Adalyn is one of a large group of Ad-beginning names for girls, which include Adeline and Adalynn and Adelaide and Addison — essentially, anything leading to the popular nickname Addie is in. Adalyn is a beautiful name, but be prepared to have to spell it out for people often.

Adalyn entered the charts in 2007 and rose quickly, but has been fairly steady in the mid 100s for nearly 10 years now.

Adalyn

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

Old Irish name that's taken off in its Anglicized forms, mainly Ashlyn or Ashlynn. Nonetheless, this more traditional version debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2015.
 Aislinn Paul is a Canadian actress known for her role of Clare Edwards in Degrassi: The Next Generation.

Aislinn

Archer is an Anglo-Saxon surname that feels more modern than most because of its on-target occupational and Hunger Games associations. And it's a nice way to bypass the clunky Archibald to get to the cool nickname Archie.
 But have a look at that amazing popularity chart below: After 1889, Archer took a 130-year nap, resurfacing on the Top 1000 in 2009 and now shooting straight upwards. Five years ago, we named Archer one of our Hottest Names of 2011—and, indeed, it jumped 102 places that year, thanks in part to Archer's similarity to popular Asher and its cross-gender appeal. Moms may like its literary gentility and dads its tough-guy FX cartoon appeal. Or, of course, vice versa.
 Trivia tidbit: Archer is the name of Dr. Doolittle's father.

Archer

Arden is a gender-neutral name that's sleek and stylish but always seems to bob just below the surface of popularity, despite ticking all the boxes with its fashionable two-syllable, N-ending shape and its awesome nature-inspired meanings. In the 2021 US statistics, 41 percent of the babies named Arden were boys to 59 percent girls.

 A locational surname name deriving from several places in England, there are multiple legitimate derivations for this name. One is from Old English earn "eagle" + denu "valley", while another is from the Celtic ard meaning "high".

 For literature lovers: Arden is the name of the magical forest in Shakespeare's As You Like It (Shakespeare's mother's name was Mary Arden), and it also appears in the name and titular character of a poem by Tennyson, Enoch Arden.

Arden

Asher—an excellent, soft and sensitive Old Testament choice—is a <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">baby boy name</a> on the rise, and is a Nameberry biblical favorite. 
 
Asher's ascent is especially amazing given that the took a century-long hiatus from the Top 1000, from the 1890s until it reappeared in the 1990s. Asher has been in the US Top 100 for more than a decade now.
 
In the Bible, Asher was one of Jacob's twelve sons who gave their names to the tribes of Israel. Asher is derived from the Hebrew word osher, which means "happiness." Rabbinical scholars claim that the Asherites lived up to this meaning, as they had the most oil, wisdom, and male children compared to the other tribes.
 
The novel My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok, often taught in schools, is the story of a New York Hasidic Jewish boy with artistic aspirations.
 
Oh—and another plus for Asher: the handsome diminutive Ash.

Asher

Has an upscale aura, perhaps due to the luxury James Bond Aston Martin car. 

Aston

Audrina is a name that owes its fame to overnight reality TV sensation Audrina Partridge, one of the original cast of the MTV reality series The Hills.

Audrina

As with many other names, the y seems to make this name more girl-appropriate for some parents. About three-quarters of the babies named Austyn are female.

Austyn

Bennett is Ben with a bow tie, kind of a cross between Benjamin and Beckett. It's been trending up on the popularity charts in recent years, and its choice by The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt's Jane Krakowski could shoot it even higher. 
 Bennett Cerf was an eminent publisher--one of the founders of Random House--and renowned punster.
 Bennett is a popular surname, and has many noteworthy bearers, from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice family (with one 't') to indomitable singer Tony. Bennett has been used as a surname in England since the early thirteenth century.

Bennett

Bentley, a somewhat stuffy British surname, previously associated primarily with an incredibly expensive English car, has had a recent surge in popularity, thanks largely to the reality TV shows 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom, with Bentley being the name of the son of breakout star Maci (another new favorite) Bookout.

Bentley

Attractive Scottish and Irish surname name of a seventh-century saint, associated with the illusionist and escape artist David Blaine.

Blaine

The unisex Blake, which indeed has two conflicting meanings, has a briskly efficient image when used for a girl. 
 Though in the eighties it was seen very much as a <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys’ name</a>, epitomized by the character of Blake Carrington, the silver-haired, powerful patriarch of the TV soap Dynasty, these days it's more apt to be associated with Blake Lively, the attractive lead of the Gossip Girl series and the film Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

Blake

Rockers Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz put a new baby name on the map when they chose this downscale New York borough name for their son.  The Bronx, the place, was named for early Dutch settler Jonas Bronck.  Might Bronx become the next Brooklyn?  We'd be surprised if it did.

Bronx

Extreme makeover: Brooklyn has gone from jokey Borough Boy name in the 1990s to a leading <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/b">girls' name starting with B</a>. The status of New York's Brooklyn as hipster heaven is ironic as few bona fide Brooklyn hipsters would choose this name.
 Brooklyn first came into widespread public view via the first Beckham boy born in 1999, though it had already entered the lower ranks of the girls' list in 1990, rising to the double digits in 2005, as more and more parents began to see it less as a NYC place name by separating it into its highly name-y syllables – brook and lyn.

Theoretically unisex, Brooklyn is now 98 percent female, while variations Brooklynn and Brooklynne are all girl.

Brooklyn

Brynne

Camden is a surprise hit, probably as a result of some star baby cred: it has been chosen by no less than four celebrity parents since 2012. Gentle but not flimsy, Camden could be an updated spin on Cameron, Callum, or Caden. 
 Currently in the Top 200 in the US, and used on more than 2000 boys each year, Camden evokes the hip open-air market in London or the city in New Jersey. Plus, while it may feel purely contemporary, Camden has two classic literary ties: Camden Farebrother is a character in George Eliot's 19th century novel, Middlemarch, while Camden House features in Arthur Conan Doyle's piece, "The Adventure of the Empty House", part of his Sherlock writings.

Camden

Stronger and more contemporary twist on Carla or Carly, Carlin was used just about equally for girls and boys in the US last year.

Carlin

Cayden is one of the many spellings of this popular name, made all the more popular when they're counted together. According to our annual <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/2023-playground-analysis">playground analysis</a>, sound-wise at least, Cayden is the 13th most popular name in the US, given to more than 10,600 baby boys.

Kayden is the most popular variation of the name, while Cayden is the fourth choice, ranking around the #300 mark, and given to more than 1000 babies each year. It does have the advantage of looking slightly softer and being closer its Celtic and Irish origins, Cadan and Cathán.

Kevin Costner chose Cayden for his son.

Cayden

In the US, well over 200 girls were named Chandler in 2016, its first year on the girls' list since 2002. To us it is still inextricably tied to the Friends character, making it more masculine than it otherwise might be. But it's one of the trendy <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/79/boy-names-for-girls">boy names for girls</a> that's climbing the ladder.

Chandler

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

Channing

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.
 
Long relegated to an Olde World backwater, the European-flavored Clara was long less fashionable than sleeker sister Claire. Now, though the vintage chic Clara is still less popular, it's arguably the more stylish of the two names. 
 Clara was a Top 10 name in the 1880's, at one time associated with the silent screen 'It Girl,' Clara Bow, and before that with German musician and composer Clara Schumann and Red Cross founder Clara Barton, who was born Clarissa.
 Clara is beloved for her leading role in The Nutcracker ballet and as Heidi's invalid friend. Actor Ewan McGregor was an early celebrity adopter of the name for one of his daughters.
 Other Clara variations you might want to consider include Clarissa and Clarina, though Clarabelle seems still fit mainly for cows.

Clara

This cousin to Colton, a very widely used name, never matched its popularity and is now losing ground. 

Colten

Cryer

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. 

Perhaps most obviously associated with the city in Texas, Dallas is also a Scottish place name with the meaning "meadow dwelling"; an English surname, meaning "valley house" and possibly an Irish name, meaning "skilled, assembly, council, or, blindness" depending on the translation
 
Currently given to around 480 girls each year, Dallas does lean more masculine - not surprising perhaps, since it's been in the US Top 500 for boys since name records began in 1880. Given to nearly three times as many boys as girls, this still makes the name, statistically, a solidly unisex option.

Dallas

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.

Dawn

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.
 
Declan, the amiable and appealing name of an Irish saint (and the real first name of singer Elvis Costello), is very popular in the Emerald Isle and beginning its certain climb to popularity here, after debuting on the American list in 1998. Like Aidan and Liam, Declan is shaping up to be an American hit.
 
Declan Porter is a current character on Revenge. 
 Cyndi Lauper spelled her son's name Declyn.

Declan

Used far more for boys with this spelling, but still has a nice impish Irish feel for a girl. 

Devin

Dayne

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.
 Emmaline Henry was an American actress, best known for the role of Amanda Bellows on I Dream of Jeannie.

Emmaline

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.

Evan

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

Ellerson

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. 
 While Finn is a distinctly Irish name, it's achieved astonishing international popularity in a diverse range of cultures. Along with all the English-speaking countries, Finn ranks in the Top 100 for baby boys in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, and Austria.
 Finn was chosen by cool couple Christy Turlington and Ed Burns for their son, and also by Jane Leeves and Autumn Reeser. Played by Cory Monteith prior to his death, Finn Hudson was a prominent character on Glee.
 Other up-and-comers in the same family: Finlay and Finley, Finian and Finnian, Finnegan and Finnigan, and, from Germany, Fynn. And then there are the Ph versions such as Phineas.

Finn

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.
 One notable historical Fletcher is Fletcher Christian, the British seaman and mutineer portrayed on the screen at various times by Errol Flynn, Clark Gable, Marlon Brando and Mel Gibson. A musical namesake is Fletcher Henderson, who was important in the development of big band jazz and swing music.

Fletcher

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.
 Flynn Rider (born Eugene Fitzherbert) is the dashing animated hero of the Disney film "Tangled." On TV's "Breaking Bad", Flynn was what young Walter Jr. tried to rename himself. The name was long associated with the swashbuckling Errol Flynn, inspiration of the phrase "in like Flynn." Some may connect this name to controversial former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn
 Flynn entered the U.S. Top 1000 in 2011, and is a highly popular choice in Australia and New Zealand.

Flynn

Surely one of the most pleasant and evocative of the occupational options.

Gardner

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

Hampton

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.

Hayden

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.
 Among the celebs who have chosen Holden are Brendan Fraser and Mira Sorvino.
 In Australia, only a car-lover would choose this name, which is inextricably linked with the car-brand.

Holden

Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin put Ireland on the map when they chose it as a first for their daughter, saying that geographic names were a family tradition. And it seems they were a bit ahead of the curve (or trendsetting)—Ireland has been among the fastest-rising names of recent years. Other Irish place names include Shannon, Kerry, Galway, and Dublin.

Ireland

Isaiah, like brethren Isaac and Elijah, is a once neglected biblical name now firmly back in favor, already surpassing such long-popular Old Testament stalwarts as Aaron and Adam. Isaiah has ranked on the US Top 1000 list for boys every year but two, 1969 and 1970.
 Isaiah derives from the Hebrew Yesha’yahu, containing the elements yasha’, meaning "to save," and yah, in reference to the Hebrew god. The biblical Isaiah, son of Amos, was the most important of the major prophets, with an Old Testament book named for him. He prophesied that the Children of Israel would be exiled from their homeland, but that God would bring the back.
 
Isaiah has been a star player on the contemporary athletic field, with several prominent basketball and football player namesakes, in addition to a memorable character on Little House on the Prairie, and Grey's Anatomy actor Isaiah Washington.
 Beyond that, two sports figures have named their sons Isaiah: Allen Iverson and Tim (and wife Elisabeth) Hasselbeck. Basketball superstar Isiah Thomas helped popularize that streamlined spelling of the name.

Isaiah

Jacquelyn

As a precious stone, Jade is known for its cool green hues, its importance in Chinese art, and its ability to transmit wisdom, confidence, and clarity. As a name however, Jade is a 90’s throwback in the UK, a Number 1 choice in France, and a returning gem in the US right now. 
Deriving from the Spanish phrase Piedra de la ijada, the name Jade means “stone of the side” or “stone of the flank” as it was once believed that jade could cure renal colic. While this might not be the most glamorous of meanings, it does give the name some extra history. 
Jade has been used to make carvings since Neolithic times, but as a given name, it only took off in the 1970’s, when Mick and Bianca Jagger chose it for their daughter. 
Originally used as a unisex name, the number of girls called Jade soon outweighed the number of boys, and with the rise of Jaden, it hasn’t been (statistically) unisex since the early 2000’s. 
Trendier than vintage Pearl, but more grounded than Sapphire or Topaz, Jade fits in well with other popular choices. Both a word-name like Scarlett and a one syllable option like Maeve, Jade feels just as right next to an Audrey or a Claire as it does to a Reese or a Kinsley. 
A big favorite in France where it has ranked in the Top 10 since the mid-2000’s, Jade is also well-loved in Belgium, Quebec, the Netherlands, and Monaco. Ihe US, it has had a shakier history, rising and falling on the charts. Now though, it’s at its peak in the Top 100, and given to nearly 3000 babies every year. 
Notable Jades include singer Jade Thirlwall, originally from the group Little Mix; Jade Ewen of the Sugarbabes; Jade, one of the original Bratz Dolls.; and Jane Goody, a TV personality, often remembered for openly sharing her cervical cancer diagnosis, which led to more people being tested and treated sooner. 
If you love Jade, but want some more inspiration, you could consider the Italian variant, Giada. You might also like another <a href= “https://nameberry.com/list/414/jewel-baby-names”>gemstone name</a>, like Opal or Garnet, a <a href=“https://nameberry.com/blog/tiago-and-thibault-the-latest-french-name-trends”> French favorite</a>, like Romy, Ambre, Roxane or Zelie, or a throwback British choice, like Chelsea, Jodie, Demi, or Tia.

Jade

Jaxon has been mostly climbing in popularity since it entered the Top 1000 in 1997, proving that many parents have decided to rev up the cool factor of Jackson by giving it this streamlined spelling. (Though we still prefer the original.) 
 
This name's host of trendy spellings, which also include Jaxson and Jaxxon, vault it into the Top 10 when counted all together.
 
Kristin Cavallari used Jaxon for her son.

Jaxon

Once rare, this streamlined form of Jessica has been boosted by two very different television figures: the Jemima Kirke character on HBO series Girls, and reality television daughter Jessa Duggar. 
 
Jessa is far less familiar than former favorite Jessica, a name now solidly in mom-name territory in the US. And yet, it might be too soon for Jessa to feel fresh. Jessamy or Jessamine might be more promising alternatives.

Jessa

Jude is a modern star, maintaining a steady level of popularity -- but not TOO much popularity -- for more than a decade now. Thank Jude Law and the great Lennon-McCartney song "Hey Jude", double-handedly responsible for propelling Jude up the charts.
 Saint Jude was the apostle who interceded for people with problems and became the patron saint of lost causes.Kelsey Grammer has a son named Jude Gordon. Jude is occasionally used for girls (as in Martha Stewart's granddaughter)--but more often as a shortened form of Judith/Judy.
 Jude's old connections to the traitorous Judas Iscariot and Thomas Hardy's tragic Jude the Obscure have mostly faded from memory, though don't be shocked if Grandma objects to the name on these grounds.

Jude

Together with Julian, the name Juliana/Julianna derives from Julius, a Roman family name. Its origin is shrouded in history, but possible roots include Latin iuvenis, meaning "youthfu"; Greek ioulos, meaning "downy-bearded"; or Jovis, a form of Jupiter, which means "sky father".

 This spelling, popularized by popular actress Julianna Margulies, is climbing up the lists. One of the Dixie Chicks--Emily Robison--used it for her daughter.

Julianna

One of the most romantic names, the lovely and stylish Juliet seems finally to have shaken off her limiting link to Romeo. In Shakespeare's play, it was Juliet who said "What's in a name?" 
 

 Juliet originated in the Middle Ages as a diminutive form of Julian, then a predominantly female name. It ultimately derives from Julius, a Roman family name. Its origin is shrouded in history, but possible roots include Latin iuvenis, meaning "youthfu"; Greek ioulos, meaning "downy-bearded"; or Jovis, a form of Jupiter, which means "sky father".
 
French version Juliette, pronounced the same by most English speakers though the French emphasize the last syllable, was more popular than Juliet for the first time in 2015. Both names have taken over for Jennifer and Jessica as fashionable <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/j">girls' names starting with J</a>.
 Juliet Burke was a character on Lost and Juliet Sharp on Gossip Girl. Juliet Low was the founder of the American Girl Scouts.
 Other ideas to consider: the original Julia, still lovely; Juliana; or even Jules.

Juliet

While Keegan has been rising in popularity for a number of years, this variant spelling has dropped in the lists.

Keagan

Keira is an attractive <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ name</a> that's gotten a huge boost from the meteoric rise of Keira Knightley. Original spelling Kiera, which relates more directly to the male Kieran, was the more popular form until the rise of Keira Knightley reversed the order. Both are Anglicized versions of the Irish Ciara.

Keira

Chosen for their first son by musical couple Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, this Jamaican place and elegant British surname also boasts the more regal yet user-friendly short form, King. 
 Kingston offers clear evidence of the starbaby effect: it arrived on the popularity list in 2006, the year little Kingston Rossdale was born, and has risen since.

Kingston

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

Landon is a popular surname name; it's been dropping slightly in recent years but has surpassed its once more popular rhyming cousin Brandon. For some it may bring back nostalgic memories of Little House on the Prairie 's understanding Pa, played by Michael Landon.
 Landon has been chosen for their sons by two musicians, American Idol finalist Josh Gracin and Blink drummer Travis Barker, whose middle name is Landon. It's also the name of soccer superstar Landon Donovan of the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Landon

Lincoln

An old English surname name that sounds just like the invented Marlo. Though the final w places it among the more buttoned-up <a href="https://nameberry.com/unisex-names"> androgynous baby names</a>, all spellings of the name, which also include Marlowe, are gaining in popularity for girls.

Marlow

Quinn is one of the first popular Irish unisex surnames, a strong and attractive choice on the rise for girls but still popular for boys. Quinn was used for about 3000 baby girls and 700 boys in the US last year.
 
Quinn is the Anglicized version of the Irish patronymic surname Ó Cuinn, meaning "descendent of Conn." Conn has two possible derivations—the Old Irish cond, meaning "intellect," or cenn, meaning "chief." One of the most notable Quinn clans was from County Tyrone in Northern Ireland. 
 Quinn started taking off for girls in the mid-nineties, possibly influenced by the popular show Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. Since then, there have been female Quinns on the animated MTV show Daria, on Zoey 101, and—most prominently—on Glee, featuring cute blond cheerleader character Quinn Fabray.
 Some other, more <a href="https://nameberry.com/lists/category/unusual-names">unusual names</a> with the Q-factor: Quincy, Quintina, Quintana, Quinta, Quilla--and, on a different note, Queenie.

Quinn

Among a small shower of rain-related names, this pure version can have a cool, refreshing image. 
 Richard Pryor named his now-grown daughter Rain, and Rain is also one of the nature-named Phoenix family siblings. More recently, 24 actress Marisol Nichols named her daughter Rain India.
 Rain also makes a nice nature middle name--Brooke Burke called her daughter Heaven Rain.
 If you want to embellish this simply spelling (and alter the meaning), you might also consider Raine, Raina, Rainn, Rayne, Reine or Reign, the middle name of Willow Smith. Or you could take the Holly Madison route all the way to Rainbow.

Rain

A strong, straightforward Irish unisex surname, with a merry glint in its eye, Reagan has been leaping up the popularity lists, to become one of the top <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/r">girl names starting with R</a>. Some will inevitably link it to President Ronald, but spell it Regan and it's a Shakespearean name: a daughter of King Lear.

Reagan

Reign is one of a new, ahem, kingdom of word names that suggest a high-born child, joining Royal, Lorde, Titan, Saint, King, Princess, and Noble.  We predicted this kind of defining name to be the Number 1 baby name trend of 2015...two weeks before Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick named their third child, a boy, Reign.

Reign

A classic old Norman name popular for a thousand years and favored for kings (Richard Nixon was named for Richard the Lionhearted), as well as the hoi polloi (as in every Tom, Dick and Harry), Richard was the sixth most popular US <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys’ name</a> in 1925, and was still Number 8 in 1950, but is now much less popular. 
 We predict that if parents do readopt the name Richard, it will be in its full and formal version. All the possible nicknames -- Richie (too Happy Days), Ricky, (too I Love Lucy) and especially Dick (too tricky and teasable) -- sound so dated that it's hard to imagine Richard ever coming back into style. But not that long ago, people said that about now-hot <a href="https://nameberry.com/">baby names</a> Jake and Max.

Richard

River shares the tranquil feeling of all the water names, and seems to have pretty much escaped its past strong association with River Phoenix and his unfortunate fate. Actor Joaquin Phoenix named his son with actress Rooney Mara after his brother River.

River's popularity is rising for boy genders, but it's still predominantly given to baby boys. Last year nearly 3500 boys were named River vs. about 1900 baby girls.

Keri Russell and the Taylor Hansons both have sons named River, Natasha Henstridge used it as the middle name of her boy Tristan, and Jason Schwartzman pluralized it for daughter Marlowe Rivers.

River

Rosalie hit its apex in 1938 and then slid straight downhill until it fell off the U.S. Top 1000 completely in the 1980s, only to spring back to life in 2009 as the name of a character in the Twilight series. The beautiful vampire Rosalie Hale has breathed fresh life back into this mid-century name, and the fact that the character is both sympathetic and relatively minor means Rosalie has the chance to thrive again as a baby name without feeling unduly tied to Twilight.
 For a long time Rosalie's main claim to fame was via the eponymous 1928 Broadway musical, which became a movie ten years later, both of which included a hit song.
 Rosalie was used as a character name in literature by Anne Bronte and Oscar Wilde. In the mid-twentieth century, Rosalie was the name of the daughter on The Goldbergs. More recently, Rosalie is a character on Grimm.

Rosalie

Stylish, gentle, and rustic at the same time, Rowan is a name that falls into various categories. Unisex and cool, mystical and woodsy, with the feel of both Rose and Riley, Rowan is a fresh but familiar choice.
 
The name has multiple origins, possibly deriving from the Irish Ruadhán, meaning “little redhead”, or from the names Rowena and Rhonwen, meaning “famous friend” and “white spear.” 
Alternatively, it might be taken from the rowan tree, a red-berried tree whose name derives from Old Norse and means “to redden.” In folklore and mythology, rowan trees are seen as a symbol of protection and of life, used to ward off evil. 
Rowan was an obscure name in the US before Brooke Shields chose it for her daughter in 2003. The name entered the US Top 1000 the same year and it’s been climbing in popularity ever since. Now, over 1000 girls are called Rowan every year, versus about 4000 baby boys. 
Notable namesakes include the actress and activist, Rowan Blanchard, and Rowan Ellis, an author and Youtuber who makes video essays. In fiction, Rowan Mayfair is a powerful witch in Anne Rice’s novel The Witching Hour and Rowan Love is the quirky and creative older sister in Karen McCombie’s Ally’s World series.

Rowan

Demi and Bruce made waves when they named their now-grown firstborn after novelist Rumer Godden; a possible downside is its connection with the word rumor. English author Godden was actually born Margaret, with Rumer (a family surname) as her middle name

Rumer

This ultrapopular boys' name is rapidly becoming a hot <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">name for girls</a>; admired for its buoyant Irish spirit. Ryan returned to the Top 500 for girls in 2015 and will no doubt continue to climb further on the back of the success of blockbuster film Gravity. A word of caution, however – the meaning and the movie reference may leave your daughter feeling as though you wished she were a son You may wish to go with Rion instead, which is similar in sound and means Queen in Irish. Rion is pronounced ree-on, which introduces problems of its own.

Ryan

Ryder, one of the current favorite er-ending <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys’ names</a>, has been in the spotlight since Kate Hudson and her rocker husband Chris Robinson chose it for their son in 2004. Very popular in several provinces of Canada, Ryder was chosen by John Leguzamo for his son and adorns Boy Meets World star Ryder Strong.
 In the past, Ryder was much more prevalent as a surname, as in American Old Master painter Albert Pinkham Ryder and Brideshead Revisited protagonist Charles Ryder. Not all came by it legitimately, however--Winona Ryder was born Winona Horowitz.
Trivia note: The Ryder Cup is a biennial golf tournament with competing teams from Europe and the US.

Ryder

Parents seeking alternatives to popular Ryan have flocked to this soundalike name, which peaked at #146 in 2011. Blending in elements of Nolan and Riley too, it remains in the US Top 500, and is given to around 850 babies each year.
 
Likely deriving from the Old English surname Ryland, Rylan could simply mean "rye land", or refer to someone who lives where rye is grown. However, it may also be a modern creation, made up by borrowing the "Ry" from Ryan. In this case, it links back to the Irish rí meaning "king", combined with "lan", meaning "land", giving the meaning "king's land", which might appeal to those who want a regal twist. 
 
Rylan was briefly popular in the UK, rising up the Top 1000 during the 2000s, however, by 2013, it had rapidly fallen out of favor. This could have been because it became almost synonymous in 2012 with X Factor contestant turned broadcaster, presenter, and media personality, Rylan Clark.
 
In the US, it is a unisex choice that leans masculine, currently used three times more often for boys than girls.

Rylan

What works for Paige just doesn’t work for Sage. The added i will likely create a lifetime of spelling mistakes.
 Saige Thompson is an American actress.

Saige

Sawyer is a surname with a more relaxed and friendly feel than many others, and is one of the hottest occupational names right now, with the Nameberry seal of approval. Sawyer is becoming one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/unisex-names">top unisex names</a>. Both Sara Gilbert and Diane Farr used Sawyer for their daughters, while it was given a boost as a boys' name by the character Sawyer on Lost, an alias for the character really named James Ford. 
 Kate Capshaw and Steven Spielberg were among the first to discover Sawyer when they used it for their son in 1992, the year it leaped up 356 places. 
 Sawyer is a relatively common surname--think Tom and Diane. It originated as an occupational name for a woodcutter, otherwise known as someone who worked with a saw.

Sawyer

Sienna has been a Top 100 choice in England & Wales since 2005, the year after Sienna Miller's acting breakthrough in the hit movies Alfie and Layer Cake. In the US, it also got a big boost in the early noughties, before dropping slightly then rebounding to reach an all-time high in 2022.

 Now the name Sienna has gotten maybe its biggest boost of all when it was announced as the name of the daughter of Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. The royal baby, born in 2021, is named Sienna Elizabeth. Cable newsperson Campbell Brown also chose Sienna for her daughter, as did Kevin James. 
 
The historic Tuscan city is spelled Siena, but the Sienna spelling is the one used recently by Princess Beatrice for her daughter. Sienna, also the spelling used by American-born English actress Miller, is more popular than Siena in the English-speaking world. 


 The city of Siena is said to have been founded by Senius and Aschius, two sons of Remus. The name of the city may derive from Senius, although other possibilities include Roman or Etruscan family names, a Gaulish tribe name, or a Latin root meaning "old". 

 The English color word "sienna" ultimately comes from the name of the iron-rich clay in the Italian city, brownish yellow when raw and reddish brown when burnt, making this a vibrant color name as well as a romantic place name.

Sienna

A name with some sterling qualities, most associated with the British currency and silver markets. Sterling is more commonly a male name or surname, but is occasionally used for girls as well. 

Sterling

Susanna is an old and under-appreciated name, perhaps because of the recent overpopularity of Susan, that is certainly due for a comeback. 
 
The Susannah spelling is just as appropriate as Susanna. The two versions seem to have traded places over time as the dominant version. Neither spelling is in the Top 1000 at the moment, though we expect that will change over the next few years as more modern parents rediscover these beautiful Biblical names.
 
How is Susanna different from Susannah? The h-less version feels a bit more streamlined and modern, and might refer more directly to an ancestor named Ann or Anna. Susannah seems more old-school Biblical and more self-contained, while Susanna resembles a smoosh name: Sue + Anna. But Susanna and Susannah are pronounced the same and are equally beautiful.
 
A European short form of Susanna that's become popular: Sanna or Sanne.

Susanna

Tamron

Today Show anchor Savannah Guthrie put this name of a geographical feature on the baby name map when she chose it for her newborn daughter, Vale Guthrie Feldman.  Vale might be considered part nature name, part place name: A vale is a kind of valley, often used in poetry.

This truly unique choice doesn't even register on the US extended list of names given to five babies or more, but we expect Vale to register as parents are inspired by Guthrie and husband Mike Feldman's creative choice.

More prosaicly, Vale might be a short form of Valerie or Valentina.

Vale

Vienna is one of the more popular of the European place-names, with a particularly pleasant sound, evoking elegant images of the Blue Danube, of castles and cafes, sweets and sausages and Strauss waltzes—and Sigmund Freud. It could be a possible substitute for the popular Sienna, although Vienna has been climbing the charts herself. Vienna was one of the fastest rising girl names in 2023.
 While many see place-names as a recent invention, Vienna has been used as a name for centuries. It was, for instance, the name of a 15th century mother of a saint. Joan Crawford plays a strong-willed saloon keeper in the classic 1954 western drama Johnny Guitar. And there was also a Vienna in the F. Scott Fitzgerald story "The Bowl."
 Trivia tidbit: Vienna's Roman-era name was Vindobono.

Vienna

Reminiscent of the Old West, with rugged charm and a gentle, easy-going feel, Wesley has long been a staple on the US charts. 
Its popularity may have peaked in the 1970s when it reached #66, but Wesley has never really gone out of style. It’s always remained inside the US Top 200, making it a modern classic, solid and familiar but not too overused. 
Now, Wesley is receiving renewed interest, joining Wyatt, Waylon, Maverick, Weston and Beau in the Top 100, as parents turn towards surnames-as-given-names and to names that feel both preppy and cowboyish. 
Derived from an English surname – which likely came from an English place name – Wesley means “western meadow” or “western clearing.” It was first used as a given name in the 1700’s, when parents chose it in honor of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. 
Wesley’s popularity has spread since then and it’s no longer tied to these religious associations. Instead, it has a number of other noteworthy bearers, including: the military general and politician, Wesley Clark; the actor, Wesley Snipes; the film directors, Wes Anderson and Wes Craven; the jazz guitarist, Wes Montgomery; and TV personality, Wes Nelson. 
The name might also be remembered by the fans of several TV classics, including “Star Trek: The Next Generation”, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, and “Last of the Summer Wine,” all of which have featured a fictional Wesley. 
Despite these notable namesakes, Wesley is currently only popular in the US. Though it has seen some usage in England, Wales, and France in recent years, it has yet to move into the spotlight. 
Handsome and charming, Wesley is given to more than 4000 boys each year in the US, and following its recent trajectory, it could well move further up the charts. If you’re wanting to avoid a popular choice but love Wesley, the similar Westley ranks much lower. You could also consider Casey, Halston, Dempsey, or Layton.

Wesley

Winn

Yardley, a surname redolent of British soaps and perfume, was used for her daughter by Megyn Kelly.
 Yeardley Smith (born Martha), has long been the voice of Bart on The Simpsons.

Yardley

zoeymarie's list "Favorites" of 79 great name ideas: Adalyn - Yardley!