MyNameIsSol's Personal Name List

Alexis
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: French, English, Greek, Spanish, Ancient Greek [1]
Other Scripts: Αλέξης(Greek) Ἄλεξις(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: A-LEHK-SEE(French) ə-LEHK-sis(English) a-LEHK-sees(Spanish)
Rating: 72% based on 5 votes
From the Greek name Ἄλεξις (Alexis) meaning "helper" or "defender", derived from Greek ἀλέξω (alexo) meaning "to defend, to help". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek comic poet, and also of several saints. It is used somewhat interchangeably with the related name Ἀλέξιος or Alexius, borne by five Byzantine emperors.

In the English-speaking world this name is more commonly given to girls. This is due to the American actress Alexis Smith (1921-1993), who began appearing in movies in the early 1940s. It got a boost in popularity in the 1980s from a character on the soap opera Dynasty.

Ash
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: ASH
Personal remark: nn for Ashley and/or Ashton
Rating: 58% based on 4 votes
Short form of Ashley. It can also come directly from the English word denoting either the tree or the residue of fire.
Eden
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Hebrew, English (Modern), French (Modern)
Other Scripts: עֵדֶן(Hebrew)
Pronounced: EE-dən(English)
Rating: 55% based on 4 votes
From the biblical place name, itself possibly from Hebrew עֵדֶן (ʿeḏen) meaning "pleasure, delight" [1], or perhaps derived from Sumerian 𒂔 (edin) meaning "plain". According to the Old Testament the Garden of Eden was the place where the first people, Adam and Eve, lived before they were expelled.
Em
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: EHM
Personal remark: nn for Emmanuel or Emily
Rating: 23% based on 4 votes
Short form of Emily or Emma.
Emery
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: EHM-ə-ree
Rating: 58% based on 4 votes
Norman French form of Emmerich. The Normans introduced it to England, and though it was never popular, it survived until the end of the Middle Ages. As a modern given name, now typically feminine, it is likely inspired by the surname Emery, which was itself derived from the medieval given name. It can also be given in reference to the hard black substance called emery.
Gale 2
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: GAYL
Rating: 76% based on 5 votes
From a surname that was derived from Middle English gaile "jovial". It also coincides with the English word gale meaning "storm".
Jamie
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Scottish [1], English
Pronounced: JAY-mee
Rating: 83% based on 4 votes
Originally a Lowland Scots diminutive of James. Since the late 19th century it has also been used as a feminine form.
Laurel
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LAWR-əl
Rating: 93% based on 4 votes
From the name of the laurel tree, ultimately from Latin laurus.
Manu 2
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: French, Spanish, German, Finnish
Pronounced: MA-NUY(French) MA-noo(Spanish) MAH-noo(Finnish)
Personal remark: nn for Manuel or Manuela
Rating: 48% based on 4 votes
Short form of Manuel or Emmanuel (and also of Manuela in Germany).
Mel
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MEHL
Rating: 73% based on 4 votes
Short form of Melvin, Melanie, Melissa and other names beginning with Mel.
Morgan 1
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Welsh, English, French
Pronounced: MAWR-gən(English) MAWR-GAN(French)
Rating: 38% based on 4 votes
From the Old Welsh masculine name Morcant, which was possibly derived from Welsh mor "sea" and cant "circle". Since the 1980s in America Morgan has been more common for girls than boys, perhaps due to stories of Morgan le Fay or the fame of actress Morgan Fairchild (1950-).
Paris 1
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Πάρις(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: PA-REES(Classical Greek) PAR-is(English) PEHR-is(English)
Rating: 55% based on 4 votes
Meaning unknown, possibly of Luwian or Hittite origin. In Greek mythology he was the Trojan prince who kidnapped Helen and began the Trojan War. Though presented as a somewhat of a coward in the Iliad, he did manage to slay the great hero Achilles. He was himself eventually slain in battle by Philoctetes.
Rae
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: RAY
Rating: 80% based on 4 votes
Short form of Rachel. It can also be used as a feminine form of Ray.
River
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: RIV-ər
Rating: 88% based on 4 votes
From the English word that denotes a flowing body of water. The word is ultimately derived (via Old French) from Latin ripa "riverbank".
Rory
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Irish, Scottish, English
Pronounced: RAWR-ee(English)
Rating: 48% based on 4 votes
Anglicized form of Ruaidhrí. Typically a masculine name, it gained some popularity for girls in the United States after it was used on the television series Gilmore Girls (2000-2007), in this case as a nickname for Lorelai. Despite this, the name has grown more common for boys in America, especially after 2011, perhaps due to Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy (1989-).
Rowan
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Irish, English (Modern)
Pronounced: RO-ən(English)
Rating: 84% based on 5 votes
Anglicized form of the Irish name Ruadhán. As an English name, it can also be derived from the surname Rowan, itself derived from the Irish given name. It could also be given in reference to the rowan tree, a word of Old Norse origin (coincidentally sharing the same Indo-European root meaning "red" with the Irish name).
Sage
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: SAYJ
Rating: 58% based on 5 votes
From the English word sage, which denotes either a type of spice or else a wise person.
Sol 1
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Spanish, Portuguese
Pronounced: SOL(Spanish) SAWL(European Portuguese) SOW(Brazilian Portuguese)
Rating: 85% based on 4 votes
Means "sun" in Spanish or Portuguese.
Taylor
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: TAY-lər
Rating: 72% based on 5 votes
From an English surname that originally denoted someone who was a tailor, from Norman French tailleur, ultimately from Latin taliare "to cut".

Its modern use as a feminine name may have been influenced by the British-American author Taylor Caldwell (1900-1985). Since 1990 it has been more popular for girls in the United States. Other England-speaking regions have followed suit, with the exception of England and Wales where it is still slightly more popular for boys. Its popularity peaked in America the mid-1990s for both genders, ranked sixth for girls and 51st for boys. A famous bearer is the American musician Taylor Swift (1989-).

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