User-created list
Family Names
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Clifton
English
"place on a cliff"
A less-used cross between Clifford and Clinton.
Corwin
English
"heart's friend"
Corwin is an upstanding surname name that has been seen occasionally as a first in literature, but rarely in real life. But maybe with the recent acceptance of Darwin, that might change. In the Water…
Crystal
English word name
"crystal, clear, ice"
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…
Calisha
Ciddney
Denise
French, feminine variation of Denis
"god of Nysa"
Denise was a French favorite of the fifties and sixties but is less chic now. In 2020 it broke back into the Top 1000 after a five-year hiatus, catapulted into style by reality TV star Denisse Novoa…
Donna
Italian
"lady"
Literally meaning "lady" in Italian, Donna was the perfect ladylike housewife mom name on The Donna Reed Show in the fifties and sixties. And there were plenty of namesakes: Donna was in the Top 10…
Donyelle
Edmond
English
"wealthy protector"
The sophisticated Edmond and its nearly-identical twin Edmund are coming out of mothballs now that Edward, inspired by Twilight, is once again a hot name. Parents looking for an alternative might…
Elton
English
"from the old town"
Elton is an unassuming, lesser-used place name belonging to several towns in the British Isles, the US and Canada, and even a lake in Russia. The singer Elton John gives it a bit of extra pizzazz.
Essie
English diminutive of Esther, Persian, or Estelle, French
"star"
Cute short form of Esther, now associated with the iconic nail polish brand.
Elvania
Faye
Gene
Diminutive of Eugene, Greek
"wellborn, noble"
Like Ray, a formerly funky nickname name that is newly cool. Comedian Amy Schumer used it for her son. While technically Gene is short for Eugene, it can certainly be used on its own as an honor name…
Glenda
Feminine form of Glenn, English, Scottish
"valley"
Part nature name, part mid-century favorite, Glenda came into use in the 20th century as a feminine form of Scottish Glenn, likely inspired by Linda and Wanda too. While Glenn would give it the…
Gradie
Gradie is a feminine name with multiple possible origins. It may be a diminutive form of names containing "grad" elements like Gradelyn, a variant of Grady (which has Irish origins meaning "noble" or…
Hassie
Hassie is a vintage feminine name that originated as a diminutive form of Hasselene or as a nickname for names beginning with 'Has-'. It also appeared as a pet form of Hester or Esther in some…
Heather
English botanical name
"small shrub"
This flower name was one of the most popular in her class in the seventies and eighties, a fact reflected in the 1989 movie Heathers , in which every snobby girl in the high school clique bears the…
Isac
Isac is a variation of Isaac, a name of Hebrew origin meaning 'he will laugh' or 'he will rejoice.' This spelling is particularly popular in Scandinavian countries, Romania, and parts of Latin…
Isadora
Greek
"gift of Isis"
For a long time, Isadora has been overlooked in favor of Isabella, owing perhaps to its association with the tragic modern dancer, Isadora Duncan, or because parents would rather their daughter be a…