Abrienne

The popularity of Aiden has sparked many creative spellings - this one is understandably towards the bottom of the Top 1000.

Aidyn

Aiyanna

Blending classic with contemporary elements, Alayna is considered a spin on the name Alana, which also draws inspiration from Elaine and Elena. An obscure choice until the 80s, it began to climb the charts after fencer Alayna Snell took part in the 1984 Olympics. 
 While Elaine means "shining light", Alana is a name with numerous meanings including "oak tree", "child" and "cheerful." As Alayna is inspired by both, it could share any of these meanings or blend them together, to make "cheerful shining light" or "bright, shining child". 
 
For nearly 20 years, Alayna ranked in the US Top 300, peaking in 2012 at #201. As of 2023, however, it has fallen down the charts slightly, with Elena and Alana far outranking it and Elaine coming back into style. 
 
Alayna is now more popular in the UK than it is in the US, and 2022 saw it jump nearly 100 places up the charts. Now almost as popular as Elena, it outranks Alana - and Elaine isn't even in the running.
 
With its phonetic spelling, familiar sounds, and nickname potential, Alayna is given to nearly 1000 babies every year. A sweet, solid choice in its own right it might also be appealing to anyone trying to honor an Elaine or an Alan.

Alayna

Ameera

Adrielle

Alora

Ayley

One of the most girlish offshoots of Braeden.

Braelyn

Breonna

Sweet and sparky but maybe a little bit stuck in the 90s, Bria is a nickname-y style choice with various origins.
 
Unheard of until the 1970s, Bria only started to see substantial use in the 90s, when it rose up alongside its longer forms, Briana, Gabriella, and Sabrina. It fitted right in besides Brittany, Brooke, and Paige, and got a boost after comedian and actor Eddie Murphy used it for his daughter in 1989.
 
Peaking in 1993, Bria has been on the decline ever since, and, as of 2023, it is only just lingering in the US Top 1000. Given to 290 babies each year, Bria has been replaced by the likes of Mia, Bella, Blair, and Bridie.
 
Connected to poetry via its ties to the literary Briana, to the Bible through its link to Gabriel and Gabriella, to mythology through Brigid and Sabrina, Bria could holds an unexpected amount of meaning. It could also originate from the Italian word brio meaning "lively" or "confident" or from the Celtic Brigantī, meaning "high, exalted".
 
Namesakes such as basketball player, Bria Hartley, singer Bria Kelly, actress Bria Vinaite, and influencer Bria Myles help keep the name in the public eye - but what does the future hold for this short but punchy name? Only time will tell, but 2023 did see Briana, Brianna, and Sabrina move slightly up the charts, so perhaps Bria could see a resurgence one day, 





Feminine form of Brian. It appears in Edmund Spenser's epic poem The Faerie Queene

Bria

Similar to Brielle and Riley, this name lags quite far behind these more common variations. It peaked at Number 622 in 2009 in the US, but it is now descending the ranks.

Briley

This is a name you get stuck with, not (we hope) one your parents choose for you. 

Cady is one of those names that sounds popular but is actually rare in this form, given to only a few dozen baby girls in the US last year.

Its origins are unclear, and as many possible meanings and origins are cited as there are sources on the web. It may relate to male names Cade, which means round or barrel, or Caden, meaning battle. The similar Caddie is an antiquated nickname for Caroline.

One disadvantage is that Cady will forever be misunderstood as Katie. Advantage: It can be used, perhaps in the middle place, to honor women's rights leader Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

Cady

Cailyn

A compound name that mirrors the cadence of Caroline but with a twist at the end. The name was briefly popular during the 30s and 40s. 

Carolann

One of the original unisex Irish surname names, energetic Casey bounced onto the scene in the 1960s, then peaked in the 1980s for both boys and girls. Today Casey is having a resurgence for both girls and boys and re-entered the charts on the girls' side, likely due to the character Kayce Dutton (pronounced like Casey) on the hit show Yellowstone.
 "Casey at the Bat" is an 1888 poem by Ernest Thayer.

Casey

The name of a courageous tribe, Cheyenne became quite popular in the 1990s, inspiring a wide range of spelling variations—Shyanne is one example that's still on the rise. 

Cheyenne

Cozette

The Darien spelling, which relates to the posh Connecticut town, peaked at Number 393 in 1994 but more recently has been just hanging on at the bottom of the Top 1000.  Still, a name with an appealing sound and feel that may ascend again.

Darien

Darla

Davion has only ranked in the US Top 1000 since the early 1990s, and its alternate spelling Davian is a more recent entry, first entering the charts in 2004. Their apparent connection to more common names Dave and Damian presumably provided the avenue for their success; however, both names are trending downward with no expected resurgence in the coming years.

Davion

Deanne was one of many variations popular in the middle of the 20th century, during the heyday of Diane and sisters and even cousins. Now, at least one generation away from a comeback.

Deanne

This name is related to Derek and Dietrich, either of which would be preferable.


Dedrick

In its mid-20th century heyday, Deedee -- or Didi or Dede -- was not infrequently used as a name in its own right. It's a cute, or maybe cutesy, short form of names like Deanne.

Deedee

Deja

Demi appeared in the US as a baby name thanks to a single celebrity, actress Demi Moore, who put it on the Top 1000 throughout the 1990s. As her star faded, so did the visibility of the name, though now it is rising again on its own steam. It's popular in Europe, too, especially in The Netherlands. Demi may be that unusual name that's launched by a celebrity and then maintains its visibility all by itself.

Demi

Deondre

Devan

Diandra is one of many variations on Diana, but lacks its classic class. Associated with Michael Douglas's first wife, who is of Austrian heritage. 

Diandra

Eisha

Gavyn

A modern coinage from the initials JC, or from a combination of Jay plus the popular -acey/-asey ending sound.

Jacey

While Jadon is the authentic biblical name, Jaden is by far the more popular spelling, first noticed when Will and Jada Pinkett Smith used it for their now grown (and famous) son. It has since swept the country for both sexes, with a wide variety of spellings and rhyming cousins.

Jaden

Jaelyn is a name popular in many spellings and variations, including Jaelynn, Jaylin, and Jalen, and used for girls as well as boys.

Jaelyn

Jalissa

This newly invented name is most likely a combination of Jane and Vanessa. Though it may not have as long of a history as more traditional names, Janessa has been a staple on the bottom half of the US Top 1000 since the mid-1980s. Perhaps surprisingly, it peaked at Number 524 in 2004.

Janessa

Nickname name Jase joined twin brother Jace in the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">Top 100</a> in 2013, after first entering the list in 2002 -- but has since dropped in the charts. Inspiration may be Jase (born Jason) Robinson of the reality show Duck Dynasty.

Jase

Jaslene, a reality show-related name via former America's Next Top Model winner Jaslene Gonzalez, a smoosh of Jasmine and the 'ene' ending, has dropped from Number 599 in 2007 to 976 in 2010.

Jaslene

Jazmyn

Jerica

Stuck in the shadow of the old Dolly Parton song. In spite of its dated feel, Jolene reentered the charts in 2010 and has been rising in recent years.

Jolene

Jeslyn

Jianna

Kaiya reached a peak of Number 652 in 2002. This spelling performs worse than its sisters Kaia and Kaya, and it likely creates more pronunciation confusion.
 Kaiya Jones is a Scottish-born Australian actress best known for her work on Australain soap opera Neighbours.

Kaiya

Kami

A long-popular name, particularly among the African-American community, Keisha was first publicized by the child actress, Keshia Knight Pulliam, who starred on the old Cosby Show. It entered the US Top 1000 in 1967 and remained there for 30 years, but it hasn't featured again since 1997.
 
Keshia likely emerged as a spin on the Biblical name Keziah - inspired by either the Keh-zee-uh pronunciation of the name, or it's meaning, "cassia tree", sometimes pronounced as cash-uh. Other theories suggest it's a Swahili name meaning "favorite", a variation of Casey, a spin on the Scottish name Keitha, or a contracted form of the Arabic Khadija. 
 
Recent years had seen usage of Keisha dwindle to around 40 babies each year, but, in 2023, it had a small spike of popularity and was given to 70 girls.

Keisha

Kianna

Kryssa

Kyler was once a creative solution for 90s parents who enjoyed the sounds of Kyle and Tyler but didn't want to use anything so popular. Now a well-established name on the US charts, it is given to more than 1000 babies every year. 
 
On one hand, Kyler can be seen as a modern invention, created by combining the on-trend sounds of Kyle and Tyler into something new. With this in mind, the meaning would be "tiler of roofs on the narrow spit of land". 
 
Alternatively, Kyler could be an Anglicized form of the Dutch surname "Cuyler ", which may mean "hole, pit", "bowman, archer", "chapel", or "victory of the people" according to different translations.
 
A surname-as-a-given-name, with the on trend sounds of Kai, Kyler became a popular choice from 1986 onwards, when it first debuted in the charts. Remaining in the Top 300 for most of the 2000s, Kyler did drop by 70 places in 2023 - the first time it has fallen so significantly since it entered the Top 1000. 
 
With parents currently favoring Cooper, Colter and Kaizen, Kyler may continue to sink as Kyle did before it - or, it may just be a temporary blip in its popularity.

Kyler

Kloey

Laisha made the US Top 1000 list for a few years in the early 21st century, thanks to its role on a Spanish soap opera. The name is a variation of the popular Arabic and Muslim name Aisha, which has many spellings and forms.

Laisha

Lanna

Latrice

Liddie

A bit like Annelise in reverse, Lisanne is a sleek but gentle Dutch compound name that was popular in the 2010s. 

Lisanne

Loralie

Loriann

Lory

Luanne

The Lyla spelling variation has now superseded the original Lila — the former remains on the rise while the latter is consistently falling in popularity.
 
Celebrity couple Katherine Schwarzenegger and Chris Pratt recently used this version of the name for their daughter, Lyla Maria Schwarzenegger Pratt, born in August of 2020.
 
The Lyla spelling helps clarify the name's pronunciation, although if we had to choose, we'd stick with the classic Lila. Laila, Layla, and Leila are all further variations on the same theme.

Lyla

Lanelle

Laramie

This version of Malia (as in Obama) peaked at Number 296 in  2009, though it has lost ground since then.

Maliyah

Mallie

A Basque and Scandinavian form of Michael, pronounced MEE-kel. In the US, it is sometimes chosen as a modern alternative spelling of Michael.

Mikel

Moesha

Variation of Miley that is on the decline, thanks to its association with pop starlet Miley Cyrus. 

Mylee

Myranda

A name rarely heard outside the Latino community, but it was popular enough in the early 2000s to crack the Top 200. Since then, it's lost ground.

Nayeli

Nevaeh: an already bold word name with the unusual twist of being spelled backwards; a nightmare for those who love traditional, classic names; a divisive option on name forums across the internet; and a spelling and pronunciation that aren’t quite intuitive at first glance. 
Nevaeh has a lot stacked against it, and yet it’s maintained a surprising level of popularity and unexpected longevity in recent years. 
Given to just a tiny handful of babies before the 2000’s, Neveah shot up the US charts in 2001, after singer Sonny Sandoval from the rock group P.O.D used it for his daughter. He introduced the name during an MTV appearance, with the explanation that it was heaven spelled backward. 
An edgy, celebrity-style choice, fitting for the daughter of a rockstar – but what was it about Nevaeh that made it catch on in the non-celeb world and what has kept it in the US Top 100 since 2004? 
Perhaps it’s simply the heavenly meaning, made more discreet and name-y by spelling it in reverse. 
Perhaps it’s the fact that visually, it bears resemblance to classic Biblical names, such as Hannah, Leah, or Sarah, while also feeling new and on trend. 
Maybe it’s the popular end sound or the similarity it bears to other favorites – both from the 2000’s and from now. Reminiscent of Savannah, Ava, Avery, Delilah, Aaliyah, and Kayla, it feels less surprising perhaps, that Nevaeh appealed in 2001 and holds sway now. 
Alternatively, Neveah may have been brought to people’s attention because it was so often discussed on forums across the internet. As a result, it likely showed up in searches when parents were looking for baby names and they might have just liked the sound of it. 
Whatever the reasons, Neveah certainly caught parents’ eyes and its popularity spread across other English-speaking countries, including Canada, Australia, and the UK. 
In the last decade Nevaeh has seen a steady decline in use, and while it is still given to over 2000 babies in the US each year, newer favorites such as Nova, Luna, Ayla, and Aurora have pushed it back. 
What the future holds for Nevaeh is uncertain then, but its rise to fame demonstrates the power of a pop culture association and the possibility of modern, invented names to become mainstream.

Nevaeh

Paralee

Reann

Rheanna

This unusual spelling was used by Johnny Knoxville for his son.

Rocko

The Spanish form of popular Ruby is another addition to the list of attractive gem names for girls.

Rubi

Though as a formal name Rusty is a little, well, rusty, it spent half a century among the Top 1000, departing only in 1995. Only 45 baby boys received the name in the US in one recent year and it's difficult to imagine it as the winning choice of many modern parents. Whether you want an informal name or a spin on a traditional name or even a word name or a name that means red, there are simply too many better options.

Rusty

Ruthann

Rayann

Sammi

Shanell

Shanice

Shyla

Skip

Skyla is the most feminine form of the Skylar / Sklyer trend - little Skyla will never be mistaken on paper for a boy.

Skyla

Skylar is a name with a hint of both edginess and whimsy and it makes for a nature-inspired choice that is neither too wordy nor too floral. Popular for girls since the 90s, Skylar has remained in the US Top 100 for over a decade. 
Derived for the Dutch surname “Schuyler” meaning “Scholar”, this 80s spelling variant likely emerged by combining the sounds and letters of Tyler with the vibes of word- and nature-inspired choices, like Crystal and Heather. 
Skylar is then left feeling somewhere between All-American preppy and mainstream trendy, with an academic meaning, but a spelling and sound that seem like a modern invention. 
Entering the US Top 1000 back in the 1980s, Skylar was briefly more popular for boys, however, after it was used in the American soap Opera The Young and Restless in 1989, it rose rapidly in the ranks for girls. 
The movie Good Will Hunting gave it another boost up the girls’ charts in 1997, and the character Skyler White from hit TV series Breaking Bad gave it the final push into the Top 100 in 2012. 
 A name with numerous spellings, Skylar is the most popular choice and the one used nearly exclusively on girls. Skyler by contrast ranks in the #500s and remains more (statistically) unisex, while the rarer Schuyler is given only to a small handful of girls and boys each year. 
The name has seen increased usage in the UK recently and has made New Zealand Top 100, however, in the US, it has been on a downward trend since it peaked in 2015. Still given to 3000 babies every year, it may just find itself neglected in favor of rising stars like Lyla, Juniper, Kaia, and Myla.

Skylar

While Skylar is currently the most popular spelling choice for girls - and the spelling seen most often - the Skyler option is more (statistically) unisex. Given to boy and girls in nearly equal numbers each year, it ranks around the middle of the US Top 1000 and is given to more than 400 boys every year.
 
Derived from the Dutch surname Schuyler meaning "scholar", this spelling emerged in the 80s and was likely inspired by the popularity of the name Tyler.

Skyler

Sloane is a sleek, sophisticated surname name that has gradually morphed over to the girls' side. With its distinctive and intriguing sound, Sloane has been in the US Top 1000 since 2009, and in 2022, it made its first appearance in the UK charts, jumping more than 400 places in a single year.
 
Derived from the Irish surname Ó Sluaghadháin, meaning "raider" or "mobilizer", Sloane shares that preppy feel of Blair, Delaney, Ellis, and Quincy. 
 Sloane has been the name of girlfriend characters in Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Entourage, and was used for a character played by Olivia Munn on The Newsroom. The video game, Overwatch 2 includes a character called Sloane, English actor Barry Sloane has made it familiar through his surname, while Sloane Stephens is a highly ranked tennis player. 
 Comedian Rob Coddry called his daughter Sloane Sullivan, while rapper Macklemore gave his daughter the name Sloane Ava Simone - and let her direct one of his music videos in 2023. 
 The association with London's Sloane Square and the upscale clique of Sloane Rangers, who have included Princesses Di and Kate, gives it some extra panache.

Sloane

Shaylene

Taliyah is an elaboration of Talia or a modern smoosh name, combining Taylor and Aliyah. Taliyah does sound natural, but we're not sure it improves on any of its originals.

Taliyah

Tameka

Many invented names that end in -isha spring from the Arabic Aisha, an important name in the Muslim religion.  The Ta- or Te- prefix was especially stylish for both girls and boys in the eighties.  This name may also be related to Tanis.

Tanisha

Taryn is an offshoot of Tara that has a variety of meanings in a variety of cultures. In 1953, Taryn was presented to the public as an invention by actors Tyrone Power and Linda Christian for their daughter's name, at which point it gained a short spurt of popularity. Taryn returned to the Top 1000 in 1974, peaking in the 1980s, and has remained on the list ever since.
 
Nicollette Sheridan played a character named Taryn Blake in a 1980's TV series, and Taryn Baker was the name of an O.C. character.

Taryn

Tonja

Popularized for girls after Kirsten Dunst portrayed high school cheerleading captain Torrance Shipman in the 2000 movie Bring it On. Tori is an easy nickname.

Torrance

Originally a nickname for a third-generation son, as in Thurman Thackeray III, Trey is now being given to others, and it has also expanded to Treynor and Treyton. The name also is popular among basketball fans: It's another word for a three-point shot.

Trey

As Tyler has begun to recede, a number of parents, including the Wayne Gretzkys, have cut straight to the livelier short form. One thing that may be holding the name back is the tarnished legacy of baseball hall of famer Ty Cobb, who gained a reputation for racist and violent behavior.

Tyrese

frauleinawesome's list "Awesome American Names" of 102 great name ideas: Abrienne - Yasmeena!