New Baby Names

This evocative place-name is rising in popularity -- despite (or perhaps because of) the unfortunate association with an airplane that went missing in March 2014.

Brinley deconstructed.

Lexington is trending as a unisex name, used just about evenly for the genders. For Americans, it's got a patriotic feel, given the importance of Lexington, Massachusetts in the Revolutionary War. Lexington, Kentucky, in horse country, is another well-known city with the name. Short form Lex is user friendly.

This variant of Zaniah debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2007.

A surname-style name with a contemporary spelling, Karsyn is a unisex name that has been on and off the charts for boys since 2018. As of 2023, it's back in the US Top 1000 and given to more than 200 boys every year.

Girl names ending in lani are one of the hottest trends of recent years, thanks to the lilting and lyrical Hawaiian name Leilani. Leilani has inspired a number of offshoots, including Kehlani and Meilani.

Alternate spelling of Leilani, popular among Hispanic families.

Lobbing off the final E makes Melanie more modern.

While we're definite fans of Zaire -- the former name of the country now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo -- the "Y" really isn't necessary. This spelling variation debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2016.

Strong meaning, sweet but strong sound, fresh and earthy: a winner.

A newcomer to the US popularity charts, likely influenced by the popularity of similar names Camila and Camilla.

Devony is a highly unusual girls' name that is occasionally found. While there were no baby girls named Devony on record in recent years, the name has been used over time for a handful of females. It may be a variation of the British county name Devon or a made-up name. Pronunciation follows the same rhythm as Stephanie.

Rivers is an indisputably unisex surname with is strong nature connotation and its connection to the character Diana Rivers from Charlotte Bronte's novel Jane Eyre. Rivers is also the first name of one of the girl Sweet Home sextuplets.

Painter is among the most creative choices in this very fashionable category of names, with a particularly pleasant sound. Whereas most occupational names conjure up physical labor, this one feels like a gateway to the arts.

A spelling variation of Kylie, an Aboriginal name first popularized by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. It’s now associated with Kylie Jenner, whom parents might be attempting to distance themselves from with this version of the name.

Soul fans may wish to use this unusual name as a reference to singer Jimmy Ruffin and his younger brother David, one of the lead members of The Temptations.