Favorites

  1. Channing
    • Origin:

      English or Irish
    • Meaning:

      "people of Cana or wolf cub"
    • Description:

      Channing is a sophisticated surname name whose use is probably linked to actor Channing Tatum and Channing Crowder, former linebacker for the Miami Dolphins.
  2. Clara
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "bright, clear"
    • Description:

      Clara is a strong, lovely girls' name that's always ranked among the US Top 1000 girl names but has been climbing since the turn of this century. It now ranks right around Number 100, making it a modern classic that's neither too popular nor unfamiliar.
  3. Colten
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Colton
    • Description:

      This cousin to Colton, a very widely used name, never matched its popularity and is now losing ground.
  4. Cryer
    • Dallas
      • Origin:

        Place name, surnamed and Irish
      • Meaning:

        "skilled"
      • Description:

        A name with a bit of glamor but also cowgirl vibes, Dallas entered the US Top 1000 for girls in 1992. It fell out of style during noughties, but reappeared in 2012 when other gender neutral names like River, Sawyer, Rowan, and Blake were also climbing fast.
    • Dawn
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "dawn, sunrise"
      • Description:

        Dawn's heyday in the US, Canada and the UK came in the 1960s and 70s. It peaked at #14 in the US in 1971, but has since sunk from sight to be eclipsed by other names with the same meaning, such as Aurora, Roxana or Zariah.
    • Declan
      • Origin:

        Irish, meaning unknown, possible "man of prayer"
      • Meaning:

        "man of prayer"
      • Description:

        Declan is the Anglicized form of the Irish name Deaglán. St. Declan was one of the first missionaries to bring Christianity to Ireland, preceding St. Patrick. Originally from Wales, he founded the monastery of Ardmore in Ireland.
    • Devin
      • Origin:

        Irish
      • Meaning:

        "poet"
      • Description:

        Used far more for boys with this spelling, but still has a nice impish Irish feel for a girl.
    • Dayne
      • Emmaline
        • Origin:

          Spelling variation of Emmeline
        • Description:

          This iteration of the name makes the link to the ultra-popular Emma even more obvious. It lags behind alternate spelling Emmeline on the US Top 1000 list.
      • Evan
        • Origin:

          Welsh variation of John
        • Meaning:

          "God is gracious"
        • Description:

          Evan is a boys' favorite that has been given the feminine touch by talented actress Evan Rachel Wood. If you want to move beyond Eva and Evelyn and like unisex names, this may be a good bet for you (though like Evan Rachel Wood, you may want a feminine name in the middle name position to clarify matters). Evanna is also another alternative.
      • Everett
        • Origin:

          English variation of the German Eberhard
        • Meaning:

          "brave as a wild boar"
        • Description:

          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.
      • Ellerson
        • Finn
          • Origin:

            Irish
          • Meaning:

            "fair or white"
          • Description:

            Finn is a name with enormous energy and charm, that of the greatest hero of Irish mythology, Finn MacCool (aka Fionn mac Cuumhaill), an intrepid warrior with mystical supernatural powers, noted as well for his wisdom and generosity.
        • Fletcher
          • Origin:

            English occupational name
          • Meaning:

            "arrow-maker"
          • Description:

            Fletcher is a common surname with a touch of quirkiness; it definitely fits into the So Far Out It's In category--and moving further in all the time along with other occupational names from Parker to Forester.
        • Flynn
          • Origin:

            Irish
          • Meaning:

            "descendant of the red-haired one"
          • Description:

            Flynn, a charming Irish surname, is still used only quietly, despite its easygoing, casual cowboy charm, unlike Finn which is a star of this genre. Flynn was the choice of Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr for their baby boy, and is also the middle name -- used as his first -- of a son of Miranda's fellow supermodel Elle Macpherson, of Gary Oldman's son Gulliver and Marley Shelton's daughter West.
        • Gardner
          • Origin:

            English
          • Meaning:

            "keeper of the garden"
          • Description:

            Surely one of the most pleasant and evocative of the occupational options.
        • Hampton
          • Origin:

            English
          • Meaning:

            "home settlement"
          • Description:

            Names of classy places -- Aspen, Paris, and yes, Hampton -- are in favor with aspiring parents, though they don't always have the intended effect.
        • Hayden
          • Origin:

            English place name
          • Meaning:

            "hay valley"
          • Description:

            A newly successful name for girls, which, like Brayden and Caden, used to be strictly for the boys. Young Heroes and now Nashville star Hayden Panettiere planted it in the girls' camp.
        • Holden
          • Origin:

            English
          • Meaning:

            "hollow valley"
          • Description:

            Holden is a classic case of a name that jumped out of a book and onto birth certificates--though it took quite a while. Parents who loved J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye are flocking to the name of its hero, Holden Caulfield -- not coincidentally in tune with the Hudson-Hayden-Colton field of names. (Trivia note: Salinger supposedly came up with the name while looking at a movie poster promoting a film starring William Holden and Joan Caulfield, though other sources say he was named after Salinger's friend Holden Bowler.) Another impetus was provided by a soap opera character introduced in 1985.