Names that Peaked in 1999

The classic Jorge is one of the most popular and classic Spanish names for boys in the US. Some Latine families pronounce it the same way as George.

Shayla first gained traction in the US during the 1970s, finally reaching its peak of Number 268 in 1999. Since then, this name has been on the decline, dropping to Number 988 in 2016, a nearly 200 spot drop from the prior year. As a variant of Sheila, its popularity was most likely aided by the popularity of Kayla.

Mexican-born actress Salma Hayek lends a large dollop of glamour to this name that would otherwise resemble the middle-aged Selma.

While Sidney in this spelling has a long history as a girls' name, it fell off the Top 1000 from the early 50s until 1990. Then it reemerged as one of the newly chic androgynous names for girls, rising into the Top 300 before falling off the Top 1000 list again in 2016. Sydney is now the more fashionable form.

Diamond sparkled all through the nineties--reaching as high as Number 150 in 1999. Although its shine has diminished quite a bit, it remains in use.

Whether you spell it Lisette or Lizette, a somewhat dated diminutive that nevertheless retains some charm.

A fresh Dale relative that finds place amongst similar names like Cullin and Hamelin as well as the more common Allen and Dylan.

Kameron has become a very popular spelling for boys -- as are the condensed Kamron and Kamren.

Feels as strong and international as Roman, with none of the popularity. Arman might be a form of the German Herman or of the Persian/Kazakh/Armenian Armen or Arman, meaning wish or hope.

Abbey might sound exactly like the popular Abigail nickname Abby or Abbie, but spelled this way it is also a churchy word name with a Gothic feel. But hearing it, no one will know the difference.

Synthesized name in the Justin/Dustin mold, but has an unpleasant similarity to the diaper rash ointment called Desitin.

The further you move away from the original Briana, the feminine form of Brian first used by Edmund Spenser in The Faerie Queen, the more invented and less authentic you get. But many parents want the distance from Brian as Breanna -- or Breana or Breeanna or any of the other variations -- feels more like its own name.

We see no reason to add an extra "L" to Maximilian -- it's long enough as is.

Although Ulysses is the more recognizable spelling — the Latin name for epic Greek hero Odysseus, as well as the first name of US President Grant — Spanish Ulises is the more popular choice in the US. Ulises was at its highest in the early 2000s, and has since been on a downswing.

One of many takes on the Keira/Kyra concept, this one was chosen by ice-skating champ Kristi Yamaguchi.

Kallie is usually used as a nickname for more unusual names like Calliope, Kalliope, and Calendula. We also think this is a fresher alternative to Kelly.

Nautica is derived from the English word "nautical," which itself comes from the Latin nauticus. It was first recorded as a baby name in 1992 when the American clothing brand had become a national sensation. It ultimately peaked in 1999 when 246 baby girls were given the name.

Given a new shot of style by singer Lauryn Hill, this spelling of the name has fallen quite a bit in popularity since its peak of 167 in 1996.