User-created list
Names that don't suck
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of 3
Blaine
Irish and Scottish
"yellow"
Attractive Scottish and Irish surname name of a seventh-century saint, associated with the illusionist and escape artist David Blaine.
Arwen
Literature, Sindarin, Welsh
"noble maiden; fair, blessed"
Best known as the princess of the Elves in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings , Arwen is a fantasy-inspired choice that feels perfectly down to earth. In 2022, it entered the UK Top 400, making it one of…
Delia
Greek
"born on the island of Delos"
Delia is a somewhat neglected southern charmer that stands on its own but also might be short for Adelia or Cordelia. Delia's name is based on that of the Greek island of Delos, which in Greek myth…
Calder
English
"rocky water"
A cool, rugged sounding name, Calder is connected to an ancient Scottish clan, an English village, and a Scottish River, along with the sculptor Alexander Calder, who invented the mobile (as in,…
Alaric
German
"all-powerful ruler"
Alaric is an ancient regal name that sounds modern enough to be considered. Alaric was a traditional name for the kings of the Ostrogoths, the most famous of whom was Alaric I, the King of the West…
Merritt
English surname
"boundary gate"
Merritt is an old-style surname name that could be seen as a positive virtue name. It was used in the late 19th and early 20th century for boys, reaching the Top 400 in 1899, and is notable today for…
Arden
English
"valley of the eagle; high"
Arden is a gender-neutral name that's sleek and stylish but always seems to bob just below the surface of popularity, despite ticking all the boxes with its fashionable two-syllable, N-ending shape…
Aerin
Tolkien Middle Earth invention, or variation of Erin
In Tolkien's world, the derivation of this airy name is Elvish. Regular folks might consider it an artsier form of Erin, borne by cosmetics heiress and socialite Aerin Lauder.
Cosette
French literary nickname
"little thing"
Cosette is best known as the heroine of Les Miserables . In the Victor Hugo novel, Cosette was the nickname given to the girl named Euphrasie by her mother. Although Hugo invented the name, some…
Ridley
English
"cleared wood; reed clearing; channel clearing"
Can one prominent character affect the gender identity of a name? Definitely, as has supernatural bad girl Ridley Duchannes of the Beautiful Creatures series-turned-movie, played by the gorgeous Emmy…
Tai
Chinese
"great extreme"
Skater Tai Babilonia brought this sleek modern name to the world's attention. Pronounced "tie."
Mei
Chinese; Hawaiian
"beautiful; plum"
Homophonous with Mae and May, the beautiful (literally) Mei is poised to climb the charts. The hero of the 2022 Disney/Pixar film Turning Red is a Chinese-Canadian teen named Meilin "Mei" Lee, which…
Annabel
Scottish variation of Amabel
"loving"
Annabel is a spirited name that embodies quirky British gentility. Appearing in Scotland as early as the twelfth century, where it was a royal name, it also recalls the romantic Edgar Allan Poe poem…
Waverly
English
"meadow of quivering aspens"
Waverly, with its literary resonance and lilting three-syllable sound, could well become the next generation's successor to Kimberly. Its upper-crusty surname feel places it among the new stylish…
Karalyn
Karalyn is a feminine name that blends elements of the popular names Kara and Lynn to create a melodious, modern-sounding choice. Kara has origins in multiple cultures, including Irish where it means…
Carine
Carine is a feminine name with French origins, functioning as a variation of Karina or as a feminine form of Carus, a Latin name meaning "dear" or "beloved." In French-speaking regions, particularly…