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- Hazel
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"the hazelnut tree"Description:
Hazel has a pleasantly hazy, brownish-green-eyed, old-fashioned image that more and more parents are choosing to share. Former Old Lady name Hazel reentered the popularity lists in 1998 and now is near the top of the charts.
- Imogen
Origin:
CelticMeaning:
"maiden"Description:
Imogen has long been fashionable in England and is gaining favor in the US among stylish parents. Pronounced the British way — the initial i is short as in Kim, as is the final E as in Ken — Imogen is as pretty and classy as it is distinctive.
- Margot
Origin:
French, diminutive of MargaretMeaning:
"pearl"Description:
Margot is suddenly a star again. After a nearly-half century absence, it hopped back on the Top 1000 list in 2013 and is on the rise. The Margot spelling is now given to three times as many baby girls as the Margo one.
- Lilith
Origin:
Assyrian, SumerianMeaning:
"ghost, night monster"Description:
Lilith is derived from the Akkadian word lilitu meaning "of the night." In Jewish folklore she is portrayed as Adam's rejected first wife, who was turned into a night demon for refusing to obey him. Lilith is unrelated to most other Lil- names, with the exception of Lilita, which is the Latvian variation.
- Piper
Origin:
English occupational nameMeaning:
"pipe or flute player"Description:
Piper is a bright, musical name that entered the list in 1999, one year after the debut of the TV series Charmed, which featured a Piper, and it's been a consistent riser since. Piper Kerman is the memoirist whose prison experiences provided the basis for the hit Netflix series Orange is the New Black.
- Primrose
Origin:
English flower nameMeaning:
"first rose"Description:
A quaint and quirky flower name, until recently considered a bit too prim for most American classrooms but brought back to life in recent years by the attractive character of Primrose "Prim" Everdeen in the Hunger Games series. In the Top 300 girl names in England and Wales and on Nameberry, Primrose remains rare in the US, but is made more accessible by a raft of sweet nickname options, including Rosie and Posy.
- Marceline
Origin:
Feminization of Marcel, FrenchMeaning:
"little warrior"Description:
Balancing femininity, vintage charm, and fantasy nerdiness, Marceline is one to watch. Marceline the Vampire Queen from the 2010-2018 animated TV series Adventure Time brought her elaborate French name back into public consciousness. It re-entered the Top 1000 in 2020, after an 86 year hiatus, and rose into the 700s in 2021. Nicknames Marcie and Marcy are rising in popularity as well. Marceline may appeal to parents who like frilly, traditional, and sophisticated names such as Josephine and Genevieve.
- Remington
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"place on a riverbank"Description:
Remington Steele was the perfect name for an upper-crust action hero on 1980s television. Now, Remington is catching fire along with a new generation of predatory baby boy names such as Hunter, Gunner, and Colt. Or you might consider it a unisex namewith a buttoned-up British feel and the friendly short form Rem or Remy.
- Dinah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"God will judge"Description:
As the song says, "Dinah, is there anyone finer?" Dinah is a charming, underused Old Testament name with a rich literary and musical resume.
- Moira
Origin:
Irish, variation of MaryMeaning:
"bitter; beloved; drop of the sea"Description:
Well-established Irish and Scottish name that has never really caught on across the pond. Remembered by an older generation as the beautiful red-haired ballerina in the film The Red Shoes, Moira Shearer.
- Sloan
Origin:
Spelling variation of SloaneDescription:
Less popular than the Bueller-inspired Sloane but following on its coattails, this name ranks toward the middle of the Top 1000, but we see both spellings sticking around for years to come.
- Patience
Origin:
Latin virtue nameMeaning:
"ability to accept or tolerate inconveniences, and suffering without anxiety or anger"Description:
Patience is a passive virtue turned engaging name, fresher than Hope, Faith, or even Charity. Its resemblance to the trendy Payton may be one reason that it returned to the US charts back in the 90's and 2000s, having been absent for a century.
- Seneca
Origin:
Latin surname and Native AmericanMeaning:
"people of the standing rock"Description:
Seneca was both a Roman philosopher-statesman and is a Native American Iroquois tribe. Occasionally used for both girls and boys, Seneca is now a Hunger Games character.
- Sigourney
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"daring king"Description:
Actress Sigourney -- born Susan -- Weaver made this unusual name (which she found in The Great Gatsby) famous, if not popular.
- Signy
Origin:
ScandinavianMeaning:
"new victory"Description:
Signy — also spelled Signe — would make another distinctively offbeat alternative to Sydney. Signy appears in Norse mythology as the twin sister of Sigmund.
- Irena
Origin:
Czech; Latvian; Polish; Bulgarian; Lithuanian, from GreekMeaning:
"peace"Description:
This form of Irene feels fresher and gives the classic name a chic, international flair. It's most commonly used in Eastern Europe.
- Letha
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"forgetfulness"Description:
Letha is taken from Lethe, the mythological River of Oblivion. Letha now sounds as if it's missing a first syllable.
- Rosella
Description:
Rosella can be seen as a nature name (a rosella is the name of a variety of beautiful Australian cockatoos and an Australian flower) or a diminutive version of Rose.
- Lilium
Origin:
Flower name, LatinMeaning:
"lily"Description:
Lilium is the genus of the lily family of plants and sounds a bit botanically formal for a first name. Try Lillia or Lilias.
- Marni
Description:
Marni is a feminine name with multiple possible origins. Some consider it a diminutive of Marina or Marna, derived from Latin meaning "of the sea," while others trace it to Hebrew origins as a variant of Marnie, meaning "rejoice" or to Scandinavian roots where it relates to the word for "marine." With its crisp sound and modern feel, Marni gained moderate recognition in the 1960s and experienced small peaks of usage in the 1970s and early 2000s. The fashion house Marni, founded in 1994, has given the name additional stylish associations. Marni appeals to parents seeking a short, distinctive name that sounds contemporary while avoiding trendiness. Its simple elegance and international usability make it a subtly sophisticated choice.