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The Vampire Diaries
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Lexi
Diminutive of Alexandra, Greek
"defending men"
Lexi and Lexie, pixieish offshoots of the prolific Alex family, have come into their own. While it's on a gentle downslope, Lexi still ranks in the US Top 500.
Jenna
English, diminutive of Jennifer
"white shadow, white wave"
Jenna was first noted on the 1980s TV series Dallas , later associated with one of the First Twin Daughters. Jenna is still being used, but no longer feels much fresher than Jennifer. You can also…
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…
Judith
Hebrew
"He will be praised or woman from Judea"
The biblical Judith, the fourth most popular name in 1940, may be getting ready for a comeback in its full, elegant, if somewhat solemn form. Many of those earlier Judiths were called Judy—some after…
Rebekah
Hebrew
"to tie, bind"
Many parents prefer this spelling of Rebecca, used in some versions of the Bible. Still, it's slipped considerably since its heyday in the eighties and nineties and fell off the US Top 1000…
Liv
Diminutive of Olivia, English, Norse
"olive tree; life, protection"
Liv combines the succinct charm of a nickname—people might assume it's short for Olivia—with the solidity of being a classic stand-alone Scandinavian name with a life-force meaning. It was brought…
Honoria
Latin
"woman of honor"
This is an eighteenth century elaboration of Honor found in Charles Dickens ( Bleak House ) but rarely heard here and now.
Tatia
Tatia is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In Georgian culture, it's a diminutive of Tatiana, while it also has roots in Native American, Greek, and Latin traditions. The name possibly…
Matt
Short form of Matthew
"gift of God"
Still one of the most appealing short forms, which goes a long way toward explaining the sustained popularity of Matthew. Matt is perennially the popular guy in high school, friendly, attractive, and…
Vickie
Vickie is a feminine name that originated as a diminutive form of Victoria, which derives from Latin 'victoria' meaning 'victory.' This friendly, approachable nickname gained independent usage in the…
Sue
Diminutive of Susan
Much-used midcentury diminutive, now fallen far from favor even as a middle name.
Klaus
German variation of Claus, diminutive of Nicolas, Greek
"people of victory"
Two drawbacks: some unpleasant World War II associations, and the Santa clause.
Stefan
German, Scandinavian, Polish, and Russian variation of Stephen, Greek
"crown, garland"
An elegant, continental name for the post-Steve era. It debuted on the US Top 1000 in 1949, fell off in 2008 for one year, then dropped off again in 2024 and seems to be heading downward along with…
Kol
Alaric
German
"all-powerful ruler"
Alaric is an ancient regal name that sounds modern enough to be considered. Alaric was a traditional name for the kings of the Ostrogoths, the most famous of whom was Alaric I, the King of the West…
Isobel
Scottish variation of Isabel
"pledged to God"
The Scottish spelling of Isabel has a definite character of her own, the 'o' giving her an extra infusion of strength but also an element of confusion. How do you pronounce that? Answer: Exactly like…
Sheila
Irish variation of Cecilia
"blind"
Sheila peaked in popularity from the 1930s to the 1960s (she reached Number 49 in 1965), along with Maureen and Colleen; parents today would probably go back to the original Cecilia or forward to…
Carol
English, feminine variation of Charles
"free man"
A Caroline abbreviation that was wildly popular with Mom's generation...or Grandma's. At one time it was a name for baby girls born at Christmas . because of its association with Christmas carols.…
Sheriff Forbes