New Year Names

Tennis star Novak Djokovic introduced this new first name to the English-speaking world, though it had long been familiar as a surname. The celebrity Novak, one of the greatest tennis players of all time, might be an inspirational role model for a baby Novak. And the name Novak goes well with other stylish names that mean new, including Nova, Neo, and Nouvel.

Amal is an attractive name with a wonderful meaning that has long been used in many Middle Eastern countries, especially Lebanon (and migrant communities). It is of course getting a lot more coverage now since the fame of international human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin Clooney, who's singlehandedly made this one of the best-known Arabic names for girls.

The name of the wife of Alexander the Great, more attractive than the better-known Roxanne. Roxana was first used in the English-speaking world in the 1600s and was popularized by Daniel Defoe's novel Roxana, published in 1724. An underused and attractive possibility and perfect if you're searching for names that mean new beginnings.

Hope is one meaning of the name Amil, which sounds similar to the German Emil; it can also mean unattainable in the sense of being so exalted as in royalty as to be out of reach. While Amil may not be familiar in the Western world, it's accessible and appealing.

Nadezhda is more familiar in the English-speaking world by its short forms, Nadia or Nadya. Well-used through the Slavic countries and Russia, Nadezhda was the name of Lenin's wife. Viewers of The Americans learned that this was the original Russian name of the spy known as Elizabeth Jennings, played by Keri Russell.

Revel is a joyous word name that may appeal to parents wanting a non-traditional Biblical choice or simply a name that expresses how they feel.

Thanks to two cultural influences, January has joined March, April, June and August as a plausible month name.

Festive name of the wife of Salvador Dali. In Spanish, Gala comes from the Roman name Galla, a feminine form of Gallus meaning "rooster" or "a person from Gaul".

More than zero, but perhaps too close to Vera.

Kazuki is related to names like Kazuko, Kazuo and Kazumi

In Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, the friend who persuades Romeo to go to the party where he meets Juliet. Alas.

Both a first and last name, Zorina has a pretty, ballerina-like quality.

In Greek mythology, Arche was the muse associated with origins. As a baby name, it may be misunderstood as Archie.

This name of the patron saint of Naples would make an apt choice for a New Year's baby, or one with Neapolitan roots.

A Czech surname derived from the word for "green", which has a certain spark.

A lush, romantic flower name for people who think Rose, Violet and Lily are 1000 times too popular.

This name was on the U.S. Top 1000 in the early 20th century, when recent immigrants frequently chose native names that have since died out for American babies. But if you're of Finnish ancestry, you may want to consider reviving this one with a positive meaning.

Tahani, a somewhat unusual Arabic name for girls, has popped up twice on TV recently: it's the name of one of the main characters on NBC comedy The Good Place and a teenaged contestant on So You Think You Can Dance.

Named after Isaac. Or Wayne.

Appreciated by religious Jews for its connection to "Hatikva," the Israeli national anthem.