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  1. Francesco
    • Origin:

      Italian variation of Francis
    • Description:

      Thanks to the inspiration of Pope Francis, Francesco has galloped to the front of the line to become the Number One boys' name in Italy. As Francesca has become a familiar and popular form of the name for girls in the wider world, so does the handsome Francesco have that potential for boys.
  2. Frank
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Francis or Franklin
    • Meaning:

      "Frenchman or free man"
    • Description:

      A Top 10 name from the 1880s until the 1920s, Frank has been falling for decades but last year reversed course for the first time in a century, edging up the popularity list a few notches. And Frank still has a certain warm, friendly real-guy grandpa flavor that could come back into style, like other such choices as Jake and Jack.
  3. Frankie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Frank, Francis, or Franklin
    • Description:

      Frankie is used in almost equal numbers for girls and boys these days. Fun fact: in 2015, it ranked Number 992 for both genders in the US. It is a highly popular boys' name in England and Wales.
  4. Henry
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "estate ruler"
    • Description:

      Henry is back. The classic Henry climbed back onto the Top 10 in the US in 2021 for the first time in over a century, and now stands at Number 8.
  5. India
    • Origin:

      Place name, from the River Indus
    • Description:

      Euphonious and long stylish in England, India was one of the fastest-rising names on the 2013 list, after jumping 240 spots back into the Top 1000.
  6. Ines
    • Origin:

      Italian, Portuguese, Slovene and Croatian variation of Agnes
    • Meaning:

      "pure, virginal"
    • Description:

      This form of Agnes, Ines has always been popular since the true story of the thwarted lovers Queen Ines of Castro and King Peter of Portugal. This has to be one of the most heartbreaking and bloody true romances in history!
  7. Ingrid
    • Origin:

      Norse
    • Meaning:

      "fair; Ing is beautiful"
    • Description:

      The luminous Ingrid Bergman's appeal was strong enough to lend universal charisma to this classic Scandinavian name, which has been somewhat neglected in the US. Even today, a child named Ingrid would be assumed to be of Scandinavian ancestry, signaling the name has never been fully integrated into the English lexicon the way other European choices from the same era like Danielle or Kathleen have.
  8. Ivan
    • Origin:

      Russian variation of John
    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"
    • Description:

      Though some might find it a bit heavy-booted, Ivan is one of the few Russian boys' names to become fully accepted into the American naming pool.
  9. Jasper
    • Origin:

      Persian
    • Meaning:

      "bringer of treasure"
    • Description:

      Jasper originated as a variation of the Latin Gaspar, which ultimately derived from the Persian word ganzabara, meaning "bringer of treasure." As a given name, Jasper’s etymology is unrelated to that of the gemstone, which comes from a Semitic word meaning "speckled stone." Jasper is the usual English form for one of the Three Wise Men who brought gifts to the infant Christ according to medieval tradition and appears in the Bible as a reference to the stone itself in Revelations 4:3.
  10. Josephine
    • Origin:

      French feminine variation of Joseph
    • Meaning:

      "Jehovah increases"
    • Description:

      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.
  11. Julian
    • Origin:

      English from Latin, variation of Julius
    • Meaning:

      "youthful, downy-bearded, or sky father"
    • Description:

      Cool and charming, with plenty of flair and sophistication, Julian manages to strike the balance between being a sensible classic and contemporary choice. Appealingly international, it is no wonder Julian is a rising star.
  12. Juliet
    • Origin:

      English from Latin
    • Meaning:

      "youthful or sky father"
    • Description:

      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?"
  13. Juno
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "queen of the heavens; young"
    • Description:

      Juno is an ancient name that feels as fresh as if it had been minted, well, not yesterday, but in 2007. Since the release of the popular indie film Juno, this lively but strong Roman goddess name has held new potential as a baby name. Currently in the UK Top 500 and used in The Netherlands too, Juno is on the rise in the US - and is 15 times more popular than it was before the release of the film.
  14. Karen
    • Origin:

      Danish variation of Katherine
    • Meaning:

      "pure"
    • Description:

      Karen is a Danish diminutive of Katherine, an English name derived from the Greek Aikaterine. The etymology of Aikaterine is contested, but generally considered to have arisen from the Greek root katharos, meaning "pure." Kaja is a related name, as it is another Danish variation of Katherine.
  15. Katerina
    • Origin:

      Macedonian, Czech, Russian, Bulgarian, and Greek form of Katherine
    • Description:

      Katerina and its near-identical twin Katarina have a pleasingly lilting European sound, though for some Americans they may be uncomfortably close to Katrina, which will be linked for a long time to the hurricane that devastated New Orleans.
  16. Katya
    • Origin:

      Russian, diminutive of Ekatarina, Russian variation of Katherine
    • Meaning:

      "pure"
    • Description:

      One of the warm and earthy Russian nickname names now coming into style. Denzel Washington gave his daughter the Katia spelling.
  17. Kimberly
    • Origin:

      English surname and place name
    • Meaning:

      "Cyneburga's meadow"
    • Description:

      Kimberly's heyday was in the 1960s and 70s, when it ranked among the Top 10. While it hasn't been stylish for decades, it's evidenced more staying power than some former hot girl names, remaining among the Top 300 girl names in the US, where it's stood for 70 years.
  18. Laszlo
    • Origin:

      Hungarian
    • Meaning:

      "glorious ruler"
    • Description:

      The Hungarian classic Laszlo, with its zippy 'z' middle and energetic 'o' ending, has become something of a hipster option, beginning to be considered by cutting-edge parents.
  19. Leander
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "lion-man"
    • Description:

      Leander is an almost unknown name with great potential as a possible alternative to the overused Alexander. In Greek legend, Leander was the powerful figure who swam across the Hellespont every night to visit his beloved Hero, a priestess of Venus.
  20. Leonardo
    • Origin:

      Italian and Spanish variation of Leonard, German
    • Meaning:

      "brave lion"
    • Description:

      For centuries this name was associated primarily with the towering figure of Italian Renaissance painter-scientist-inventor Leonardo da Vinci, and was scarcely used outside the Latin culture.