User-created list
My Guilty Pleasure Names
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About this list
The names
Ryker
German
"rich"
As a stylish name, Ryker has three big things going for it: its Ry beginning (as in Riley, Ryder, and Rylan), its two-syllable rhythm, and its er ending. A nice surprise for many is it's "rich"…
Arabella
Latin, Scottish
"yielding to prayer; lovable"
Arabella, lovely and elegant, has long been well used in Britain and finally made it onto the American list in 2005. A Top 50 choice in the UK, in the US in remains in the Top 300, given to around…
Harlow
English surname
"rock hill or army hill"
Jean Harlow (born Harlean Carpenter), the original platinum blonde bombshell, was a symbol of 1930s glamour, a factor that first Patricia Arquette and then Nicole Richie and Joel Madden probably had…
Nehemiah
Hebrew
"comforted by God"
Nehemiah is an Old Testament name used by the Puritans, whose white-bearded image kept it out of favor for centuries, until it suddenly reappeared in 1998, along with the more user-friendly Josiah…
Clover
Flower name, from Old English
"key"
Clover is a charming, perky choice if you want to move beyond hothouse blooms like Rose and Lily, and it's recently become a new celeb favorite, chosen by both Neal McDonough and Natasha Gregson…
Boston
Place-name
Unseen in the USA since 1901, Boston rocketed back into the Top 1000 in 2004 and, like other place-names such as Brooklyn, London and Paris, is now a reliable presence on the list.
Cato
Latin
"all-knowing"
Cato conjures up images of ancient Roman statesmen and southern antebellum retainers; it could have revival potential, with its 'O' ending and the current interest in the names of Greek and Roman…
Castiel
Hebrew
"my cover is God"
Castiel, which vaulted into the Top 1000 on the wings of the angel hero of the television show Supernatural , is the name of the Angel of the day Thursday. It may also derive some appeal from the…
Anissa
Arabic
"friendly"
A pretty and delicate cousin of Anna is often heard in Scotland and is also currently popular in France. In the US it was brought to public attention by child actress Anissa Jones, who played Buffy…
Shae
Variation of Shay, Irish
"the stately, dauntless one"
The third-most-popular spelling of this name, after Shea and Shay, is notable mostly for its connection to Game of Thrones . Shae is a "camp follower" -- AKA prostitute -- who becomes the loyal…
Chester
Latin
"fortress, walled town,"
Chester is a comfortable, little-used teddy-bear of a name that suddenly sounds both quirky and cuddly. Chester was a Top 100 name in the US from the 1880s to 1929, gradually fading till it finally…
Minerva
Latin
"of the mind, intellect"
Minerva is the long-neglected name of the Roman goddess of wisdom and invention, the arts and martial strength, one of the mythology names for girls that might appeal to adventurous feminist parents.…
Alois
Variation of Aloysius, Latin
"renowned warrior"
Alois and Aloysius are variation of Louis. Alois ranked in the US Top 1000 until the 1930s, and still ranks in the Top 1000 in Germany. Last year in the US, only seven baby boys were named Alois.
Jethro
Hebrew
"excellence"
Jethro, though the biblical father-in-law of Moses, has suffered for a long time from a Beverly Hillbilly image, but some really adventurous parents might consider updating and urbanizing it and…
Alcide
French version of Heracles
"glory of Hera"
This is the French version of Alcides, birth name of the Greek mythological Heracles (Hercules). You're more likely to recognize it as the name of the hot True Blood werewolf, Alcide Herveaux.
Raoul
French variation of Ralph
"wolf-counsel"
Raoul, with its unique three-vowel middle, rolls off the tongue in an appealing way. Raoul is one of the French names that sounds infinitely more romantic and attractive than the somewhat harsh…
Oneida
Native American
"long awaited"
One of the few familiar Native_American choices, but now associated with several trade names.
Ashlynn
Irish
"dream"
This Anglicized spelling of Irish Aislinn or Aisling has enjoyed some popularity in the US as an updated Ashley.
Zebulon
Hebrew
"exaltation or little dwelling"
An Old Testament name with a Puritan feel and post-Zachary possibilities--one of several routes to the cool nickname Zeb. Pike's Peak was named for Zebulon Pike, the best known bearer of the name. In…
Ireland
Place name
Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin put Ireland on the map when they chose it as a first for their daughter, saying that geographic names were a family tradition. And it seems they were a bit ahead of the…
