MY TOP 25 GIRL NAMES

The smooth, attractive Ariana is on the rise along with the fame of pop princess Ariana Grande. Also famous is twin spelling Arianna, which is associated with Greek-born online presence Arianna Huffington. Both Ariana and Arianna are widely used names and are equally acceptable spellings.

Melodic and lively, Delilah has cut itself (mostly) free from its treacherous past to become a contemporary favorite.

Just the kind of casual, flippant nickname that upscale Brits are putting on their sons' birth certificates, but few U.S. parents are.

Serene Irene, the name of the Greek goddess of peace and one of the most familiar Greek goddess names, was hugely popular in ancient Rome and again in the United States a hundred years ago.

Jasmine was derived from the Persian word yasmin, referring to the jasmine flower. Scented oil was made from the plant, and it was used as a perfume throughout the Persian Empire. Variants include Jazmin, Yasmin, Yasmine, and Jessamine.

Variant spelling of Camila, common in Eastern Europe. Kamila and Kamilah are also feminine forms of the Arabic name Kamil, meaning "perfect".

Although almost always feminine in the first name spot, Maria (and its French cognate Marie) are regularly used in the middle or in compound first names in Catholic cultures. Famous examples include Austrian poet Rainier Maria Rilke, Italian composer Giovanni Maria Nanino, and German fashion designer Guido Maria Kretschmer.

This short form of Mikael, a variation of Michael, may originate in Finland but it's most popular in Germany and The Netherlands. Mika can make a cute and original way to honor a Michael in the family, but be prepared for a lot of people pronouncing it with a long i as in Mike.

Most famous as a Dracula victim (where Mina is short for Wilhelmina), Mina is an all-purpose name.

Sonny is one of the generic boy nickname names making a surprise reappearance, and it was recently used by actor Jason Lee. Another surprise: It's been on the US Top 1000 list every year since 1927, reaching a peak in 1975, when it hit Number 428.