I in the middle

  1. Damiyah
    • Edith
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "prosperous in war"
      • Description:

        Edith was a hugely popular name a hundred years ago that's being revived among stylish parents in Stockholm and London. It's currently beginning to gain traction in the US among those with a taste for old-fashioned names with a soft but strong image.
    • Elidi
      • Origin:

        Greek
      • Meaning:

        "gift of the sun"
      • Description:

        Elidi is intriguing but potentially confusing. Try the French Elodie instead.
    • Elina
      • Origin:

        Spanish, Italian, German, Greek, and English variation of Helen
      • Meaning:

        "bright, shining light"
      • Description:

        Elina is one of the many variations of mother name Helen to make the US Top 1000 list, and is given to around 300 girls each year. While it might blend in among the Helenas, Elenas, and Alinas, it might be a good way to go if you want the eh-lee-nuh pronunciation or the potential for nicknames Elle, Ellie, or Ella.
    • Elisa
      • Origin:

        Spanish and Italian, diminutive of Elizabeth
      • Description:

        Elisa may be one of the most appealing of this contingent of names, but the Elizabeth variations that start with A are heading up, the E versions down. Eliza is much more stylish these days than Elisa.
    • Elise
      • Origin:

        French variation of Elizabeth
      • Meaning:

        "pledged to God"
      • Description:

        Elise is one of those golden names that stylish but not TOO popular. Its appeal is due in large part to its French flair and to the love for El-names in general.
    • Eliya
      • Origin:

        Variation of Elijah or Aliyah, Hebrew; Arabic
      • Meaning:

        "Yahweh is god; rising, to ascend; heavens, highborn, exalted"
      • Description:

        Eliya may be thought of as a female variation on the popular Biblical boys' name Elijah or a spelling variation of the popular girls' name Aliyah. It may not rank among the US Top 1000 and it may cause some spelling and pronunciation confusion, but it does have genuine roots as a name.
    • Eliza
      • Origin:

        Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "pledged to God"
      • Description:

        Eliza is a name with a wonderful combination of streamlined zest and Eliza Doolittle charm and spunk. It's a classic that's popular right now -- but not too popular.
    • Elize
      • Elliott
        • Origin:

          Variation of Elliot
        • Meaning:

          "Jehovah is God"
        • Description:

          While Elliott and Elliot are well-established for boys, parents are now considering both these boy names for girls, too.
      • Ellison
        • Origin:

          English
        • Meaning:

          "son of Ellis"
        • Description:

          Updates Allison—which everyone will misunderstand it as. But it's definitely a fresh spin on the Ellie names, and a rising surname name choice for girls. It made its first appearance on the US Top 1000 in 2013.
      • Emily
        • Origin:

          Feminine variation of Emil, Latin
        • Meaning:

          "rival"
        • Description:

          Emily may have dropped somewhat in the current standings, but it was the most popular girls' name for over a decade because it appeals on many levels: Emily is feminine, classic, simple, pretty, and strong. Emily is Number 1 among Gen Z names. It also has those nice literary namesakes, like Emily Dickinson and Emily Brontë.
      • Emira
        • Origin:

          Feminine variation of Amir, Arabic
        • Meaning:

          "commander, prince"
        • Description:

          Emira is one of those pan-international names that feels pleasant enough but seems so unrooted to any one culture that it might as well be made up.
      • Erica
        • Origin:

          Norse, feminine form of Eric
        • Meaning:

          "eternal ruler"
        • Description:

          The straightforward Erica is a Norse feminization that was long associated with the complex, mega-popular character Erica Kane, played by Susan Lucci for decades on the soap opera All My Children. Used in Scandinavia since the early eighteenth century, where it was usually spelled Erika, it was in the Top 50 girls' list in the USA in the 1970s and eighties.
      • Erika
        • Origin:

          Spelling variation of Erica
        • Description:

          This is a more spunky and Nordic looking variant of Erica, but the k also makes the connection to the beautiful flower less apparent.
      • Faine
        • Origin:

          English
        • Meaning:

          "joyful"
        • Description:

          Faine is a very unusual one-syllable option.
      • Faith
        • Origin:

          Virtue name
        • Description:

          Faith is one of the most straightforward of the virtue names popularized by the Puritans in the seventeenth century, many parents still choosing it as an indicator of their religious conviction. Faith peaked in 2002 at Number 48.
      • Frida
        • Origin:

          German
        • Meaning:

          "peace"
        • Description:

          The dynamic personality and paintings of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo have inspired growing numbers of parents to resurrect this form of the name. It does much better in certain European countries, especially in Denmark and Norway. The Frieda and Freida spellings were more popular in the US until the middle of the 20th century.
      • Gabriella
        • Origin:

          Italian feminine variation of Gabriel
        • Meaning:

          "God is my strength"
        • Description:

          Gabriella is the feminine form of Gabriel, a name derived from the Hebrew Gavri’el. Gavri’el is composed of the elements gever, meaning "strong," and ’el, referring to God. Gabriella is used among a variety of cultures in the US, including Italian Americans, Latinos, and in the Jewish community. Gabriela is the Spanish spelling.
      • Gabrielle
        • Origin:

          French, feminine variation of Gabriel
        • Meaning:

          "God is my Strength"
        • Description:

          The quintessentially elegant and worldly Gabrielle -- designer Coco Chanel's real name -- is on its descent after years on the rise. Gabrielle was a hit in the 90s and early 2000s, peaking at number 46 in 1999. Popular nickname options include Gabby, Bri, and Brielle. Today Gabriella has taken over as the more popular version and still sits in the Top 100, while Gabrielle is soon to lose its spot in the Top 500. This follows a collective trend of "-a" ending version surpassing the more tailored versions, similar to how Daniela replaced Danielle.