How popular is the baby name Anu in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Use the popularity graph and data table below to find out! Plus, see all the blog posts that mention the name Anu.

The graph will take a few moments to load. (Don't worry, it shouldn't take 9 months!) If it's taking too long, try reloading the page.


Popularity of the baby name Anu


Posts that mention the name Anu

Girl names on the decline in the U.S. in 2021

fallen leaves

Which girl names decreased in usage the most from 2020 to 2021?

Here’s a table of the fastest-falling girl names of 2021. On the left are the top 25 decreases in terms of absolute numbers of babies, and on the right are the top 25 decreases in terms of relative numbers of babies.

RankGirl nameAbsolute fallGirl nameRelative fall
1Isabella-957Ashvi-76%
2Abigail-936Dessa-75%
3Victoria-603Jaeda-73%
4Alexa-583Amavi-73%
5Sophia-540Yameli-73%
6Brooklyn-504Raela-72%
7Anna-452Reniyah-72%
8Gianna-435Naeema-72%
9Harper-433Avyn-72%
10Aubrey-409Portia-71%
11Ava-401Jadah-71%
12Hannah-400Rona-71%
13Kaylee-366Jocelynne-71%
14Samantha-361Iolana-71%
15Serenity-359Nakshatra-70%
16Emily-358Jatziry-69%
17Genesis-356Irish-69%
18Ella-354Inanna-69%
19Melanie-348Evangaline-69%
20Brielle-346Alula-69%
21Mila-330Rakeb-68%
22Lauren-312Kiaya-68%
23Skylar-303Meral*-67%
24Londyn-300Kemya*-67%
25Arianna-298Jeri*-67%

*Also at -67% were Helayna, Asmara, Arriyah, Anu, Akane, Kimberlin, Jojo, Elianni, Naleya and Leta.

Interestingly, Dessa has dropped before — it was the fastest-falling girl name way back in 1933.

And I don’t think anyone will be surprised about the ongoing decline of Alexa.

Finally, here are the girl names that saw the steepest dives right out of the data (i.e., to below 5 instances of usage) in 2021:

  • given to 20 babies in 2020: Geisha
  • given to 17 babies in 2020: Glorianna, Malai, Taleigha
  • given to 16 babies in 2020: Emili, Kalonni, Nyella, Siaani

Do you have thoughts/insights about any of the above names?

Source: SSA

Image: Adapted from Fall (6282684630) by Kenny Louie under CC BY 2.0.

Palindromic name-pairs: Allen/Nella, Iris/Siri, Leon/Noel

duck and reflection

Looking for a pair of baby names that are mirror images of one another? If so, check out this long list of palindromic name pairings.

What’s a palindrome? It’s a word or phrase that can be read the same way in either direction, i.e., both forwards and backwards. For instance, the words “level,” “refer” and “pop” are all palindromes.

Each of the hundreds of pairings below features two names that contain the same sequence of letters, just written in opposite directions. (Nearly all of these names were collected from the SSA’s huge database of U.S. baby names.)

Palindrome name-pairs

  • Aaila & Aliaa
  • Aala & Alaa
  • Aalya & Aylaa
  • Aari & Iraa
  • Aaron & Noraa
  • Aava & Avaa
  • Aayah & Hayaa
  • Aayla & Alyaa
  • Abeera & Areeba
  • Abel & Leba
  • Abem & Meba
  • Abira & Ariba
  • Acire & Erica
  • Adama & Amada
  • Adel & Leda
  • Aden & Neda
  • Adi & Ida
  • Adia & Aida
  • Adila & Alida
  • Ador & Roda
  • Adya & Ayda
  • Aela & Alea
  • Aeva & Avea
  • Afra & Arfa
  • Ahri & Irha
  • Aiana & Anaia
  • Aidah & Hadia
  • Aidan & Nadia
  • Aidyn & Nydia
  • Aila & Alia
  • Ailah & Halia
  • Ailana & Analia
  • Ailed & Delia
  • Aileen & Neelia
  • Ailen & Nelia
  • Aili & Ilia
  • Ailyn & Nylia
  • Aima & Amia
  • Aimar & Ramia
  • Aina & Ania
  • Aira & Aria
  • Airam & Maria
  • Airi & Iria
  • Airys & Syria
  • Aisa & Asia
  • Aiva & Avia
  • Aiyla & Alyia
  • Aiza & Azia
  • Ajna & Anja
  • Akila & Alika
  • Akim & Mika
  • Akina & Anika
  • Akira & Arika
  • Akire & Erika
  • Alan & Nala
  • Alana & Anala
  • Alaya & Ayala
  • Aleciram & Maricela
  • Aleema & Ameela
  • Aleen & Neela
  • Alegna & Angela
  • Aleina & Aniela
  • Alena & Anela
  • Alex & Xela
  • Aleya & Ayela
  • Aleyna & Anyela
  • Ali & Ila
  • Aliana & Anaila
  • Alim & Mila
  • Alima & Amila
  • Alin & Nila
  • Alina & Anila
  • Alis & Sila
  • Alix & Xila
  • Aliz & Zila
  • Allan & Nalla
  • Allen & Nella
  • Allena & Anella
  • Alli & Illa
  • Alma & Amla
  • Alona & Anola
  • Alya & Ayla
  • Alyah & Hayla
  • Alyana & Anayla
  • Alyna & Anyla
  • Alyne & Enyla
  • Alyn & Nyla
  • Alys & Syla
  • Alyx & Xyla
  • Alyza & Azyla
  • Amal & Lama
  • Amar & Rama
  • Ame & Ema
  • Ameelah & Haleema
  • Amel & Lema
  • Amen & Nema
  • Amil & Lima
  • Amilah & Halima
  • Amin & Nima
  • Amir & Rima
  • Amor & Roma
  • Amos & Soma
  • Amri & Irma
  • Anaaya & Ayaana
  • Anael & Leana
  • Anaeli & Ileana
  • Anaelle & Elleana
  • Anab & Bana
  • Anah & Hana
  • Anahi & Ihana
  • Anahis & Sihana
  • Anai & Iana
  • Anaid & Diana
  • Anaira & Ariana
  • Anais & Siana
  • Anaisa & Asiana
  • Anaiya & Ayiana
  • Anaiz & Ziana
  • Anali & Ilana
  • Analya & Aylana
  • Anam & Mana
  • Anan & Nana
  • Anar & Rana
  • Anavi & Ivana
  • Anavrin & Nirvana
  • Anaya & Ayana
  • Anayat & Tayana
  • Anayra & Aryana
  • Ande & Edna
  • Anel & Lena
  • Aneli & Ilena
  • Anelle & Ellena
  • Aneri & Irena
  • Anes & Sena
  • Angel & Legna
  • Ani & Ina
  • Anilah & Halina
  • Anime & Emina
  • Anira & Arina
  • Anis & Sina
  • Anisah & Hasina
  • Annaelle & Elleanna
  • Annah & Hanna
  • Annais & Sianna
  • Anne & Enna
  • Annel & Lenna
  • Anni & Inna
  • Anova & Avona
  • Anu & Una
  • Anum & Muna
  • Anya & Ayna
  • Arale & Elara
  • Arami & Imara
  • Aramis & Simara
  • Aranya & Aynara
  • Aras & Sara
  • Arav & Vara
  • Araya & Ayara
  • Areen & Neera
  • Aren & Nera
  • Ares & Sera
  • Arev & Vera
  • Ari & Ira
  • Arial & Laira
  • Ariam & Maira
  • Arian & Naira
  • Ariday & Yadira
  • Arie & Eira
  • Ariel & Leira
  • Arik & Kira
  • Arin & Nira
  • Aris & Sira
  • Ariv & Vira
  • Ariya & Ayira
  • Ariza & Azira
  • Aron & Nora
  • Arya & Ayra
  • Aryam & Mayra
  • Aryan & Nayra
  • Aryn & Nyra
  • Arys & Syra
  • Ase & Esa
  • Aseret & Teresa
  • Aset & Tesa
  • Asli & Ilsa
  • Aslin & Nilsa
  • Asya & Aysa
  • Avah & Hava
  • Ave & Eva
  • Aven & Neva
  • Avey & Yeva
  • Avi & Iva
  • Aviv & Viva
  • Avon & Nova
  • Avram & Marva
  • Avy & Yva
  • Avya & Ayva
  • Axel & Lexa
  • Ayaan & Naaya
  • Ayah & Haya
  • Ayame & Emaya
  • Ayan & Naya
  • Ayanah & Hanaya
  • Ayani & Inaya
  • Ayanni & Innaya
  • Ayat & Taya
  • Ayaz & Zaya
  • Aydah & Hadya
  • Aydan & Nadya
  • Ayen & Neya
  • Aylen & Nelya
  • Ayme & Emya
  • Ayo & Oya
  • Ayza & Azya
  • Azar & Raza
  • Biel & Leib
  • Cam & Mac
  • Caz & Zac
  • Dair & Riad
  • Dame & Emad
  • Denisse & Essined
  • Dev & Ved
  • Dez & Zed
  • Diar & Raid
  • Divan & Navid
  • Eavan & Navae
  • Eilah & Halie
  • Eilyn & Nylie
  • Eivan & Navie
  • Ekin & Nike
  • Elbert & Treble
  • Eliah & Haile
  • Eliam & Maile
  • Elin & Nile
  • Ellah & Halle
  • Ellen & Nelle
  • Elyn & Nyle
  • Emit & Time
  • Eneri & Irene
  • Eon & Noe
  • Eric & Cire
  • Eriel & Leire
  • Erik & Kire
  • Eris & Sire
  • Eron & Nore
  • Eryk & Kyre
  • Etan & Nate
  • Esli & Ilse
  • Eziah & Haize
  • Flor & Rolf
  • Gem & Meg
  • Guy & Yug
  • Haelyn & Nyleah
  • Haeven & Neveah
  • Haevyn & Nyveah
  • Hailyn & Nyliah
  • Haiven & Neviah
  • Haizen & Neziah
  • Hakim & Mikah
  • Hali & Ilah
  • Halyn & Nylah
  • Haram & Marah
  • Hari & Irah
  • Hasset & Tessah
  • Haven & Nevah
  • Hayat & Tayah
  • Heaven & Nevaeh
  • Helen & Neleh
  • Heran & Nareh
  • Ian & Nai
  • Iman & Nami
  • Imar & Rami
  • Imer & Remi
  • Inez & Zeni
  • Inzo & Ozni
  • Irais & Siari
  • Iram & Mari
  • Iris & Siri
  • Isom & Mosi
  • Issam & Massi
  • Ivan & Navi
  • Ivar & Ravi
  • Ives & Sevi
  • Ivo & Ovi
  • Izak & Kazi
  • Jak & Kaj
  • James & Semaj
  • Jesus & Susej
  • Jet & Tej
  • Kam & Mak
  • Kavon & Novak
  • Kaz & Zak
  • Kedar & Radek
  • Keem & Meek
  • Kerem & Merek
  • Kevin & Nivek
  • Kiram & Marik
  • Kroy & York
  • Lain & Nial
  • Lam & Mal
  • Lamar & Ramal
  • Leam & Mael
  • Lean & Nael
  • Lemar & Ramel
  • Leon & Noel
  • Leor & Roel
  • Leroy & Yorel
  • Leunam & Manuel
  • Liav & Vail
  • Liban & Nabil
  • Lin & Nil
  • Linus & Sunil
  • Lukan & Nakul
  • Mairim & Miriam
  • Mar & Ram
  • Mihan & Nahim
  • Milas & Salim
  • Miles & Selim
  • Mizan & Nazim
  • Mohan & Nahom
  • Naeco & Ocean
  • Nahin & Nihan
  • Nahir & Rihan
  • Nahsir & Rishan
  • Nalin & Nilan
  • Nalo & Olan
  • Nas & San
  • Naveen & Neevan
  • Navin & Nivan
  • Navon & Novan
  • Navy & Yvan
  • Nay & Yan
  • Naz & Zan
  • Nazar & Razan
  • Nero & Oren
  • Nilo & Olin
  • Noir & Rion
  • Nomar & Ramon
  • Norris & Sirron
  • Nylo & Olyn
  • Omer & Remo
  • Ray & Yar
  • Vinay & Yaniv

It’s also possible to come up with your own palindromic pairs by flipping traditional names to create brand new names, just as Ramon and Helen were flipped to create the modern names Nomar and Neleh.

Which palindromic name-pair do you like best?

(And, did you know that individual names can be palindromes as well?)

Image: Adapted from Male northern pintail at Llano Seco by Frank Schulenburg under CC BY-SA 4.0.

[Latest update: Apr. 2023]

Baby names inspired by the solar eclipse: Helios, Mahina, Blake

Total solar eclipse (August 2017)
Total solar eclipse

On August 21, the United States will see its first coast-to-coast solar eclipse since 1918. If you’re planning to have (or conceive!) a baby around the time of the eclipse, you might be interested in a name that marks the event (but that perhaps isn’t as obvious as Eclipse itself).

So what are your options?

Names with “celestial” associations

A solar eclipse involves the alignment of three celestial bodies — the sun (a star), the moon, and the Earth — in the sky. You could use a name that is associated in some way with one of these elements, such as…

“Sun” names

  • Haru (Japanese)
  • Helios (ancient Greek)
  • Hina (Japanese)
  • Inti (Quechua)
  • Nou (Hmong)
  • Ra (ancient Egyptian)
  • Ravi (Sanskrit)
  • Shams (Arabic)
  • Sol (Spanish & Portuguese, ultimately from Latin)
  • Solaris (Latin)
  • Soleil (French)
  • Sunniva (Old English)
  • Sunny (English)
  • Surya (Sanskrit)

“Star” names

  • Aster (ancient Greek)
  • Astra (based on the ancient Greek word)
  • Citlalli (Nahuatl)
  • Estelle (French)
  • Estrella (Spanish)
  • Hoshi (Japanese)
  • Najm & Najma (Arabic)
  • Seren (Welsh)
  • Star (English)
  • Starla (based on the English word)
  • Stjarna (Icelandic)
  • Stella (Latin)
  • Tähti (Finnish)
  • Tara (Sanskrit)

“Moon” names

  • Aylin (Turkish)
  • Badr (Arabic)
  • Chandra (Sanskrit)
  • Dal (Korean)
  • Dawa (Tibetan)
  • Ilargi (Basque)
  • Luna (Latin)
  • Lusine (Armenian)
  • Mahina (Hawaiian & Tongan)
  • Máni (Icelandic)
  • Metztli (Nahuatl)
  • Moon (English)
  • Qamar (Arabic)
  • Selene (ancient Greek)

“Earth” names

  • Avani (Sanskrit)
  • Bhumi (Sanskrit)
  • Eartha (based on the English word)
  • Gaia (ancient Greek)
  • Ki (Sumerian)
  • Tierra (Spanish)
  • Tlalli (Nahuatl)

“Sky” names

  • Akash (Sanskrit)
  • Alya (Arabic)
  • Anu (Sumerian)
  • Caelus (Latin)
  • Céleste (French)
  • Ciel (French)
  • Cielo (Spanish)
  • Lani (Hawaiian)
  • Ortzi (Basque)
  • Sky (English)
  • Skyla (based on the English word)
  • Sora (Japanese)

You could even look for a name that contains more than one of these elements. I’ve come across a handful of names that happen to contain both an element meaning “sun” and an element meaning “moon,” for instance. Examples include Ravichandra (Sanskrit), Künnei (Yakut), Aygün (Turkish), and Günay (also Turkish).

Names with “dark” associations

The main event, from an Earthling’s perspective, is the darkening of the sun thanks to the moon getting in the way and casting its shadow over us. So you could use a name associated in some way with darkness, such as…

“Shadow” names

  • Chhaya (Sanskrit)
  • Shade (English)
  • Shadow (English)
  • Umbra (Latin)
  • Zalaph (Hebrew)
  • Zillah (Hebrew)

“Dark” or “Black” names

  • Adham (Arabic)
  • Blake (English surname)
  • Charna (Yiddish)
  • Ciar & Ciara (Irish)
  • Ciarán (Irish)
  • Dubhán (Irish)
  • Duff (Irish surname)
  • Jett (English)
  • Kara (Turkish)
  • Krishna (Sanskrit)
  • Melaina (ancient Greek)
    • Melania (Latin, based on melaina)
    • Mélanie (French form of Melania)
  • Raven (English)
  • Sullivan (Irish surname)

“Night” names

  • Layla (Arabic)
  • Nisha (Sanskrit)
  • Njóla (Icelandic)
  • Noctis (Latin)
  • Nox (Latin)
  • Nyx (ancient Greek)
  • Rajani (Sanskrit)
  • Rajnish (Sanskrit)
  • Tuta (Quechua)
  • Yoalli (Nahuatl)

I think Blake and Sullivan are particularly intriguing choices.

The English surname Blake can come from either of two similar Middle English words that happen to have opposite definitions: blac, meaning “black,” or blac, meaning “wan, pale, white, fair.” So it manages to encapsulate the concepts of both darkness and lightness — two key elements of an eclipse.

And the Irish surname Sullivan, “descendant of Súileabhán,” is based on the Gaelic personal name Súileabhán, meaning “little dark eye” — which sounds a lot like a poetic description of an eclipse.

Name pairings with both “celestial” and “dark” associations

You could combine some of the “celestial” and “dark” names above to get something more specific, like…

  • Layla Soleil: “night” and “sun”
  • Jett Helios: “black” and “sun”
  • Ciarán Sol: “black” and “sun”
  • Mélanie Stella: “dark” and “star” (“Dark Star” is also a Grateful Dead song)
  • Luna Zillah: “moon” and “shadow” (“Moon Shadow” is also a Cat Stevens song)

Names (or name pairings) featuring the letters “S” and “E”

This is as inconspicuous as it gets. Commemorate the solar eclipse simply by using the letters “S” and “E” in combination. You could choose a single name that starts with “Se-,” like…

Sela
Selene (“moon” in Greek)
Selma
Seraphina
Seren (“star” in Welsh)
Serenity
Sean
Sebastian
Sefton
Sergio
Seth
Severino

Or, you could use a pair of names that start with “S-” and “E-,” such as…

Sabrina Eden
Sydney Elise
Sarah Evangeline
Susanna Elizabeth
Simon Elijah
Spencer Ellis
Shane Everett
Samuel Edward

Which of the above names (or combos) do you like most? What other solar eclipse-themed ideas would you add to this list?

P.S. Did you know that Cleopatra gave her twins the middle names Selene and Helios?

Update, 5/15/2018: The baby name Eclipse debuted in the 2017 SSA data! The baby name Moon also more than tripled in usage last year.

Update, 12/31/2022: The rare Icelandic name Myrkvi can mean “eclipse” (also “darkness”).

Update, 2/28/2023: Actress Soleil Moon Frye‘s given names mean “sun” and (of course) “moon.”

Sources:

Image: Adapted from 2017 Total Solar Eclipse by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center under CC BY 2.0.

Anagram baby names (3 letters long)

Anagram baby names (3 letters)

Looking for a set of baby names with something in common? If so, here are some 3-letter anagram names for you to check out!

Anagrams are words that contain the same set of letters, but not in the same sequence. For instance, the words “pot,” “opt,” and “top” are all anagrams of one another.

Anagram names can be a neat option for siblings — particularly multiples (like twins and triplets). They’re also a clever way to connect a baby name to the name of an older relative (e.g., grandpa Ole, grandson Leo).

Below are hundreds of three-letter names (collected from the SSA’s huge database of U.S. baby names) that happen to be anagrams of other names.

Three-letter anagram names

  • Ani, Ian, Ina, Nai, Nia
  • Eno, Eon, Neo, Noe, Oen
  • Ame, Ema, Mae, Mea
  • Ami, Iam, Mai, Mia
  • Amy, May, Mya, Yma
  • Ari, Ira, Rai, Ria
  • Ary, Ray, Rya, Yar
  • Azi, Iza, Zai, Zia
  • Ade, Dea, Eda
  • Adi, Dia, Ida
  • Aki, Kai, Kia
  • Ali, Ila, Lia
  • Alo, Loa, Ola
  • Ase, Esa, Sae
  • Ave, Eva, Vea
  • Avi, Iva, Via
  • Ean, Ena, Nea
  • Era, Rae, Rea
  • Eri, Ire, Rei
  • Ero, Reo, Roe
  • Ion, Nio, Oni
  • Isa, Sai, Sia
  • Ita, Tai, Tia
  • Kao, Koa, Oak
  • Nay, Nya, Yan
  • Ori, Rio, Roi
  • Abe, Bea
  • Abi, Bia
  • Aby, Bay
  • Aly, Lya
  • Anh, Han
  • Ann, Nan
  • Anu, Una
  • Aum, Uma
  • Avy, Yva
  • Bao, Oba
  • Cam, Mac
  • Caz, Zac
  • Dev, Ved
  • Dez, Zed
  • Dre, Red
  • Duy, Udy
  • Ela, Lea
  • Emi, Mei
  • Eve, Vee
  • Eze, Zee
  • Gem, Meg
  • Guy, Yug
  • Hal, Lah
  • Ike, Kei
  • Ivo, Ovi
  • Jai, Jia
  • Jak, Kaj
  • Jet, Tej
  • Jio, Joi
  • Kal, Kla
  • Kam, Mak
  • Kay, Kya
  • Kaz, Zak
  • Keo, Koe
  • Koy, Kyo
  • Lam, Mal
  • Lav, Val
  • Len, Nel
  • Leo, Ole
  • Lin, Nil
  • Lio, Oli
  • Lua, Ula
  • Lys, Sly
  • Mio, Omi
  • Miu, Umi
  • Naz, Zan
  • Niv, Vin
  • Noa, Ona
  • Nas, San
  • Ora, Roa
  • Oya, Yao
  • Rey, Rye
  • Roy, Ryo
  • Rui, Uri
  • Rut, Tru
  • Tae, Tea
  • Tao, Toa
  • Zae, Zea
  • Zay, Zya
  • Zeo, Zoe
  • Zio, Zoi
  • Ziv, Zvi

Which pairing/group do you like best? Let me know in the comments!

To see anagram names of other lengths, check out these lists of 4-letter anagram names, 5-letter anagram names, 6-letter anagram names, 7-letter anagram names, and 8-letter anagram names.

[Latest update: April 2023]