle name for devotees of detective Sherlock...or the actress Katie.