Spiritual does not have to mean religious, and most American parents already know the difference. In the Pew Research Center’s 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study, 74% of U.S. adults called themselves very or somewhat spiritual, while 58% called themselves very or somewhat religious (1).
“The U.S. is a spiritual place, a religious place, where we’ve seen signs of religious stabilization in the midst of longer-term decline,” said Gregory Smith, senior associate director of research at Pew. Some 44% of adults still pray at least once a day, down from 58% in 2007 (2).
The 100 names below come out of that mix: Hebrew, Sanskrit, Greek, Arabic, Norse and plain English virtue words. Every entry carries its meaning, origin, pronunciation and, where the SSA lists one, its latest U.S. ranking from Social Security Administration birth data for 2025 (3). Nineteen of them still rank inside the American top 100, led by Emma at #3, while the rarest of those the SSA ranks, Parvati, sits at #16,669.
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Popularity at a Glance
The most popular names on this list in the United States, 1965 to 2025: Emma, Sophia, Elijah, Ezra and Michael.
100 Meaningful Spiritual Baby Names
Each entry below carries its meaning, origin, pronunciation and its most recent U.S. ranking.
Abel
Abel belongs to Cain’s brother in the Book of Genesis, the first person in scripture to be murdered and the first whose offering pleased God. That short, sorrowful story has never dulled the name’s appeal. The Hebrew sense of breath or vapor works as a quiet reminder of how brief a life can be and how much weight it still carries. Abe is the ready nickname, and Abel itself is soft enough to sit beside almost any surname.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Breath, vapor
- Pronunciation: AY-bull
- Variations: Abele
- Namesakes: Abel, the former King of Denmark.
- Popularity: Abel ranked #231 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 1,525 babies that year.
Abigail
Abigail carries one of the warmest meanings in Hebrew scripture, my father’s joy. The biblical Abigail was one of King David’s wives, remembered for her beauty and her intuition. American parents have leaned on it for generations, from first lady Abigail Adams to actress Abigail Spencer. Abbie and Abby both work as everyday short forms.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: My father’s joy
- Pronunciation: AH-bih-gayl
- Variations: Abigale, Abbigail
- Namesakes: Abigail Adams, former first lady to U.S. President John Adams.
- Popularity: SSA data puts Abigail at #41 in 2025, off a best of #4 in 2005.
Adam
Adam is the oldest name on this list by story. The Bible and the Quran both open with him as the first man, which gives one short word a foothold in more than one faith. Its Hebrew root means earth or soil, a plain reminder of what people are made from. The sound has aged well, never fussy, never trendy enough to date a child. Actor and filmmaker Adam Sandler has kept it in circulation for a whole generation of parents.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Earth, soil
- Pronunciation: AH-duhm
- Namesakes: Adam Sandler, an American actor, filmmaker, and comedian known for his role in 50 First Dates.
- Popularity: Adam sat at #101 on the U.S. charts in 2025; its strongest year on record was 1983 at #18.
Adna
Adna reads like a softer cousin of Edna, and it shares the same Hebrew root for delight. It is technically unisex, though it has been used more often for boys. Swedish singer Adna Kadic and the Irish poet Adna mac Uthidir are the two bearers most often cited. For parents who want something short, warm and almost never heard on a playground, Adna does the job.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Delight
- Pronunciation: AHD-nuh
- Namesakes: Adna Kadic, a Swedish singer and songwriter.
- Popularity: Adna is rare in the U.S., ranked #8,870 in 2025 with 11 babies given the name.
Alo
In Native American tradition, Alo refers to a spirit guide, the animal presence people watch for in ordinary moments. Bears, foxes and parrots all turn up in those stories. Three letters, two beats, nothing to spell out twice.
- Origin: Native American
- Meaning: Spirit guide
- Pronunciation: al-OH
- Popularity: Alo is rare in the U.S., ranked #10,759 in 2025 with 6 babies given the name.
Anani
Anani means cloud in one tradition and orange tree in another, which is a lovely pair of images for one name. Alternate readings point toward divination and prophecy, so it has a mystical edge without leaning on any single religion. It is a popular surname but a rare forename, which is a good part of the appeal. The rolling uh-NAH-nee sound is easy on the ear and easy on a toddler learning to say it.
- Origin: Hawaiian, Hebrew
- Meaning: Cloud, orange tree
- Pronunciation: uh-NAH-nee, ay-NAH-nee
- Namesakes: Rabbi Anani ben Sason, a Jewish Talmudist.
- Popularity: Anani is rare in the U.S., ranked #7,166 in 2025 with 15 babies given the name.
Angela
Angela comes straight from the Latin for messenger of God, the same root behind angel. In scripture, angels turn up to deliver news, and across many faiths they stand for protection and peace. The name had a long American heyday and now reads pleasantly retro rather than dated. Angie is the obvious short form. Angela Kinsey of The Office is the bearer most parents picture first.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Messenger of God
- Pronunciation: AN-juh-luh
- Namesakes: Angela Kinsey, an American actress known for her role on The Office.
- Popularity: Angela ranked #408 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 765 babies that year.
Anika
Few names travel as widely as Anika. German speakers treat it as a short form of Anna, Hebrew tradition ties it to Hannah, and in Sanskrit it is another name for the goddess Durga. Every one of those threads lands on the same idea of grace or favor. American actress and singer Anika Larson gives it a modern face. If you want one name with several origin stories to tell, this is it.
- Origin: African, Nordic, Arabic, Hebrew
- Meaning: Grace, favor
- Pronunciation: AH-nih-kuh, uh-NEE-kah
- Variations: Anikka, Annika
- Namesakes: Anika Larson, an American actress and singer.
- Popularity: SSA data puts Anika at #955 in 2025, off a best of #479 in 2004.
Apollo
Apollo was the son of Zeus and the god of dance, medicine, poetry and sunlight, a broader portfolio than most Olympians managed. The name translates as destroyer, though the destruction in question is of evil rather than of people. That contrast is what makes it interesting instead of aggressive. Parents who know the full story tend to choose it quickly.
- Origin: Greek, Roman
- Meaning: Destroyer
- Pronunciation: ah-PAH-loh
- Popularity: Apollo sat at #445 on the U.S. charts in 2025; its strongest year on record was 2022 at #389.
Athena
Athena was the goddess of war, craft and wisdom, and Homer gave her a starring role in the Odyssey. The name means from Athens, the city that took her as its patron. It suits a daughter you expect to be clever and stubborn in equal measure. It is a big name on paper, but Thena trims it down for everyday use.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: From Athens
- Pronunciation: uh-THEE-nuh
- Popularity: Athena ranked #109 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 2,477 babies that year.
Baptiste
Baptiste is the French word for Baptist, and in France it most often turns up as the second half of Jean Baptiste. The reference is to John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus known for his boldness. Baptist is also a Christian denomination, which gives the name weight for families of strong faith. French composer Baptiste Trotignon is a rare modern bearer. In the United States you should expect to explain it.
- Origin: French
- Meaning: Baptist
- Pronunciation: BAP-teest
- Namesakes: Baptiste Trotignon, a French composer.
- Popularity: Baptiste last appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration data in 2021, at #10,949, and has not charted since.
Batya
Batya means daughter of God, which is about as direct as a spiritual name gets. It sounds like a fresh alternative to Katya without actually being a variation of it. Batya is also an ancient city in Hungary, and American poet Batya Weinbaum carries the name today. Choose it and your daughter grows up with a built-in reminder of how she is loved.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Daughter of God
- Pronunciation: BAT-yah
- Namesakes: Batya Weinbaum, an American poet specializing in feminist prose.
- Popularity: Batya reached its best U.S. rank yet in 2025, #4,186, with 34 babies given the name.
Bhuvi
Bhuvi means heaven, the reward at the end of the road in many faiths. It stands on its own and also works as a short form of Bhuvneshwar, which is how it earns its unisex label. The sound is light and quick, two beats and done. Vee makes an easy nickname if the full name ever feels formal.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: Heaven
- Pronunciation: BOO-vee
- Popularity: Bhuvi is rare in the U.S., ranked #13,468 in 2025 with 6 babies given the name.
Bishop
A bishop oversees a church and its congregation, and the word itself traces back to a Greek term for an overseer. As a first name it has always been hit or miss, common as a surname and scarce out front. It has the same clipped, occupational sound as Deacon and Saint, which are both having a moment. Parents who like a name with quiet authority tend to land here.
- Origin: English, Greek
- Meaning: Overseer
- Pronunciation: BISH-uhp
- Popularity: SSA data puts Bishop at #1,188 in 2025, off a best of #962 in 1998.
Bliss
Bliss names the state most spiritual practice is aiming for, the settled calm on the far side of meditation. It sounds feminine but is used freely as a middle name for boys and girls. Alternate readings stretch it to intense happiness, which is a generous thing to wish on a newborn. American literary critic Bliss Perry is the best known bearer.
- Origin: British
- Meaning: Joy, cheer
- Pronunciation: BLISS
- Namesakes: Bliss Perry, an American literary critic and writer.
- Popularity: Bliss is rare in the U.S., ranked #2,219 in 2025 with 83 babies given the name.
Bodhi
In Buddhist teaching, Bodhi is the awakening that turns a person into a Buddha, and the tree the Buddha sat beneath carries the same name. Megan Fox put it in front of American parents when she chose it for her son in 2014. Bo is the ready-made short form for a boy who has not grown into the full word yet.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: Enlightenment
- Pronunciation: BOH-dee
- Namesakes: Bodhi Elfman, an American actor known for his role in Mercury Rising.
- Popularity: Bodhi reached its best U.S. rank yet in 2025, #265, with 1,301 babies given the name.
Calum
Calum is the Scottish form of the dove, the bird that stands for peace in nearly every tradition that uses birds at all. Scripture puts a dove over the water at the baptism of Jesus, which is where much of the name’s spiritual weight comes from. It also descends from Columba, a saint remembered as a healer. British singer Calum Scott has kept the spelling in view since his run on Britain’s Got Talent. If you want something soft and Celtic that is not yet everywhere, this is a good pick.
- Origin: Scottish
- Meaning: Dove
- Pronunciation: KAL-uhm
- Variations: Callum, Calem
- Namesakes: Calum Scott, a British singer, and songwriter who competed on Britain’s Got Talent in 2015.
- Popularity: Calum reached its best U.S. rank yet in 2025, #799, with 313 babies given the name.
Cami
In ancient Rome a cami was a priest’s helper, a young attendant devoted to temple service. The name now reads as a short form of Camilla or Cambria, though it stands perfectly well on its own. It has a soft seventies warmth to it. American soccer player Cami Privett is a current bearer.
- Origin: Scottish, Roman
- Meaning: Priest’s attendant
- Pronunciation: KAM-ee
- Variations: Kami
- Namesakes: Cami Privett, an American soccer player.
- Popularity: Cami is rare in the U.S., ranked #4,189 in 2025 with 34 babies given the name.
Canaan
Canaan was a grandson of Noah and a minor figure in Genesis, but the land that took his name became the Promised Land of scripture. That double meaning, a person and a destination, is what gives the name its pull. Country singer Canaan Smith and Canaan Sodindo Banana, the first president of Zimbabwe, are the two best known bearers. The spelling looks unusual and says itself anyway: KAY-nan.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Merchant, trader
- Pronunciation: KAY-nan
- Namesakes: Canaan Smith, an American country music singer.
- Popularity: Canaan ranked #1,044 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 212 babies that year.
Celeste
Celeste sits in the same family as celestial and means, plainly, heavenly. It covers everything above the clouds, angels included, without naming a religion. In the United States it goes almost exclusively to girls, while parts of Europe give it to either. Journalist and author Celeste Headlee is the bearer most people can name. There is little room for creative spelling, which some parents will count as a mercy.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Heavenly
- Pronunciation: SUH-lest, SUH-les-tee
- Namesakes: Celeste Headlee, an American journalist and author.
- Popularity: Celeste reached its best U.S. rank yet in 2025, #188, with 1,662 babies given the name.
Charity
Charity is one of the oldest virtue names in English and the least used of the three that usually travel together with Faith and Hope. To show charity is to give without first checking who deserves it, which is a fair thing to name a daughter after. Nigerian Olympic runner Charity Opara and Charity Burbage of the Harry Potter books give it two very different faces. Cherry is the vintage nickname, borrowed from Dickens.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Giving, kindness
- Pronunciation: CHAIR-ih-tee
- Namesakes: Charity Opara, a Nigerian Olympic runner.
- Popularity: Charity sat at #1,981 on the U.S. charts in 2025; its strongest year on record was 1975 at #183.
Cherish
Cherish is a verb before it is a name, and anyone who has sat through American wedding vows has heard it. It describes the careful way people hold on to each other. As a first name it had its run and now sounds pleasantly out of step with the pack, which is usually the first sign a name is due back. The meaning has not aged a day.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Beloved, to treasure
- Pronunciation: CHAIR-ish
- Popularity: Cherish ranked #1,374 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 160 babies that year.
Chetal
Most faiths circle back to the same starting point, which is life itself, and Chetal names it directly. Parents choose it hoping for a daughter with health and energy to spare. It is also the name of a mountain in India, so it carries a place as well as a wish.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: Life, vitality
- Pronunciation: CHEE-tal
- Popularity: Chetal is a unique name that does not appear in U.S. Social Security Administration data, which lists only names given to at least five American babies of one sex in a year.
Christopher
Christopher was coined by early Christians to describe carrying Christ in the soul, and legend later gave the idea a body. Saint Christopher ferried the Christ child across a river on his shoulders and became the protector of travelers, which is why his image still turns up on dashboards. Italian explorer Christopher Columbus is the other bearer every schoolchild meets. The name spent decades near the top of American charts and has settled into classic territory. Chris and Topher both work, depending on how formal the day is.
- Origin: Greek, Latin
- Meaning: Bearer of Christ
- Pronunciation: KRISS-tuh-fer
- Variations: Khristopher, Cristopher
- Namesakes: Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer.
- Popularity: Christopher sat at #68 on the U.S. charts in 2025; its strongest year on record was 1972 at #2.
Cielo
Cielo is Italian for sky, and by extension the heavens. It makes the case that spiritual names are usually nature names wearing a different hat. In the United States it goes mostly to girls, though nothing about it is fixed. Cee Cee is there if you want a nickname.
- Origin: Italian
- Meaning: Sky
- Pronunciation: see-EH-loh
- Popularity: Cielo reached its best U.S. rank yet in 2025, #795, with 342 babies given the name.
David
David was a shepherd boy who became king, and he is credited with most of the Psalms, which makes him the closest thing scripture has to a songwriter. What he is remembered for is trust rather than talent. The name means beloved and has never gone out of American use. British footballer David Beckham keeps it recognizable almost anywhere. It suits a brave boy with a song in him.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Beloved
- Pronunciation: DAY-vihd
- Namesakes: David Beckham, a famous British soccer player.
- Popularity: SSA data puts David at #35 in 2025, off a best of #1 in 1960.
Deacon
Anyone raised in a church knows a deacon, the person who does the practical work and quietly holds influence. The Greek root simply means servant or messenger. Reese Witherspoon chose it for her son in 2003 and American parents followed almost immediately. It has the cool, clipped sound of a surname without being one.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Messenger, servant
- Pronunciation: DEE-kuhn
- Namesakes: Deacon Moore, an American R&B singer.
- Popularity: Deacon sat at #561 on the U.S. charts in 2025; its strongest year on record was 2014 at #420.
Destiny
Destiny names the hidden power many traditions believe is steering things, sometimes called God’s will and sometimes called fate. It was everywhere in the early 2000s and has been cooling off since. Miley Cyrus was born Destiny Hope, which is the piece of trivia the name is stuck with. Spellings run from Destinee to Destiney if you want flexibility.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Destiny
- Pronunciation: DES-tih-nee
- Variations: Destinee, Destiney, Destinay
- Namesakes: Destiny Hope Cyrus, an American actress, and singer known as Miley Cyrus.
- Popularity: Destiny ranked #635 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 458 babies that year.
Devina
Devina is the feminine form of David, with Scottish and Indian roots pulling it in two directions at once. Alternate readings include eye of God and resembling a goddess. Parents hoping for an intuitive daughter are usually the ones who pick it. It sits close enough to Davina that you will spell it out now and then.
- Origin: Scottish, Indian
- Meaning: Beloved, divine
- Pronunciation: dah-VEE-nah
- Variations: Davina
- Popularity: Devina is rare in the U.S., ranked #4,685 in 2025 with 29 babies given the name.
Dhanak
Dhanak means rainbow, which in scripture is the sign God hangs in the sky as a promise. Other traditions read the same arc as a bridge from one season to the next. In modern use the rainbow has picked up a second life as a symbol of pride, and the name carries that too. It is a lot of color for two short syllables.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: Rainbow
- Pronunciation: DAH-nek
- Popularity: Dhanak is too rare for the U.S. Social Security Administration to publish; its records start at five babies of one sex in a single year.
Dharma
Dharma is the truth a person is meant to live by, and in Buddhism it also names the title given to new monks and nuns. Many read it as casting off an old life and stepping into what you were meant for. The nineties sitcom Dharma and Greg is what most American adults hear first. It is unisex on paper and used mostly for girls in practice.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: Truth
- Pronunciation: DAR-muh
- Popularity: Dharma last appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration data in 2023, at #12,475, and has not charted since.
Dhruv
Dhruv is the Pole Star, the fixed point everything else turns around, and it doubles as a name for Lord Shiva. It comes from Dhruva, remembered in Hindu tradition for his devotion. The alternate reading, one who is immovable, suits a steady boy. Indian actor Dhruv Sehgal is a current bearer. Short, sharp and easy once you have heard it: DROOV.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: Pole Star
- Pronunciation: DROOV
- Namesakes: Dhruv Sehgal, an Indian actor known for his role in Little Things.
- Popularity: SSA data puts Dhruv at #1,100 in 2025, off a best of #997 in 2019.
Dream
Dreams have been treated as messages for as long as anyone has written things down, read either as a look ahead or a look inward. Dream turns that into a name, and it is bolder than most word names because it asks nothing of the reader. American director and producer Dream Hampton has carried it professionally for years. Gary Wright’s Dream Weaver gives it a soundtrack.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Vision, ambition, wish, dream
- Pronunciation: DREEM
- Namesakes: Dream Hampton, an American director, and producer.
- Popularity: Dream sat at #432 on the U.S. charts in 2025; its strongest year on record was 2022 at #335.
Dusan
Dusan grows out of dusa, the Slavic word for spirit or soul, so the meaning sits right on the surface. Serbian poet Dusan Matic is one of many writers, actors and scientists who have carried it. Americans will need the pronunciation spelled out once, DOO-shan, and then it is easy. Shan works as a nickname.
- Origin: Slavic
- Meaning: Divine spirit
- Pronunciation: DOO-shan
- Namesakes: Dusan Matic, a Serbian poet.
- Popularity: Dusan last appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration data in 2024, at #10,176, and has not charted since.
Eden
Eden is the garden Adam and Eve were given and then lost, which makes it a name about paradise and about what it costs to leave. The Hebrew sense is simply a place of delight. Actress Eden Sher and Marcia Cross’s daughters have kept it visible. It is short, easy on either sex, and almost impossible to mispronounce.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Place of delight
- Pronunciation: EE-den
- Namesakes: Eden Sher, an American actress known for her role in The Middle.
- Popularity: Eden reached its best U.S. rank yet in 2025, #70, with 3,362 babies given the name.
Elijah
Elijah was the prophet who worked miracles and, in the telling, went to heaven without dying first. He appears in the Quran as well as the Hebrew Bible, so the name crosses faiths comfortably. The meaning, Yahweh is my God, is a statement rather than a description. Eli is the nickname nearly every Elijah answers to by kindergarten.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Yahweh is my God
- Pronunciation: ee-LYE-jah
- Namesakes: Elijah Kelley, an American actor known for his role in Hairspray.
- Popularity: Elijah sat at #7 on the U.S. charts in 2025; its strongest year on record was 2020 at #4.
Elisabeth
Elisabeth with an s is the older continental spelling, and it reads a shade more formal than Elizabeth without being fussy. The meaning, pledged to God, has kept it in royal families for centuries. Missionary and author Elisabeth Elliot and actress Elisabeth Shue both use this version. Lissy, Elisa and Beth cover the everyday forms.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Pledged to God
- Pronunciation: ee-LISS-uh-beth, ee-LEES-ah-beth
- Variations: Elizabeth
- Namesakes: Elisabeth Elliot, an American author and Christian missionary.
- Popularity: Elisabeth ranked #925 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 282 babies that year.
Emma
Emma is one of the oldest names still in heavy use, recorded as far back as the 7th century and cemented as a classic by Jane Austen’s novel. The meaning, whole or universal, is broad enough to suit anyone. British actress Emma Watson gave it a face for a generation of readers. It has sat at or near the top of American charts for two decades and shows no sign of tiring.
- Origin: German, Hebrew
- Meaning: Whole, universal
- Pronunciation: EM-uh
- Namesakes: Emma Watson, a British actress known for her role in Harry Potter.
- Popularity: SSA data puts Emma at #3 in 2025, off a best of #1 in 2008.
Eve
Eve is the first woman in both Christian and Muslim tradition, the wife of Adam and, by the usual reading, the mother of everyone since. Her name means life, which is as much meaning as three letters can hold. It is quiet on paper and strong out loud. Killing Eve and All About Eve give it a modern, slightly dangerous edge.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Life
- Pronunciation: EEV
- Namesakes: Eve Arden, an American actress known for her role in Stage Door.
- Popularity: Eve sat at #519 on the U.S. charts in 2025; its strongest year on record was 2017 at #436.
Ezra
Ezra was a leader who helped bring his people home from captivity, and the name means, simply, help. Pretty Little Liars put it in front of a young audience in 2014 and the name is near its all-time high. Author and illustrator Ezra Jack Keats is the other bearer parents tend to know. The z gives it a snap that most biblical boy names lack.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Help
- Pronunciation: EHZ-rah
- Namesakes: Ezra Jack Keats, an American author, and illustrator specializing in children’s books.
- Popularity: Ezra ranked #20 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 8,126 babies that year.
Faith
The Puritans made Faith a household name, often as the short form of something longer like Faithful. It was traditionally a twin’s name, paired with a sister called Hope. No single religion owns it, which is part of why it has outlasted most virtue names. Actress Faith Ford keeps it in circulation.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Trust, devotion
- Pronunciation: FAYTH
- Namesakes: Faith Ford, an American actress known for her role in The Pacifier.
- Popularity: SSA data puts Faith at #254 in 2025, off a best of #48 in 2002.
Felix
Felix means happy or fortunate, and more than forty saints have carried it, which is a lot of holiness for one cheerful word. The Roman ruler Sulla took it as a byname, so it has a stately streak as well. French photographer Felix Nadar is the modern bearer most often cited. It sounds new right now, but the name has been in use for two thousand years.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Happy, fortunate
- Pronunciation: FEE-liks
- Namesakes: Felix Nadar, a French photographer.
- Popularity: Felix sat at #175 on the U.S. charts in 2025; its strongest year on record was 1914 at #172.
Fortune
Fortune is the luck everyone chases and nobody can pin down. What counts as a fortune shifts depending on who you ask: money for some, family or purpose or faith for others. As a name it is confident without being loud. It suits a child you expect to be rich in the things money does not touch.
- Origin: Latin, Roman
- Meaning: Good fate, luck
- Pronunciation: FORR-chin
- Popularity: Fortune is rare in the U.S., ranked #9,670 in 2025 with 10 babies given the name.
Freya
In Norse myth, Freya is the goddess of beauty and of seeing what is coming, a more interesting pairing than beauty alone. The name means lady, plainly. English actress Freya Allan of The Witcher has helped it travel. It is soft to say and has a spine to it, which is a rare mix.
- Origin: Scandinavian, Norse
- Meaning: Lady
- Pronunciation: FRAY-uh
- Namesakes: Freya Allan, an English actress known for her role in The Witcher.
- Popularity: SSA data puts Freya at #176 in 2025, off a best of #129 in 2022.
Gabriel
Gabriel is the archangel who does the talking, announcing the births of both John the Baptist and Christ. The meaning, God is my strength, reads as a small prayer. An alternate rendering, hero of God, appeals to parents who want backbone in a name. Gabe handles the playground years. Few names manage to sound gentle and formidable at once.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God is my strength
- Pronunciation: GAY-bree-el, GAH-bree-el
- Namesakes: Gabriel Bateman, an American actor known for his role in Lights Out.
- Popularity: Gabriel sat at #37 on the U.S. charts in 2025; its strongest year on record was 2010 at #21.
Genesis
Genesis is the first book of the Bible and the story of how everything started, which is a fitting thing to hand a newborn. The Greek root means birth or origin. It is unisex on paper and used almost entirely for girls in the United States. Genna, Gen and Sissy are the short forms parents reach for.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Birth, origin
- Pronunciation: JEN-uh-sis
- Variations: Jenesis
- Namesakes: Genesis Lynea, a British actress known for her role in Silent Witness.
- Popularity: Genesis ranked #66 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 3,527 babies that year.
Gideon
Gideon was a judge and tribal leader remembered for winning with a fraction of the soldiers he was offered, the kind of story that sticks. The Hebrew meaning, hewer, points at someone who cuts through. News correspondent Gideon Yago and characters in Harry Potter and Criminal Minds keep it in modern circulation. It is biblical without being predictable.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Hewer
- Pronunciation: GIH-dee-ihn
- Namesakes: Gideon Yago, an American news correspondent and journalist for CBS.
- Popularity: SSA data puts Gideon at #337 in 2025, off a best of #304 in 2017.
Gita
Gita means sacred song, and the best known one is simply called The Gita, or the Song of God. It works as a Sanskrit answer to Gina, two syllables and no spelling trouble. Indian writer and filmmaker Gita Mehta carried it well. GiGi is waiting if you want something sillier for a small girl.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: Sacred song
- Pronunciation: GEE-tah
- Variations: Geeta
- Namesakes: Gita Mehta, an Indian writer, and filmmaker.
- Popularity: Gita is rare in the U.S., ranked #12,347 in 2025 with 7 babies given the name.
Grace
Grace is a whole doctrine in one syllable. In Christian teaching it is the favor nobody earns and everybody is offered, tied to Christ’s death on the cross. Off the page it means poise, which is how Grace Kelly wore it as Princess of Monaco. It is one of the most used middle names in America and holds up perfectly well out front. American opera singer Grace Bumbry is another bearer worth knowing, and Gracie softens the whole thing for a toddler.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: God’s grace, unmerited gift of divine favor
- Pronunciation: GRAYS
- Namesakes: Grace Bumbry, an American opera singer.
- Popularity: Grace ranked #38 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 5,127 babies that year.
Hannah
Hannah’s story is one of the most human in scripture. She wanted a child, prayed so hard in the Temple that onlookers assumed she was drunk, and eventually had a son. The name means grace, the same root behind Anna and Anika. It is a palindrome, which children find delightful for about a decade. For families of faith it carries a plain message about not giving up.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Grace
- Pronunciation: HAN-uh
- Variations: Hanna
- Namesakes: Hannah Wilke, an American painter, and sculptor.
- Popularity: SSA data puts Hannah at #56 in 2025, off a best of #2 in 1998.
Heaven
Heaven is the reward at the end of the story in most of the world’s religions, and using it as a name is an unusually direct move. Terrence Howard put it on American birth certificates. Heaven Lee is the middle-name pairing parents either love or refuse on principle. It is a big word for a small person, which is rather the point.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Place of eternal happiness
- Pronunciation: HEH-vihn
- Popularity: Heaven sat at #543 on the U.S. charts in 2025; its strongest year on record was 2005 at #245.
Hope
Hope arrived with the Puritans alongside Faith and Charity, and it still outranks Charity by a wide margin. Saint Hope was a young Christian martyred with her sisters, and her mother, Sophia, is remembered as the patron of widows. The word does all the work here, no explanation required. Australian hockey player Hope Munro is a current bearer.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: The anticipation of good things
- Pronunciation: HOHP
- Namesakes: Hope Munro, an Australian hockey player.
- Popularity: Hope ranked #352 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 868 babies that year.
Hoyt
Hoyt means spirit or soul, which you would never guess from the sound of it. It is a proper American relic, common enough a century ago and scarce ever since. True Blood fans will place it immediately, and singer and actor Hoyt Axton is the other bearer worth naming. An alternate reading, stick, is a nod to a slight young man.
- Origin: Norse
- Meaning: Spirit, soul
- Pronunciation: HOYT
- Namesakes: Hoyt Axton, an American singer, and actor.
- Popularity: Hoyt is rare in the U.S., ranked #2,854 in 2025 with 44 babies given the name.
Ipsita
Ipsita means wished for, which is a fair description of most babies. It is another name for Lakshmi, the Hindu deity of wealth and beauty, so it comes with some glamour attached. Ipsy, said IHP-see, is the nickname built into it. Your daughter will grow up knowing exactly how wanted she was.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: Wished for, desired
- Pronunciation: IHP-sih-tah
- Popularity: Ipsita is too rare for the U.S. Social Security Administration to publish; its records start at five babies of one sex in a single year.
Irene
Irene is the Greek goddess of peace, and peace is a gift most parents would take over almost anything else. Irene of Athens ruled as a Byzantine empress, so there is some steel behind the serenity. Actress Irene Dunne carried it through Hollywood’s golden years. It reads as an older woman’s name at the moment, which is exactly when vintage names start coming back.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Peace
- Pronunciation: eye-REEN
- Namesakes: Irene Dunne, an American actress known for her role in My Favorite Wife.
- Popularity: Irene ranked #651 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 442 babies that year.
Isabelle
Isabelle is the French take on Elizabeth, in use since the Middle Ages and somehow never antique. The core meaning is pledged to God, with alternates running to God is abundant and simply beautiful. French Olympic ice skater Isabelle Delobel is a bearer outside the usual actress list. Bella and Izzy are the short forms, and both are already everywhere.
- Origin: French, Hebrew, Roman
- Meaning: Pledged to God
- Pronunciation: IH-sah-BELL
- Variations: Isabel, Izabelle
- Namesakes: Isabelle Delobel, a French Olympic ice skater.
- Popularity: SSA data puts Isabelle at #166 in 2025, off a best of #79 in 2007.
Isaiah
Isaiah was a prophet and the author of the book that carries his name, best known for foretelling the birth of Christ and for a great deal of plain speaking about judgment. The meaning is Yahweh is salvation. Marvel readers know an Isaiah from the Captain America comics, and actor Isaiah Washington keeps it in the culture. It suits a boy you expect to say the thing nobody else will.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Yahweh is salvation
- Pronunciation: eye-ZAY-uh
- Variations: Isaya
- Namesakes: Isaiah Washington, an American actor known for his role in Grey’s Anatomy.
- Popularity: Isaiah sat at #57 on the U.S. charts in 2025; its strongest year on record was 2006 at #39.
Ishwa
Almost nothing is documented about Ishwa beyond its origin and meaning, which leaves your child free to write the rest. For boys it is read as spiritual teacher and for girls as God’s hope, and it is equally rare either way. Two syllables, no baggage.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: Spiritual teacher
- Pronunciation: ISH-wah
- Popularity: Ishwa is too rare for the U.S. Social Security Administration to publish; its records start at five babies of one sex in a single year.
Jawna
Jawna means the sun, plainly. In Muslim practice the sun marks the prayer times, so it is a working part of the day rather than scenery. Other traditions treat it as the life force everything else turns around. That fits a girl who is already the center of your world.
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: The sun
- Pronunciation: JAW-nah
- Popularity: Jawna does not appear in U.S. Social Security Administration data, which lists only names given to at least five American babies of one sex in a year.
John
John is the plainest of the great biblical names and one of the most used in Western history. John the Baptist was the cousin of Jesus, the one out in the wilderness saying uncomfortable things. The meaning, graced by God, is quietly generous. From John Lennon of The Beatles to actor John Stamos, the bearers are too many to list. Johnny takes care of childhood.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Graced by God
- Pronunciation: JAHN
- Variations: Jon
- Namesakes: John Stamos, an American actor known for his role in Full House.
- Popularity: John sat at #23 on the U.S. charts in 2025; its strongest year on record was 1913 at #1.
Journey
Plenty of people describe their faith as a journey rather than a destination, and that is where this name gets its weight. It is technically unisex, though usage leans one way and celebrity usage leans the other. Fans of eighties rock will hear the band first. It is a word name that actually says something.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Long trip
- Pronunciation: JUR-nee
- Variations: Jurnee
- Popularity: Journey ranked #411 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 757 babies that year.
Juno
Juno was the queen of the Roman gods and the patron of Rome itself, a considerable job description for four letters. Most people under forty think of the 2007 film first. British actress Juno Temple has since given it a grown-up face. It is punchy, a little wry, and pairs well with a long surname.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Queen of the heavens
- Pronunciation: JOO-noh
- Namesakes: Juno Temple, a British actress known for her role in Ted Lasso.
- Popularity: Juno reached its best U.S. rank yet in 2025, #1,252, with 179 babies given the name.
Jupiter
Jupiter is the supreme god of the Roman pantheon, and in Greek mythology his counterpart is Zeus, king of the gods. Astrologically it rules Sagittarius, so it suits a winter baby. Poet Jupiter Hammon, called the founder of African American literature, is the bearer to know. It is a planet, a god and a name, which is a lot of ground for one word.
- Origin: Latin, Roman
- Meaning: The supreme God
- Pronunciation: JOO-pih-ter
- Namesakes: Jupiter Hammon, an American author known as the founder of African-American literature.
- Popularity: Jupiter is rare in the U.S., ranked #2,205 in 2025 with 84 babies given the name.
Karma
Karma is everyday English now, but it started in Indian religions such as Hinduism as the principle that what you send out comes back. People who take it seriously spend their lives sowing carefully. As a name it is direct and a little daring. American children’s author Karma Wilson shows it can sit on a book cover without any fuss.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: Destiny, spiritual force
- Pronunciation: KAR-muh
- Namesakes: Karma Wilson, an American author specializing in children’s fiction.
- Popularity: Karma ranked #1,706 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 120 babies that year.
Kezia
Kezia was one of Job’s daughters, which places her in one of the oldest and hardest stories in scripture. The name means cassia, the cinnamon bark used in holy anointing oil, so it is a spice as much as a reference. Welsh actress Kezia Burrows is a rare modern bearer. Keziah with an h is the fuller spelling if you want it.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Cassia tree
- Pronunciation: KEE-zee-ah, KEH-zee-ah
- Variations: Keziah
- Namesakes: Kezia Burrows, a Welsh actress known for her role in Soul Reaper.
- Popularity: Kezia is rare in the U.S., ranked #2,840 in 2025 with 60 babies given the name.
Kismet
Kismet is the will of Allah in Islamic use and, in casual American English, the word for something that was meant to be. It is also the title of a Turkish soap opera. Few names carry a whole worldview in two syllables. Expect to explain it, and to enjoy explaining it.
- Origin: English, Turkish
- Meaning: Fate, destiny
- Pronunciation: kiz-MEHT
- Popularity: Kismet is rare in the U.S., ranked #16,188 in 2025 with 5 babies given the name.
Lilith
Lilith is either the villain or the hero, depending entirely on who is telling it. Jewish mythology casts her as Adam’s first wife, thrown out of Eden for refusing to obey and reinvented as a creature of the night. The name means belonging to the night, which fits. American fantasy author Lilith Saintcrow has made it her own. It is a strong choice for a daughter with a dark streak.
- Origin: Assyrian
- Meaning: Belonging to the night
- Pronunciation: LILL-uth
- Namesakes: Lilith Saintcrow, an American author who specializes in fantasy.
- Popularity: Lilith ranked #277 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 1,111 babies that year.
Lina
Lina means a ray of sunlight, the warmth rather than the glare. Ancient Rome had a long stretch of solar worship, so the sun has more religious history in the West than people expect. Italian film director Lina Wurtmuller made the spelling familiar in film circles. Lena and Leena are the near neighbors you will be corrected into. It is short, soft and travels across languages without trouble.
- Origin: Arabic, Latin
- Meaning: A ray of sunlight
- Pronunciation: LEE-nah
- Variations: Lena, Leena
- Namesakes: Lina Wurtmuller, an Italian film director.
- Popularity: SSA data puts Lina at #572 in 2025, off a best of #565 in 2024.
Luna
Luna is the moon itself, personified in Roman religion and borrowed by nearly every New Age tradition since. The link many draw between lunar cycles and women’s bodies is why it reads as a name about female strength. American actress Luna Blaise is one bearer among many now. It is a lovely choice for a baby born under a full one.
- Origin: Latin, Italian
- Meaning: Moon
- Pronunciation: LOO-nah
- Namesakes: Luna Blaise, an American actress known for her role in Manifest.
- Popularity: Luna sat at #27 on the U.S. charts in 2025; its strongest year on record was 2022 at #10.
Mary
Mary held the top spot for American girls for 46 years, and no name has been more central to Christian devotion. The mother of Jesus is the obvious reference, with Mary Magdalene, a witness to the resurrection, close behind. Mary Stuart ruled Scotland with it. After years out of fashion it is starting to sound fresh again, which is what happens to the very best names.
- Origin: Hebrew, Egyptian
- Meaning: Beloved
- Pronunciation: MAIR-ee
- Variations: Meri, Mari
- Namesakes: Mary Stuart, the former Queen of Scotland.
- Popularity: Mary ranked #125 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 2,230 babies that year.
Matthew
Matthew was one of the twelve disciples and the author of the first Gospel, generally treated as the most detailed of the four. The meaning is gift of God, which parents rarely need translated. It spent the eighties and nineties near the top of American charts and has aged into a safe classic. Cute names for a small Matthew include Matt and Matty.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Gift of God
- Pronunciation: MATH-yoo
- Namesakes: Matthew Damon, an American actor known for his role in The Martian.
- Popularity: SSA data puts Matthew at #32 in 2025, off a best of #2 in 1995.
Micah
Micah was the prophet who would not stop talking about injustice, which makes him good company for a child. The meaning, he who is like the Lord, is shared with Michael but the sound is far lighter. Actress Sarah Drew chose it for her son in 2012. It is gender-neutral and used mostly for boys.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: He who is like the Lord
- Pronunciation: MYE-kuh
- Variations: Mykah
- Namesakes: Micah Pellerin, an American football player who played for the Dallas cowboys.
- Popularity: Micah sat at #90 on the U.S. charts in 2025; its strongest year on record was 2024 at #86.
Michael
Michael is the archangel who does the fighting, named in both the Bible and the Quran. It was the default American boy’s name for decades and still ranks near the top. Girls carried it in small numbers into the nineties and rarely since. Canadian singer Michael Buble is one of a thousand famous bearers. Mike and Mikey are the standbys, though plenty of Michaels never shorten it at all.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Gift from God
- Pronunciation: MYE-kuhl
- Variations: Mikhail
- Namesakes: Michael Bublé, a Canadian singer with multiple singles.
- Popularity: Michael ranked #21 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 8,094 babies that year.
Moon
The moon has been used to time festivals, fasts and planting for as long as people have kept calendars, which is a lot of meaning to hang on one syllable. As a name it works best in the middle slot, though nothing stops you putting it first. In parts of Europe it doubles as a short form of Monica. Anime fans will hear Sailor Moon, and American actress Moon Bloodgood proves it works on a grown adult.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: The moon
- Pronunciation: MOON
- Namesakes: Moon Bloodgood, an American actress known for her role in Falling Skies.
- Popularity: Moon is rare in the U.S., ranked #3,123 in 2025 with 52 babies given the name.
Nathan
Nathan was the prophet at King David’s elbow, the one willing to tell him what he did not want to hear. The meaning, given by God, is as warm as the job was hard. American actor Nathan Fillion has kept it comfortably modern. Nate is the nickname, and it does most of the work by middle school.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Given by God
- Pronunciation: NAY-thun
- Variations: Naythan, Nathon
- Namesakes: Nathan Fillion, an American actor known for his role in The Rookie.
- Popularity: Nathan sat at #63 on the U.S. charts in 2025; its strongest year on record was 2004 at #20.
Nirvana
Nirvana is the Buddhist end point, the state where craving and suffering finally stop. It is an enormous idea to hand a child, and some parents love exactly that. Most Americans will think of the band first, which is either a feature or a problem depending on your record collection. The sound is soft and unusual either way.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: A place of great bliss
- Pronunciation: ner-VAH-nuh
- Popularity: Nirvana is rare in the U.S., ranked #2,428 in 2025 with 74 babies given the name.
Om
Om is the sound at the start of everything in Hindu and Buddhist practice, said to imitate a first breath. It is chanted three times, once each for the physical, the mental and the spiritual. Two letters, one syllable, nothing to spell out. For a family with a meditation practice it is about as personal as a name gets.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: Creation
- Pronunciation: OHM
- Popularity: Om is rare in the U.S., ranked #2,177 in 2025 with 66 babies given the name.
Parvati
Parvati is the wife of Shiva and the daughter of the Himalayas, and Hindu tradition makes her the goddess of motherhood and of holding things together. Harry Potter readers will know Parvati Patil. American model Parvati Melton is a real-world bearer. It suits a girl you expect to move mountains.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: Daughter of the mountain
- Pronunciation: par-VAH-tee
- Namesakes: Parvati Melton, an American model.
- Popularity: Parvati is rare in the U.S., ranked #16,669 in 2025 with 5 babies given the name.
Pax
Pax is Latin for peace and the name of the Roman goddess who personified it, a daughter of Jupiter. Catholics still exchange it at Mass. Historians reach for it to describe the calm that follows a war. Three letters, one hard consonant, no chance of a nickname.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Peace
- Pronunciation: PAKS
- Popularity: Pax is rare in the U.S., ranked #2,074 in 2025 with 72 babies given the name.
Peter
Peter means rock, and the disciple who carried it is the one who stepped out of the boat onto the water. Tradition puts him at the gates of heaven, checking the list. Peter Rabbit and Peter Pan give the name a lighter second life for children. British actor Peter O’Toole is the grown-up reference. It has been out of fashion long enough to sound interesting again.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Rock
- Pronunciation: PEE-ter
- Namesakes: Peter O’Toole, a British actor known for his role in Lawrence of Arabia.
- Popularity: SSA data puts Peter at #187 in 2025, off a best of #35 in 1955.
Rhea
In Greek myth, Rhea hid her son Zeus to keep him alive, which is the kind of mothering the name is remembered for. It means running water, a stream rather than a river. Rhea is also Saturn’s second largest moon, so it works for an astronomy-minded family. American actress Rhea Seehorn of Better Call Saul is the bearer most people will name.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Running water, stream
- Pronunciation: REE-uh, RAY-uh
- Variations: Raya
- Namesakes: Rhea Seehorn, an American actress known for her role in Better Call Saul.
- Popularity: Rhea ranked #639 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 452 babies that year.
Saint
Saint sits with King and Reign and the other status word names that celebrities made usable. Pete Wentz chose it in 2014 and Kim Kardashian in 2015, and American parents followed quickly. What counts as saintly is left wide open, which is a good part of the appeal. It is gender-neutral and used mostly for boys.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Holy
- Pronunciation: SAYNT
- Popularity: Saint reached its best U.S. rank yet in 2025, #267, with 1,286 babies given the name.
Salem
Salem means peaceful and safe, which sits oddly against the history most Americans attach to it. The witch trials ended in executions on evidence that would not survive five minutes today, and the town still trades on the story. American author Salem Kirban is a bearer outside that shadow. If you want a gender-neutral name with a somber edge, this is the one.
- Origin: Hebrew, Arabic
- Meaning: Peaceful, safe
- Pronunciation: SAY-lehm
- Namesakes: Salem Kirban, an American author specializing in religious nonfiction.
- Popularity: Salem sat at #436 on the U.S. charts in 2025; its strongest year on record was 2023 at #417.
Shaya
Shaya sounds feminine to American ears and is used more often for boys in Arabic-speaking families. Some read it as a form of Isaiah, which puts it in good biblical company. An alternate meaning, worthy, is a fine thing to tell a child. Shay handles the everyday.
- Origin: Hebrew, Arabic
- Meaning: Gift of God
- Pronunciation: SHAY-uh
- Popularity: Shaya reached its best U.S. rank yet in 2025, #1,375, with 135 babies given the name.
Shiloh
Shiloh was the city where the Tabernacle stood, which makes it a place name with real religious weight. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt used it for their daughter in 2006 and American usage jumped almost immediately. Alternate readings point toward the coming of the Messiah. American romance novelist Shiloh Walker is another bearer. It is genuinely unisex, which few biblical names manage.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Abundance, His gift
- Pronunciation: SHYE-loh
- Namesakes: Shiloh Walker, an American author specializing in romance books.
- Popularity: SSA data puts Shiloh at #281 in 2025, off a best of #260 in 2024.
Sky
Sky is a nature-inspired name with a mystical streak. Across religions the sky stands in for eternity and for whatever sits above us, and people have read it for signs for as long as they have looked up. Skye with an e is the alternate spelling if you want more on the page. It is a standing reminder to keep an eye on the bigger picture.
- Origin: Scandinavian, Norse
- Meaning: Sky, atmosphere seen from Earth
- Pronunciation: SKYE
- Variations: Skye
- Namesakes: Sky Flaherty, an American actor known for his role in Isn’t It Romantic.
- Popularity: Sky sat at #949 on the U.S. charts in 2025; its strongest year on record was 2021 at #712.
Solomon
Solomon was the king remembered for wisdom first and wealth second, and his name means peace. Solomon Northup, who wrote the memoir Twelve Years a Slave, gave it a very different kind of weight in American history. It is long, formal and completely unbothered by fashion. Sol is the nickname a small boy will grow into.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Peace
- Pronunciation: SAHL-uh-mihn
- Popularity: Solomon ranked #422 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 767 babies that year.
Sophia
Sophia is the Greek word for wisdom, and some early Christians treated Wisdom as a person rather than a quality. Saint Sophia of Rome was the one people prayed to about a late frost, a wonderfully specific job. European royals have used it for centuries, and Sophia Loren made it glamorous. It has stayed near the top of American charts for two decades running.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Wisdom
- Pronunciation: soh-FEE-uh
- Variations: Sofia
- Namesakes: Sophia Loren, an Italian actress known for her role in Two Women.
- Popularity: SSA data puts Sophia at #5 in 2025, off a best of #1 in 2011.
Tao
Tao comes from Taoism, a tradition built on the idea that people and the wider universe belong together. It holds that humans, animals and the world balance one another, with no part outweighing the rest. An alternate reading, large waves, suits a baby who makes an entrance. American novelist and poet Tao Lin is the bearer most likely to come up.
- Origin: Chinese
- Meaning: Long life
- Pronunciation: TOW-oo
- Namesakes: Tao Lin, an American novelist and poet.
- Popularity: Tao is rare in the U.S., ranked #5,824 in 2025 with 16 babies given the name.
Tarot
Tarot cards have been around since the 15th century, used first for games and later for reading what is coming. The name is French, gender-neutral and about as rare as names get. It is a bold pick, and it will start a conversation every single time.
- Origin: French
- Meaning: Magical cards
- Pronunciation: TAIR-oh
- Popularity: Tarot does not appear in U.S. Social Security Administration data, which lists only names given to at least five American babies of one sex in a year.
Trinity
Trinity names the Christian doctrine of the divine three, Father God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, which is about as much theology as a first name can hold. Country star Trace Adkins made it a cool name when he chose it for his daughter in 2004. It peaked with American parents in the mid 2000s and has eased off since. Trin works if the full version feels heavy.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Triad
- Pronunciation: TRIN-ih-tee
- Variations: Trinitee
- Popularity: SSA data puts Trinity at #428 in 2025, off a best of #48 in 2004.
Ulick
Ulick gathers up the three things many traditions say have to stay in balance: heart, mind and spirit. An alternate reading, little William, makes it a quiet way to honor a family name. It is Irish, unusual, and easier to say than it looks: YOO-lik.
- Origin: Irish, Norse
- Meaning: Heart, mind, spirit
- Pronunciation: YOO-lik
- Namesakes: Ulick O’Connor, an Irish historian and writer.
- Popularity: Ulick does not appear in U.S. Social Security Administration data, which lists only names given to at least five American babies of one sex in a year.
Uma
Uma is one of the many names for the goddess Parvati, and in Hebrew tradition it goes to girls born on Israel’s Independence Day. Light and peace are the core meanings, and both turn up in nearly every faith on this list. Alternate meanings include night and fame. Uma Thurman has carried it almost alone for a generation.
- Origin: Indian, Hebrew
- Meaning: Light, peace
- Pronunciation: OO-muh
- Namesakes: Uma Thurman, an American actress known for her role in Kill Bill.
- Popularity: Uma is rare in the U.S., ranked #3,025 in 2025 with 55 babies given the name.
Vashti
Vashti is the Persian queen who refused her husband’s outrageous summons and lost her crown for it, and Esther takes her place in the story. Scholars have spent the last century reading her as an early example of a woman saying no. The name means lovely, which undersells her considerably. Jamaican model Vashti Clarke is a modern bearer.
- Origin: Persian
- Meaning: Lovely
- Pronunciation: VASH-tee
- Namesakes: Vashti Clarke, a Jamaican model.
- Popularity: Vashti is rare in the U.S., ranked #8,823 in 2025 with 12 babies given the name.
Veda
The Vedas are sacred Hindu texts, recited aloud by elders and held to have been given rather than written. Veda takes that whole library and turns it into a name meaning knowledge. It is short, soft and unfussy in English. For a family looking to honor its faith in one word, it does the job.
- Origin: Indian, Sanskrit
- Meaning: Knowledge
- Pronunciation: VAY-duh
- Popularity: Veda sat at #739 on the U.S. charts in 2025; its strongest year on record was 1915 at #477.
Vesper
Vespers is the evening prayer service kept in Catholic and Lutheran churches, and the word itself means evening. That makes Vesper a natural for a baby born after dark. It has a hushed, candlelit sound that few names manage. Gender-neutral, easy to spell, and quietly religious rather than loudly so.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Prayer
- Pronunciation: VESS-per
- Popularity: Vesper is rare in the U.S., ranked #2,482 in 2025 with 72 babies given the name.
Zen
Zen is a school of Buddhism founded during the Tang dynasty, which pursues enlightenment through meditation and fasting rather than study. In English it has flattened out into slang for being calm, which is not the worst thing to wish on a child. Three letters, one syllable, no spelling trouble anywhere in the world. Parents hoping for a peaceful labor may take it as a small act of optimism.
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Meditation
- Pronunciation: ZEHN
- Popularity: SSA data puts Zen at #1,144 in 2025, off a best of #906 in 2022.
Zeus
Zeus ran the sky and the thunderstorms, and Greek myth treats him as the god over all humanity. His record is mixed, as anyone who has read the stories knows, but his intentions were generally decent. The name means sky or shine. It is a lot to live up to, and short enough that a small boy can manage it.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Sky, shine
- Pronunciation: ZOOS
- Popularity: Zeus sat at #1,351 on the U.S. charts in 2025; its strongest year on record was 2024 at #1,067.
Zion
Zion is the city of refuge in scripture, the place where God and his holy people dwell. It stands in for heaven itself, or for the world after Christ returns, depending on the tradition. Mormon usage leans on an alternate reading, utopia. The name means highest point, and it ranks #142, close to its 2023 best of #125.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Highest point
- Pronunciation: ZYE-uhn, ZEE-ahn
- Popularity: Zion ranked #142 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 2,496 babies that year.
