Names That Mean English

A fresh take on Jessica, Jessel is currently borne in the public eye by Jessel Taank, a Real Housewife of New York City.

Max, with something X-tra.

This cutesy nickname made it onto the Top 1000 in 1883.

An extra feminized version of London, only recorded as a girl name in the US.

Rhyett is a respelling of the word name Riot with a name-centric spin combining the popular Rhett and Wyatt. While rising in popularity, Rhyett might prove confusing on spelling and pronunciation, spawning a lifetime of "Riot? Wyatt? How do you spell that, anyway?"

An offbeat form of Buford that you're unlikely to find on birth certificates today. Maybe for a pet.

Cosy is a, well, cozy name, whose only downside is people forever making that dumb joke. Cosy can be short for Cosima or Cosette but can certainly stand on its own as a word name. Another plus: Sounds like Posy, Josie, and Rosie.

Legacy is in the Top 1000 for both boys and girls, reflecting parents' love for grandiose word names. As Legacy picks up speed, other spelling variations such as Legaci do too.

Spelling it with a K doesn't do much to separate Kaliber from Caliber's violent image.

Variation of Cataleya, both of which are popular among Hispanic families in the US. Zoe Saldana played a character named Cataleya in Colombiana.

Musical name with a modern, name-like spelling influenced by Stephanie. Chris Brown has a daughter named Lovely Symphani.

Epik is a new word name used by Princess Love and Ray J for their baby boy. Fifteen baby boys were named Epic, the usual spelling of the word, last year, so maybe Epik is to Epic as Erik is to Eric. While Epic in the classic sense refers to a long narrative poem, today it's more likely a slang word used in place of grand or amazing.

A scientific name, Kardashianized.

Derived from the personal name Adalhard.

Kamber takes Amber into the 21st century, particularly with the Kardashian-ized K spelling.

As a new set of word names washes up on the shore, names like Beach could appeal to parents with a love for the sand and the waves. If you prefer hiking and forests over surfing and dunes, Beech would be a more appropriate spelling.

Both Currency and Kurrency appeared on the charts in 2020, following the bold trend of money-related names for babies.

In the midcentury US, putting an ene or een or ine at the end of any name made it more stylish. Today, it has the opposite effect.

Currently the most common variation of Peter in Iceland for baby boys — the other being Pétur.

Alternative spelling of the Welsh name Lowri, a form of Laura.