Names I Love

Juniper

Latin tree name

"young"

Juniper is a fresh-feeling nature name -- it's a small evergreen shrub -- with lots of energy. A new favorite of fashionable parents, Juniper joins such other tree and shrub names as Hazel, Acacia,…

Juliette

French diminutive of Julia, Latin

"youthful or sky father"

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. Juliet originated in the Middle Ages as a…

Wren

English

"small bird"

Wren, a lilting songbird name, could be the next Robin. Wren entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2012 and is among the new wave of popular English names for girls . Wren makes a particularly…

Delaney

Irish

"dark challenger; dark river"

Delaney has been a popular surname-style choice since 90s, when it joined other Irish surnames such as Cassidy, Kennedy, and Mallory on the US Charts. Buoyant, bright, and cheerful, it ranks in the…

Sawyer

English occupational name

"woodcutter"

Sawyer is one of the top unisex names , used for their daughters by such parents as Sara Gilbert, co-host of The Talk and former actress on Roseanne , currently on The Conners . Sawyer is is one of…

Poppy

Flower name, English from Latin

"red flower"

Poppy, unlike most floral names which are sweet and feminine, has a lot of spunk. Long popular throughout the rest of the English-speaking world, Poppy is finally starting to rise toward the top in…

Leighton

English

"meadow town"

One of those names that's suddenly on the map because of a celebrity's influence, Leighton Meester of the TV show Gossip Girl . She pronounces it LAY-ton but some will intuitively say LEE-ton.

Finley

Irish and Scottish

"fair-haired hero"

This was Irish name was once used exclusively for boys, and remains so in England and Wales where it's a Top 50 choice. In the US, however, celebs Jason Sehorn, Angie Harmon, and Lisa Marie Presley…

Jovie

Modern invented

"jovial"

Jovie has a lively and cheerful sound and makes a fresh twist on old (and new) favorites like Jody, Josie, and Jolie. It could be considered a short form of Jovita, Jovena, and Jovana - all feminine…

Vada

English, Sanskrit, German

"knowledge, rule"

Vada is a feisty retro choice that feels like a fresh spin on the likes of Ava and Ada. Its bold V initial is bang on trend, although Vada remains very uncommon in the US. It is perhaps best known as…

Nori

Japanese, English short form or Eleanor, Leonora, Nora, Honora, or North, form of Nor or Nuri, Arabic, Turkish

"ceremonial rites, doctrine, seaweed; unknown, honor, north; my light"

Nori is one of those names with several origins that would have no trouble assimilating into a variety of cultures. It might also be associated with the dried seaweed used to wrap sushi or with the…

Eulalie

French form of Eulalia, Greek

"sweetly speaking"

Eulalie hasn't ranked in the US Top 1000 since 1899, but its French roots might make it more appealing to modern ears than its sister Eulalia. "Eulalie" is a poem by Edgar Allan Poe, and the name…

Elliot

English diminutive of Elias, Greek

"Yahweh is God"

Elliot is another traditional boy name used for girls" , a trend led by political commentator George Stephanopoulos and his actress wife Ali Wentworth. Variously spelled Eliot, Elliot, Elliott and…

Tinley

Modern invented name

Ultimately, many parents attracted to Tinley's appealing -inley rhythm may decide they can do better with the first syllable than "tin" and move on to Finley, Brinley, or Kinley.

Arden

English

"valley of the eagle; high"

Arden, the name of the magical forest in Shakespeare's As You Like It , is a stylish A name with a strong, straightforward image. Another reason to love Arden: its similarity to "ardent." Arden is…

Brilie

Modern invented name

Brilie combines elements of the megapopular Briana and Riley to form a pleasant merger. Some would call Brilie a Smoosh Name.

Betsan

Welsh pet form of Elizabeth

Betsan is little-known outside of the U.K. but it could provide an intriguing alternative to Liz, Beth, Betsy, Betty, and Libby.

Bethan

Welsh diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew

"pledged to God"

Very popular in Wales, this perfectly nice name's only problem is its similarity to the dated Beth Ann. But if you're looking to honor an ancestral Elizabeth with a distinctive rare choice, Bethan…

Virtue

Latin

"moral excellence"

The mother of all virtue names.

Sosie

Variation of Sosi, Armenian, or diminutive of Susan or Sophie, Hebrew, Greek

"palm tree; lily; wisdom"

Sweet and cosy but with substance too, Sosie is a rare, multicultural name. Used as a short form of Susan, Sosan, Sophie and Sophia, it could make a fresh alternative to Suzy, Izzy, or Josie;…