Adelaide is now heading straight uphill on the coattails of such newly popular sisters as Ava, Ada, and Audrey, and in the company of Adeline and Amelia. It was chosen by actress Katherine Heigl for the name of her second daughter.
 Adelaide gained fame as the noble German princess who married the British King William IV in 1830 and became known as "Good Queen Adelaide," inspiring the name of the Australian city and a craze for her name. Earlier, St. Adelaide was married to Otto the Great and became Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, described as "a marvel of beauty and goodness."
 When Aussie actress Rachel Griffiths (also mother of son Banjo) chose Adelaide for her daughter, she said she'd been inspired by the city, Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, and the Disney character in The Aristocats. Adelaide can also be found in works by Thomas Hardy and Agatha Christie.

Adelaide

Adeline has a lovely, old-fashioned "Sweet Adeline" charm, but has become so popular in the US under so many spellings and variations -- with Adalynn and Adalyn also popular -- that considered together it is far more popular than it first seems. Adorable nickname Addie is also pervasive. 
Adeline originated as a French diminutive of Adele, which came from the Germanic root adal, meaning "noble." Adeline was introduced to England by the Normans in the eleventh century, was very common during the Middle Ages, then vanished until the Victorian Gothic revival. Common variants of Adeline include Adalynn, Adalyn, Adelyn, Adelynn, Adelina, and Adaline.
 Adeline was introduced to England by the Normans in the eleventh century, was very common during the Middle Ages, then vanished until the Victorian Gothic revival.
 The song "Sweet Adeline" Is an old barbershop quartet favorite. JFK's grandfather John F. Fitzgerald, mayor of Boston, made it his theme song, and Mickey Mouse serenaded Minnie with it in a 1929 cartoon.
 Pronounced ad-a-line in America, it's usually ad-a-LEEN in France.

Adeline

Spelled Alastríona in its native language, this Irish cousin of Alexandra is little-known but fairly intuitive.

Alastriona

Alexandria turns Alexandra into a more distinctive place-name, in both Egypt and Virginia.

Alexandria

Alfred is up off his recliner! If you're looking for a path to Fred, you can go directly to Frederick or take the long way around with the so-out-it's-in-again Alfred. Alfred is quite popular in several European countries, especially England and Wales, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
 Alfred the Great, King of Wessex (called "England's darling") was a wise, compassionate and scholarly king of old England in the tenth century. His name reached the height of its popularity from the late eighteenth to the early twentieth century—it was in the Top 50 in the U.S. until 1933.
 Among its best known bearers were the poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson, movie director Alfred Hitchcock, biologist/sex researcher Alfred Kinsey, Swedish inventor/industrialist Alfred Nobel, and photographer Alfred Stieglitz. And let's not forget Batman's butler, Alfred Pennyworth.
 Hipper nicknames: Alf, Alfie, and Fred.

Alfred

Rarely used, and for good reason. Alonzo is a preferable choice.
 Alphonse does have a mixed bag of notable namesakes—French novelist Alphonse Daudet, painter Alphonse Mucha, and it was the birth name of gangster Al Capone.

Alphonse

Amelia is one of the hottest <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls' names</a>, a successor to the megapopular Emma and Emily. Amelia, which spent several years at Number 1 in England, is now comfortably ensconced in the US Top 10.
 
Now the most popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/a">girl name starting with A</a>, Amelia is also a Top 10 girls' name in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland and Poland. So while Emilia and Emelia are sound-alike names, it's the Amelia version that's on the fast track. 
 
Amelia is derived from the German name Amalia, which in turn is a variation of Amalberga. The root, amal, is a Germanic word meaning "work," and in the context of female given names suggests themes of fertility as well as productivity. Aemilia, the name from which Emily is derived, is unrelated to Amelia.
 
Kids might associate Amelia with the wacky children's book character Amelia Bedelia, while adults could appreciate it as the eponymous heroine of the Henry Fielding novel. Amelia also appears in novels by Trollope and Thackeray, as a Harry Potter name, and as detective Amelia Peabody in the Elizabeth Peters series. Angelina Jolie played patrol cop Amelia Donaghy in The Bone Collector.
 
Amelia became a British royal name via the daughters of Kings George II and III. American heroes who have inspired a new generation of namesakes are aviatrix Amelia Earhart and feminist Amelia Bloomer.
 
Trivia tidbit: Amelia is the birth name of Minnie Driver.

Amelia

Anastasia is the feminine form on Anastasius, a Greek name derived from the word anastasis, meaning "resurrection." It was a common name among early Christians, who often gave it to daughters born around Christmas or Easter. There are handful of saints named Anastasia, including the patron saint of weavers.
 
Anastasia is no longer a forbidding regal Russian name, but is now seen as a viable—and increasingly popular—American option, elegantly beautiful.
 
Anastasia's greatest claim to fame is via the "lost" daughter of the last czar of Russia, whose story has been told and retold in books and movies.
 
Anastasia was well used in ancient Britain and in Ireland as well as Russia.

Anastasia

Atticus, with its trendy Roman feel combined with the upstanding, noble image of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, is a real winner among <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boy names</a>. Atticus entered the US Top 1000 in 2004 and is a firm Nameberry favorite. 
 
The reason for the popularity of Atticus is less its ancient roots than Atticus Finch, the upstanding hero of To Kill A Mockingbird.. In fact so many people have been inspired by the character embodied by Gregory Peck that Atticus Finch was voted the greatest hero of American film by the American Film Institute. Harper Lee's recently-released novel Go Set a Watchman paints Atticus Finch in a less flattering light, though that doesn't seem to have impacted the rising popularity of the name.
 
Atticus derives from the Greek Attikos, meaning "from Attica," the Ancient Greek region that contained Athens. Atticus is a literary name in more ways than one. Before it became synonymous with Atticus Finch, the name Atticus was associated with Titus Pomponius Atticus, a Roman literary figure.
 Daniel Baldwin and Isabella Hoffman were ahead of the curve when they chose Atticus for their son born in 1996; since then Summer Phoenix and Casey Affleck named their little boy Atticus, and Tom Dumont made it the middle name for his son Rio.

Atticus

Rarely heard in the US, Auberon has a gentle autumnal feel rare in a male name. Possibly starting as a pet form of Aubrey, it was also infuenced by Oberon, the king of the fairies in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.
 The most famous bearer of the name is British journalist and critic Auberon Waugh (whose grandfather was Aubrey and whose nickname was Bron), of the literary Waugh clan.
 The Oberon spelling is another recommended option.

Auberon

Aurelia is an ancient Roman name that's become a surprise hit in the contemporary world. A top favorite on Nameberry, it reentered the US Top 1000 in 2014 after a 70-year absence and continues to climb.
 
Aurelia is the female form of the Latin name Aurelius, an ancient Roman surname. Aurelius is derived from the Latin word aureus, meaning "golden," which was also the name of a gold coin used in Ancient Rome. Aurelius was a cognomen, a third name in Roman culture that often referenced a personal characteristic or trait, likely used for someone with golden hair.
 
The Roman classic Aurelius, from which Aurelia derives, was very common in the Roman Empire and is currently experiencing a resurgence in the US—it re-entered the Top 1000 list in 2012 after a 61-year hiatus. 
 
The name of several minor early saints, Aurelia's sound and feel can be credited for it being on the rise again. Aurora and Oriana are Aurelia cousins you might also want to consider. 
 
Aurelia was the name of the mothers of Julius Caesar, the writer Sylvia Plath, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, who, in her honor, made it one of his daughter Christina's <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/673/middle-names">middle names</a>.

Aurelia

Apryle

Ashleigh

Beatrix has a solid history of its own apart from Beatrice, with that final x adding a playful, animated note to the name's imposing history.
 
In the earliest sources it is recorded as Viatrix, meaning "voyager". Possibly the spelling was deliberately changed to resemble the Latin word beatus, "blessed"; both meanings are part of Beatrix's rich history.
 
It has been largely associated with Beatrix (born Helen) Potter, creator of Peter Rabbit, and Beatrix has been Queen of The Nethelands since 1980.
 Actress Jodie Sweetin has a daughter called Beatrix, and designer Kate Spade chose it for her daughter Frances's middle name. The main character in Quentin Tarantino's movie Kill Bill was Beatrix Kiddo, played by Uma Thurman. 
 Both Bea and Trixie are adorable nicknames,and Beatriz is the Spanish form.

Beatrix

Beckett is one of the big baby name hits of the decade.
 A handsome name with an attractively brisk sound, and rich in literary associations via major Irish playwright Samuel Beckett, it is especially hot among celebs. Melissa Etheridge jump-started the trend in 1998, followed by Conan O'Brien, Stella McCartney, Malcolm McDowell, Nicole Sullivan and Natalie Maines.
 Another worthy namesake is the martyred saint Thomas a Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, whose story was the basis of the Anouilh play "Becket," which became a film starring Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole.
 In 2005, the authors of Freakonomics predicted that Beckett would be one of the most <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular baby names</a> of 2015. Although they were a little off the mark -- Beckett hasn't even cracked the Top 100 -- we predict that it will continue to climb the US rankings.

Beckett

Bridget variation that's the root of the unattractive nickname Biddy.  Bedelia is another spelling.

Bidelia

Blythe originated as a nickname for an upbeat person, coming from the Old English word bliðe, meaning "merry" or "cheerful." Today the homophone blithe shares the same meaning. Blythe was eventually adapted to a surname before it became a feminine given name.
 
Blythe embodies a cheerful, carefree spirit and could be the next Blair/Blaine/Blake/Brett/Britt, with the advantage that it's clearly pink. It joins other other light-hearted names for girls: Felicity, Hilary.
 Blythe is the middle name of Drew Barrymore—in her case a surname from her rich theatrical history.
 The title of the memorable Noel Coward play Blithe Spirit is taken from Shelley's poetic line, "Hail to thee, blithe Spirit"—a nice tribute to a baby Blythe.

Blythe

Fairy-tale memories of Sleeping Beauty inspire some parents—such as Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christensen—to call their daughters Briar Rose. But Briar plus a different middle name might work even better. It's one of the newly popular nature-word names, charting in the US for the first time in 2015 for both genders.
 While there are about four girls named Briar to every three boys, the name is on the rise for both genders. It could make for an interesting choice to honor a Brian.

Briar

Bridgett

Bronwen is widespread in Wales, but still rare enough here to sound somewhat international — we think Bronwen is a real winner. (Note: the Bronwyn spelling is an Anglicization, since the -wyn ending is masculine in Welsh).

 Bronwen Morgan is the lovely heroine of the classic novel and movie How Green Was My Valley. In Welsh mythology, Bronwen was the daughter of Llyr, the god of the sea.

 Close cousin Branwen appears in Welsh medieval literature as a tragic figure who was turned into a bird. The ancient Welsh worshipped her as the goddess of the moon and love.

Bronwen

Bryony is an unusually strong plant name --the bryony is a wild climbing vine with green flowers --that caught on in the U.K. before sprouting here. The name of the young character in the Ian McEwan novel Atonement is spelled Briony, which is the variation and Bryony the original.
 Bryony sounds a lot fresher than the now dated Brittany. Pronunciation is like Brian with an ee at the end, though the name bears no relationship to the male Brian or Bryan.

Bryony

The musical word name Cadence, seemed to come out of nowhere to zoom up the charts; it rose over 700 spots between 2002 and 2004, and showed up in the Top 200 in 2007. It's gone down in the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular names</a> list since then, though. Some might see it as a feminine relative of the popular Caden. Kadence and Kaydence are also rising.
 An early Cadence sighting was in the 1992 Armistead Maupin novel Maybe the Moon, in which the narrator heroine was a small actress called Cadence Roth, nn Cady. January Jones played a Cadence in American Wedding.

Cadence

Cara is a simple, sweet, Italian endearment that enjoyed its greatest popularity from the 1970s through the 1990s, reaching a high of Number 189 in 1977. Despite the rising celebrity of English model/actress Cara Delevingne, who played Enchantress in Suicide Squad, Cara dropped off the Top 1000 in the US in 2020, perhaps because it sounds too close to the dreaded Karen. 
 I
Cara remains a highly popular choice in Ireland, perhaps used as an Anglicized form of the Irish Ciara or Ceara. the Evelyn Waugh novel Brideshead Revisited, the Cara character is French.
 Damon Wayans took the endearment aspect even further when he named his now-grown daughter Cara Mia.

Cara

One of the most romantic of appellations, Caspian is a geographical name referring to the large salty sea between Asia and Europe. It's also the name of the hero of C.S. Lewis's beloved Chronicles of Narnia, Prince Caspian. 
 
The name Caspian is ultimately derived from the Latin term Caspii, meaning "white." Caspii was the name of the people of Central Asia who were originally from Caucasus. 
 
Caspian is attracting a lot of attention from cutting-edge parents these days. It fits in with several trends as a name from classic children's literature, a water-related place name, and an ancient name with the trending Cas- beginning, ala Cassius and Cassian.

Caspian

Has fallen off its Kathie Lee Gifford inspired peak in the 1990s, but since that notably celebrity baby is now a grownup and out of the limelight, Cassidy may once again reclaim its own Irish charm.

Cassidy

Celeste is a softly pretty and somewhat quaint name with heavenly overtones, which kids might associate with Queen Celeste of Babar's elephant kingdom. She's a light and lovely choice that's finally getting noticed.
 Celeste has been in the Top 1000 every year since 1880. Best known modern Celeste is Oscar-winning actress Celeste Holm.
 If you want a more unusual variation, consider Celestine, Celestia -- or even Celestial.

Celeste

One of the rarest of virtue names, Clemency could come back along with the more familiar Puritan virtue names such as Hope and Faith. It has a rhythmic three-syllable sound, and offers a more virtuous alternative to the more popular Clementine. 
 Clemence is the medieval French form, also heard occasionally in the UK. Writer Clemence Dane was born Winifred Ashton.
 Clemmie makes a cute nickname.

Clemency

Cliff is a familiar, timeless short form -- never too popular, yet widely known -- that you might also think of as a geographical name ala Vale or Field.

Cliff

Old and aristocratic European name that would be tough for an American kid to pull off. 

Clotilda

Clovis

Even though in the past Clyde may have been identified as half of the infamous outlaw duo with partner Bonnie Parker—especially after the 1967 movie in which he was played by Warren Beatty—Clyde has always had an element of jazzy cool that could overcome all the rest.
 The name relates to the River Clyde that runs through Glasgow, Scotland. It was a Top 100 name in the US through the 1930s, and has made a comeback in the last few years, reentering the Top 1000 in 2013.
 Clyde Griffiths was the doomed protaganist of Theodore Dreiser's 1925 novel An American Tragedy. In the field of sports, basketball Hall of Famer—and later Dancing With the Stars participant—Clyde Drexler was known as Clyde the Glide, and Walt Frazier's nickname was Clyde. Catherine Keener and Dermot Mulroney have a son named Clyde.

Clyde

Conrad has a somewhat intellectual masculine image, a solid name that has been consistently on the popularity lists, especially well used in the 1920s and 30s, and given a pop of rock energy by the Elvis-like character of Conrad Birdie in Bye, Bye, Birdie--("We love you Conrad, oh yes we do!").
 Conrad has been both a saints' name and a German royal appellation. One of its most well-known bearers is hotelier Conrad Hilton, great-grandfather of the Paris generation. Conrad was the prototypical Byronic hero of his poem "The Corsair." There have been fictive Conrads on shows like Weeds and CSI.
 Corrado is the attractive Italian form.

Conrad

CONSTANTINIA

Cordelia is exactly the kind of old-fashioned, grown-up name for girls that many parents are seeking for their daughters today. The name of King Lear's one sympathetic daughter, Cordelia has both style and substance along with its Shakespearean pedigree.
 <br/
Cordelia is a Nameberry favorite—Number 106 on the site—and it reentered the US Top 1000 in 2014 after a 60+ year absence. By 2016 it sank below that line again, must to the relief of many Cordelia fans who feared the name would get too popular.
 
If you're torn between Cordelia and the equally lovely Cora, you can always choose Cordelia for long and then call her Cora for short—or Delia, Lia, Del, or even the extremely different Cordie.
 Cordelia also appeared in Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited, Margaret Atwood's Cat's Eye, as detective Cordelia Gray in P.D. James's mystery novels, and was promoted by a character on both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel.
 And then there's that quote from the heroine of Anne of Green Gables: "I would love to be called Cordelia. It's such a perfectly elegant name."

Cordelia

With a long and noble history -- Cyprian was one of the great Christian Latin writers -- this could make a highly unusual but meaningful choice. 
 Cyprian has been in use since medieval times, initially made known via the third century lawyer, martyr and bishop of Carthage, St. Cyprian, who wrote widely on theological themes...
There was a noted Nigerian writer named Cyprian Ekwensi, and a character named Cyprian in a Louise Erdrich novel, and in Harry Potter, Cyprian Youdle is a Quidditch referee.

Cyprian

Darren and wife Sharon shop for fifties memorabilia on eBay. The Connecticut place-name Darien might offer an update. 

Darren

Sadly, this strong Celtic name often has "of the sorrows" attached to it because of the tragic character in Irish legend. Also a bit drab when compared with newer Irish imports. 

Deirdre

Desmund

The jazzy, ultra-cool Dexter, like most names with an "x," has a lot of energy and dynamism. Over the years, it's been attached to a number of diverse real and fictional personalities—C. K. Dexter Haven, the witty Cary Grant character in The Philadelphia Story; Dexter Green, the protagonist of the F. Scott Fitzgerald story "Winter Dreams"; great jazz tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon; the boy-genius protagonist of cartoon Dexter's Laboratory; and the most recent TV series Dexter based on the books by Jeff Lindsay, whose lead happens to be a genial but sociopathic serial killer.
 Dexter was chosen by hip musical couple Diana Krall and Elvis Costello for one of their twin boys, and by singer Charlotte Church.
 Dex is an equally appealing nickname, now sometimes used on its own.

Dexter

The Dorians were an ancient Greek tribe, one of the three major pre-Spartan tribes. It literally means "of Doris," a Greek district, or "of Doros," referring to the son of Helen of Sparta. Dorian derives from the Greek doron, meaning "gift," along with related names such as Dorothy and Dora.
 
Dorian was introduced as a first name by Oscar Wilde in his 1890 novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, the story of a narcissistic character who retains his youthful good looks while his portrait in the attic ages grotesquely. Despite this negative reference, Dorian's attributes have kept it consistently on the boys' list since the 1960s.
 Dorian also has a musical reference, being the name of one of the modes.
 Actor Dorian Harewood has been a familiar presence in movies and on TV.
 Rhythmic and unusual, Dorian makes a distinctive choice.

Dorian

Duncan is jaunty, confident, and open, a Scottish <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/453/royal-baby-names">royal name</a> that's brimming with friendly charm and makes it into our golden circle of names that are neither too popular nor too strange. Popularity aside, Duncan is one of the most classic <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/473/scottish-names-for-boys">Scottish names for boys</a>. 
 From a surname based on a clan name, Duncan was the name of a Scottish saint and two early Kings of the Scots. The beneficent Duncan I, who lived in the eleventh century, was immortalized in Shakespeare's Macbeth. 
 The brave and handsome Major Duncan Heyward is one of the main characters in James Fenimore Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans. Other cultural references include Duncan Idaho, the only character to appear in all of Frank Herbert's Dune novels; Duncan MacLeod, the immortal protagonist of Highlander; one of Garp's sons in The World According to Garp; and singer-songwriter Duncan Sheik.
 David Bowie's son Zowie changed his name first to Joey and then finally to Duncan.
 
Duncan peaked int he late 90s and has been a downfall since, even falling out of the Top 1000 in 2021 — but made a reappearance in 2022.

Duncan

Some might be surprised to learn that Edwin has been a consistent presence on the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular names</a> list since statistics have become available.
 The most famous Edwin in history was a seventh century martyr called Edwin of Northumbria, and in literature is familiar from the protagonist of Charles Dickens' final (and unfinished) novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
 Astronaut Buzz Aldrin's was born Edwin, and fellow astronaut Frank Borman honored him by using Edwin for his son.

Edwin

A less common — and biblical — alternative to Liam. Eliam joined the Top 1000 for the first time in 2021. In Puerto Rico, it's a Top 50 choice.

Eliam

The Top 10 boys' name Elijah is derived from the Hebrew name Eliyahu, composed of the elements ’el and yah, both of which refer to God. In the Old Testament, Elijah was the prophet who went to heaven in a chariot of fire, a story sure to inspire any young Elijah.
 Like many biblical patriarch names, Elijah was on a long downward slide from the 19th century until the late 1960s, when it reversed course and headed uphill. Elijah was rejuvenated when Cher and Greg Allman bestowed it on their son Elijah Blue in 1976, and got another shot of youth serum via young actor Elijah Wood.
 Among other celebrities who have chosen Elijah for their boys are Donnie Wahlberg, James Spader, Tracy Nelson, Wynonna Judd and Bono (who followed it with <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/673/middle-names">middle names</a> Bob Patricus Guggi G.).
 Elijah figures in the Jewish, Christian and Muslim religions. There are numerous songs containing the name, and Elijah is also a character in many films and books—including Charles Dickens's Martin Chuzzlewit.
 Elias is the related, Greek variation of Elijah, also quite popular. Eli is a separate, unrelated name, though sometimes used as a short form of both Elijah and Elias.

Elijah

Eliza is a name with a wonderful combination of streamlined zest and Eliza Doolittle charm and spunk. It's a classic that's popular right now -- but not too popular.
 
Eliza has not been in the Top 100 since the 19th century and while it seemed like it was heading there again, it seems to have stopped just short of that mark. Which could be a very good thing.
 
Originally a diminutive of Elizabeth, Eliza eventually became a name in its own right. Despite its similarity to the Hebrew name Aliza, meaning "joyful," the two are unrelated. Eliza Schuyler Hamilton was the wife of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, recognizable today as one of the lead characters in the musical Hamilton.
 Eliza is the name of one of the most vivid fictional characters, My Fair Lady's spirited Eliza Doolittle. Based on the George Bernard Shaw play Pygmalion, Eliza is transformed from cockney flower girl to elegant lady, played on stage by Julie Andrews and on screen by Audrey Hepburn. .
Pride and Prejudice's Elizabeth Bennett was often called Eliza; in Harriet Beecher Stowe's anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom's Cabin, Eliza is the intelligent and courageous protagonist
 Eliza Dushku is a charter member of the Joss Whedon rep company of actors, appearing in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Dollhouse and Much Ado About Nothing. 
 One note: Do not name sisters Eliza and Isabel or Isabella, as they're different forms of mother name Elizabeth.

Eliza

A beautiful modern Cornish nature name that is rapidly picking up steam in the States: even spawning variant spellings like Elowyn and Elowynn. In its native region, it wasn't widely used as a name before the twentieth century, when the Cornish language was revived. A (currently) unique member of the fashionble El- family of names, it has a pleasant, evocative sound.

The traditional Cornish pronunciation is with stress on the middle syllable: eh-LOW-en. But most English speakers seem to pronounce it with first-syllable stress, perhaps on the example of more familiar names like Eleanor and Elodie.

Elowen

Emerald is the intriguing color and jewel name of the deep green stone treasured as far back as ancient Egypt — it's supposed to open one's heart to wisdom and to love and be good for strengthening relationships — which could make for an interesting, unusual name, particularly with the popularity of so many Em-starting names. 
 Emerald is the birthstone of May, making it extra appropriate for a girl born in that month. Some pleasant associations: the Emerald Isle and the Emerald City.
 Esmeralda is the Spanish version.

Emerald

Emmett, honest and sincere, laid-back and creative, is on the rise as a male cognate of the megapopular Emma and Emily, not to mention being a character in the popular Twilight series.
 Emmett originated in England as a masculine diminutive of the German Emma; the Hebrew characters pronounced eh-MEHT mean truth, so that might be considered another definition. Emmet is another, less popular spelling.
The death of young Emmett Till helped spark the civil rights movement.

Emmett

Esmeralda came into use as an applied use of the Spanish word for emerald, esmeralda. In the 1831 Victor Hugo novel Notre-Dame de Paris, also known as The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, the heroine was born Agnes, but called La Esmeralda in reference to the jewel she wears around her neck. The name Esmeralda got increased visibility via the Disney version of the story.
 
This Portuguese and Spanish version of the jewel-like Emerald has long been popular with Hispanic parents. Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling named their first daughter Esmeralda, inspired by the Victor Hugo novel. Read more about Esmeralda and other <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/disney-princess-names">Disney Princess Names</a> in our featured blog.

Esmeralda

Ancient martyr's name that, though not especially appealing, might still be mildly possible, especially for Anglophiles. It was widely used in early Scotland, but was overtaken by its nickname, Effie.

Euphemia

Everett is a preppy but outdoorsy name, with wintery New England vibes. In the last decade, it’s had a leap in popularity, perhaps because of its similarity to trendy girls’ names like Ava and Scarlett, or perhaps because it offers a fresh alternative to 90’s style Evan and Brett. 
 
Despite its sleek, sharp sounds, Everett’s meaning lends it some rugged charm. An English variation of the German Eberhard, it means “brave as a wild boar”.
 
George Clooney and Dermot Mulroney drew attention to the name when they played Everetts on screen back in the 2000s. More recently, Everett Ross from Marvel’s Black Panther, and Everett Acker from the television series Breaking Badshone a spotlight back on the name. 
 
Everett feels fresh and contemporary, fitting into the trend of surnames-as-given-names and getting cool points from its fashionable V sound. But it also a name with a history. It ranked in the US Top 100 at the beginning of the 20th century, offering it a sense of solidity. 
 
Now, it’s revived and more loved than ever, with 4000 parents choosing it for their sons each year. Gentle but sophisticated, wild but refined, Everett could become an even more poplar choice in the future. 
 
If the sound of Everett appeals to you but the popularity doesn’t, you could consider Barrett, Truett, Beckett, Merritt, or Garnett. If its style intrigues you but you want something more unique perhaps Everest, Wilder, Patton, Roscoe, or Huxley could be a place to start.

Everett

Like Ashley before it, on-trend Everly has been followed by a range of spelling variants, and among them, Everleigh is the most popular. 
Opinions are divided as to whether the “-leigh” ending makes the name more distinctive, contemporary, and stand-out, or whether it just looks clunky and more complicated, but enough parents prefer that it has joined Everly in the US Top 100. 
Given to nearly 3000 girls every year, Everleigh derives from an Old English place name, meaning “wild boar in a woodland clearing.” 
Actor Cam Gigandet, who starred in “The O.C.” and “Reckless” was ahead of the trend when he used Eveleigh for his daughter in 2009, but it took Channing Tatum naming his daughter Everly in 2013 for Everleigh to gain any real traction. 
Following in Everly’s footsteps, it did climb the charts, and its popularity was perhaps boosted by the YouTubers, the LaBrants, and their daughter Everleigh. 
Rising up the charts in Canada and the UK, Everleigh is now a familiar and well-established spelling option for the name. 
Though it is only just in the Top 100 and nowhere near as popular as Olivia or Emma, it is worth remembering that when all the Everly variations are put together, it starts to feel more like a Top 20 name, in line with Harper or Sofia. 
So if you do love Everleigh but were aiming to be a bit more unique by choosing this spelling, you could consider the alternatives: Elowen, Waverly, Leighton, Oakley, Haven, or Keeley.

Everleigh

Fabian is the ancient name of a saint and pope that also has Shakespearean cred as Olivia's servant in Twelfth Night and more recently made an appearance in Harry Potter. In the U.S. Fabian became best known via the 1960s teen idol/singer who went solely by his first name.
 The name was brought to England by the French around the sixteenth century. Except for a few scattered earlier appearances, Fabian has been solidly on the U.S. pop list since 1959. It is a particularly <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular name</a> in the Latino community and even more well used in several other countries, including Austria, Chile, and Poland. Fabiano is an attractive <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/506/italian-names-for-boys">Italian name for boys</a>.

Fabian

Felix is one of those ancient but nontraditional names for boys that have come into favor over the past few decades, a favorite of parents who want a masculine name with history and heft that breaks ranks with the standard Franks and Freds. Felix is also an international darling, ranking in the Top 100 in several European and English-speaking countries.

Felix was originally a Roman surname but was adopted as a nickname by the ancient Roman Sulla, who believed that he was especially blessed with luck by the gods. It is the name of four popes and sixty-seven saints; in the Bible, Felix is a Roman procurator of Judea.
 
Felix, energetic and upbeat with a felicitous meaning, has finally transcended its negative associations to Felix The Cat and the persnickety Felix Unger. 
 
The name appears in literature as the central character in George Eliot's novel Felix Holt, the protagonist of Thomas Mann's Confessions of Felix Krull, in Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles, Henry James's The Europeans, Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle, and as a member of the Volturi Guard in the Twilight series. In movies Felix has popped up in everything from several James Bond films to Spy Kids and The Hangover.
 
Gillian Anderson and Elizabeth Banks are two modern celebrities who chose Felix for their baby boys. A notable namesake is Felix Frankfurter, a long-term Supreme Court Justice.
 
Popular in the Hispanic community, Felix is also celebrating a surge abroad. Felix has been on the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">U.S. popularity list</a> for as long as records have been kept and is rapidly becoming a Nameberry fave.

Felix

Ferelith is an unusual yet deeply-rooted Scottish girl's name, also found in ancient Ireland and drawn from the Gaelic Forbhlaith or Forbflaith.  While it went through a period of dormancy after the Middle Ages, there are some modern women named Ferelith, including actress Ferelith Young and Princess of Denmark Anne Ferelith Fenella Bowes-Lyon.

Ferelith

Finley has been used for both sexes for enough years to become one of the most <a href="https://nameberry.com/unisex-names">popular unisex names</a>. Given nearly equally to boys and girls, Finley appeals to contemporary parents as a truly gender neutral choice. <br/
Finley is a Scottish royal name (it belonged to Macbeth's father) riding the wave of Finn names. Chris O'Donnell used it for one of his sons, and Angie Harmon and Jason Sehorn named their daughter Finley. 
 <br/Finlay is another, much less popular spelling. A boy Finley can be called either Finn or Lee.

Finley

If you like the Finn names and love James Joyce, Finnegan is extremely winning. Will & Grace 's Eric McCormack chose the Finnigan spelling for his son. And of course Finnegan gains you access to the great short form Finn.
 James Joyce took the title of Finnegans Wake from an old Irish-American song.
 Finnegan represents a whole genre of Irish family names you might consider, such as Harrigan, Brannigan, Corrigan, Donegan, Mulligan, Flanagan and Lanigan.

Finnegan

Fiona entered the American consciousness with the opening of the 1954 Broadway musical Brigadoon, but didn't come onto the U.S. popularity list until 1990.
 
Fiona is the best known of a group of related Gaelic names, which is ironic because it's the only one without genuine traditional roots — it was found first in James Macpherson's Ossianic poems and then popularized in the late nineteenth century as a feminine pseudonym for William Sharp, a Scottish male writer. <a href="https://twitter.com/HJosephineGiles/status/1555216419721297922">Some researchers believe</a> that Fiona Macleod was Sharp's identity as a trans woman.
 
Its recent spike in popularity owes much to singer Fiona Apple and also possibly to Princess Fiona in Shrek. In fact, there have been numerous Fionas on the big and small screens, from The Thorn Birds to Josie and the Pussycats, Four Weddings and a Funeral to Nurse Jackie to Shameless.
 
Jennie Garth and Chad Lowe have daughters named Fiona. It's also Julia Roberts' middle name.
 
If you're looking for something more authentic, consider Fionnuala.

Fiona

Francesca is a lighter and much more feminine choice than the classic Frances, and one that is increasingly popular with upscale parents. 
 Francesca made an appearance in Dante's Inferno and then, centuries later, in the best-selling novel The Bridges of Madison County, played on screen by Meryl Streep and co-starring Clint Eastwood, who went on to name his daughter Francesca. Other dads of Francescas include Martin Scorsese, Erik Estrada, Jason Bateman and (stepdad) Ringo Starr.
 Francesca is also having a big renaissance in Italy, its country of origin.

Francesca

Frederick, and friendlier nickname Fred, seemed almost to have disappeared, leaving just the memory of Freds past such as Astaire, Mr. Rogers and Flintstone. But today's parents are beginning to recognize it as a strong classic and one of the top <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/341/royal-names-for-boys">royal baby boy names</a>.
 Previously, Frederick had taken on a rather forbidding, foreign, military air, reminiscent of Frederick the Great, the enlightened king of Prussia who laid the foundations of the powerful Prussian empire.
 For African-Americans, Frederick can be seen as a hero name, honoring Frederick Douglass, who rose from slavery to power as a political activist.
 Frederick appears as a character in Shakespeare's As You Like It and the novels of, among others, Jane Austen and Henry James.
The name is often streamlined to Frederic and even Fredric. And if you don't like Fred or Freddie (though we do), another nickname is Fritz.
 Federico is the appealing Italian and Spanish form, as in renowned poet Federico Garcia Lorca.

Frederick

Faerydae

Fionella

Gareth, the name of a modest and brave knight in King Arthur's court, makes a sensitive, gently appealing choice, used more in its native Wales than anywhere else.
 The name Gareth first appeared in Malory's Morte d'Arthur, as the lover of Eluned, the brother of Gawain and nephew of King Arthur. He also appears in the Gareth and Lynette segment of Tennyson's Idylls of the King.
In the British version of The Office, Gareth is the name of the equivalent character of Dwight Schrute, and it also appeared in Four Weddings and a Funeral.
Recommended nickname: Gaz. Not recommended nickname: Gary.

Gareth

Gemma is a jewel of a name, an Italian classic that was very popular in 1980s England, but has only recently been started to be used here; it entered <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">the list</a> in 2008.
 Coming from a medieval Italian nickname for a precious gem, Gemma was the name of Dante's wife and was borne by a nineteenth century saint.
 Gemma is the name of the character played by Katey Sagal on Sons of Anarchy, and actress Catherine Bell has a daughter called Gemma, as does Kristin Davis.
 Bottom line: A stylish cousin of Emma and Jenna.

Gemma

Genevieve is derived from the Germanic medieval name Genovefa, or Kenowefa, which consists of the elements kuni, meaning "kin", and wefa, meaning "woman." The medieval saint Genevieve, patroness of Paris, defended the city against Attila the Hun through her rational thinking, courage and prayer. 
 
Genevieve is a perfect choice for anyone who wants to retain the gen sound but is tired of all the overused Jen names. It is both dainty and substantial and can be pronounced either GEN-uh-veev or the French zhahn-vee-EV. 
 
Genevieve is undergoing a real revival—it's currently enjoying its highest popularity ranking since the 1930s.

Genevieve

Gerard is currently in style limbo, after reaching peak popularity in the 1950s. With its strong meaning and gentle sound, it may be back in a generation or two. But for now, a boy called Gerard will likely be the only one in his class...unless you live in Catalonia, where it was recently in the Top 10.

Gerard

Gideon is a no-longer neglected Old Testament name, but still makes an excellent choice for parents looking to move beyond such overused biblicals as Benjamin and Jacob. In the Old Testament, Gideon was a judge called on by God to rescue the Jews from the Midianites, and the name was popular among the Puritans.
 Gideon was given a spike by the short-lived TV series Gideon's Crossing, and has been heard more recently as a main character in Criminal Minds, as Molly Weasley's brother Gideon Prewett in the Harry Potter series, and as an anti-hero, Gideon Gordon Graves, in the Scott Pilgrim series.
 The ubiquitous, in-every-hotel-room Gideon bibles were named because Gideon symbolizes great work done by few people.
 Among the celebs who have chosen Gideon for their sons are Neil Patrick Harris and Ziggy Marley.

Gideon

Considered ultra debonair in the silent-movie era, Gilbert then went through a nerdy phase, a la Gilbert Gottfried. Now though, like Albert and Alfred and Walter and Frank, it could be in for a style revival. 
 Gilbert has always been on the US popularity list, reaching as high as Number 90 in 1930. The Normans introduced Gilbert to England, where it was common during the Middle Ages; it was the name of a 12th century English saint.
 Gilberts have appeared in such books as Henry James's Portrait of a Lady, Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables, and Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, and on screen in The Incredibles and as embodied by the young Johnny Depp in What's Eating Gilbert Grape?. The most famous portrait painter of George Washington was Gilbert Stuart. 
 Nickname Gil could come back along with Hal, but even more appealing are Gib or Gibby.

Gilbert

Gloria is beginning to move beyond its de-glamorized Grandma image, most recently thanks to glamorous young Hollywood parents Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard, who chose it for their second daughter. Gyllenhaal was quoted as saying they had been inspired by Patti Smith's rendition of the Van Morrison song "Gloria" at a concert and thought " 'We'll name our daughter that one day'."
 George Bernard Shaw was one of the first to use this form of the ancient Latin name GLORIANA in his 1898 play You Never Can Tell It was a Top 25 name in the Gloria (born Josephine) Swanson era of the 1920s,--reaching as high as Number 20 in 1925-26) and held on in the Top 50 until 1955.
 Most prominent current adult bearers: Gloria Steinem and Gloria Estefan. Glorias have also figured prominently in TV sitcoms--as Archie and Edith's only child on All in the Family and the sexpot character played by Sofia Vergara on Modern Family.

Gloria

As this long-term Age of Jordans, both male and female, begins to wind down, the neglected Scottish favorite Gordon, with its more distinguished history, could come back as a distinctive alternative. Gordon is one of the most classic authentically <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/473/scottish-names-for-boys">Scottish names for boys</a>. 
Originally a surname, it was used in honor of nineteenth century general Charles George Gordon, killed defending the city of Khartoum. Conservative but not stodgy, Gordon was a Top 100 name from 1911 to 1943 and is showing some new signs of life. It fell off the charts in 2009 and reentered in 2014.
 A contemporary political headliner is former Prime Minister Gordon Brown (born James Gordon), and other distinguished bearers of the name have been photographer and film director Parks, Scottish celebrity chef Ramsay, and the beloved "Sesame Street" character Gordon Robinson. We won't even mention that symbol of corporate greed from the 80's movie Wall Street.

Gordon

One-time beach-boy compadre of Glenn, Greg, and Gary that originated as a nickname for a tall person, Grant has become a no-nonsense, career-oriented grown-up and one that is seeing new appreciation.  It was chosen for his son by actor Morris Chestnut. It has cultural cred via artist Grant Wood, whose best known painting is 'American Gothic.' 

Grant

Griffin is one of the newer and most appealing of the two-syllable Celtic surnames. In English, griffin is the name of a mythological creature, half eagle, half lion. It re-entered the list in 1983 after an absence of 75+ years.
 Brendan Fraser, Teri Polo and Joey McIntyre all chose Griffin for their sons. Actor Griffin Dunne's mother's maiden name was Griffin. Another well-known bearer was Griffin Bell, Jimmy Carter's Attorney General.
 Also worth considering: the original classic Welsh Gruffudd (dd=th).

Griffin

One spelling variation that's more popular than the original, this somewhat old-fashioned name might be in honor of poet Gwendolyn Brooks, the first African-American to win a Pulitzer prize for poetry, or may be a way to get to the modern short form Gwen.
 In the Oscar Wilde play, the character's name is spelled the traditional Welsh way, Gwendolen, as it was for one of the principal characters in George Eliot's Daniel Deronda, and Gwendolen was also Merlin's wife in Arthurian legend.

Gwendolyn

Because of Gwyneth Paltrow, this has almost become a one-person name, but not in the prohibitive there's-only-one-Oprah sense. Also seen as Gwenyth and Gweneth, this mellifluous appellation is definitely becoming more and more appreciated by American parents-- enough to land it on this year's Top 1000.
 Gwyneth is an Anglicized form of Gwynedd, the name of an ancient Welsh kingdom. Gwyneth Jones is an acclaimed Welsh Wagnerian soprano.

Gwyneth

Most parents would find this old Roman name pretentious compared to the more accessible Adrian, but some history buffs just might want to commemorate the enlightened emperor. 

Hadrian

Jean Harlow (born Harlean Carpenter), the original platinum blonde bombshell, was a symbol of 1930s glamour, a factor that first Patricia Arquette and then Nicole Richie and Joel Madden probably had in mind when they gave their daughters the distinctive surname name Harlow. 
 It hit the Top 1000 for the first time in 2009, one year after the arrival of Ms. Madden. Harlow would fit right in with contemporaries Arlo and Marlow(e).

Harlow

Hazel has a pleasantly hazy, brownish-green-eyed, old-fashioned image that more and more parents are choosing to share. Former Old Lady name Hazel reentered the popularity lists in 1998 and now is near the top of the charts.
 
Hazel is a name that comes from the English word hazel, referring to the hazelnut tree. The word was derived from the Old English hæsel of the same meaning. Historically, a wand of hazel symbolized protection and authority.
 
When Julia Roberts named one of her twins Hazel in 2004, there was a great public outcry against "another one of those nutty celebrity names", though we saw it as the deserved revival of a lovely vintage name with roots in nature. Hazel was one of the botanicals that were all the rage at the turn of the twentieth century, when it was in the Top 25, then fell out of favor, off the list completely from 1976 to 1998.
 
Other celebrities with daughters named Hazel include Emily Blunt & John Krasinski, and Taylor Neisen & Liev Schreiber.
 
Hazel Motes is the protagonist of Flannery O'Connor's 1952 novel Wise Blood, and In The Hunger Games, one of the characters is the variant Hazelle. But the most influential Hazel of recent years is the heartrending heroine of Fault in Our Stars.

Hazel

Actor Heath Ledger's tragic death has cast a pall over this otherwise pleasant and distinctive name. Nonetheless, it remains in the Top 1000.
 Heath is the name of a popular toffee candy bar by Hershey's.

Heath

This flower name was one of the most popular in her class in the seventies and eighties (in the 1989 movie Heathers, every snobby girl in the high school clique bore that name). Now, though still pretty and evocative of the Scottish moors, it has faded in favor of other purplish blooms, having fallen out of the Top 1000 after having been as high as Number 3 in 1975, when it was given to close to 25,000 girls.

Heather

Previously used primarily by Latino families, this name of the great hero of the Trojan War as related in Homer's Iliad is beginning to be considered more seriously by others seeking noble ancient hero names as well--it was also the name of the knight who raised King Arthur as his own son.
 In addition to being used for many contemporary Hispanic movie and TV characters,
other Hectors appeared in such films as Mystic Pizza and Lars and the Real Girl. In literature, you can find Hectors in Thackeray's Vanity Fair and Balzac's Cousin Bette.
 Some notable real-life Hectors: composer Berlioz and actor Elizando.

Hector

Helena is one of those classic names that just misses making the US Top 1000 girl names for its entire history, falling off for a single year in 1992. Since then it's been drifting lazily up the charts, and makes a perfect choice if you want a name that both fits in and stands out.
An airier and more elegant version of Helen, Helena was a favorite of Shakespeare, who used it in both All's Well That Ends Well and A Midsummer's Night Dream. 

Historically, Helena was the mother of Constantine the Great (and, supposedly, the daughter of Old King Cole), who became a fourth century saint--Evelyn Waugh wrote his only historical novel, Helena, based on her story.
 British star Helena Bonham Carter and Danish model Helena Christensen have done much to keep the name alive, and it is also remembered via beauty mogul Helena Rubinstein. Helena is also the title of a song by the group My Chemical Romance.
 Helena is a recommended <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls' name</a> for those who find the classic version a bit bland.
 HELL-ehn-a is the best modern pronunciation for Helena, but hell-AYN-a or even hell-EEN-a work too.

Helena

Holly ranks just in British Top 50, but it's been out of favor here since the 1970s Era of Nickname Names. Still, the name may be on her way back as a rejuvenated nature pick.
 Jolly Holly has always been among the favorite <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/412/christmas-baby-names">names for Christmas babies</a>, evoking the symbolic shrub with dark green leaves and bright red berries. And Holly is the flower for the month of December, so it's also among the perfect <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/577/names-for-december-babies">names for December babies</a>.
 A memorable fictional Holly is the enigmatic heroine of Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's, Holly Golightly (almost named Connie, and with the full name Holiday), played indelibly by Audrey Hepburn. A real life one is actress Holly Hunter. Holly Short is a fairy character in Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl novels. And in Galsworthy's The Forsyte Saga, Holly and Jolly are siblings.

Holly

Hortencia

Howard, once hugely popular -- in the Top 50 from the 1870s to early 1950s, hitting Number 24 in 1920 -- has been stuck in Dad-Grandad limbo for decades, but is showing some signs of stirring back to life. Along with such formerly-fusty names as George and Harold, Howard may soon feel baby-appropriate, perhaps with the short form Ward.
Howard was the surname of an early English noble family, gradually metamorphosing into a first name in the nineteenth century. Notable Howards include tycoon Howard Hughes, director Howard Hawks, politician Howard Dean, and media figure Howard Stern. In literature, there is Ayn Rand's iconic architect Howard Roark, protagonist of The Fountainhead.
 Strange trivia item: Vampire novelist Anne Rice's given name is Howard Allen. She has said her mother "had the idea that naming a woman Howard was going to give that woman an unusual advantage in the world."

Howard

Though it may not be as sweet and gentle as, say, Violet, the purple-hued Hyacinth still might hold some appeal for the parent seeking a truly unusual flower name. 
 
In Greek mythology, Hyacinthus was a Spartan youth accidentally killed by Apollo, from whose blood sprang a beautiful and fragrant flower, and it is also the name of several saints; Hyacinth became exclusively female in the nineteenth century. To the ancients, Hyacinth was, in addition to being a bluebell-like blossom, the name of a precious stone.
 
Hyacinth Bridgerton is the youngest child of the fictional Bridgerton family, named in alphabetical order from A-H. There is a character named Hyacinth Robinson in Henry James's The Princess Casamassima and Hyacinth Bucket is the social-climbing character on the British sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, with sisters named Daisy, Rose, and Violet. To underscore her pretentiousness, Hyacinth Bucket insisted that her last name be pronounced as "bouquet".
 
You might also consider the Spanish version, Jacinta.

Hyacinth

Ian is Scottish form of John, derived from the Hebrew name Yohanan. It is an Anglicization of the Scottish Gaelic Iain, which is also a viable spelling. Ian was introduced to Americans by Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond.
 
Ian was rather late making inroads on our shores—it was already the seventh most popular name in England in 1975. It’s been on a steady path in the Top 100 ever since the introduction of James Bond, thanks to its jaunty charm. Today, Ian flies in formation with fellow classic British RAF pilot names, like Derek and Miles and Colin, all now certified U.S. citizens, packing considerable punch and panache into its three short letters. So though it may not be the newest name on the block, it's still a recommended choice. 
 
Notable namesakes include actor Ian McKellan and novelist Ian McEwan. Actor Ian Ziering pronounces his name EYE-an, rather than the traditional EE-an.

INGRITH

Iris has so much going for it. It's a fashionable flower name. It's a mythological name, from the Greek goddess of the rainbow. And it's a classic name, always ranking in the girls' Top 1000 but now at its highest point ever.
 
Iris is directly derived from the Greek word iris, meaning "rainbow." In Greek mythology, rainbow goddess Iris was a messenger for Zeus and Hera who rode the rainbow as a multicolored bridge from heaven to earth. 
 The botanical iris also carries evocative symbols. In ancient times, the Iris was considered a symbol of power and majesty, the three petal segments representing faith, wisdom and valor. This image led to the naming of the colored part of the eye.
In the contemporary world, Iris has amazing international versatility, ranking highly throughout the English-speaking world as well as in a diverse range of countries from Spain to Slovenia, France to Sweden.
 Part of Iris's rise is due to its celebrity power: Jude Law and Sadie Frost, Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann, and Renee O'Connor all chose Iris for their daughters.
 A notable modern bearer was the prolific British novelist Iris Murdoch. Frequently seen on screen, characters called Iris have been played by Jodie Foster, Jane Fonda and Kate Winslet, and Iris Chase is the narrator in the Margaret Atwood novel The Blind Assassin.

Iris

Isla is a hit name throughout the English-speaking world but hasn't found the same popularity in other western countries, perhaps because its spelling and pronunciation don't make sense for those whose native language is not English. Think island without the final two letters.

Adding to the confusion, the name is a twin of the Spanish word for island, which is pronounced EES-la. Isla is part of a trend for simple, old-fashioned <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ names</a> that start and end with a vowel: Ava, Ada, Ella, Emma, Eva, Ida, Ivy. 
 
Red-haired actress Isla Fisher, married to Sacha Baron Cohen, propelled the name to stardom. Isla Black Hitchens is a Harry Potter character; Queen Elizabeth has a great-granddaughter named Isla Elizabeth Phillips. 
Some other similar names that are not as trendy as Isla: Islay and Ailsa.

Isla

Ivory was last popular a hundred years ago. In 2013, it finally began to regain some momentum in the female rankings, reentering the Top 1000.
 A word of caution, however—people may associate this name with illegal poaching of elephants and the ivory trade. Or, more prosaically, the popular brand of soap.

Ivory

The quirky, offbeat and energetic botanical name Ivy is enjoying a deserved revival, propelled even higher by its choice by high-profile parents Beyonce and Jay-Z for daughter Blue Ivy. Ivy is also traditionally used at Christmas, make this one of the perfect <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/577/names-for-december-babies">names for December babies</a>.
 Ivy is derived from the name of the ivy plant, which got its name from the Old English word ifig. Ancient Greeks presented an ivy wreath to newlyweds as a symbol of fidelity. In the language of flowers, Ivy signifies faithfulness.
 British novelist Ivy Compton-Burnett is a notable namesake and Ivy Baker Priest served as U.S. Secretary of Treasury. Another association is the prestigious Ivy League. 
Ivy has been a favorite of scriptwriters—she's appeared on everything from 90210 to Gossip Girl, Dollhouse to Downton Abbey, and is the name of a 1970's American Girl doll.

Jacqueline originated as a feminine form of Jacques, the French variation of James, and therefore Jacob. Jacob was ultimately derived from the Hebrew name Ya’aqov, and gets its meaning, "supplanter" from the story of Jacob supplanting his brother Esau as the first-born son in the Bible. Jacqueline was first used in France in the Middle Ages.
 
To most Americans, the French Jacqueline still recalls the Kennedy era and its elegant First Lady, although it's lost a good measure of its glamorous image and Gallic gloss. Jacqueline and Jackie peaked as names in 1961, the age of Camelot, reaching a high of Number 37. 
 The name was imported into England by a French sister-in-law of Henry V (known as Dame Jack) and had reached the Top 50 in this country by the 1920s. It's one of those names with a bunch of different spellings, the most common of which is Jacqueline.
 Barbara Walters named her only child Jacqueline.

Jacqueline

Jagger is a swaggering Rolling Stone of a name that's been picked up by a number of fellow celebs, including Lindsay Davenport and Brett Scallions--while Soleil Moon Frye pulled a gender switch when she bestowed it on her daughter. It's edgy with a touch of danger.
 Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee started the ball rolling when they gave their son Dylan the middle name of Jagger in 1997; it entered the popularity list in 2001.

Jagger

Jasper originated as a variation of the Latin Gaspar, which ultimately derived from the Persian word ganzabara, meaning "bringer of treasure." As a given name, Jasper’s etymology is unrelated to that of the gemstone, which comes from a Semitic word meaning "speckled stone." Jasper is the usual English form for one of the Three Wise Men who brought gifts to the infant Christ according to medieval tradition and appears in the Bible as a reference to the stone itself in Revelations 4:3.
 
Jasper has a lot going for it—it's been rocketing up the ranks in the US, after long being considered a posh and charming name in England. Distinctly masculine, Jasper represents a variety of quartz—one of the few gem <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">names for boys</a>—and is the first name of the great modern artist Jasper Johns. Our only caveat: Jasper is a favorite of a lot of hip parents, and has gotten even more popular since its strong appearance in the Twilight books and movies.
 Jasper has considerable literary cred as well, appearing in works by Sir Walter Scott, James Fenimore Cooper, Thackeray, and Thomas Hardy--as well as Stephenie Meyer. 
 Casper/Caspar is the German version.

Jasper

Jedidiah, an Old Testament name with a touch of Gunsmoke-era western panache, is right in line to be revived along with the other biblical -iah names.
 Jedidiah was the name given by the prophet Nathan to King Solomon in the Old Testament. An inspiration to hiking enthusiasts might be the intrepid explorer and trailblazer Jedidiah Strong Smith.
 Jed is the inevitable nickname, which last ranked on the US popularity charts in 1989.

Jedidiah

Jethro, though the biblical father-in-law of Moses, has suffered for a long time from a Beverly Hillbilly image, but some really adventurous parents might consider updating and urbanizing it and transitioning it into the hip o-ending category. 
 The 60s rock group Jethro Tull was named for an eighteenth century British agricultural reformer and inventor.

Jethro

Jonah, the name of the Old Testament prophet who was swallowed by the whale, only to emerge unharmed three days later, is increasingly appreciated by parents looking for a biblical name less common than Jacob or Joshua, yet not too obscure. Plus, Jonah comes with a ready-made nursery-decorating motif.
 The appealing Jonah has been featured in such movies as Sleepless in Seattle and Knocked Up and is currently represented by actor/writer Jonah Hill.
 Jonas is the Greek version and Yona is a female spin.

Jonah

Cool and charming, with plenty of flair and sophistication, Julian manages to strike the balance between being a sensible classic and contemporary choice. Appealingly international, it is no wonder Julian is a rising star.
 
The name Julian derived from Iulianus, which in turn came from the Roman family name, Julius. Its origins are hard to pin down, but possible roots include the Latin iuvenis, meaning “youthful”; the Greek ioulos, meaning “downy-bearded”; or Jovis, a form of Jupiter, which means “sky father.”
 
A well-travelled name with plenty of history, Julian, rather fittingly, was the name of St. Julian the Hospitaller, the patron saint of travellers. Other famous Julians include Julian the Apostate, a 4th century Roman emperor, the activist and politician, Julian Bond, the singer and documentary maker, Julian Lennon, and the novelist, Julian Barnes.
 
Beyond the history books, Julian has also made its mark on popular culture. It was used by Shirley Jackson in her mystery novel, We Have Always Lived in The Castle and by Jessica Love in her award-winning picture book Julian is a Mermaid. It has also been given to characters on TV shows such as “Alias”, “Law & Order”, and BBC “Ghosts”.
 
Julian is currently a firm favorite in the US, where it has been given to 7000 boys each year and remained in the Top 50 for the last decade. It’s also made waves in Austria, Sweden, Chile, The Netherlands, and Mexico, where it ranks in the Top 100 of each country.
 
The name holds sway with celebrities too, with Robert De Niro, Lisa Kudrow, Jerry Seinfeld, Paula Patton, Robin Thicke, Daniel Wilcox, and Jennifer Paz among those who’ve chosen it for their sons.
 
Though significantly more popular for boys, in Medieval England, Julian was considered unisex. A handful of girls are still given the name today, though Julia and Juliet are parents’ current preferences.
 
If the handsome, versatile Julian appeals to you, but the popularity holds you back, then you could consider one of its variants, such as Guiliano, Jolyon, Julen, or Jules, or perhaps even Jupiter for something very bold.

Julian

Kienan

Knox is an old Scottish surname that Brad Pitt (whose great-great-grandfather was named Hal Knox Hillhouse) and Angelina Jolie took out of the back cupboard, dusted off, and elevated to coolness--to the point where it entered the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular baby names</a> list in 2009. Knox now ranks among the most influential <a href="https://nameberry.com/fameberry">celebrity baby names</a>.
 With Knox, the Jolie-Pitts established their own tradition: instead of their sons bearing the same first inital, they share the final letter 'x'--Maddox, Pax and Knox-- as well as a final 'n' for their <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/673/middle-names">middle names</a>. It's celebrity shine has made the formerly obscure Knox one of the most popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/473/scottish-names-for-boys">Scottish names for boys</a>. 
 The surname Knox dates back at least to the thirteenth century, and John Knox was the priest who brought about the Reformation in Scotland.

Knox

theresaelsmore's list "Eccentric Classic Names" of 171 great name ideas: Adelaide - Zechariah!

Eccentric Classic Names

Classic, rare, and charming with a dash of whimsy; these familiar yet seldomly used baby names suit the latest vintage naming trend - without being obvious. 