Names that end in y

  1. Mickey
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Michael
    • Description:

      Pugnacious and spunky like the young Mickey Rooney and the original Mickey Mouse, but virtually never given to babies today.
  2. Izzy
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Isabel and Isabella
    • Description:

      The longer Isabella stays in the Top 10—and it's been there for more than a decade—the more we hear the nickname Izzy (especially if we watch Grey's Anatomy). it's just a matter of time before it stands on its own, as it has as a first name for the daughter of Eddie Murphy and Paige Butcher.
  3. Moby
    • Origin:

      Literary and nickname name
    • Description:

      Moby, the nickname of musician Richard Melville Hall, was thanks to his ancestor Herman Melville, creator of the infamous whale. You can imagine calling a child Moby as a cute nickname in honor of a grandfatherly Richard or Dick, but the ghost of a Dick would always follow the name around. In Melville's classic book, Moby was an invented word whose meaning has never been firmly established, though the best scholarship calls it a fictional place name that, in the custom of whaling ships of the time, helped identify the whale called Dick.
  4. Andy
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Andrew, Greek
    • Meaning:

      "strong and manly"
    • Description:

      Although we prefer Drew to the old Raggedy Andy, Andy has overtaken Drew as a name in its own right. About twice as many baby boys are named Andy, just Andy -- though about eight times as many parents go with the full Andrew.
  5. Ainsley
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "solitary meadow"
    • Description:

      This name will tick a lot of boxes for many parents: unisex; trendy sound; pretty instinctive to pronounce; and some great namesakes including British chef Ainsley Harriott and American footballer Ainsley Battles.
  6. Kenny
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Kenneth
    • Description:

      Kenny might be all South Park to some, but it has been in steady use in the US since the 1930s.
  7. Presley
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "priest's meadow"
    • Description:

      More universal than Elvis...and more conventionally attractive, too. Cindy Crawford used it for her son, though it's on the rise mainly for girls. The last time Presley ranked in the Top 1000 for boys was 1903, 120 years ago. Today, it's used for girls 14 times as often as for boys, mainly because of the -ley ending.
  8. Tully
    • Origin:

      Irish, Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "flood; quiet; hill"
    • Description:

      Tully is an Irish surname just waiting to be adapted as a first. Cute and lively, and reminiscent of Tilly or Tali, it's got a long history and a range of possible meanings, depending on which root you use.
  9. Chauncy
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "gamble, fortune"
    • Description:

      A popular American name in previous centuries in honor of famed Harvard President, Charles Chauncy. This name is burdened by an incredibly pompous sound and best left in the past.
  10. Charley
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Charlie, French
    • Meaning:

      "free man"
    • Description:

      Charlie and its many forms are on the rise -- including Charley, which relates more directly to the male formal name Charles. Surprisingly, though, while the number of girls and boys named Charlie are nearly even, there are six times as many girls named Charley than boys.
  11. Landry
    • Origin:

      French and English
    • Meaning:

      "ruler"
    • Description:

      Landry is one rising surname name, often after legendary Dallas Cowboys football coach Tom Landry, that is given to boys and girls. But the y ending does give it a feminine sound (as opposed to the more boyish and more popular Landon). Land is a Landry nickname that might work for boys or girls.
  12. Henley
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "high meadow"
    • Description:

      The name of a British town on the Thames that hosts a famous regatta, so it could be an appropriate middle name for the son of boat-lovers.
  13. Whitley
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "white meadow"
    • Description:

      Eighties spin on megapopular Whitney that currently ranks higher than the original. Whitley fell out of the Top 1000 for several decades but resurfaced in 2018.
  14. Bobby
    • Origin:

      Short form of Roberta, English
    • Meaning:

      "bright fame"
    • Description:

      Bobby is a nickname-name that's long been used on its own for both girls and boys, though the Bobby spelling is more usually masculine while the girls' version is usually Bobbie. There were just over 50 baby girls named Bobbie in one recent year and only five named Bobby, compared with nearly 300 baby boys named Bobby. Robert F. Kennedy III and Amaryllis Fox named their daughter Bobby, continuing the family tradition across genders. And Millie Bobby Brown is a hot young actress.
  15. Brandy
    • Origin:

      Dutch
    • Meaning:

      "burnt wine"
    • Description:

      The alcohol-laced member of the Randy-Candy-Mandy sorority of 1970s to 80s nickname names; now pretty much on the wagon.
  16. Dewey
    • Origin:

      Anglicized variation of Welsh Dewi, nickname of Dafydd
    • Meaning:

      "beloved"
    • Description:

      Not heard since the 1980s, Dewey shot into the Top 20 in 1898 thanks to the popularity of Spanish-American War naval hero Admiral George Dewey. Dewey has subtle links to his Welsh roots and relation to father name David . The name was borne by the fifth century St. Dewi, patron saint of Wales. Later references include the namesake of the library Dewey Decimal System, a Donald Duck nephew, the younger brother on Malcolm in the Middle and Lemony Snicket character Dewey Denouement. It has a strong but dewy feel and is appealing enough to be ripe for a modern revival.
  17. Benny
    • Mckinley
      • Origin:

        Scottish
      • Meaning:

        "son of the fair hero"
      • Description:

        Presidential name that makes a fresh substitute for MacKenzie or McKenna. Possible spelling variations include MacKinley, MacKinlee, Makinleigh ad almost infinitum. McKinley is one of the Scottish names for girls that can work equally well for boys.
    • Perry
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "pear tree"
      • Description:

        Perry fits right in with rising boyish nicknames for girls and cool picks like Frankie and Scottie. This relaxed name sounds novel compared to such former favorites as Kerry and Sherry.
    • Tony
      • Origin:

        Diminutive of Anthony
      • Meaning:

        "priceless one"
      • Description:

        Tony, as in classy. Or To-nyyy, as yelled out a tenement window.