Abilene is a rarely used place name, mentioned as such in the New Testament, that combines the cowboy spunk of the Texas city with the midwestern morality of the Kansas town where Dwight D. Eisenhower spent his boyhood. Abilene is a much more untrodden path to the nickname Abbie/Abbie than the Top 10 Abigail.
 In 1857, Eliza Hersey named the frontier village of Abilene, Kansas after a vast plain described in Luke's gospel.
 Abilene is the title of a Sheryl Crow song, and the book The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate Dicamillo features a sweet character named Abilene.

Abilene

Adelbert

Almost like a fusion between vintage Audrey, bubbly Ruby, and unisex Avery, Aubrey has been a popular choice for girls since the mid 2000’s. 
Once an exclusively masculine name, Aubrey tipped towards feminine in 1974, and is now given to girls 96% of the time. 
Derived from the Old French name Auberi, a variant of Alberich, Aubrey means “elf ruler” or “elf king.” 
It was a common name for men in England during the Middle Ages and it saw a revival in the 19th century, with the artist and illustrator Aubrey Beardsley being a notable bearer. Across the pond in the US, it remained in the Top 400 for boys until the 50’s. 
Its shift into a mostly feminine name has been accredited to the release of the song “Aubrey” by the rock group Bread in 1972. Before the song was released, less than 10 girls were given the name every year, however, by 1973, it was in the Top 1000. 
David Gates, leader and music producer of the group. wrote the song after watching Breakfast at Tiffany’s, starring Audrey Hepburn, and it is likely that Aubrey stuck around due to its similarity to the cozy-but-stylish name of the actress. 
Besides the song, Aubrey might also be seen as following in the footsteps of names like Kelly, Leslie, Lindsay, and Shelby, historically masculine but used more often for girls from the 1940’s onwards. 
One of the most prominent bearers today is Aubrey Plaza, the deadpan comic actress and breakout star of the show Parks & Recreation. Child actress Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, TV Host Aubrey Miles and soccer player Aubrey Kingsbury are other notable wearers. 
In recent years, the once Top 20 name has seen a decline in popularity however, with newer entries such as Quinn, Aurora, and Emery rising to take its place. Nevertheless, Aubrey is climbing up the charts in England and Wales and is still given to 3000 babies in the US every year. 
Are you interested in Aubrey but still wanting to explore other options? You could consider Indigo, Ashby, Darby, Darcy, August, or Libby.

Aubrey

This form and its German variant Augusten are moving up fast as the preferred long forms of the trendy Gus.

Augustin

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

Avneet is a name usually seen in the Sikh Indian community. Actress Avneet Kaur is a notable bearer of this name.

Avneet

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

Rarely heard today-- it fell off the list around 1980--Bernice is a biblical name of Greek origin. In the Bible, she is a sister of King Agrippa. Bernice was a Top 100 name in the US for more than three decades--from 1900 to 1936--hitting a high of Number 39 in 1921. Last year in the US, fewer than 50 baby girls were named Bernice.
 The original spelling of the name was Berenice, the name of the wife of Ptolemy I of Egypt, and it's also the name of a fourth century saint. Berenice Abbott was an important twentieth century photographer, and Bernice was the birth name of Bea Arthur. One of F. Scott Fitzgerald's best remembered short stories is "Bernice Bobs her Hair."
 Bernice has a plethora of nicknames--you can take your pick of Berry, Benny, Bernie, Binnie and Bunny.

Bernice

Ever since the enormous German cannon was dubbed by Allied soldiers "Big Bertha" in World War I, this name hasn't worked for a sweet little baby girl. But this was not always so. Hard as it might be to imagine now, Bertha was a Top 100 name until the 1930s, and in the 1880s was the seventh most popular name in the land--the equal of Joseph.
 Bertha, aka Berchta, was a Teurtonic goddess borrowed from Norse mythology, regarded in her earliest incarnations as a beautiful and benevolent spirit. Bertha is an ancient Germanic name attached to the 6th century Saint Bertha of Kent, who was instrumental in the spread of Christianity, and it was the name of both the mother and daughter of Charlemagne. 
 In literature, Bertha Mason is the first wife of Rochester in Jane Eyre, and a character in Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth. The French version Berthe is represented by the French Impressionist painter Berthe Morisot. All in all, though, modern parents might do better to consider the Polish version, Berta.

Bertha

Caleb is an attractive Old Testament name that has been in the US Top 100 for nearly three decades now. Consistently popular but never too popular, Caleb feels more like a classic than a momentary trend.
 Caleb has two potential derivations, the first being from the Hebrew kelev, meaning "dog," and the second from the Hebrew components kal and lev, together meaning "whole heart." 
 
In the Old Testament Caleb is one of only two ancient Israelites (Joshua was the other) who set out from Egypt to finally enter the promised land. 
 
Caleb Garth is a character in George Eliot's Middlemarch. Caleb was the full name of James Dean's character Cal in East of Eden, and the name has also been heard on Desperate Housewives and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.Julianne Moore chose Caleb for her son, as did Bo Bice. The shortform Cale is also rising in popularity, and the current Kaleb spelling picks up on the K-to-C initial trend.

Caleb

Forget the oil. It's one of the twins that make up the constellation Gemini, and a mythological name on the cutting-edge of fashion; used by Metallica's James Hetfield. 

Castor

Cecilia is a lovely classic name deservedly enjoying a new turn in the sun. Always among the Top 500 girls' names in the US, Cecilia is now at its highest point ever.
 
Cecilia is a feminine form of Cecil, which was derived from a Roman clan name related to the Latin caecus, meaning "blind". While that may put some parents off, we say put that ancient meaning aside and focus on Cecilia's symbolic resonance in the contemporary world as a classy and classic name.
 
The martyred Saint Cecilia was designated the patron of musicians, either because she supposedly sang directly to God while the musicians played at her wedding, or because she sang to God as she was dying. The name was popularized in the Middle Ages as an homage to the Saint.
 On TV, the Cecelia spelling variation was the name chosen for Pam and Jim's baby on The Office; in real life the name of the daughters of Vera Wang and Soledad O'Brien.
 Cecilia is also a Dickens character name in Hard Times, and appears in the novels Atonement and The Virgin Suicides, and The Hunger Games series, as well as being the subject of a memorable Simon & Garfunkel song.
 Cecilia, Celia and Cecily are all nameberry faves. Cecelia is an accepted spelling variation you may want to consider if you plan to shorten the name to Celia or Cece.

Cecilia

Cleora is a now-extinct name (there were no babies named Cleora recorded in the U.S. in 2012) that achieved some standing in the early 20th century thanks to the craze for all things Egypt-related.  A range of Cleopatra diminutives, including Cleo, Cleora, Cleona, and Cleola, made the Top 1000 then as the ancient tombs were opened in Egypt.

Cleora

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

Cornelius, the New Testament name of a third century Pope and saint, is one of those venerable Latin names on the edge of consideration, despite the corny nickname alert. 
 Cornelius has some magical vibe via Cornelius Agrippa, a medieval alchemist who appears in scores of books, including Frankenstein and Harry Potter. In Christopher Marlowe's Dr. Faustus, Cornelius was one of the two magicians who help Faustus strike his bargain with the devil. Two characters of the name appear in Shakespeare's plays—Hamlet and Cymbeline. The most famous bearer of the name is probably railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who gave the appellation an aristocratic air. Cornelius is also the birth name of Chevy Chase.
 Cornelius was consistently in the top 1000 through 2008; it was a Top 300 name through 1932.
 And if you're put off by the short form Corny, you could consider Neely, the nickname of the young Cornelius in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

Cornelius

Dashiell, though missing from many other name sources, is among the hottest new names, chosen by such celebs as Cate Blanchett and author Helen (Bridget Jones) Fielding. With its great dash and panache, Dashiell is associated with detective writer Dashiell Hammett (born Samuel, as in Sam Spade, Dashiell being his mother's maiden name). Alice Cooper was ahead of the game: He named his son Dashiell in 1985.
 For those still confused about the pronunciation, it's kind of similar to castle or bashful. And anyone can pronounce Dash, which is such a dashing nickname.

Dashiell

In the 1930s, Dorothy left Kansas and landed in the Land of Oz; by the '80s she had become a Golden Girl, living in Miami with roommates Blanche and Rose, giving her a decidedly older image. But parents today seeking a quiet classic are bringing Dorothy back—she reentered the Top 1000 in 2011 after almost completely disappearing.
 Dorothy was once one of the most <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular names</a> in the US; she was in the Top 10 from 1904 to 1939, and held the Number 2 spot for eight years.
 Dorothy has been used in Britain since the sixteenth century and was so common there that nickname Dolly led to the word "doll." Many Brits are reviving the cute nickname Dot or Dottie.
 There are numerous worthy Dorothy namesakes, including essayist and wit Dorothy Parker; writer Dorothy L. Sayers; journalist Dorothy Thomson; social activist Dorothy Day; actresses Dorothy Gish, Dandridge, McGuire, and Lamour; and figure skater/haircut icon Dorothy Hamill. Actress Faye Dunaway was born Dorothy.
 Some parents now are favoring the more flowing, romantic variant Dorothea.

Dorothy

Edgar is an Old English name historically associated with the tenth century English king known as Edgar the Peaceful. There was also a King Edgar of Scotland.
 Edgar has been a stalwart on the US <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular names</a> lists, not dipping below the Top 400 until 2022, and is especially popular (as is Edgardo) with Latino families.
 Edgar plays a key role in King Lear and has had several distinguished namesakes, including artist Degas, Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs, and author and poet Edgar Allan Poe. In terms of style, however, most would rate it a distant third to Edward and Edmund. 
 Trivia tidbit: Joan Rivers' daughter Melissa named her son Edgar after her father, but he is called by his middle name Cooper.

Edgar

Edna is one of those names that, until what it seemed like a few minutes ago, felt so terminally frumpy that no one could imagine a parent choosing it for an innocent modern baby girl. But with the great upswing in names honoring ancestral family members, several of them being other four-letter, e-ending names, we wouldn't be so sure.
 Edna, which means delight, is a semi-biblical name--in the Apocrypha she is seen as a loving mother-- and was enormously popular in this country in the late nineteenth century, reaching as high as Number 11. It also relates to Eden--another, more contemporary sounding, option.
 Three literary bearers of the name are Edna St. Vincent Millay, Edna Ferber and Edna O'Brien, and to some the name might be identified with the campy character, Dame Edna Everage.

Edna

Elliot (which boasts several spellings depending upon how many 'l's or 't's you want to use) is a winner -- it has the ideal quality of being neither too common nor weirdly unique. Elliot had a style boost back in the early 1980s via the young hero of the movie E.T. , who was named Elliott. Since then there have been Elliots on Law & Order: SVU and Mad Men.
 Elliot namesakes include composer Carter, actor Gould, and photographer Erwitt.

Elliot

Ernest is one of those sober, so-far-out-they're-beginning-to-be-reconsidered Great Uncle names. Ernest recently received a big style boost when Britain's Princess Eugenie chose it for her second son.
 
Ernest was a Top 40 name from 1880 to 1926, and despite trending downward from there, hung onto the Top 1000 until 2019. But we may see the rise of Ernest again before long.
 Ernest is probably the only name a whole play was based on—Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest—in which one character says, "There is something in that name that seems to inspire absolute confidence. I pity any poor woman whose husband is not called Ernest."
 The most famous bearer of the name is novelist Ernest Hemingway—unless you want to count Bert's friend Ernie.
 Changing the spelling to Earnest makes it a male virtue name.

Ernest

Ferdinand, a traditional name in the royal families of Spain and a handsome young prince shipwrecked on Prosper's island in Shakespeare's The Tempest has, unfortunately, to the American ear a somewhat heavy and clumsy feel – most likely because of the bull connection. In the 1880's it was in the 200's on the US pop list, but has been off completely since 1986. 

 The sleeker Spanish and Portuguese version Fernando, on the other hand, is Number 253 (and 28 in Chile, 59 in Spain). An interesting Dutch spin: the short form Dinand, after a popular singer.
Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan was the first European to cross the Pacific and the first person to circumnavigate the earth.

Ferdinand

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

Frances, a soft and gentle classic last popular a hundred years ago, is trending again. The cool nickname Frankie is one reason for the revival of Frances, adding lightness and sass to a serious name.
Frances is the feminine form of Francis, the English variation of the Latin name Franciscus. Franciscus, meaning "Frenchman," was taken from the Germanic tribe the Franks, which got its name from the francisca, the axe they used in battle. Until the seventeenth century, the spellings Frances and Francis were used interchangeably for both sexes.
 
More recently, Frances started receiving new attention when it was chosen in the early 90s by Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love for their only child. It's been by such stylish parents as Jimmy Fallon and Amanda Peet (who nicknamed her daughter Frankie).
 
Frances was a favorite of the Tudor aristocracy after being given to Henry VII's granddaughter. St. Frances (Mother) Cabrini was the first American citizen to be canonized.
 
Some of the best known pop culture bearers of the name were known by diminutives—the Franny of J.D. Salinger's Franny and Zooey, Francie in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Frankie in A Member of the Wedding, Baby in Dirty Dancing, and Gidget in Gidget. Traditional nickname Fran feels a bit bland and Fanny, though possessing some eighteenth century charm, is unusable in Britain and Australia where it is slang for female genitalia.
 Frances is the endearing badger in the childhood favorite Bedtime for Frances and other Frances books.
 Among well known bearers are Frances Perkins, Secretary of Labor in the Roosevelt era; actresses McDormand, Dee, Farmer, and Fisher; journalist Fitzgerald; and writers Burney and Hodgson Burnett.
 Frances was the abandoned first name of Judy Garland, Dinah Shore, and Dale Evans.
 Some attractive foreign versions are the increasingly popular Francesca, Francoise, Franca, Fanya, and Francine.
 Frances began trending upward before Pope Francis was named in 2013, but that helped propel it up further than this somewhat sedate classic name might have gone on its own.

Frances

Historically a short form of Sophronia, but these days more likely to be used for Saffron.

Fronnie

Though twin brother Gerald is still in baby name limbo, Geraldine is in line to follow the path of Josephine to imminent revival—even though Gerry is not as spunky a nickname as Josie.
 Geraldine was at its hottest from the 1910s through the forties, peaking at Number 38 in 1931. It was invented in the time of Henry VIII by a noble poet who fell in love with a Lady Elizabeth Fitzgerald and, taking off from her surname, referred to her as the "Faire Geraldine."
 Geraldine has the distinction of being the name of the first woman to be a major party vice presidential candidate, Geraldine Ferraro. Other notable bearers include actors Fitzgerald, Chaplin, and Page, and Spice Girl Geri Halliwell.
 Trivia notes: Geraldine is the middle name of Ramona Quimby. And Geraldine was the name of the sassy female character played by Flip Wilson on his popular TV variety show.

Geraldine

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

Harvey, which was brought to England by the Normans and is a version of the French name Herve, is a genial, old-timey name that has been much more popular across the pond. It has been a Top 100 choice in England & Wales since 1997.

 In the US, Harvey is an under-the-radar classic which currently sits just below the Top 400. It has been climbing steadily since the early 2000s, with only a slight dip following two of the biggest bad-news stories of 2017, the Hurricane Harvey and convicted sexual offender Harvey Weinstein. Since then, the name has bounced back – a tribute to Harvey's classic charm.

 Harvey previously had a respectable run as a Top 100 name in the US in the late nineteenth and early decades of the twentieth century.

Harvey

Harvie

In the USA, Hattie is one of those nicknames that is now more popular than its parent name, Harriet. In England, however, Harriet is still by far more popular than Hattie, while in Australia, Harriet is highly popular while no data exists on Hattie. In the US, we’d like to see Harriet get more usage but we’re happy to see Hattie again.
 Hattie was popular at the end of the nineteenth century, in the Top 50 from 1880 to 1900, along with other similar nickname names like Lottie and Letty. It fell off the list in 1969, to return in 2011, the year of Hattie McDermott's birth.
 Hattie McDaniel was the first African-American to be awarded an Academy Award, in 1940, for her role in Gone With the Wind. Hattie was the name of the sweet, simple protagonist in Woody Allen's 1999 film Sweet and Lowdown; Hattie (born Henriette) Carnegie was a well-known twentieth century fashion designer.

Hattie

The striking Ignatius is making a truly surprising comeback, sparked by its selection by not one but two celebrities — Cate Blanchett and Julianne Nicholson. With its fiery qualities and magical feel, Ignatius might just fit in with Blaze, Griffin, Ember, or Atticus.
 
While Ignatius is now associated with fire, it originally derived from the Ancient Etruscan Egnatius, a name of unknown meaning. The spelling was changed to make it closer to the sound-alike Latin word, ignis, and thus, the fire meaning was born.
 
The name of several saints including the founder of the Catholic Jesuit order, Ignatius was once reasonably well-used in the US, ranking in the Top 1000 in the early 20th century. Out of favor since 1930, it has been slowly trending upwards since the early 2000s, and as of 2023, it is given to around 90 boys each year.
 
Other notable bearers include: Charles Ignatius Sancho, a writer, abolitionist, composer, and the subject of a recent novel by Paterson James; Ignatius James, an Australian singer and producer; Ignatius Jones, a Fillipino-Australian rock singer and journalist; and Ignatius Ganago, a Cameroonian footballer. Writer of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Arthur Conan Doyle, also has Ignatius as a middle name. 
 
One big selling point of Ignatius is that despite its grandeur, it has several down-to-earth nicknames: Iggy, Nate, and Nash. Plus, the Spanish variation, Ignacio, is long-standing feature in the US Top 1000, so while Ignatius might be rare, its close relative is definitely not. 
 
Love Ignatius but can't quite commit to it? You could consider Indigo or Inigo with the nickname Iggy, or a similar-but-more-popular choice, like Azarius, Ozias, Ziggy, or Elias.

Ignatius

Ike, once the quirky one-person nickname of President Dwight Eisenhower, has morphed into a cool kid nickname of the early 21st century. 

The rise of Isaac and the stylishness of short down-to-earth nicknames like Max and Gus means that many parents like Ike once again. In the Top 200 (!) at the end of the 19th century, Ike fell off the Social Security Top 1000 by the end of Eisenhower's presidency in the late 1950s.

We do foresee the comeback of Ike, bur probably as a short form of Isaac or Isaiah.

Isla is hot, Iona is cool – maybe it's time Iola got a second look? Last heard from on Carol Burnett's Mama's Family show, Iola feels like just the sort of uncommon, vowel-rich, vintage name that should be ripe for rediscovery.

Iola

Iphigeneia

Isaac has shaved off his biblical beard and leaped into the upper echelon of popular boys' names, outrunning cousin Isaiah. A favorite of the Puritans, Isaac has never dipped below Number 400 on the US list of top boy names.
 Isaac evolved from the name Yitzchaq, derived from the Hebrew word tzachaq, meaning "to laugh." In the Old Testament, Isaac was the long-awaited son of the elderly Sarah and 100-year-old Abraham, so old that their news provoked laughter, giving the name its meaning. Isaac is used as a given name among Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike.
 
A baby given this name can point to many distinguished namesakes, including Isaacs (and Izaaks) Newton, Walton, Bashevis Singer, Asimov, Stern, Hayes, and Hanson.
 
Isaac also boasts the cute nicknames of Izzy — now shared, however, with a bevy of Isabellas — and Ike.

Isaac

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

Josephine, with its large measure of class and character and a gently offbeat quality, has been on a gentle uphill climb in the US for over 30 years, now ranking in the Top 100. With an intriguing number of vivacious nicknames, from Jo to Josie to Fifi to Posy, Josephine is a Nameberry favorite.
 
Josephine is the feminine form of Joseph, a name ultimately derived from the Hebrew Yosef, meaning "Jehovah increases." In French it has an accent over the first E, which was omitted in the English, German, and Dutch translations of the name. Empress Joséphine du Beauharnais was born Marie-Josephe-Rose, but called Josephine by her husband, Napolean Bonaparte.
 
Josephine Baker (born Freda), the American-French singer, dancer, and civil rights activist, is a potential namesake.
 Some of the Josephines in literature and recent pop culture are known by their nicknames—the admirably headstrong Jo in Little Women, Joey Potter (played by Katie Holmes) in Dawson's Creek, and Josie of Josie and the Pussycats. In Some Like it Hot, Josephine was the nom de femme of Tony Curtis.
 Josephines have been the subjects of countless songs, performed by artists ranging from Fats Domino to Tori Amos to the Black Crowes.

Josephine

St. Kateri Teckakwitha is the first Native American saint, canonized in 2012.  St. Kateri was the daughter of a Mohawk warrior, born in 1656 in upstate New York.  She converted to Christianity at age 20 and died at 24, and was known as "Lily of the Mohawk."  Kateri was the name the saint took on, a native variation of Katherine, upon her baptism.

Kateri

Lavinia is a charmingly prim and proper Victorian-sounding name which actually dates back to classical mythology, where it was the name of the wife of the Trojan hero Aeneas, who was considered the mother of the Roman people.
 Later literary bearers include the protagonist's daughter in Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus (which has the line "She is Lavinia, therefore must be lov'd"), the heroine of G.B. Shaw's Androcles and the Lion, and characters in David Copperfield, Henry James' Washington Square, and the contemporary The Hunger Games and Downton Abbey--and Lavinia was also used by Thackeray, T. S. Eliot, and by Ursula Le Guin for an eponymous novel.
 Trivia tidbit: Lavinia was Ava Gardner's middle name.
With its vintage nickname Vinnie, Lavinia might well appeal to parents who favor lavender-tinged names like Amelia and Matilda and Maude.

Lavinia

Lucinda, an elaboration of Lucia created by Cervantes for his 1605 novel Don Quixote, is a pleasingly pretty alternative to Lucy. It was subsequently used by Moliere in his play The Doctor in Spite of Himself' (1666). More in tune with the times than Linda, Belinda and Melinda, it could be used to honor someone with one of those dated names. 
 Lucinda was a Top 200 name in the late nineteenth century, but hasn't been on the charts for more than 25 years--which could make her ripe for revival.
 One appealing namesake is country-rock-blues singer Lucinda Williams. Similar in feel: Lucilla and Lucetta.

Lucinda

Mae, a sweet and springlike old-fashioned name, hadn't been on the national charts in forty years, but finally made it back in 2010. Mae is derived from May, the month name that was chosen for its connection to Maia, the Roman goddess of growth and motherhood. 
 
Mae can be used as a nickname for the names Mary and Margaret — actress Mae West was born Mary. Alternate spellings include May, Mei, and Maye. The May spelling makes it more of a month name, while Mae makes it an antique nickname name. Both can stand on their own, as seen by Hilary Duff's choice of Mae as her daughter's first name.
 Mae along with twin sister May is now one of the prettiest and most popular middle name options for girls (Eric Clapton has an Ella Mae, Greg Kinnear an Audrey Mae, Ian Ziering a Penna Mae). 
 
A Top 100 name through 1920, Mae was big in early film history — there were leading actresses named Mae Clarke, Mae Marsh, Mae Busch, and Mae Murray. Towering over them (figuratively) was Mae West, who changed the name from sweet to sophisticated. Madonna also played a character called Mae in the 1992 movie A League of Their Own.
 
Mae Jemison was the first African-American woman to travel in space. Mae Whitman is a rising young actress seen recently on Parenthood and Arrested Development.
 
It may be worth noting that Mãe is the Portuguese word for mother, so if you've got Brazilian or Portuguese relatives, it's probably best to stick to May or Mei.

Scottish Marjorie and her English twin Margery were early twentieth century favorites that date back to medieval times, when it was popular among the royals. They were at their height in the 1920s, when they were seen as more lively versions of the old standard. Marjorie was always the preferred spelling, in the Top 25 from 1920 to 1927.
 One notable namesake is Marjorie Stinson, a pioneering aviator who was the first female airline pilot. Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings was the author of the moving novel The Yearling and Margery Williams's name is on the cover of kiddie favorite The Velveteen Rabbit—and there's always the old nursery rhyme "See-Saw, Margery Daw."
 Nickname Margie was seen as a prime pert teenager moniker in movies and such vintage TV shows as My Little Margie. Marge is strongly associated with Homer Simpson's wife. Jorie might make for a fresher nickname these days.
 Though Margery and Marjorie endured time off the popularity lists recently, their three syllables and "ee" ending make them a modern possibility.
 Marjorie could have possibly faded with advent of the word "margarine."

Marjorie

Marvin has been neglected for so long that it's hard to believe that it has windswept Welsh roots. It also has some strong namesakes going for it -- singer Marvin Gaye, composer Marvin Hamlisch and boxer Marvin Hagler. It's the real name of both Neil Simon and Meatloaf. And let's not forget mention Marvin Gardens on Monopoly. 
 Marvin has made appearances on The Simpsons, Weeds and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy -- and was more recently bestowed on the baby in How I Met Your Mother.

Marvin

Matilda is a sweet vintage name that has been gently climbing the popularity list for the past 15 years, after a half-century slumber. The spunky children's book heroine Matilda is one factor in its rise, along with others of its class like Eloise and Caspian.

The comeback of Matilda, one of the most stylish girls' names starting with M, has been prompted by a boomlet of starbaby Matildas, beginning with chef Gordon Ramsey's in 2002 and Moon Unit Zappa's two years later. But the renaissance of this name of the charming Roald Dahl heroine was assured when Michelle Williams and the late Heath Ledger chose Matilda for their daughter. 
 Matilda was introduced to the English-speaking world by the eleventh century Matilda of Flanders, queen of William the Conqueror, then used for his granddaughter, known as Maud. In literature, Matilda appeared in Dickens's Nicholas Nickleby.
<p.>Trivia tidbit: The Matilda in the Australian song 'Waltzing Matilda' refers not to a person but to the knapsacks that swing, or waltz, on the backs of itinerant laborers as they walk along.
 Highly popular in England and Australia, Matilda has a choice of great nicknames: Tillie for the bold, Mattie for the shy, Tilda for the slightly more eccentric, such as Tilda Swinton, born Katherine Matilda.
 Molly Ringwald used the spelling Mathilda for her daughter.

Matilda

This once perfectly respectable surname has suffered decades of abuse, not least by Jerry Lewis's character in the fifties. NFL running back Melvin Gordon stars for the Los Angeles Chargers.

Melvin

When scientists do research on the effects of an unpopular name, we're afraid that Mildred is one of the examples they cite, often in tandem with Bertha and Gertrude. But with cute nickname Millie on the rise, anything's possible.
 Mildred is an ancient Anglo-Saxon name that became popularized in England via an eighth century saint. In the US, she was a Top 10 choice from 1903 to 1926. A literary/cinematic Mildred is James M.Cain's noir protagonist Mildred Pierce, portrayed on screen by Joan Crawford in an iconic role. Mildred Bailey was a great jazz singer.

Mildred

Mintie

Part of the vogue for French-sounding names in the 1920s and 30s, Nadine has been replaced by the Russian sound of Nadia and Natasha. 

Nadine

Bygone nickname for Penelope. Try Penny, Nellie, or Poppy today.

Neppie

Ocie is yet another antiquated ie-ending short form that was popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s and now has almost dropped from sight.

Almost, but not quite. Eleven baby girls were named Ocie in the US last year. Though theoretically unisex, no baby boys were given the name.

What's Ocie short for? Ocean in all its forms is the most likely long form, though some sources say Octavia or Octavio, meaning eighth. Though the pronunciation oh-see rather than ocky would suggest otherwise.

Ocie

Octavia began as the Latin, then Victorian name for an eighth child. While there aren't many eighth children anymore, this ancient Roman name has real possibilities as a substitute for the overused Olivia; recommended for its combination of classical and musical overtones. It was chosen for his daughter by Kevin Sorbo. 
 Octavia has a rich history and literary pedigree. Commonly used in the Roman Imperial family, one first century BC Octavia was the daughter of Claudius, sister of the Emperor Augustus and the second, pre-Cleopatra, wife of Mark Antony (she appears in Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra), while another ancient Octavia was the teenage wife of Nero. The British civic reformer Octavia Hill actually was an eighth daughter.
 The name came into the spotlight recently via Octavia Spencer, who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her strong performance in The Help. And Octavia is part of Cinna's prep team for Katniss Everdeen during the 74th and 75th Hunger Games.
 Octavia is also a First Daughter name as the child of President Zachary Taylor.

Octavia

Oscar is one of the most stylish Old Man Names of our era. While it's softened slightly in popularity over the past 20 years, that may be considered a very good thing.
 
In the nineties and the aughties, Oscar looked to be one of the grandpa names heading straight for the top of the charts, ala Elijah or Theodore. But instead of rising into the Top 100, Oscar has settled into that comfortable place between being too far in or out.
 
Oscar has Irish and Norse roots—Norse Oscar comes from the Old English Osgar, a variation of the Old Norse name Ásgeirr. The Irish form was derived from the Gaelic elements os, meaning "deer," and car, "loving." In Irish legend, Oscar was one of the mightiest warriors of his generation, the son of Ossian and the grandson of Finn Mac Cumhaill (MacCool).
 
Oscar also has remarkable international versatility. In addition to being a top name in Sweden, where it has royal connection, Oscar ranks high on popularity lists in all the English-speaking countries as well as in France, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, and other European and Latin American countries.
 
Actors Hugh Jackman and Gillian Anderson chose Oscar for their sons.Famous Oscars include Wilde (whose given name was Fingal), Isaac, Madison, Hammerstein, Peterson, de la Renta, the Academy Award, and the Grouch.

Oscar

Despite the success of so many O-starting <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys names</a>--Oliver, Owen, Otis, Oscar--Oswald has not yet shown any signs of resurrection, though he does have the animating nicknames Ozzie/Ozzy and Oz. The name has some literary cred--in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, Shakespeare's King Lear and a novel by H. G.Wells--and there was early cartoon character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.

Oswald

Penelope is an unlikely 21st century baby name success story. Off the Top 1000 for 25 years, Penelope jumped back on in 2001 and has been heading uphill ever since, propelled by the trend for mythological names, Spanish actress Penelope Cruz, and some high-profile celebrity babies. 
 
In Greek mythology, Penelope was the wife of Odysseus in Homer’s Odyssey. It has two possible origin stories—Penelope was either derived from the Greek pēnē, meaning "thread of a bobbin", or from penelops, a type of duck. Mythological Penelope was cared for by a duck as an infant, and later was known for fending off would-be suitors by pretending to weave a garment.
 
Penelope's status as a Kardashian baby name -- Kourtney's daughter Penelope was born in 2012 -- brought the ancient name to widespread attention. The most popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/p">girls' name starting with P</a>, Penelope was also picked for their girls by Tina Fey, by Anna Chlumsky, and by Natalie and Taylor Hanson, of the group Hanson. 
 Penelope has several British novelists as namesakes—Penelopes Fitzgerald, Mortimer, Gilliatt, and Lively. And yes, she's also a Harry Potter character: Penelope "Penny" is a student at Hogwarts.
 A perennial Nameberry favorite, Penelope can be shortened to the traditional Penny or -- Berry style -- the fresher Nell or Poppy.

Penelope

There are several Percivals scattered through the Harry Potter series, which might help transform the old-fangled, fussy image it has accrued. Actually, the original Percival was the one perfectly pure Knight of the Round Table, a worthy hero. The name was invented in the twelfth century by a poet named Chretien de Troyes, for his ideal knight in the poem Percevale, a Knight of King Arthur. 
 Percival is found in other forms of literature as well, including Wilkie Collins's The Woman in White, and Tennyson's "Idylls of the King" contains a section devoted to Sir Percival. Wagner transformed the name to Parsifal for his opera.
 Percy, which seems like a nickname for Percival but is really a stand-alone Norman place name, is beginning to attract some favorable attention from cutting-edge namers.

Percival

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.
 Piper has been chosen by several celebs for their daughters, including Gillian Anderson and Cuba Gooding, Jr., and is now one of the top <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/p">girls' names starting with P</a>.
 One of the first Pipers on the scene was Piper Laurie (born Rosetta), after whom actress Piper Perabo was named.

Piper

Poppy, unlike most floral names which are sweet and feminine, has a lot of spunk. Long popular throughout the rest of the English-speaking world, Poppy is finally starting to rise toward the top in the US, where it entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2016.

 British TV chef Jamie Oliver used the name for his eldest daughter, Poppy Honey Rosie, as did Anthony Edwards, Jessica Capshaw, and Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer. A notable adult Poppy is Australian Without a Trace star Poppy Montgomery (full name Poppy Petal Emma Elizabeth – she and her sisters are all named after flowers: Lily, Daisy, Marigold and Rosie).

 Due to the flower's bold crimson color, Poppy makes an especially good choice for a redhead. In the UK, it is a traditional <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/605/names-for-november-babies">name for November babies</a>, due to the flower's association with Remembrance Day (Nov 11), honoring the memory of members of the Armed Forces who have died in the line of duty.

 Other Poppy-like names to consider: Pippa, Piper, Posey and Petal.

Poppy

Reza

Riley—an upbeat, friendly surname name—is red hot for girls and still going strong for boys. If you haven't been spending much time around babies recently, you may be surprised to learn that Riley is the most popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/r">girls' name starting with R</a> and also the Number 1 <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/753/best-irish-girl-names">Irish name for girls</a> in the US.
 
Riley originated as both an English and an Irish surname. The former was derived from British place names that got their names from the Old English words for "rye clearing." Irish Riley is a variation of Reilly, a surname taken from the given name Raghailleach.
 Rylee, Ryleigh, and other variations are also quite popular, along with the traditional Reilly. Riley is one of the most popular contemporary <a href="https://nameberry.com/unisex-names">unisex baby names</a>, ALWAYS ranking in the Top 1000 for boys but now more popular for girls.
 Newsperson Norah O'Donnell has a daughter named Riley Norah.

Riley

Ruth, with its air of calm and compassion, was the third most popular name in the 1890s, remaining in the Top 10 through the 1920s. It's still in use today as some parents tiring of Rachel and Rebecca are giving Ruth a second thought. Some see such Old Testament <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ names</a> as Ruth and Esther rising on the heels of boy equivalents Abel and Moses.
 The biblical Ruth was the loyal and devoted daughter-in-law of Naomi who, when electing to leave her people and stay with the older woman, speaks the famous lines, "Whither thou goest, I will go."
 Ruth has had numerous notable namesakes, from Supreme Court justice Ginsburg to crime writer Rendell to sexologist Dr. Ruth Westheimer.

Ruth

A name some people first encountered in the old children's book series The Five Little Peppers, in which Sophronia, the youngest of the Peppers is nicknamed Phronsie.`It was also used by Dickens in two of his novels: The Old Curiosity Shop and Our Mutual Friend.
 An archaic option for elaborating on Sophie/Sophia.

Sophronia

Spencer is a name that has everything: it's both distinguished sounding and accessible, dignified but Spencer Tracy-like friendly. Picked by several celebrities (a couple of times even for a girl), adding up to an enthusiastically recommended choice.
 As a family surname, Spencer became the middle name of Winston Churchill, and was the maiden name of Princess Diana. The surname version was often spelled Spenser in the past, as in Edmund Spenser, the poet known for The Faerie Queene.
 The protagonist of Henry James's short story The Jolly Corner" is Spencer Brydon.

Spencer

This feminine form of Theodosius has long been buried deep in the attic, but might be a good discovery for the parent who wants to move beyond Theodora. Vice President Aaron Burr named a daughter Theodosia ("Dear Theodosia" is a song in the smash musical Hamilton), and it was the birth name of silent screen vamp Theda Bara. Theodosia actually appeared on the US popularity lists in the 1880s and 90s.

Theodosia

The popular appeal of the strong, intelligent Saint Teresa of Avila, combined with the selfless compassion of the more recent Mother Teresa, have fused to give this second-tier classic a somewhat noble, religious image. Although the origins of the name are uncertain, it has been prevalent particularly in forms Theresa, Teresa, and Therese throughout Europe for centuries. 
 Mother Teresa was born Anjeze/Agnese Gonxhe; when taking her vows, she chose to be named after Thérèse de Lisieux, the patron saint of missionaries, but because another nun in the convent had already chosen that name, she opted for the Spanish spelling Teresa.
 A Top 100 name until the 1960s, reaching Number 32 in 1956, Theresa fell off the list completely in 2011, while the sleeker Teresa still holds at Number 719; it was as high as Number 18 from 1961 to 1963.
 Currently, a leading character on The Mentalist is Teresa Lisbon.
 Short forms Tess,Tessa, Tressa, or Tea are more popular now than the old Terry or Tracy. An interesting variation is Tereza, as in Milan Kundera's The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Mia Farrow's sister Theresa is known as Tisa.

Theresa

Actress Tilda Swinton injected this dated nickname name with some modern charm. 

Tilda

Innocent, sincere, and bright-eyed, and as outdated as its mother name, Gertrude. 

Trudy

Charming Gallic name uncommon in France, and unknown in this country, with literary credibility as the title of a Charlotte Brontë novel. 

Villette

Wren, a lilting songbird name, could be the next Robin. Wren entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2012 and is among the new wave of popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/501/english-names-for-girls">English names for girls</a>.
 Wren makes a particularly pleasing middle name choice, as does her newly discovered cousin Lark. But it's more popular as a middle name than you might think, the quirkier cousin of Rose.
 This petite bird was regarded in Ireland as the "magician of the birds" and the Druids considered it a bird of prophecy. Thanks to an early fable, it has also been known as King of the Birds.
 For architects there's the link to the great Sir Christopher Wren, the celebrated eighteenth century designer of London's St. Paul's Cathedral.

Wren

Xanthipe, also spelled Xanthippe, is the name of the wife of Socrates. Challenging for English speakers, it's also dramatic and alluring.

Interesting Favies