Joyous Names

The surname of enterprising journalist Nellie Bly and poet Robert Bly makes a simple, modern, and upbeat sounding choice for either a boy or a girl.

Blythe originated as a nickname for an upbeat person, coming from the Old English word bliðe, meaning "merry" or "cheerful." Today the homophone blithe shares the same meaning. Blythe was eventually adapted to a surname before it became a feminine given name.

Rare word name that works for either gender.

Bright is a rare yet intriguing word name used for a female character in Ann Patchett's novel The Dutch House.

With its word name style and two equally lovely meanings, Brilliance could be one to watch.

A new aspirational name with two shining meanings.

Slightly awkward girl's version of a straightforward male name.

Like Brighton, but without the brightness.

Chara is the name of a star in a constellation that represents hunting dogs, recently named as one of the most likely to host extraterrestrial life. Also, Chara is a variation of both Sarah and Charlotte.

A lucky word name that started to rise out of obscurity in the 2010s. Like Dream and True, Charm could be just one celebrity baby away from becoming a big trend.

This name was used by Shakespeare (who got it from Plutarch) in Antony and Cleopatra for one of the attendants of the Egyptian queen. An interesting possibility, it is heard occasionally in the UK, even less frequently in the US.

Thanks to associations with Prince Charming, this name has only ever been recorded for boys. It first made the charts in 2015.

This simplified spelling of Claire does not improve on the more popular version.

A combination name that might be dismissed as a clown and cow name. The sounds are nevertheless pretty and the meaning is good - though spellings Claribel or Clarabel might help distance it from the cow association.

This is the original, more prosaic spelling, but the airier Claire now dominates.

The name of the guardian angel in It's a Wonderful Life is rarely heard the rest of the year because of its studious, near-nerdy image, but this could change in the current naming climate.

A joyful Yoruba name which would be perfect for a long-awaited baby.

Sam Branson (son of businessman Sir Richard Branson) and his wife put this pretty place name on the baby name map when they called their daughter Eva-Deia in 2015. Their inspiration was the beautiful bohemian village of Deià in Mallorca, where the Branson family has a luxury residence.

Eila is a Hebrew name heard in Israel, and could be due for wider consideration thanks to sound-alike sisters Ayla, Ella, and Isla.

This old Scottish form of Helen has had quite a history, going from appearing as one of the shining heroines of the Arthurian legends, the princess who fell in love with Sir Lancelot and became the mother of Sir Galahad, referred to as 'Elaine the fair' and 'Elaine the lovable', to being the name of the most famous of New York's celebrity restaurants, to being the archetypal New York neurotic on Seinfeld.