*1 list you'll never forget (a list of interesting names)
- Annia
Origin:
Latin, female variation of AntoniusMeaning:
"priceless one"Description:
An ancient Roman name that has never made it into the modern world.
- Annora
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"honor"Description:
Annora is a noble name, a distinctive twist on its most essential form: Honor. Other variations to explore include Honora and Nora.
- Ansley
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"clearing with a hermitage"Description:
Ashley alternative climbing up the baby names charts, probably due to the trendy ley/leigh ending and its similar-but-different status to the more popular Ainsley.
- Anthony
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"from Antium"Description:
Substantial, strong, and enduring, Anthony has remained a perennially popular name over the last century. With just a hint of playfulness and just a touch of clunky-coolness, Anthony is a versatile choice that seems comfortable anywhere.
- Arabella
Origin:
Latin, ScottishMeaning:
"yielding to prayer; lovable"Description:
Arabella, lovely and elegant, has long been well used in Britain and finally made it onto the American list in 2005. A Top 50 choice in the UK, in the US in remains in the Top 300, given to around 1300 babies each year.
- Archer
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"bowman"Description:
Archer is an Anglo-Saxon surname that feels more modern than most because of its on-target occupational and Hunger Games associations. And it's a nice way to bypass the clunky Archibald to get to the cool nickname Archie.
- Arella
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"messenger from God, angel"Description:
Bell-like and original.
- Aria
Origin:
Italian and HebrewMeaning:
"air; song or melody; lion"Description:
Aria is a multi-cultural name with two extremely popular versions: this more word-like one along with Arya, the spelling used for the feisty young heroine of Game of Thrones. There were about 6400 baby girls named Aria in the US last year alog with 2400 named Arya, which counted together places the name in the Top 10.
- Arianna
Origin:
Italian form of Ariadne, GreekMeaning:
"most holy"Description:
A smooth, attractive choice, Arianna's on the rise with both single and double 'r's and 'n's. Single 'r' double 'n' Arianna — the second most popular version of the name — is these days associated with Greek-born blog queen Arianna Huffington.
- Ariel
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"lion of God"Description:
Ariel is a male Biblical name, seen there as the messenger of Ezra, and also used as a symbolic name for the city of Jerusalem, while Shakespeare used it for a (male) sprite in The Tempest.
- Arista
Origin:
Greek or LatinMeaning:
"the best; ear of corn"Description:
From the root for aristocrat, an upwardly mobile choice -- or if you go by its other meaning, an earthy delicious choice.
- Arrietty
Origin:
Literary name, variation of HarrietDescription:
A pretty, dainty name for one of the little characters in the children's book series The Borrowers. It was the basis for a later Studio Ghible animated film, The Secret World of Arrietty. While the connection to Harriet is tenuous, you might want to consider Arrietty as an honorific for an ancestral Harriet, Harry, or even Henry or Henrietta.
- Artemis
Origin:
Greek, diminutive of ArtemiosMeaning:
"safe; butcher"Description:
Best known as the the Greek Goddess of the hunt and the moon, Artemis could now be considered one of the few traditionally feminine names that are currently being used for boys. Alternatively though, when pronounced ahr-TEH-mis, it is a valid Greek masculine name – a diminutive of Artemios.
- Asher
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"fortunate, blessed, happy one"Description:
Asher—an excellent, soft and sensitive Old Testament choice—is a baby boy name on the rise, and is a Nameberry biblical favorite.
- Auden
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"old friend"Description:
The poetic, soft-spoken Auden has recently started to be considered as a first name option, used for both sexes, appreciated for its pleasing sound as well as its link to the distinguished modern Anglo-American poet W.H. Auden.
- Aurelia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"the golden one"Description:
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.
- Aurora
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"dawn"Description:
The goddess name Aurora has consistently been on the US popularity list since the nineteenth century, but has really taken off in the past 30 years. Aurora also enjoys remarkable international popularity, ranking in the Top 100 throughout the English-speaking world as well as in Italy, Spain, Norway, Switzerland, and several other European and Latin American countries.
- Avita
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"life"Description:
Avita sounds like a drug name. In fact, it is! (It's an acne medication.) While that may not be enough to stop you, you might want to consider Aviva, Vita, or Evita (which has issues of its own) instead.
- Belle
Origin:
Short form of Isabelle or FrenchMeaning:
"beautiful"Description:
Belle has nothing but positive associations, from "belle of the ball" to "Southern belle" to the heroine of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. As if this weren't enough good things, Belle is also one of the most familiar and usable names that mean beautiful. Though it has been overshadowed by the Twilight-influenced Bella and longer forms like Isabella and Annabella, Belle has its own Southern charm and would make a pretty choice as a first or middle name.
- Blade
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
One of the new crop of boys' names that manage to be unconventional and macho at the same time — though Blade verges on the threatening.