Anna has become the dominant form of the Ann family, offering a touch of the international to English speakers and a bit more style than the oversimplified Ann or Anne.
 Anna is the Latin form of Hannah, a Hebrew name that derived from root chanan, meaning "grace." European Christians embraced the name for its associations with the Virgin Mary’s mother, Saint Anna — known in English as Saint Anne.
Anna has been used for generations throughout Europe, from Russia to Italy, Spain to The Netherlands. While Hannah and Anna are the most common forms of the name, variations including Annie, Annalise, Anya, Anika, Nancy, and Anais also rank in the US Top 1000.
 
Classic and simple, Anna would be an excellent choice for parents in search of a name that will bridge two different cultures, say Jewish and Italian.
 
In literature, Anna is associated with Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. The name was given some fresh life when it was used for the adorable younger sister voiced by Kristen Bell in the animated film Frozen. Three current bearers are actresses Anna Kendrick, Anna Friel, and Anna Paquin.
 
Anya takes it more into international territory, and Anja, even further. Read more about Anna and other <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/disney-princess-names">Disney Princess Names</a> in our featured blog.

Anna

Bartholomew is an apostle's name that's been out of favor for centuries but might appeal again to the parent in search of an old but rare choice. The challenge could be to avoid the Simpson-ish nickname. That character, by the way, has the full name of Bartholomew JoJo Simpson, and creator Matt Groening came up with Bart as an--uh oh--anagram for brat. Two old alternate nicknames are Barty and Tolly.
 Ben Jonson's 1614 comedy Bartholomew Fair is set in London on St. Bartholomew's Day. Charles Dickens used the name in Bleak House, and, more recently, Bartholomew Cubbins is the protagonist of the Dr. Seuss books The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins and Bartholomew and the Oobleck

Bartholomew

Since this is strictly a male name in Slavic cultures, better to stick with the "Bella" spelling here. 

Bela

Ben, the diminutive of Benjamin or Benedict, can easily stand on its own as a simple, strong, nice-guy choice, though it's somewhat attenuated. Ben is this generation's Bob or Bill. 

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 newly-fashionable "Cas" syllable, as in Cassian and Cassius.

Castiel

So far out it's almost ready to be let back in. 

Chuck

Dean may sound to some like a retro surfer boy name, but it is once again climbing up the popularity chart in the USA. For decades it was associated with Dean (born Dino) Martin; more recent representatives include Dean Cain, Dean McDermott and Dean Koontz -- not to mention Jared Padalecki's dreamy Dean Forester in Gilmore Girls.

Dean

Depending on how you say it, either a streamlined version of Deanna, or the namesake of a male Dean. But today, why not name her Dean. 

Deana

An medieval English form of Helen, the sensitive but clear-eyed Ellen has swung in and out of style for centuries, often alternating with the parent name. Ellen was the more common in medieval England, until after the Renaissance, when Helen overtook her. In Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence, set at the end of the nineteenth century, one character wonders why another has not changed her "ugly" given name to something prettier, like Elaine—a statement few would make today.
 Ellen has been the name of two First Ladies—Arthur and Wilson—and is Scarlett O'Hara's mother in Gone with the Wind. These days, it's most strongly associated in the US with comedian and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

Ellen

Gabriel has become a biblical favorite, an angelic choice that's lighter and less patriarchal than some of his Old Testament brethren. Derived from the Hebrew name Gavri’el, Gabriel is taken from the elements gever, meaning "strong," and ’el, in reference to God.
 
In Abrahamic religions, Gabriel is the archangel who heralded the news of Jesus' birth, and appears in Christian, Jewish and Muslim texts. He presides over Paradise, serving as the angel of mercy, life, joy, judgment, truth and dreams. 
 In addition to all his other responsibilities, Gabriel is the patron saint of broadcasters and diplomats, and he governs Mondays and the month of January, making Gabriel one of the top <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/629/71-wonderful-names-for-january-babies">January baby names</a>. 
 
Gabriel has proven itself a friendly and appealing alternative to Michael, that other, long-reigning archangel. Gabriel enjoys remarkable international popularity, ranking in the Top 100 in countries as diverse as Israel and Iceland, Chile and Croatia. It is currently the Number 1 boys' name in France.
 Parents of Gabriels of varying ages include Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall, Daniel Day-Lewis and Isabelle Adjani, Jason Alexander, Meredith Vieira, and Mia Farrow.

Gabriel

A variation of Jenson, which is actually more popular than the original in the United States. This spelling also holds the distinction of being the most common surname in Denmark.
 Jensen Ackles, best known for his portrayal of Dean Winchester on the hit television show Supernatural, has brought this name into the spotlight.

Jensen

Still evokes the spunky image of the character in Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. 

One of the cute and bouncy nicknames so popular in the 1960s and 70s, but that hasn't made a comeback in the way Eames chairs and miniskirts have. Think of it as one of the original but now old-school <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/unisex-names/j">unisex names starting with J</a>, ala Jamie and Jessie.

Jody

John reigned as the most popular of all boys' Christian names for 400 years, from the time the first Crusaders carried it back to Britain until the 1950s. Then American baby namers finally seemed to tire of this straight-arrow, almost anonymous John Doe of names, replacing it with fancier forms like Jonathan and the imported Sean and Ian.
 
John is an English derivative of the Hebrew name Yochanan via the Latin name Iohannes, itself coming from the Greek Ioannes. John was a key name in early Christianity, borne by John the Baptist, John the Apostle and John the Evangelist, plus 84 saints and 23 popes, as well as kings and countless other illustrious notables. Contrary to popular belief, the names John and Jonathan are unrelated, the latter being an elaboration of Nathan.
 
Because many of today's baby Johns get their names for familial rather than stylistic reasons, John isn't as ubiquitous as it once was. For modern parents, the nickname Jack or an international form like Gianni feels much fresher. But John is still one of the Top 10 <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/boys-names/j">boy names starting with J</a> of all time.
 
The international versions of John are perennial classics in their own cultures: the French Jean, the Irish Sean, the Scottish Ian, the Welsh Evan and Ewan, the Italian Giovanni, and Gianni the Spanish Juan, the German Johann/Johannes, the Slavic Jan, the Russian Ivan, and on and on.
 
Celebrities who have gone with the timeless John include Michelle Pfeiffer, Bono, Johnny Depp, Lauryn Hill, Bridget Moynahan, and Rob Lowe.
 
Jon may be an abbreviated spelling of John or a short form of Jonathan.

John

Kevin came to the US with the large wave of Irish Immigrants after World War I, hitting the US Top 1000 list for the first time in 1921 and never leaving.
 Though an ancient Irish name -- a Saint Kevin founded a scholastic monastery near Dublin in the seventh century -- Kevin only became popular in Ireland at the same time it did in the US, when the Irish war for independence restored native Irish names to general use.
 
The name Kevin was derived from the name Caoimhín, which originated from the Irish elements coém, meaning "handsome," and gein, "birth." The feminine name Caiomhe, anglicized as Keeva, comes from the same origins. 
 
Kevin has been waning in popularity in the US in recent years—it dropped out of the Top 100 for the first time since the Truman administration in 2017—but remains a popular name in countries as diverse as Italy, Mexico, Sweden, and several Eastern European countries. It was the top boys' name in France in the early 1990s—one of the first non-French names to hold the title.
 
That said, Kevinism has become slang for fleeting name phenomena, typically associated with pop culture trends. Internationally, it's identified as a stereotypical trendy "American" name.
 
There are many famous Kevins in the public eye, notably Kevin Costner, Kevin Bacon, and Kevin James. Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary, aka Mr. Wonderful, was born Terrence Thomas Kevin O'Leary and founded The Learning Company.

Kevin

Elvis naming his daughter Lisa Marie and Nat King Cole's hit song "Mona Lisa" conspired to catapult one of Elizabeth's many offshoots to a high of #4 in 1970. 

 It has largely fallen from favor in the English-speaking world since then, but still ranks highly in countries such as Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, France and the Netherlands. It has a sweet and simple charm that could be ripe for an early revival in the US too.

Lisa

Mary is the English form of Maria, which ultimately was derived from the Hebrew name Maryam/Mariam. The original meaning of Maryam is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

 Mary, the quintessential New Testament name, was #1 for girls until the mid-twentieth century. Though still popular, Mary is used now mostly for religious or family reasons. If it's style you're after, Mary's many diminutives and derivatives such as Maire, Mamie, May, Mitzi, Molly, Maura, Marietta, and even Maria may seem more fashionable. 

 Mary was the most popular and enduring female Christian name in the English-speaking world (as were Maria and Marie in Spanish and French) until the 1940s. That was when in the US Mary was finally dethroned by such trendy upstarts as Linda and Karen.

 There are six Marys in the Bible, including the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene, Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and Mary the mother of Mark, and there have been British royal Marys beginning in the sixteenth century. In earlier times Mary was considered too sacred to be used; it finally gained usage in England in the twelfth century, and by the sixteenth had blanketed the female population, to the point where dozens of pet forms had to be contrived to distinguish one Mary in the family from the others.

 The poet Byron deemed Mary a "magic" name, and Bing Crosby proclaimed it "a grand old name." Mary has always been a good-girl name, as reflected by such mid-century icons of propriety and wholesomeness as Mary Poppins and Mary Tyler Moore. The lovely Lady Mary Crawley of Downton Abbey has restored some freshness to the name.

 Among the celebs who dropped their birth name of Mary are Meryl Streep, Debbie Reynolds, and Lily Tomlin.

 For more detail on the origins and possible meanings of the name Mary, see this <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/in-search-of-the-meaning-of-mary">excellent post on the subject</a>.

Mary

Meg, perennially one of the Little Women, is a Margaret short form that manages to be neither quite in nor quite out of style. Meg is sleeker and more sophisticated than Maggie, more contemporary than Peg, more stylish than Megan, and still one of the best diminutives of Margaret. 
Meg Ryan was born Margaret Mary Emily Anne.

Brought into the American consciousness as the nickname of ballet great Mikhail Baryshnikov, it more recently took on a unisex air via TV and screen actress Mischa Barton. Could become the next Sasha. 

Misha

Naomi was once a primarily Jewish name from the Old Testament that referenced the mother-in-law of Ruth. Because of this, it is a symbolic name given to girls on Shavuot when the story of Ruth is read in the synagogue. 
The French version is Noemie, in Italian Noemi. Naomi also has separate Japanese origins as a unisex name meaning "straight and beautiful."
 
This long-quiet Old Testament name seems to finally be finding favor with parents seeking a biblical name with a soft, melodic sound and a positive meaning, suddenly sounding fresher than the widely used Sarah, Rachel, and Rebecca. It's now more popular than ever after breaking the Top 100 for the first time in 2010. 
 
Beautiful black model Naomi Campbell and blond actress Naomi Watts have helped the modernization. Other namesakes are singer Naomi Judd and feminist writer Naomi Wolf.

Naomi

Robert was the Number 1 boys' name in the US in both 1925 and 1950, and in fact was in the Top 25 for more than a century, giving it true classic status. Strong if not quite stylish, Robert remains in the Top 100 for baby boys as a family favorite.
 
Robert was derived from the ancient Germanic name Hrodebert, from the elements hrod, meaning "fame" and bertha, "bright." Robert was the name of three kings of Scotland, including Robert the Bruce, who freed Scotland from English rule. The name was brought to England by the Normans.
 Nicknames Bob and Bobby are stuck in the past, while Rob, Robb and Robby/Robbie have an ever so slightly more modern appeal. Antiquated pet forms Dob, Hob, Rab and Rabbie might be fresh nicknames, but the most fashionable form of Robert today is....Robert.
 There are countless literary and real-life namesakes, from poets Frost and Burns to actors Redford and De Niro to Shark Tank businessperson Robert Herjavec. Modern parents might consider honoring an ancestral Robert by choosing Robertson or Robinson, or even the derivative Robin, rising in popularity for boys.

Robert

Vibrant, sassy, and bubbly, Ruby is a vintage gem that hasn’t lost any of its sparkle. Currently popular in a number of English-speaking countries, Ruby is proof of the 100 Year Rule, trending again for the first time since its heyday in the 1910s. 
The name of a precious stone, Ruby was ultimately derived from the Latin ruber meaning “red”. Despite its sweet, shiny contemporary feel, Ruby has in fact been used as a given name since the 1500s, though it really took off in the Victorian era, alongside Pearl and Opal. 
Many cultures consider rubies to be the stone of kings, and the gem is surrounded by symbolism of wealth, power, life blood, success, and protection. It is also the birthstone for July, which could make it a discreet honor for a July-born relation or just right for a July-born baby. 
In the US, Ruby was a popular choice in the early 20th century, and it peaked at #22 in 1911. By the 1940s however, it was falling down the charts, and while it never left the Top 400, parents turned away from Ruby and to the likes of Judy, Crystal, Rebecca, and Robin instead. 
Then, in the mid-2000s, Ruby made big moves in the UK, leaping to #1 in 2007. Propelled upwards by the catchy song by The Kaiser Chiefs which was released the same year and influenced by celebs such as Tobey Maguire and Charlotte Church choosing it for their daughters, Ruby moved back into the US Top 100 in 2013. 
A truly musical name, Ruby has featured in hits by The Rolling Stones, Cat Stevens, and Kenny Rogers, while namesakes of the fictional and famous variety including Rue from “Euphoria”, Ruby from “Steven Universe”, and Ruby Rose of “Orange is the New Black”, have kept the name in the public eye. 
Given to more than 3000 babies in the US every year and continuing to climb the charts, Ruby is one of those <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/339/vintage-baby-names">vintage baby names</a> that feels totally modern and full of life. 
Love Ruby but want to beat the trends? You could try another vintage gem like Edith, Lula, Twila, Betsy, or Fern, or perhaps something with a similar sound, like Thisbe, Prue, Billie, or Rumi.

Ruby

Rufus is a rumpled, redheaded (it was the nickname for red-haired King William) ancient Roman name popular with saints and singers (e.g. Rufus Wainwright); now, Rufus is on the cutting edge of cool.
 Fellow singer James Taylor named one of his twins Rufus, and Rufus Humphrey is a Gossip Girl character. Rufus Sewell is a commanding, intense English actor.
 Rufus is mentioned in the New Testament as the name of a son of Simon the Cytherian, and there are several St. Rufuses. He's also a major figure in the George Eliot novel Felix Holt: The Radical, an honest and passionate preacher and politician.

Rufus

Samuel has been so popular for so long that it's hard to believe it's still climbing, at its highest point since the 1890s. 
 
This biblical name's popularity is somewhat propelled by the likability of the friendly nickname Sam, which returned to favor along with fellow former Grandpa names like Max and Gus. Sam is now often used on its own, for girls as well as boys.
 Samuel is derived from the Hebrew name Shemu’el, meaning "told by God." In the Old Testament, Samuel was one of the great judges and prophets of the Israelites, destined for a holy life from birth. He established the Hebrew monarchy, anointing both Saul and David as kings.
 
High-profile celebs who have chosen Samuel for their sons include Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck, Jack Black, and Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber, and Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys.

Samuel

It's the name of an Old Testament archangel that's symbolically given to boys born during Chanukah, but the possibility of unsavory nicknames (urinal?) make the short form Uri a better bet. 

Uriel

This distinguished name still feels a bit ancient, but with the rise of such former graybeards as Jeremiah and Elijah, it also sounds child-friendly again, as does the Latin-Greek form Zacharias. 
 Zachariah is a name that was in fairly regular use by the Puritans of the sixteenth century, then was eventually and completely overtaken by the more modern sounding Zachary. But strange as it may seem, Zachariah and Zacharias now seem more au courant than Zachary (even though that name remains more popular).
 In the Bible, spelled Zechariah, it is the name of about 30 different personages, one of whom gave his name to the book of Zechariah.
 Zarachiah Hobson is a character in the Thackeray novel, The Newcomes. 
 Zakkai, a Hebrew abbreviation of Zachariah, is another interesting option.

Zachariah

Fieldsiefields24's list "Supernatural Names" of 26 great name ideas: Anna - Zachariah!