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Browse 5,000+ curated names with meanings that feel like stories. Filter by origin, style, and letter. See popularity trends. Save the ones that make your heart skip.

200 names

Olivia

girl#1▬ SteadyLatin

Shakespeare is credited with inventing the name for Twelfth Night.

Emma

girl#2▬ SteadyGermanic

Jane Austen's 1815 novel made this name literary royalty.

Noah

boy#2▬ SteadyHebrew

Noah held the number one spot for boys from 2013 to 2016.

Charlotte

girl#3▬ SteadyFrench

Princess Charlotte of Cambridge gave this name a modern royal boost.

Oliver

boy#3▲ RisingLatin

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens made this name a literary classic.

Amelia

girl#4▬ SteadyGermanic

Amelia Earhart made this name synonymous with courage and adventure.

James

boy#4▬ SteadyHebrew

James has never left the U.S. top 20, making it one of the most enduring names in history.

Sophia

girl#5▬ SteadyGreek

Reigned as the US number one name from 2011 to 2013.

Elijah

boy#5▲ RisingHebrew

Elijah was one of the greatest prophets in the Hebrew Bible.

Mia

girl#6▬ SteadyScandinavian

Mia Farrow helped popularize the name in the 1960s and 70s.

William

boy#6▬ SteadyGermanic

William has been in the top 20 since the Social Security Administration began tracking names.

Isabella

girl#7▼ FallingItalian

Bella from Twilight catapulted this name to number one in 2009 and 2010.

Henry

boy#7▲ RisingGermanic

Eight English kings have been named Henry.

Ava

girl#8▬ SteadyLatin

Ava Gardner, the golden-age Hollywood star, gave this name its glamorous edge.

Lucas

boy#8▲ RisingGreek

Lucas is the Latinized form of the Greek Loukas.

Evelyn

girl#9▬ SteadyEnglish

Originally a boys' name in England before becoming exclusively feminine.

Benjamin

boy#9▬ SteadyHebrew

Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers, is its most famous American bearer.

Luna

girl#10▲ RisingLatin

Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter helped rocket this name up the charts.

Theodore

boy#10▲ RisingGreek

Theodore Roosevelt inspired the creation of the teddy bear.

Jack

boy#11▲ RisingEnglish

Jack appears in more nursery rhymes and fairy tales than any other name.

Harper

girl#11▬ SteadyEnglish

Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird, gives this name literary weight.

Sofia

girl#12▬ SteadyGreek

Sofia Vergara helped give this spelling mainstream appeal in America.

Levi

boy#12▲ RisingHebrew

Levi Strauss founded the iconic denim brand that bears his name.

Camila

girl#13▬ SteadyLatin

Camila Cabello brought this spelling into the pop culture spotlight.

Alexander

boy#13▬ SteadyGreek

Alexander the Great conquered much of the known world by age 30.

Mason

boy#14▼ FallingEnglish

Mason was the number two name in America in 2012.

Eleanor

girl#14▲ RisingFrench

Eleanor Roosevelt remains one of the most admired First Ladies in American history.

Elizabeth

girl#15▬ SteadyHebrew

Has never left the US top 30 in over a century of records.

Matthew

boyHebrew

Ethan

boy#15▼ FallingHebrew

Ethan held the number two spot from 2009 to 2010.

Violet

girl#16▲ RisingLatin

Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck named their daughter Violet in 2005.

Daniel

boy#16▼ FallingHebrew

The biblical Daniel survived the lion's den through faith.

Scarlett

girl#17▬ SteadyEnglish

Scarlett O'Hara from Gone with the Wind made this name unforgettable.

Jacob

boy#17▼ FallingHebrew

Jacob was the number one boy name in America for an unprecedented 14 consecutive years (1999 to 2012).

Emily

girl#18▼ FallingLatin

Held the US number one spot from 1996 to 2007, longer than nearly any other name.

Michael

boy#18▼ FallingHebrew

Michael was the number one boy name for 44 years from 1954 to 1998.

Summit

unisex#1250▲ RisingEnglish

Summit is part of the growing trend of nature-aspiration names alongside Crest and Ridge.

Hazel

girl#19▲ RisingEnglish

Julia Roberts named her daughter Hazel in 2004, sparking its revival.

Logan

boy#19▼ FallingScottish Gaelic

The X-Men character Wolverine, whose real name is Logan, gave this name its edge.

Penelope

girl#20▲ RisingGreek

Kourtney Kardashian named her daughter Penelope in 2012.

Jackson

boy#20▬ SteadyEnglish

Andrew Jackson, the seventh president, is its most historic namesake.

Layla

girl#21▬ SteadyArabic

Eric Clapton's iconic 1970 song 'Layla' brought this name to Western audiences.

Sebastian

boy#21▲ RisingGreek

Sebastian is hugely popular across Latin America.

Chloe

girl#22▼ FallingGreek

An epithet of the Greek goddess Demeter meaning blooming.

Aiden

boy#22▼ FallingIrish

Aiden launched the -aiden naming trend that spawned Brayden, Jayden, and Cayden.

Arun

unisex#1350▬ SteadySanskrit

In Hindu mythology, Aruna is the charioteer of Surya, the sun god.

Lily

girl#23▬ SteadyEnglish

Lily Potter, Harry Potter's mother, gave this name a magical association.

Owen

boy#23▬ SteadyWelsh

Owen Wilson helped bring this Welsh name into American pop culture.

Aurora

girl#24▲ RisingLatin

Sleeping Beauty's real name is Princess Aurora in the Disney film.

Samuel

boy#24▬ SteadyHebrew

Samuel Adams was a Founding Father and the namesake of a famous brewery.

Aria

girl#25▬ SteadyItalian

Arya Stark from Game of Thrones boosted all spellings of this name.

Story

unisex#920▲ RisingEnglish

Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) named his son Story Annabelle, raising this name's profile.

Ryan

boy#25▼ FallingIrish

Ryan Reynolds and Ryan Gosling have kept this name in the spotlight.

Rei

unisex#910▲ RisingJapanese

Rei Ayanami from the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion made this name famous globally.

Ellie

girl#26▬ SteadyEnglish

Ellie from the Pixar film Up gave this name its sweetest association.

Nathan

boy#26▼ FallingHebrew

Nathan was a prophet in the Old Testament who advised King David.

Leo

boy#27▲ RisingLatin

Thirteen popes have taken the name Leo.

Zoey

girl#28▬ SteadyGreek

Zoey 101, the Nickelodeon show, helped popularize this spelling.

Caleb

boy#28▼ FallingHebrew

In the Bible, Caleb was one of only two spies who urged the Israelites to enter the Promised Land.

Nikita

unisex#780▼ FallingRussian/Greek

Nikita Khrushchev was the Soviet leader who helped define the Cold War era.

Fox

unisex#710▲ RisingEnglish

Fox Mulder from The X-Files is the character most associated with this name.

Riley

girl#29▬ SteadyIrish

Riley is the lead character in Pixar's Inside Out.

Luke

boy#29▬ SteadyGreek

Luke Skywalker made this one of the most iconic character names in cinema.

Mateo

boy#30▲ RisingSpanish

Mateo has been one of the fastest-rising names of the 2010s and 2020s.

Abigail

girl#30▼ FallingHebrew

In the Bible, Abigail was praised for her intelligence and beauty.

Stella

girl#31▲ RisingLatin

Marlon Brando's iconic 'Stella!' cry in A Streetcar Named Desire is unforgettable.

Julian

boy#31▲ RisingLatin

Julian of Norwich was a famous medieval mystic.

Isaac

boy#32▬ SteadyHebrew

Sir Isaac Newton is one of the most influential scientists in history.

Everest

unisex#680▲ RisingEnglish

Mount Everest was named after Sir George Everest, Surveyor General of India.

Honor

unisex#715▬ SteadyEnglish/Latin

Jessica Alba named her eldest daughter Honor Marie.

Ira

unisex#680▬ SteadyHebrew/Sanskrit

Ira Gershwin wrote the lyrics to some of the greatest American songs alongside his brother George.

Ivy

girl#33▲ RisingEnglish

Beyonce and Jay-Z named their daughter Blue Ivy in 2012.

Asher

boy#33▲ RisingHebrew

In the Bible, Asher was one of Jacob's twelve sons and his name meant happiness.

Willow

girl#34▲ RisingEnglish

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith named their daughter Willow in 2000.

Jayden

boy#34▼ FallingAmerican

Jayden was virtually unheard of before 2000 and reached number 4 by 2010.

Emilia

girl#35▲ RisingLatin

Emilia Clarke's portrayal of Daenerys in Game of Thrones skyrocketed this name.

Finn

boyIrish

Indigo

unisex#810▬ SteadyGreek

Indigo dye has been used for over 6,000 years, making it one of the oldest known colorants.

Ocean

unisex#595▲ RisingEnglish

Ocean has been used more often for boys, but is gaining traction for girls.

Rumi

unisex#710▲ RisingJapanese/Persian

Beyonce and Jay-Z named their daughter Rumi, after the Persian poet.

Bear

unisex#545▲ RisingEnglish/Germanic

Alicia Silverstone named her son Bear Blu, and Kate Winslet's son is also named Bear.

Courtney

unisex#585▼ FallingFrench

Courtney Cox and Courtney Love were both cultural icons who carried this name in the 1990s.

Isla

girl#36▲ RisingScottish

Named after Islay, a Scottish island known for whisky and wild beauty.

Nova

girl#37▲ RisingLatin

A nova is a star that suddenly increases in brightness then fades.

Ezra

boy#37▲ RisingHebrew

Ezra Pound was one of the most influential poets of the 20th century.

Naomi

girl#38▬ SteadyHebrew

In the Bible, Naomi is the devoted mother-in-law in the Book of Ruth.

Thomas

boy#38▼ FallingAramaic

Thomas Edison and Thomas Jefferson are among America's most famous Thomases.

Asa

unisex#580▬ SteadyHebrew/Japanese

King Asa in the Bible was known as a righteous ruler of Judah.

Hannah

girl#39▼ FallingHebrew

Was the number two name in the US in the late 1990s.

Adrian

boy#39▲ RisingLatin

Adrian is the name of a pope and a Roman emperor.

Sophie

girl#40▲ RisingFrench

Sophie's Choice, the novel and film, gave this name dramatic depth.

Zoe

girlGreek

Shelby

unisex#490▼ FallingEnglish

Julia Roberts' character in Steel Magnolias was named Shelby, endearing it to a generation.

Crew

unisex#280▲ RisingEnglish

Chip and Joanna Gaines named their son Crew, bringing this name to the mainstream.

Grace

girl#41▼ FallingLatin

Grace Kelly remains the gold standard for this name's elegance.

Addison

girl#42▼ FallingEnglish

Addison Montgomery from Grey's Anatomy helped make this a girls' name.

Scout

unisex#450▲ RisingEnglish

Scout Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird is one of literature's most beloved characters.

Hudson

boy#43▬ SteadyEnglish

The Hudson River and Hudson Bay were named after explorer Henry Hudson.

Natalie

girl#44▼ FallingFrench

Natalie Wood was one of Hollywood's most iconic stars.

Cameron

boy#44▼ FallingScottish Gaelic

Cameron Diaz brought glamour to this Scottish name.

Brooklyn

girl#45▼ FallingEnglish

David and Victoria Beckham named their son Brooklyn in 1999, but the name took off for girls.

Elliot

boyEnglish

Paisley

girl#46▼ FallingScottish

Country singer Brad Paisley inadvertently helped popularize this as a girls' name.

Nicholas

boy#46▼ FallingGreek

Saint Nicholas inspired the legend of Santa Claus.

Aubrey

girl#47▼ FallingFrench

Drake's real first name is Aubrey, though the name is now firmly in the girls' camp.

Leah

girl#48▼ FallingHebrew

In the Bible, Leah was the first wife of Jacob and mother of six of the twelve tribes.

Theo

boyGreek

Marlowe

unisex#440▬ SteadyEnglish

Sienna Miller named her daughter Marlowe, bringing this name to the celebrity baby circuit.

Milan

unisex#410▬ SteadySlavic/Italian

Shakira named her son Milan, connecting it to both football and music royalty.

Justice

unisex#380▼ FallingEnglish/French

Justice has been used for both boys and girls at nearly equal rates.

Savannah

girl#49▼ FallingSpanish

The city of Savannah, Georgia is one of the most beautiful in America.

Waylon

boy#49▲ RisingEnglish

Waylon Jennings was an outlaw country music legend.

Maya

girl#50▬ SteadySanskrit

Maya Angelou, poet and civil rights activist, is the name's most celebrated bearer.

Dakota

unisex#365▼ FallingNative American (Sioux)

Dakota Fanning brought youthful star power to this name in the early 2000s.

Spencer

unisex#285▼ FallingEnglish

Princess Diana was born Diana Spencer, giving this name royal associations.

Reign

unisex#335▬ SteadyEnglish

Kourtney Kardashian named her son Reign Aston Disick in 2014.

Kai

boy#51▲ RisingHawaiian

Kai means sea in Hawaiian, food in Maori, and forgiveness in Japanese.

Elena

girl#51▬ SteadyGreek

Elena of Avalor was Disney's first Latina princess.

Skyler

unisex#310▼ FallingDutch

Skyler White from Breaking Bad brought dramatic weight to this otherwise breezy name.

Marley

unisex#210▬ SteadyEnglish

Bob Marley gave this name an eternal connection to reggae music and peace.

Journey

unisex#245▬ SteadyEnglish

The rock band Journey has kept this word in the cultural consciousness since the 1980s.

Royal

unisex#305▲ RisingEnglish/French

Lil' Kim named her daughter Royal Reign, doubling down on the regal theme.

Madelyn

girl#53▬ SteadyFrench

An Americanized spelling that has outpaced the traditional Madeleine.

Elias

boy#53▲ RisingGreek

Elias is the Greek and Scandinavian form of Elijah.

Claire

girl#54▬ SteadyFrench

Claire Danes brought a modern edge to this timeless name.

Cole

boyEnglish

Harley

unisex#245▬ SteadyEnglish

Harley Quinn from DC Comics gave this name a rebellious, fun-loving personality.

Lucy

girl#55▬ SteadyLatin

Lucille Ball made Lucy America's favorite name through I Love Lucy.

Christian

boy#55▼ FallingLatin

Christian Bale has portrayed Batman and many other iconic characters.

Casey

unisex#485▼ FallingIrish

Casey at the Bat is one of the most famous poems in American sports history.

Lennon

unisex#300▬ SteadyIrish

John Lennon's legacy of peace and music gives this name profound cultural resonance.

Shiloh

unisex#410▬ SteadyHebrew

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt chose Shiloh for their first biological child in 2006.

Ashley

unisex#145▼ FallingEnglish

Ashley was the number one girls' name in America from 1991 to 1992.

Kendall

unisex#175▼ FallingEnglish

Kendall Jenner gave this name massive visibility in the 2010s.

Bailey

unisex#220▼ FallingEnglish

WKRP in Cincinnati character Bailey Quarters was an early unisex use on TV.

Jude

boyLatin

Jade

girl#56▲ RisingSpanish

Jade is one of the most revered stones in Chinese culture, symbolizing purity.

Jaxon

boy#56▼ FallingAmerican

Jaxon emerged as part of the trend of creative respellings.

Brooks

boy#57▲ RisingEnglish

Brooks Brothers is one of America's oldest clothing retailers.

Alice

girl#58▲ RisingGermanic

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll is one of the most beloved children's stories ever.

Roman

boy#58▲ RisingLatin

Roman Polanski and Roman Holiday brought glamour to this name.

Kinsley

girl#59▬ SteadyEnglish

One of the newer surname-to-first-name crossovers.

Wyatt

boyEnglish

Quinn

girl#60▬ SteadyIrish

Quinn Fabray from Glee helped make this a girls' name.

Wren

unisex#258▲ RisingEnglish

The wren is one of the smallest birds in North America but has one of the loudest songs.

Ariel

unisex#180▼ FallingHebrew

Disney's The Little Mermaid (1989) transformed Ariel from a boys' name to a girls' favorite.

Amari

unisex#158▲ RisingAfrican/Hebrew

Amari has been rising steadily for both boys and girls since the 2000s.

Rose

girlLatin

Nathaniel

boyHebrew

Ruby

girl#62▲ RisingLatin

Ruby Bridges was the first Black child to desegregate a Louisiana school in 1960.

Miles

boy#62▲ RisingLatin

Miles Davis revolutionized jazz music.

Hayden

unisex#170▼ FallingEnglish

Hayden Panettiere and Hayden Christensen both helped this name peak in the 2000s.

Remy

unisex#250▲ RisingFrench

The Pixar movie Ratatouille starred a rat named Remy, making it feel warm and lovable.

Peyton

unisex#105▼ FallingEnglish

Peyton Manning made this name feel like a champion for boys.

Gabriel

boyHebrew

Serenity

girl#63▼ FallingEnglish

The Joss Whedon film Serenity gave the name a sci-fi edge.

Kennedy

girl#64▼ FallingIrish

The Kennedy political dynasty gave this surname its aspirational quality.

Sienna

girlItalian

Sadie

girl#65▲ RisingHebrew

The Beatles' song 'Sexy Sadie' was actually written about the Maharishi.

Blake

unisex#148▼ FallingEnglish

Blake Lively helped establish this as a chic girls' name in addition to its boys' usage.

Cameron

unisex#112▼ FallingScottish

Cameron Diaz made this name feel glamorous and effortlessly cool for girls.

Kennedy

unisex#85▼ FallingIrish

President John F. Kennedy gave this name its powerful patriotic association.

Eden

unisex#138▬ SteadyHebrew

The Garden of Eden is one of the most enduring images in Western culture.

Autumn

girl#66▬ SteadyLatin

The only season name to consistently rank in the top 100.

Robert

boy#66▼ FallingGermanic

Robert was the number one name in America from 1924 to 1939.

Athena

girl#67▲ RisingGreek

Athens, the capital of Greece, is named after this goddess.

Clara

girlLatin

Charles

boy#67▬ SteadyGermanic

King Charles III ascended to the British throne in 2022.

Maeve

girl#68▲ RisingIrish

Queen Maeve of Connacht is one of the most powerful figures in Irish mythology.

Connor

boy#68▼ FallingIrish

Connor comes from the Old Irish Conchobhar, meaning lover of hounds.

Elliot

unisex#160▲ RisingEnglish/Hebrew

Elliot Page's public coming out as trans brought new unisex energy to this name.

Parker

unisex#105▬ SteadyEnglish

Peter Parker, Spider-Man's alter ego, gives this name superhero credentials.

Addison

unisex#52▼ FallingEnglish

Grey's Anatomy character Addison Montgomery helped skyrocket this name for girls.

Delilah

girl#69▲ RisingHebrew

The Plain White T's song 'Hey There Delilah' boosted this name's popularity.

Josephine

girl#70▲ RisingFrench

Empress Josephine was Napoleon's great love and the first Empress of France.

Alex

unisex#198▼ FallingGreek

Alex is one of the rare names that feels complete on its own and as a nickname.

Emery

unisex#98▲ RisingGermanic

Emery is one of the fastest-rising names of the 2020s for girls.

Remy

boyFrench

Lydia

girl#71▬ SteadyGreek

Lydia Bennet is the youngest and most spirited sister in Pride and Prejudice.

Aaron

boy#71▼ FallingHebrew

Aaron was the brother of Moses and the first high priest of Israel.

Rowan

unisex#105▲ RisingIrish/Scottish

In Celtic mythology, the rowan tree was believed to protect against dark magic.

Finley

unisex#145▬ SteadyScottish/Irish

Finley has been surging on girls' charts, though it started as a traditionally male name.

Aubrey

unisex#62▼ FallingFrench/Germanic

Aubrey was traditionally a boys' name before crossing over to the girls' top 20.

Sawyer

unisex#100▲ RisingEnglish

Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer gave this name its enduring sense of adventure.

Jayden

unisex#42▼ FallingModern American

Will and Jada Pinkett Smith named their son Jaden, sparking the massive trend.

Madison

unisex#48▼ FallingEnglish

The 1984 movie Splash invented Madison as a girls' name when the mermaid chose it from a street sign.

Atlas

unisex#112▲ RisingGreek

In Greek mythology, Atlas was condemned to hold up the celestial heavens for eternity.

Declan

boy#72▲ RisingIrish

Saint Declan predates Saint Patrick as a Christian missionary in Ireland.

Axel

boy#73▲ RisingScandinavian

Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses gave this name its rock-star edge.

Cedric

boyCeltic

Everett

boy#74▲ RisingEnglish

Mount Everett in Massachusetts is a popular hiking destination.

River

unisex#98▲ RisingEnglish

River Phoenix was the actor who first put this name on the cultural map.

Ryan

unisex#62▼ FallingIrish

Ryan is used for girls largely thanks to Meg Ryan and Ryan Reynolds.

Silas

boy#75▲ RisingLatin

Silas Marner is a beloved George Eliot novel.

Ayla

girl#76▲ RisingTurkish

The heroine of Jean Auel's Clan of the Cave Bear is named Ayla.

Edison

boyEnglish

Charlie

unisex#135▲ RisingEnglish

Charlie has climbed the charts for girls thanks to the trend of boyish nicknames as full names.

Aiden

unisex#28▼ FallingIrish

Aiden launched the massive -aiden rhyming trend (Brayden, Cayden, Hayden, Jayden).

Eva

girl#79▬ SteadyHebrew

Eva Peron, Argentina's beloved First Lady, made the name legendary.

Lila

girlArabic

How to choose a baby name

Start with what moves you. Some parents choose names that honor family or culture. Others are drawn to a sound, a meaning, or a feeling they cannot quite explain. There is no wrong way to begin.

Say the name out loud. Try it with your last name, with a middle name, in a whisper and a shout. Names live in the mouth before they live on paper. Try the nickname test: what will friends call them on the playground?

Consider the meaning. A name with a story gives your child something to carry with them, a tiny origin myth they can return to whenever they wonder who they are.

Tips for narrowing your list

The Shortlist Method

Each partner picks ten names independently. Compare lists and see where you overlap. The shared names are your starting five.

The 24-Hour Test

Live with your top pick for a full day. Use it in sentences, imagine calling it across a room. If it still feels right at bedtime, it belongs on the final list.

The Initials Check

Write out first, middle, and last initials together. Make sure they do not accidentally spell something you would rather avoid.