How popular is the baby name Azure 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 Azure.
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In the U.S., most of the names given to baby girls end with a vowel sound. And many of the remaining names end with an N-sound.
So, what about girl names that end with other sounds?
Below is a selection of girl names that end with an R-sound, regardless of last letter. The names are ordered by current popularity.
Harper From the English surname, which originally referred to a person who played the harp. Here’s the popularity graph for Harper.
Eleanor From the Occitan name Alienor, which may mean “the other Aenor.” Here’s the popularity graph for Eleanor.
Claire A French form of the name Clara. Here’s the popularity graph for Claire.
Skylar Based on the Dutch surname Schuyler, meaning “scholar.” Here’s the popularity graph for Skylar.
Piper From the English surname, which originally referred to a person who played the pipe (a type of wind instrument). Here’s the popularity graph for Piper.
Juniper From the type of tree. Here’s the popularity graph for Juniper.
Parker From the English surname, which originally referred to a person employed as the keeper of a hunting park. Here’s the popularity graph for Parker.
Esther A name from the Hebrew Bible that may be based on the Persian word for “star.” Here’s the popularity graph for Esther.
River From the English vocabulary word. Here’s the popularity graph for River.
Summer From the season. Here’s the popularity graph for Summer.
Ember From the English vocabulary word. Here’s the popularity graph for Ember.
Saylor Based on the English word sailor — though it also happens to be an English surname meaning “dancer.” Here’s the popularity graph for Saylor.
Taylor From the English surname, which originally referred to a person who worked as a tailor. Here’s the popularity graph for Taylor.
Sawyer From the English surname, which originally referred to a person who sawed wood. Here’s the popularity graph for Sawyer.
Blair From the Scottish surname, which is derived from the place name Blair, meaning “field” (often “battlefield”). Here’s the popularity graph for Blair.
Palmer From the English surname, which originally referred to a pilgrim. Here’s the popularity graph for Palmer.
Winter From the season. Here’s the popularity graph for Winter.
Jennifer A Cornish form of the name Guinevere. Here’s the popularity graph for Jennifer.
Briar From the English vocabulary word that refers to a thorny plant. Here’s the popularity graph for Briar.
Amber The type of precious stone (which is actually fossilized tree resin). Here’s the popularity graph for Amber.
Carter From the English surname, which originally referred to a person who transported goods. Here’s the popularity graph for Carter.
Dior From the French fashion house Dior, named for founder Christian Dior. Here’s the popularity graph for Dior.
Clover From the type of small plant. Here’s the popularity graph for Clover.
Treasure From the English vocabulary word. Here’s the popularity graph for Treasure.
Noor An Arabic word meaning “light.” Here’s the popularity graph for Noor.
Kimber A nickname for Kimberly. Here’s the popularity graph for Kimber.
Hunter From the English and Scottish surname, which originally referred to a huntsman. Here’s the popularity graph for Hunter.
Baylor From the English surname, which originally referred to a person who delivered goods. Here’s the popularity graph for Baylor.
Denver From the English surname, which is derived from the place name Denver, meaning “Dane’s ford.” Here’s the popularity graph for Denver.
Sapphire From the type of precious stone (which is typically blue). Here’s the popularity graph for Sapphire.
Guinevere Based on the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar, which may mean “white phantom.” Here’s the popularity graph for Guinevere.
Chandler From the English surname, which originally referred to a person who made or sold candles. Here’s the popularity graph for Chandler.
Spencer From the English surname, which originally referred to a person who “dispensed provisions or money.” Here’s the popularity graph for Spencer.
Miller From the English surname, which originally referred to a person who owned or operated a mill. Here’s the popularity graph for Miller.
Ryder From the English and Irish surname, which originally referred to a horseman (though it also has several other possible derivations). Here’s the popularity graph for Ryder.
Lavender From the type of plant that produces fragrant flowers. Here’s the popularity graph for Lavender.
Heather From the type of flowering plant. Here’s the popularity graph for Heather.
Pepper From the type of spice. Here’s the popularity graph for Pepper.
Jupiter From the planet (or the Roman god). Here’s the popularity graph for Jupiter.
Adore From the English vocabulary word. Here’s the popularity graph for Adore.
Ever From the English vocabulary word. Here’s the popularity graph for Ever.
Amor A Spanish and Portuguese word meaning “love.” Here’s the popularity graph for Amor.
Honor From the English vocabulary word. Here’s the popularity graph for Honor.
Flor A Spanish and Portuguese word meaning “flower.” Here’s the popularity graph for Flor.
Baker From the English surname, which originally referred either to a person employed as a baker or to “the owner of a communal oven used by the whole village.” Here’s the popularity graph for Baker.
Desire From the English vocabulary word. Here’s the popularity graph for Desire.
Star From the English vocabulary word. Here’s the popularity graph for Star.
Jadore From the French phrase j’adore, meaning “I adore” or “I love.” Here’s the popularity graph for Jadore.
Greer From the Scottish surname, which is derived from the name Gregor. Here’s the popularity graph for Greer.
Cedar From the type of tree. Here’s the popularity graph for Cedar.
Less-common girl names that end with an R-sound include Harbor, Tamar, Vesper, Pilar, Hajar, Azure, and Larimar.
Which of the above do you like most? What others can you think of?
Looking for baby names that are associated with the color blue — including baby names that mean “blue”?
If so, you’re in the right place! I’ve collected dozens of ideas for you in this post.
Before we get to the names, though, let’s take a quick look at what blue represents…
Symbolism of blue
What does the color blue signify?
In Western cultures in particular, blue can be symbolic of:
Trust
Calm
Sadness
Peace
Loyalty
Depth
Authenticity
It can also be associated with melancholy. “To have the blues,” for instance, is an expression meaning “to feel sad.”
Baby names associated with blue
All of the names below have an association with the color blue. The names range from traditional to unusual, and their associations range from strong to slight.
Those that have been popular enough to appear in the U.S. baby name data are linked to their corresponding popularity graphs.
Aciano Aciano is the Spanish word for cornflower (Centaurea cyanus), a species of plant with flowers that are usually blue. Here’s the popularity graph for Aciano.
Afina Afina is a Romanian feminine name meaning “blueberry.” Here’s the popularity graph for Afina.
Alice Alice is part of “Alice blue” — a shade of blue named after Alice Roosevelt (the oldest daughter of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt) in the mid-1910s. It was inspired by either the blue of Alice’s eyes or the blue of one of her dresses, sources disagree. The name Alice ultimately derives from the Germanic name Adalheidis, meaning “noble character” or “nobleness.” Here’s the popularity graph for Alice.
(The web color aliceblue is a lot lighter than the original “Alice blue.”)
Ao Ao is a Japanese name that can mean “blue,” depending upon the kanji being used to write the name. Here’s the popularity graph for Ao.
Aomi Aomi is a Japanese name that can include the element Ao.
Aori Aori is another Japanese name that can include the element Ao.
Aqua Aqua is a greenish-blue color. The name of the shade comes from the Latin word aqua, meaning “water.” Here’s the popularity graph for Aqua.
Asuman Asuman is a Turkish feminine name meaning “sky.”
Azul Azul is the Spanish word for Azure. Here’s the popularity graph for Azul.
Azur Azur is the French word for Azure. Here’s the popularity graph for Azur.
Azure Azure is a sky-blue color. The name of the shade ultimately derives from the Arabic word lazuward, which refers to lapis lazuli. Here’s the popularity graph for Azure.
Azzurra and Azzurro Azzurra (feminine) and Azzurro (masculine) are the Italian words for Azure. Here’s the popularity graph for Azzurra.
Beryl Beryl is a mineral that can be blue. (Blue beryl is often called “aquamarine.”) The name of the mineral ultimately comes from the Ancient Greek word beryllos. Here’s the popularity graph for Beryl.
Blue Blue, of course, refers to the color blue. :) Here’s the popularity graph for Blue.
Bluebell Bluebell flowers are blue. “Bluebell” is the common name of plants of various genera (including Hyacinthoides).
Bluebird Bluebird is a type of bird with predominantly blue plumage. “Bluebird” is the common name of birds in the North American genus Sialia.
Bluejay Bluejay is another type of bird with predominantly blue plumage. “Bluejay” is the common name of the bird species Cyanocitta cristata.
Caelum Caelum is the Latin word for “sky, heaven.” (Though it’s used as a name in modern-day America, it was simply a vocabulary word in Ancient Rome.) Here’s the popularity graph for Caelum.
Cielo Cielo is a modern Spanish feminine name based on caelum. Here’s the popularity graph for Cielo.
Cerulean Cerulean is a sky-blue color. The word may ultimately be derived from caelum. Here’s the popularity graph for Cerulean.
Chicory Chicory flowers are typically blue. “Chicory” is the common name of the plant species Cichorium intybus.
Chóro Chóro is a Hopi name meaning “blue-bird.”
Chórzhoya Chórzhoya is a Hopi name meaning “little blue-bird.”
Cobalt Cobalt is a vivid shade of blue. Cobalt pigment was originally made from the metallic element cobalt. Here’s the popularity graph for Cobalt.
Cyan Cyan is the greenish-blue color halfway between blue and green on the visible spectrum. The name of the shade comes from the Ancient Greek word kyanos, meaning “dark blue.” Here’s the popularity graph for Cyan.
Darya Darya (pronounced dar-YOH) is a Persian feminine name meaning “sea, ocean.” Here’s the popularity graph for Darya.
Denim Denim fabric is traditionally blue, as it was originally dyed with indigo. The name of the textile is derived from the French phrase serge de Nîmes, which referred to fabric produced in Nîmes, a town in southern France. Here’s the popularity graph for Denim.
Deniz Deniz (pronounced deh-neez) is a Turkish gender-neutral name meaning “ocean.” Here’s the popularity graph for Deniz.
Fayruz Fayruz is an Arabic feminine name meaning “turquoise (the stone).”
Gentian Gentian (pronounced jen-shun) flowers are often blue. According to Pliny, the genus Gentiana was named in honor of Illyrian king Gentius, who is said to have discovered the plant’s medicinal properties. The name Gentian is traditional in Albania, the territory of which was inhabited by Illyrian tribes during ancient times.
Gentiana Gentiana is the modern Albanian feminine form of Gentian. Here’s the popularity graph for Gentiana.
Glory Glory (besides being a vocabulary word) is part of “morning glory” — the common name of flowering plants in the family Convolvulaceae. Morning glory flowers are sometimes blue. Here’s the popularity graph for Glory.
Gökçe Gökçe (pronounced gok-cheh) is a Turkish gender-neutral name meaning “sky blue.”
Haneul Haneul is a Korean gender-neutral name meaning “sky.”
Hyacinth Hyacinth flowers are sometimes blue. The genus Hyacinthus was named for the plant’s association with the myth of Hyacinthus (who was one of the lovers of Apollo in Greek mythology). Here’s the popularity graph for Hyacinth.
Indigo The word indigo refers to flowering plants of the genus Indigofera — particularly the species Indigofera tinctoria — or to the dye made from the leaves of these plants. By extension, it also refers to the purplish-blue color of this dye. The name of the plant can be traced back to the Ancient Greek word Indikón, meaning “Indian,” as the plant is native to India. (It’s no coincidence that the British Royal Navy began using indigo dye extensively during the years that the British East India Company was gaining control over the Indian subcontinent.) Here’s the popularity graph for Indigo.
Jurate Jurate (pronounced YOO-rah-teh) is a Lithuanian feminine name based on the word jura, meaning “sea.” Here’s the popularity graph for Jurate.
Kai Kai is a Hawaiian gender-neutral name meaning “sea.” Here’s the popularity graph for Kai.
Kekai Kekai is a Hawaiian gender-neutral name meaning “the sea.” Here’s the popularity graph for Kekai.
Kallfu Kallfu is a Mapuche feminine name based on the word kallfü, meaning “blue.”
Kallfuray Kallfuray is a Mapuche feminine name meaning “blue flower.”
Kyanite Kyanite is a mineral that is usually blue. The name of the mineral is based on the Ancient Greek word kyanos, meaning “dark blue.” Here’s the popularity graph for Kyanite.
Lafken Lafken is a Mapuche name meaning “sea, ocean.”
Lake Lake water sometimes appears blue. Here’s the popularity graph for Lake.
Lani Lani is a Hawaiian gender-neutral name meaning “sky.” Here’s the popularity graph for Lani.
Larimar Larimar is a light blue variety of the mineral pectolite. Its name, coined in the 1970s, is a combination of Larissa (the name of the daughter of one of the stone’s discoverers) and mar, the Spanish word for “sea.” Here’s the popularity graph for Larimar.
Lazuli Lazuli is part of “lapis lazuli” (pronounced LA-piss LA-zuh-lee) — the name of a deep-blue gemstone. The word lazuli can be traced back (via Latin lazulum and Arabic lazuward) to the place-name Lajward — a region in central Asia where the stone was mined. (The Latin word lapis simply means “stone.”) Here’s the popularity graph for Lazuli.
Livia and Livio Livia (feminine) and Livio (masculine) are the modern Italian forms of the Roman family name Livius, which is thought to derive from the Latin word lividus, meaning “bluish.” Here are the popularity graphs for Livia and Livio.
Lobelia Lobelia (pronounced loh-BEEL-ee-uh) flowers are often blue. The genus Lobelia was named in honor of Flemish botanist Matthias de l’Obel.
Lupine Lupine flowers are sometimes blue. The genus name Lupinus is derived from the Latin word lupinus, meaning “wolfish” (from lupus, “wolf”). Here’s the popularity graph for Lupine.
Mayim Mayim is the Hebrew word for “water.” (Though it’s used as a name among English speakers, it’s simply a vocabulary word among Hebrew speakers.) Here’s the popularity graph for Mayim.
Maya Maya is a Hebrew feminine name based on mayim. It also happens to be a Zuni word meaning “crested blue-jay.” Here’s the popularity graph for Maya.
Mira and Meera Mira, also spelled Meera, is a Hindi feminine name based on the Sanskrit word mira, meaning “sea, ocean.” Here are the popularity graphs for Mira and Meera.
Moana Moana is a gender-neutral name meaning “ocean” in Hawaiian, Maori, Samoan, Tongan, and other Polynesian languages. Here’s the popularity graph for Moana.
Miosotis Miosotis is the Spanish form of Myosotis. Here’s the popularity graph for Miosotis.
Myosotis Myosotis (pronounced my-oh-SOH-tiss) flowers, also known as forget-me-nots, are frequently blue. The genus name Myosotis, meaning “mouse’s ear” in Latin, refers to the shape of the petals.
Navy In the mid-18th century, officers in Britain’s Royal Navy began wearing uniforms that were dyed blue with indigo. The pigment was particularly colorfast (i.e., able to withstand exposure to sun and salt water), so, over time, other countries began to use it for naval dress as well. The dark shade of blue eventually came to be known as “navy blue.” The word navy refers to a country’s collective sea force. It comes (via French) from the Latin word navigia, meaning “vessels, ships, boats.” Here’s the popularity graph for Navy.
Nila and Neela Nila, also spelled Neela, is a Hindi feminine name based on the Sanskrit word nila, meaning “dark blue” or “blue.” Here are the popularity graphs for Nila and Neela.
Nilam and Neelam Nilam, also spelled Neelam, is another Hindi feminine name based on the Sanskrit word nila. Here are the popularity graphs for Nilam and Neelam.
Nilgün Nilgün is a Turkish feminine given name based on the Persian word nilgun, meaning “indigo (the color).”
Ocean The word ocean refers to the vast body of salt water that covers over 70% of the earth’s surface — or to any of the five large bodies of water (Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Antarctic, or Arctic) into which it is divided. Here’s the popularity graph for Ocean.
Rayleigh Rayleigh scattering explains why the sky is blue. The process — which involves electromagnetic radiation (such as visible light) being scattered by particles much smaller in size than the wavelength of that radiation — was named after British physicist John William Strutt, third Baron Rayleigh, who first described it in 1871. Here’s the popularity graph for Rayleigh.
Safira Safira is the Portuguese word for “sapphire.” Here’s the popularity graph for Safira.
Sagar Sagar is a Hindi masculine name meaning “sea, ocean.” Here’s the popularity graph for Sagar.
Sama and Samaa Sama, also spelled Samaa, is a an Arabic feminine name meaning “sky.” Here are the popularity graphs for Sama and Samaa.
Sapphire The word sapphire refers to the blue variety of the mineral corundum. By extension, it also refers to the blue color of these crystals. The name of the stone can be traced back to the Ancient Greek word sappheiros, which is thought to have referred to lapis lazuli originally (not to sapphire as we know it today). Here’s the popularity graph for Sapphire.
Shyam Shyam is a Hindi masculine name based on the Sanskrit word shyama, meaning “dark blue.” Here’s the popularity graph for Shyam.
Sky The word sky refers to the upper atmosphere, which is bright blue on clear days. It’s based on the Old Norse word ský, which meant “cloud” (ironically). Here’s the popularity graph for Sky.
Sini Sini is a Finnish feminine name meaning “blue.”
Sora Sora is a Japanese gender-neutral name meaning “sky.” Here’s the popularity graph for Sora.
Sunil Sunil is a Hindi masculine name derived from the Sanskrit word sunila, meaning “very blue.” Here’s the popularity graph for Sunil.
Tchelet Tchelet is a Hebrew feminine name meaning “sky blue.”
True True (besides being a vocabulary word) is part of “true blue” — an expression that means “loyal, faithful.” The association between the color blue and the idea of loyalty or constancy may been inspired by the unchanging blue of the sky. Here’s the popularity graph for True.
Turquoise Turquoise (pronounced TUR-koyz) is a mineral that is typically greenish-blue. The name of the stone can be traced back to the Old French term pierre tourques, meaning “Turkish stone.” Though it was mined in Persia, the stone was introduced to Europe in the 13th century by Turkish traders. Here’s the popularity graph for Turquoise.
Umi Umi is a Japanese feminine name that can mean “sea,” depending upon the kanji being used to write the name. Here’s the popularity graph for Umi.
Umiko Umiko is a Japanese name that can include the element Umi.
Zafiro Zafiro is the Spanish word for “sapphire.” Here’s the popularity graph for Zafiro.
Can you think of any other names that have a connection to the color blue?
P.S. Want to see more color-related baby names? Here are lists of red, orange, yellow, green, and purple names.
Sources:
Ammer, Christine. The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. 2nd ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013
Looking for baby names that work for both genders?
Actually, let me rephrase that: Do you want to see which names are being given to sizeable numbers of baby boys and baby girls in the U.S. right now?
I wanted to ask the question in a more specific way because I think the details matter. Names can be gender-neutral in theory, but that doesn’t mean they’re being given to babies of both genders in practice.
Gender identity is a big topic of conversation these days, so it’s not surprising that an ever-growing number of parents are searching for baby names that aren’t strongly associated with one gender or the other.
To know what’s happening with baby names in real life, though, we need to focus on the data. That’s why I didn’t consider anything but data when I created the list below.
These names were culled from the 2021 U.S. baby name data (provided by the U.S. Social Security Administration). Each one saw usage that was at least one-third female and at least one-third male, making all of them relatively gender-neutral among today’s newborns.
Top gender-neutral baby names
Let’s start with a quick rundown of the 20 most popular gender-neutral baby names in the U.S. right now:
Parker
River
Charlie
Blake
Hayden
Emerson
Amari
Finley
Remington
Phoenix
Oakley
Dakota
Tatum
Rory
Ari
Alexis
Armani
Remy
Reign
Milan
Now here’s the same list again, but this time around I’ve added some details.
Parker (#1)
Last year, the name Parker was given to 6,229 babies. Of these babies, 2,406 (38.63%) were girls and 3,823 (61.37%) were boys. In terms of rankings, Parker placed 115th for girls and 93rd for boys.
Parker is an English surname that originally referred to someone who was employed as the keeper of a hunting park.
River (#2)
Last year, the name River was given to 5,317 babies. Of these babies, 1,862 (35.02%) were girls and 3,455 (64.98%) were boys. In terms of rankings, River placed 151st for girls and 110th for boys.
River, the English word that refers to a flowing body of water, was derived from the Latin word ripa, meaning “riverbank” or “seashore.”
Charlie (#3)
Last year, the name Charlie was given to 4,190 babies. Of these babies, 2,202 (52.55%) were girls and 1,988 (47.45%) were boys. In terms of rankings, Charlie placed 127th for girls and 189th for boys.
Charlie is a diminutive of the male name Charles, which ultimately comes from the Germanic name Karl, which meant “freeman” (i.e., not a serf or slave).
Interestingly, Charlie is a top-10 name for boys in some regions (like New Zealand and Ireland) and a top-10 name for girls in others (like Quebec).
Blake (#4)
Last year, the name Blake was given to 3,337 babies. Of these babies, 1,497 (44.86%) were girls and 1,840 (55.14%) were boys. In terms of rankings, Blake placed 199th for girls and 205th for boys.
Blake is an English surname that can be traced back to either of two Old English words that happen to have opposite meanings — one being “black,” the other being “white.”
Hayden (#5)
Last year, the name Hayden was given to 3,283 babies. Of these babies, 1,096 (33.38%) were girls and 2,187 (66.62%) were boys. In terms of rankings, Hayden placed 290th for girls and 176th for boys.
Hayden is an English surname that originally referred to someone from one of several different like-named locations. In many cases, the place names were made up of elements meaning “hay” and “hill.” (Depending upon the location, though, the first element sometimes meant “fence enclosure,” and the second element sometimes meant “valley.”)
Emerson (#6)
Last year, the name Emerson was given to 2,952 babies. Of these babies, 1,729 (58.57%) were girls and 1,223 (41.43%) were boys. In terms of rankings, Emerson placed 167th for girls and 279th for boys.
Emerson is an English surname that originally referred to the son of someone named Emery.
Amari (#7)
Last year, the name Amari was given to 2,880 babies. Of these babies, 972 (33.75%) were girls and 1,908 (66.25%) were boys. In terms of rankings, Amari placed 333rd for girls and 199th for boys.
Amari is a modern name that doesn’t seem to have a specific origin or meaning.
Finley (#8)
Last year, the name Finley was given to 2,705 babies. Of these babies, 1,407 (52.01%) were girls and 1,298 (47.99%) were boys. In terms of rankings, Finley placed 211th for girls and 265th for boys.
Finley is based on the Gaelic name Fionnlagh, which is made up of elements meaning “white” and “warrior.”
Remington (#9)
Last year, the name Remington was given to 2,475 babies. Of these babies, 890 (35.96%) were girls and 1,585 (64.04%) were boys. In terms of rankings, Remington placed 348th for girls and 231st for boys.
Remington is an English surname that originally referred to someone from the town of Rimington, in Lancashire. (It’s also an American gun brand.)
Phoenix (#10)
Last year, the name Phoenix was given to 2,454 babies. Of these babies, 1,032 (42.05%) were girls and 1,422 (57.95%) were boys. In terms of rankings, Phoenix placed 308th for girls and 248th for boys.
Phoenix, the word that refers the mythological bird that rises from its own ashes, was derived from an ancient Greek word meaning “crimson” or “purple.”
Oakley (#11)
Last year, the name Oakley was given to 2,292 babies. Of these babies, 1,524 (66.49%) were girls and 768 (33.51%) were boys. In terms of rankings, Oakley placed 193rd for girls and 403rd for boys.
Oakley is an English surname that originally referred to someone from one of several different like-named locations. In all cases, the place names were made up of elements meaning “oak” and “clearing.”
Dakota (#12)
Last year, the name Dakota was given to 2,090 babies. Of these babies, 1,147 (54.88%) were girls and 943 (45.12%) were boys. In terms of rankings, Dakota placed 270th for girls and 344th for boys.
Dakota, the name of a Native American tribe, means “friendly” or “allied” in the Siouan language of the Dakota people.
Tatum (#13)
Last year, the name Tatum was given to 1,959 babies. Of these babies, 1,125 (57.43%) were girls and 834 (42.57%) were boys. In terms of rankings, Tatum placed 279th for girls and 385th for boys.
Tatum is an English surname that originally referred to the homestead of someone named Tata.
Rory (#14)
Last year, the name Rory was given to 1,919 babies. Of these babies, 789 (41.12%) were girls and 1,130 (58.88%) were boys. In terms of rankings, Rory placed 396th for girls and 295th for boys.
Rory is an Anglicized form of the Irish name Ruaidhri, which is made up of elements meaning “red” and “king.”
Ari (#15)
Last year, the name Ari was given to 1,598 babies. Of these babies, 649 (40.61%) were girls and 949 (59.39%) were boys. In terms of rankings, Ari placed 478th for girls and 342nd for boys.
Ari has several potential definitions, including: “lion” in Hebrew, “brave” in Armenian, and “eagle” in Icelandic.
Alexis (#16)
Last year, the name Alexis was given to 1,569 babies. Of these babies, 940 (59.91%) were girls and 629 (40.09%) were boys. In terms of rankings, Alexis placed 341st for girls and 472nd for boys.
Alexis comes directly from the ancient Greek (male) name Alexis, which meant “helper” or “defender.”
Armani (#17)
Last year, the name Armani was given to 1,540 babies. Of these babies, 661 (42.92%) were girls and 879 (57.08%) were boys. In terms of rankings, Armani placed 469th for girls and 369th for boys.
Armani is an Italian surname that originally referred to the child of someone named Armano. (It’s also an Italian fashion brand.)
Remy (#18)
Last year, the name Remy was given to 1,451 babies. Of these babies, 550 (37.90%) were girls and 901 (62.10%) were boys. In terms of rankings, Remy placed 550th for girls and 357th for boys.
Remy, written Rémy in French, is based on the Latin name Remigius, which meant “oarsman.”
It’s interesting that both Remy and Remington are on this list. Remy is a standalone name…but it could also be used as a nickname for Remington.
Reign (#19)
Last year, the name Reign was given to 1,338 babies. Of these babies, 884 (66.07%) were girls and 454 (33.93%) were boys. In terms of rankings, Reign placed 349th for girls and 608th for boys.
Reign is an English word that can be traced back to the Latin word regnum, meaning “royal power” or “kingdom.”
Milan (#20)
Last year, the name Milan was given to 1,278 babies. Of these babies, 452 (35.37%) were girls and 826 (64.63%) were boys. In terms of rankings, Milan placed 655th for girls and 388th for boys.
Milan is a Slavic name based on the element milu, meaning “dear, sweet.” (It’s also a city in northern Italy.)
More gender-neutral baby names
What other gender-neutral names made the cut?
Here are the names that were used a bit less often than the twenty above…
Number of babies*
Percent girls
Percent boys
Shiloh
1,245
61.69%
38.31%
Legacy
1,086
66.30%
33.70%
Salem
970
62.99%
37.01%
Briar
955
62.20%
37.80%
Denver
941
38.68%
61.32%
Skyler
930
58.92%
41.08%
Drew
913
37.13%
62.87%
Jamie
847
48.41%
51.59%
Bellamy
812
45.44%
54.56%
Justice
812
46.92%
53.08%
Azariah
794
47.23%
52.77%
Layne
761
43.63%
56.37%
Chandler
758
39.97%
60.03%
Ocean
673
45.77%
54.23%
*Male and female usage added together
All of the above ranked among both the top 1,000 girl names and the top 1,000 boy names last year. Two of the below (Robin and Landry) did as well.
Number of babies*
Percent girls
Percent boys
Quincy
653
33.38%
66.62%
Murphy
610
65.25%
34.75%
Tru
608
36.02%
63.98%
Kingsley
594
37.71%
62.29%
Robin
546
53.11%
46.89%
Amiri
502
34.46%
65.54%
Landry
489
55.01%
44.99%
Ira
465
35.91%
64.09%
Kacey
425
48.94%
51.06%
Joey
424
41.75%
58.25%
Campbell
414
50.72%
49.28%
True
405
53.09%
46.91%
Everest
385
34.55%
65.45%
Arden
385
58.70%
41.30%
Harlem
379
37.20%
62.80%
Shea
379
63.85%
36.15%
Sol
375
63.47%
36.53%
Bowie
370
36.76%
63.24%
*Male and female usage added together
Most of the above appeared in at least one top-1,000 list last year. The exceptions were Kacey, Campbell, True, Arden, Shea, and Sol.
None of the names from this point onward reached the top 1,000 for either gender.
Number of babies*
Percent girls
Percent boys
Hollis
362
45.03%
54.97%
Yael
348
39.37%
60.63%
Joan
340
45.59%
54.41%
Laken
315
56.19%
43.81%
Gentry
302
45.36%
54.64%
Lux
296
36.15%
63.85%
Sidney
293
55.29%
44.71%
Kasey
284
56.34%
43.66%
Kadence
280
66.43%
33.57%
Ever
278
40.65%
59.35%
Camdyn
270
36.67%
63.33%
Jael
270
48.15%
51.85%
Dominique
260
33.46%
66.54%
Montana
260
57.69%
42.31%
Kodi
258
56.20%
43.80%
Ramsey
254
47.24%
52.76%
Perry
253
42.69%
57.31%
Storm
245
57.14%
42.86%
Ashtyn
243
60.91%
39.09%
Honor
240
47.92%
52.08%
Kit
233
44.64%
55.36%
Brighton
232
46.98%
53.02%
Isa
227
33.48%
66.52%
Armoni
210
50.00%
50.00%
Merritt
208
60.58%
39.42%
Jupiter
206
62.62%
37.38%
Arrow
203
38.42%
61.58%
Laine
203
63.55%
36.45%
Jules
201
43.78%
56.22%
*Male and female usage added together
Here are the gender-neutral baby names that saw overall usage ranging from 100 to 199 babies (in descending order):
Most of the names above don’t have a long history of usage in the U.S., so they aren’t anchored one gender or the other — making them good options for expectant parents who want names that work for both genders.
Note that many fall into a handful of categories, including: nature names, place names, surnames, color names, and virtue names. It may be worthwhile to focus on categories like these as you continue your search, as they’ll tend to naturally contain a good proportion of gender-neutral names.
The TV crime drama Kojak was on the air for five seasons (1973 to 1978). It starred actor Aristotelis “Telly” Savalas as lollipop-sucking, tough-talking, big-hearted New York City police detective Theo Kojak.
The series became very popular and, as a result, all of the names in that last sentence — Aristotelis, Telly, Savalas, Theo, and Kojak — either debuted or saw increased usage (as boy names) in the U.S. baby name data in the mid-1970s:
The name Savalas is currently tied for 48th-highest boy name debut of all time. The name Telly reached the top 1,000 for the first time in 1974, and variant name Telley debuted the same year. Even Aristotle was affected.
But that’s not all.
A specific Kojak episode called “Elegy in an Asphalt Graveyard,” which aired in February of 1975, focused on the murder of a character named Azure Dee (played by Denyce Liston) — a Manhattan call-girl who Kojak happened to know. Notably, the episode began and ended with a melancholy song called “Azure Dee,” [vid] sung by Telly Savalas himself.
The same year, we see two new girl names in the data:
The name Azure is currently the 22nd-highest girl name debut of all time. The similar name Azuree debuted the same year, but Azuree was probably influenced as much by the the Estée Lauder perfume as by the Kojak character.
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