User-created list
Family Tree Names
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Pearl
Latin gem name
"pearl"
Pearl, like Ruby, has begun to be polished up for a new generation of fashionable children after a century of jewelry box storage. The birthstone for the month of June, Pearl could also make a…
Ray
Diminutive of Raymond, word name, English
"wise protector; beam of light"
Simple, short, and cool, Ray gives off retro vibes thanks to its 20th century popularity, and its links to jazzy Ray Charles and Ray-Ban sunglasses. A popular middle name for boys , it is well…
Ira
Hebrew, Sanskrit
"watchful one; wind"
Succinct and sharp, Ira is one of the shortest Old Testament names, belonging to one of King David's thirty 'mighty warriors.' It was widely used in the US from the 1880s to the early 1930s (it was…
Jessie
Anglicized form of Teasagh or diminutive of Jessica, Hebrew
"behold or wealthy"
Jessie has never been used as much as Jennie/Jenny, partly because it's a boys’ name as well (spelled Jesse), but it does have a friendly and unpretentious pioneer feel. In Scotland, it's found as an…
Roger
German
"famous warrior"
In the World War II era, Roger had nothing but the most positive associations, actually used by military personnel to mean 'Received and understood'--or A-OK, and though it is now on extended…
Lea
Variation of Lee or Leah
"meadow; weary"
While traditionally pronounced as a homonym for Lee, Glee actress Lea Michele pronounces her name like Leah, and it may also rhyme with Freya. Regardless of your preferred pronunciation, it's…
Magdalena
Greek
"from Magdala"
Magdalena is a pretty name forever associated with the fallen-yet-redeemed Mary Magdalen; often heard in the Hispanic community. But forward thinking parents are reviving Magdalena along with…
Paula
Feminine variation of Paul, Latin
"small"
Paula still seems somewhat stuck in the era of duo Paul and Paula bopping out the song "Hey, Paula." Two pronunciations are possible—the English "PAW-la" and the Portuguese "POW-la." Modern bearers…
Johanna
Hebrew
"God is gracious"
Johanna is the version of this name used in Holland, Germany, and Scandinavia. The extra h makes Johanna a slightly more dignified version of Joanna. A notable namesake is the author of Heidi ,…
Marianna
Italian, Polish, English
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + grace"
While Marianna looks like a spelling variation of Mariana, the two names have different etymologies. While the one-N spelling derives from the Roman name Marianus, Marianna is a combination of two…
Abner
Hebrew
"father of light."
This once neglected Biblical name is back on the scene, ready to shake off both its association with the long running satirical comic strip, L'il Abner and its historical Puritan image. The name…
Leroy
French
"the king"
Leroy's heyday was in the early twentieth century, when it was in the US Top 100 until 1949. As a result, it's now more frequently seen as a father or grandfather name. Nevertheless, it remains in…
Greta
German, diminutive of Margarethe
"pearl"
Greta is an Old World name long tied to the iconic Garbo, but now synonymous with environmental activism. In the early 2000s, Greta was showing signs of a comeback, along with other Old Hollywood…
Winifred
Welsh
"blessed peacemaking"
One of the few remaining unrestored vintage gems, with a choice of two winning nicknames--the girlish Winnie and the tomboyish Freddie. Winifred, the name of a legendary Welsh saint, was a Top 200…
Elisabeth
German, Dutch, Danish, English, variation of Elizabeth, Hebrew
"pledged to God"
This spelling of the classic name is found in France, Germany, Greece, and other cultures, and is worn by such notables as Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, Elisabeth Shue, Elisabeth Moss, and Elisabeth…
Eugene
Greek
"wellborn, noble"
Eugene is a classic that has rather lost its way. On the one hand, it's a grandpa, even great-grandpa name that hasn't been one of the cool kids recently—or to quote Jim Carrey, who bears this name…
Marcella
Latin
"warlike"
Marcella is a name of Latin origin, which has been neglected for decades now. Depicted as the world's most beautiful woman in Don Quixote (where it's spelled Marcela), it has plenty of flair and…
Love
English word name
"love"
Love makes an endearing middle name, as in Jennifer Love Hewitt. However, more parents are considering Love as a first name — enough for it to enter the charts for the first time in 2022 as one of…
Melvin
English and Scottish
"council protector"
This once perfectly respectable surname has suffered decades of abuse, not least by Jerry Lewis's character in the fifties. NFL running back Melvin Gordon stars for the Los Angeles Chargers.
Montgomery
Norman
"man power"
This image of this distinguished Anglo-Scottish surname, drawn from the French place name of the ancient castle of Saint Foi de Montgomery, is rapidly shifting from fusty and formal to cool. And…