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Oscar Winning Names

  1. Jennifer

    • Origin:

      Cornish variation of Welsh Guinevere

    • Meaning:

      "white shadow, white wave"

    • Description:

      Jennifer is the Cornish variation of Guinevere, which ultimately derived from the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar. It has been in use in the English-speaking world since the 18th century but came to prominence in the 20th. Playwright George Bernard Shaw chose Jennifer for the name of his leading lady in his play The Doctor’s Dilemma, which drew more attention to the name.
  2. Jeremy

    • Origin:

      English form of Jeremiah, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "appointed by God"

    • Description:

      This one-time trendy form of Jeremiah hovered just outside the Top 25 throughout the 1970s and 80s. Though off its peak, it's still in the Top 300 in the US for baby boys, and might be considered a modern classic.
  3. Jessica

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "behold or wealthy"

    • Description:

      When Jennifer finally gave up her Number 1 place on the girls' popularity list, her crown was passed to Jessica, who reigned for not one but two decades. Jessica was the Number 1 name in both the mid-1980s and 1990s, never sounding quite as trendy as its predecessor, maybe because of its classic Shakespearean pedigree.
  4. Joanne

    • Origin:

      French variation of Joanna, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"

    • Description:

      A Top 100 name from the 1930s all the way through the 1950s, it's now firmly in Mom -- or Grandma -- land and supplanted for babies by Joanna.....or even great-grandmother Josephine. In its heyday, it had a host of variations, including JoAnn and Jo-Anne.
  5. Jodie

    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Jody

    • Description:

      The Jodie spelling might be even more obscure, at this point, than the fading original, except actresses Jodie Foster and Jodie Sweetin have kept it in the public eye.
  6. John

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"

    • Description:

      John reigned as the most popular of all boys' Christian names for 400 years, from the time the first Crusaders carried it back to Britain until the 1950s. Then American baby namers finally seemed to tire of this straight-arrow, almost anonymous John Doe of names, replacing it with fancier forms like Jonathan and the imported Sean and Ian.
  7. Josephine

    • Origin:

      French feminine variation of Joseph, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "Jehovah increases"

    • Description:

      Josephine, with its large measure of class and character and a gently offbeat quality, has been on a gentle uphill climb in the US for over 30 years, now ranking in the Top 100. With an intriguing number of vivacious nicknames, from Jo to Josie to Fifi to Posy, Josephine is a Nameberry favorite.
  8. Julia

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "youthful or sky father"

    • Description:

      Julia was an ancient Roman imperial name given to females in the house of a Julius, as in Caesar. Its origin is shrouded in history, but possible roots include Latin iuvenis, meaning "youthful"; Greek ioulos, meaning "downy-bearded"; or Jovis, a form of Jupiter, which means "sky father".
  9. Julie

    • Origin:

      French from Latin

    • Meaning:

      "youthful, sky father"

    • Description:

      Wildly popular in the 1960s and '70s, Julie is no longer anywhere near as stylish as the name's longer forms. Try Juliet, Juliana, or even the more grownup Julia.
  10. Juliette

    • Origin:

      French from Latin

    • Meaning:

      "little Julia"

    • Description:

      Juliette, pronounced with the emphasis on the last syllable, adds a little something extra to Juliet. In the past years it has been rising up the chart.
  11. Karl

    • Origin:

      German and Scandinavian variation of Charles

    • Description:

      Manly almost to the point of macho.
  12. Katharine

    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Katherine, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "pure"

    • Description:

      This is the spelling that old-time film star Katharine Hepburn used, and it's still favored by fans wanting to reference her classic strength and beauty. But in general, it's losing ground to Katherine and even Ms. Hepburn's own favorite short form, Kate.
  13. Kathy

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Katherine and Kathleen

    • Meaning:

      "pure"

    • Description:

      There are lots of Kathy moms and grandmas but very few babies, most of whom are now called Kate or Katie.
  14. Katina

    • Description:

      Katina is a feminine name with Greek origins, derived from Katerina or Katharina, ultimately meaning "pure." In Greek culture, it's often used as a diminutive of Katerina. The name carries a melodic quality with its flowing syllables and gentle ending. Katina experienced modest popularity in the United States during the 1970s but has since become less common, giving it a distinctive quality today. The name projects sophistication while maintaining warmth and accessibility. Its international appeal crosses cultural boundaries, recognizable in both Greek communities and beyond. Katina often evokes images of Mediterranean charm and classic beauty. For parents seeking a name with authentic Greek heritage that remains relatively uncommon, Katina offers both cultural depth and phonetic appeal.

  15. Kelly

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "war"

    • Description:

      Once the quintessential bouncy teenager name, Kelly helped launch the trend of unisex Irish names . But it now takes a backseat to more substantial surname names like Kennedy.
  16. Kevin

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "handsome"

    • Description:

      Kevin came to the US with the large wave of Irish Immigrants after World War I, hitting the US Top 1000 list for the first time in 1921 and never leaving.
  17. Kim

    • Origin:

      English diminutive of Kimberly; Vietnamese; Scandinavian diminutive of Joachima; Soviet name

    • Description:

      Kim was the coolest name... of the 1960s. Kim was popularized by actress Kim Novak, and its energy is still maintained by rapper Lil' Kim, but it holds lil' or no appeal for new babies. Parents who like Kim's short, sweet sound might look to a choice such as Sam, Lou, or Belle.
  18. Lee

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "pasture, meadow"

    • Description:

      The original brief, breezy name is somewhat out of favor now even as a middle name. The Leigh spelling has more substance and is more identifiable as female.
  19. Lila

    • Origin:

      Arabic, Sanskrit

    • Meaning:

      "night; play"

    • Description:

      Lila is one of the girl names with a double l sound — Lila, Lola, Layla, Leila, Lily et al — that have caught on in a major way., Delicate yet dynamic, Lila has a slightly international flair.
  20. Loren

    • Origin:

      English spelling variation of Lauren, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "from Laurentum or bay laurel"

    • Description:

      The spelling Loren turns Lauren or its male form Laurence into a gender-neutral name. Last year 75 baby girls were named Loren in the US vs. 60 baby boys, making this name a good nonbinary choice.