my fav names

Ashlyn

Variation of Aislinn, Irish

"dream"

Though it relates to the Irish original, Ashlyn and its next most popular form, Ashlynn, owe more of their popularity as baby names in the US to the megastar Ashley, though all three have been…

Kaiya

Spelling variation of Kaya and Kaia

"pure"

Kaiya might have peaked in 2002 and has since fallen behind its sisters Kaya and Kaia, however, in recent years, it has been slowing climbing back up the charts. A fast rising choices in the UK in…

Adrienne

Latin, feminine variation of Adrian

"man from Adria"

A long-integrated French feminine form of Adrian, now overshadowed by the a -ending version, but still a valid option, with considerable substance and dignity—though these days more parents would…

Alexa

Greek, English

"defending men"

Alexa was a steadily popular modern classic until Amazon's virtual assistant Alexa was released in 2013. It remains relatively well used in the US despite this, though its standing keeps dropping for…

Avalon

Celtic

"island of apples"

Avalon, an island paradise of Celtic myth and Arthurian legend--it was where King Arthur was taken to recover from his wounds-- and also the colorful capital of the California island of Catalina--…

Josslyn

Josslyn is a feminine name of English origin, considered a modern variation of Jocelyn, which derived from a Germanic surname meaning 'member of the Gaut tribe' or 'little Goth.' With its…

Ryann

Spelling variation of Ryan

An attempt to make this name swing more to the feminine side, though the original Ryan is becoming perfectly acceptable for girls. Ryann O'Toole is an American professional golfer.

Terra

Latin

"earth"

A video-game import (Final Fantasy VI) for a character with green hair and a name that brings the outmoded Terry and Tara into the postmodern age. In ancient Rome, Terra was also a minor goddess and…