Names I love

  1. Crystal
    • Origin:

      Gem name
    • Description:

      Peaking at #9 in 1982, Crystal's popularity in the 70s and 80s stems from its sparkling natural namesake and several notable bearers, like country music singer Crystal Gayle and Dynasty character Krystle Carrington. But it has since lost some of its luster for American parents, now ranking in the mid-600s. Ruby, Gemma and Pearl are fashionable alternatives, but nowadays Crystal could actually be a more unexpected choice for your little gem.
  2. Jesse
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "God exists"
    • Description:

      King David's father turned 1980s cowboy, Jesse is now down in popularity but still a Biblical classic, ranking in the US Top 1000 for its entire history. The name is associated with a wide variety of bearers, from outlaw Jesse James to Olympic athlete Jesse Owens to activist Jesse Jackson to current actors Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Jesse Eisenberg. The spelling Jesse is more usual as a boys' name while Jessie is more traditional for girls.
  3. Paris
    • Origin:

      French place-name
    • Description:

      Paris, a one-time mythical and Shakespearean boys' name, peaked in 2004 at Number 157 at least in part due to the highly publicized Paris Hilton. Michael Jackson used it for his daughter.
  4. Skylar
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Schuyler, meaning "scholar"
    • Meaning:

      "scholar"
    • Description:

      Skylar is a name with a hint of both edginess and whimsy and it makes for a nature-inspired choice that is neither too wordy nor too floral. Popular for girls since the 90s, Skylar has remained in the US Top 100 for over a decade.
  5. Stacy
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Anastasia
    • Description:

      A key cheerleader in the nickname game of the 1970s, Stacy is now the mom. Consider Stacia, or the original Anastasia.
  6. Tanner
    • Origin:

      English occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "leather tanner"
    • Description:

      One of the hot two-syllable T names of the nineties (along with Tyler, Trevor, and Taylor), and well represented on soap operas; Tanner is still widely used, but its popularity is declining.
  7. Tyler
    • Origin:

      English occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "maker of tiles"
    • Description:

      The presidential Tyler rocketed up popularity charts in the late 1980s and early 1990s (it ranked Number 9 for that entire decade), along with cousin Taylor, becoming almost pandemic across the land-- and to make matters more confusing, both (especially Taylor) have been used for girls as well.