To Infinity!

  1. Orev
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "raven"
    • Description:

      Idiosyncratic Hebrew choice.
  2. Pandora
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "all gifted"
    • Description:

      Pandora has occasionally been used by the British gentry (for girls with brothers who might be called Peregrine) and is now starting to be heard in the US too: It was given to 34 baby girls last year.
  3. Piper
    • Origin:

      English occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "pipe or flute player"
    • Description:

      Piper is a bright, musical name that entered the list in 1999, one year after the debut of the TV series Charmed, which featured a Piper, and it's been a consistent riser since. Piper Kerman is the memoirist whose prison experiences provided the basis for the hit Netflix series Orange is the New Black.
  4. Sirius
    • Origin:

      Latin from Greek
    • Meaning:

      "burning"
    • Description:

      Yes, it's the name of the brightest star in the sky, but can't you just hear people saying, "Are you serious?" Singer Erykah Badu used it as a middle name for son Seven.
  5. Solstice
    • Origin:

      English from Latin
    • Meaning:

      "when the sun stands still"
    • Description:

      Solstice graduated from word to official first name when author Lionel Shriver used it for a character in her novel Big Brother. But of course, there were people named Solstice before: 16 baby girls were given the name in the US in 2021 (and it is occasionally used for boys too).
  6. Solar
    • Valerie
      • Origin:

        French variation of Valeria
      • Meaning:

        "strength, health"
      • Description:

        The name of a martyred medieval saint, Valerie has been on the popularity list since its earliest publication in 1880. Though it peaked in the 1960s, remaining in the Top 100 until 1988, it still doesn't sound terminally dated; the association with the word valor gives it a sense of boldness and makes it one of the special group of girl names that mean strong.
    • Venus
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "love, desire"
      • Description:

        The name of a heavenly planet and the Roman goddess of beauty and love was an intimidating no-no until tennis champ Venus Williams put an athletic, modern spin on it.
    • Xena
      • Origin:

        Greek
      • Meaning:

        "guest"
      • Description:

        Still projects the potent allure of television's warrior princess.
    • Zadie
      • Origin:

        English variation of Sadie
      • Meaning:

        "princess"
      • Description:

        When aspiring British writer Sadie Smith decided to change her name to the more distinctive and zippy Zadie at the age of fourteen, this attention-magnet name was born. But though it might sound like a modern initial-switch, Zadie was actually Number 539 in 1881, remaining in the Top 1000 for almost thirty years.
    • Ziva
      • Origin:

        Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "life"
      • Description:

        A zippy little international name. The Hebrew name relates to the month of Israeli independence. The Slavic Ziva (also spelled Živa and Siva) is a goddess of love, life and fertility.
    • Zuri
      • Origin:

        Kiswahili
      • Meaning:

        "good, beautiful"
      • Description:

        Zuri migrated, at least to American sensibilities, to the feminine side when an Ohio zoo used it for a female giraffe. For either gender, Zuri is an attractive name with the usual Z-initial zest.