6000+ Dog Names

The popularity of the Biblical Noah has led to a rise in Koa for boys, and since it boosted Noa up the charts for girls too, it was only so long before the rhyming Koa caught on as a unisex possibility. While it remains predominantly masculine and is given to boys 10 times more often in the states, a not insubstantial 114 girls were called Koa in a recent year.

These days, it's thought of less as the name of the great general and more as the first name of Lecter the fictional cannibal. Either association is too heavy for a child to bear.

Enola was a precursor of Nevaeh: It's "alone" spelled backwards. But the name Enola is newly in the spotlight thanks to a Netflix film.

This Turkish name has some of today's most popular sounds - partly like Isla and Ayla with the well-loved -lin ending of Evelyn, Oaklynn, and Brooklynn. Used internationally, it's currently on trend in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Azerbaijan, and Mexico too. It also ranks in the US and The Netherlands Top 500s, and in the the UK Top 1000. With its glowing meaning and contemporary sounds but established feel, Aylin could make a lovely choice.

Charlize is a name that owes its very life to a star: elegant blond South African actress Charlize Theron. She was named after her father, whose name was Charles. Charlize jumped onto the popularity lists in 2004, the year the actress won the Oscar for lead actress in Monster.

Strong and unusual Scandinavian name, but with two possible pitfalls: people might mis-hear it as Aspen, or associate it with sports network ESPN. Variants include Esper and Esben.

A variation of mega popular name Emma and all of her cousins, Emmie came back to the US Top 1000 for the first time in 80 years in 2016. It's phonetically the same as more popular Emmy, but this option may avoid the award show connection. We could see it rising in future years.

Cute, nickname-y, and international, à la Romy or Demi. Spelling it Orly turns it into a busy French airport.

Judd is a strong but sensitive short form that can easily stand on its own, the second 'd' giving it a lot more substance, and it would also be a good middle name choice. Two recent actors have given it credence--Judd Nelson and Judd Hirsch, and now it's most noticeably represented by comedy director Judd Apatow.

In the US, this spelling is less common than mid-century favorite Jeffrey, and it has faded from popularity faster. This more British spelling is the usual form for historical figures like Geoffrey Chaucer and the Welsh historian Geoffrey of Monmouth, and as such it may feel more rooted and enduring.

Maxton is a new member of the ever-expanding Max clan of baby names, hitting the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2011. It joins newfangled Maxon and stylish cousin Paxton. Still, we prefer the more classic Maxwell, Maxfield, Maximus, or just plain Max.

The beguiling Darya is the name of a character in Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. As a Russian name, it's a spelling variation of Daria, while in Iran, it's a girl's name that means "the sea".

A sweet and simple Japanese name with several possible meanings, depending on the kanji characters used.

Ainara is among the Top 100 girls' names in Spain and is just starting to take off in the US.

Now that the popularity of Brooke is waning, and surname style variant Brooks is on the rise, Brook seems live a newly fresh nature-inspired option.

Fernanda is very popular in the Latino community, with a lot more charm than its male counterpart. The standard nickname is Nanda, and variations include Ferdinanda and Fernandina.

Variant of Evelyn or Aveline

Japanese writer Haruki Murakami, well known in the U. S. , might inspire some namesakes.

Tennis-related name popular throughout Europe that's never caught fire here.

Signe could make an offbeat, more unusual alternative to Sydney or Sigrid. In Norse mythology, Signe was the twin sister of Sigmund. Can also be spelled Signy.