MiaLen's list of names

  1. Lyla
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Lila, Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "night"
    • Description:

      The Lyla spelling variation has now superseded the original Lila — the former remains on the rise while the latter is consistently falling in popularity.
  2. Mae
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Mary or Margaret, Hebrew, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "beloved, bitter, drop of the sea; pearl"
    • Description:

      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.
  3. Maisie
    • Origin:

      Scottish diminutive of Margaret or Mary
    • Meaning:

      "pearl or bitter"
    • Description:

      Maisie, a charming name long popular as a nickname for Margaret or Mary, entered the Top 1000 as itself ten years ago and continues to rise. Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams helped propel the name back into the limelight, along with the that of her character, Arya.
  4. Millie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Mildred or Millicent
    • Meaning:

      "gentle strength; strong in work"
    • Description:

      Millie is back. It's a Top 100 name throughout much of the English-speaking world, though not yet in the US. Millicent would be an appealing long form, but many people are using Millie all by its cute self -- so many, in fact, that it returned to the Top 500 in 2015 for the first time since World War 2 and continues to climb.
  5. Nellie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Helen, Ellen, and Eleanor, English, Swedish
    • Description:

      This sweet nickname name has seen a recent revival in the US, breaking the Top 1000 in 2019 for the first time in 40 years. By 2023, Nellie became one of the fastest rising girl names, chasing sister name Eleanor up the charts. Nellie is an elaboration of Nell, a medieval diminutive of names starting with El, such as Eleanor and Ellen. It may have arisen from the affectionate phrase "mine El" which was later reinterpreted as "my Nel".
  6. Oakley
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "oak wood or clearing"
    • Description:

      Oakley, with its nature name roots and its Annie Oakley charm, is a hot name for both genders but more than twice as popular for girls. This name made it into the Top 1000 for the first time in 2013, one of only four girl names starting with O to rank that high. A decade letter, it's aiming for the Top 100.
  7. Paisley
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "church, cemetery"
    • Description:

      For a name related to a Scottish town, a patterned Indian fabric, and a country singer named Brad, Paisley has seen remarkable success. After appearing, seemingly out of nowhere, it is now an American favorite.
  8. 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.
  9. Presley
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "priest's meadow"
    • Description:

      Presley is a much more popular name for little girls than you might think, entering the charts as a girls' name in 1998 and hovering around Number 200 for the last decade.
  10. Quincy
    • Origin:

      French from Latin
    • Meaning:

      "estate of the fifth son"
    • Description:

      Quincy is a Presidential surname name that actually sounds both cute and strong when used for a girl. For the first time ever, Quincy joined the Top 1000 roster for girls in 2023, given to over 250 baby girls that year.
  11. Raine
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "queen"
    • Description:

      Attracted attention as the stepmother of Princess Diana.
  12. Rainee
    • Remi
      • Origin:

        French, variation of Remy
      • Meaning:

        "oarsman"
      • Description:

        Adorable name that's fashionable and keeps gaining momentum. Remi entered the US Top 1000 in 2013 and is now approaching the Top 100. The Remi spelling is more popular for girls, while Remy is more popular for boys, both both spellings are in the Top 1000 for both genders. That's a remarkable success story for a name that, in the late 1900s, was given to only a handful of babies in the US.
    • Riley
      • Origin:

        English, Irish
      • Meaning:

        "rye clearing; courageous"
      • Description:

        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 girls' name starting with R and also the Number 1 Irish name for girls in the US.
    • Sadie
      • Origin:

        Diminutive of Sarah
      • Meaning:

        "princess"
      • Description:

        Sadie started as a nickname for Sarah, but their images couldn't be more disparate. Where Sarah is serious and sweet, Sadie is full of sass and fun.
    • Sawyer
      • Origin:

        English occupational name
      • Meaning:

        "woodcutter"
      • Description:

        Sawyer is one of the top unisex names, used for their daughters by such parents as Sara Gilbert, co-host of The Talk and former actress on Roseanne, currently on The Conners.
    • Saylor
      • Origin:

        Surname-name or spelling variation of Sailor
      • Meaning:

        "ropemaker; dancer, acrobat; boatman"
      • Description:

        Currently in the US Top 300, Saylor finds the middle ground between the popular and unisex Taylor, and the more unexpected, wordier Sailor. In fact, it is currently used more often than either of its sound-alikes.
    • Scout
      • Origin:

        Word name
      • Meaning:

        "one who gathers information covertly"
      • Description:

        Scout, a character nickname from To Kill a Mockingbird (her real name was Jean Louise), became a real-life possibility when Bruce Willis and Demi Moore used it for their now-grown middle daughter, followed by Tom Berenger a few years later. A unisex choice that is growing in popularity for both genders—but given to girls about four times more often than to boys—it was picked by skater Tai Babilonia for her son and Kerri Walsh for her daughter Scout Margery.
    • Tilly
      • Origin:

        Diminutive of Matilda
      • Meaning:

        "battle-mighty"
      • Description:

        A favorite in England and Wales where nicknames as given names are very much the norm, Tilly has the potential to catch on in the US, given its similarity to the popular Lily and Ellie and the rising stars Millie, Billie, Kallie, and Nellie.
    • Willa
      • Origin:

        Feminine variation of William
      • Meaning:

        "resolute protection"
      • Description:

        Willa has become increasingly fashionable, with its combination of Willa (born Wilella) Cather-like pioneer strength and the graceful beauty of the willow tree.