I joined Nameberry in [name_u]August[/name_u] 2013, right before I started my freshman year of high school. Since then, my name taste and the types of names I value has changed a lot. I’ll be curious to know what everyone thinks!
2013
I collected my first name list in 2012, when I was 13 and got my first laptop. These were mostly just names I heard from random sources that I thought sounded interesting. I didn’t care much about sibsets or etymology, and my honor names were direct names of the people themselves.
Especially when I was younger, I solved the issues I had with my own name in the names I liked for future kids. In that, when I was in middle school, I thought my name was dull and old fashioned so I preferred new and modern names. I was incredibly inspired by the [name_m]Jones[/name_m] family from Quints By Surprise. For reference, their older daughter is [name_u]Eliot[/name_u] McKenna, and the quints are [name_u]Brooklyn[/name_u] [name_f]Faith[/name_f], [name_u]Britton[/name_u] [name_f]Grace[/name_f], [name_m]Jack[/name_m] [name_m]William[/name_m], [name_f]Lila[/name_f] [name_u]Addison[/name_u], and [name_u]Ryan[/name_u] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] (with [name_m]Jack[/name_m] being the only boy).
[name_m]Favorite[/name_m] names of this era:
[name_f]Adalyn[/name_f] [name_f]Faith[/name_f] - with the occasional nickname [name_f]Addie[/name_f] that I thought was unavoidable
[name_u]Brooklyn[/name_u] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f]
[name_u]Avery[/name_u] [name_f]Lorelai[/name_f] - I vastly prefer the [name_f]Lorelei[/name_f] spelling but I thought this looked better with [name_u]Avery[/name_u]
[name_f]Sadie[/name_f] [name_f]Caroline[/name_f]
[name_u]Saige[/name_u] Lilleana - pronounced like [name_f]Liliana[/name_f] but was a more direct honor for my sister
[name_f]Talia[/name_f] [name_f]Emersyn[/name_f]
[name_f]Brynlee[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_u]Skylar[/name_u] [name_f]Therese[/name_f]
[name_f]Lila[/name_f] [name_u]Katriel[/name_u] - no explanation, I just thought it was a cool middle
[name_u]Ryan[/name_u] [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f]
[name_u]Britton[/name_u] [name_f]Grace[/name_f]
[name_u]Salem[/name_u] [name_u]Marie[/name_u]
[name_f]Gianna[/name_f] - don’t remember the combos for the rest of these
[name_u]Cadence[/name_u]
[name_u]Carter[/name_u] [name_m]Allen[/name_m]
[name_u]Kieran[/name_u] [name_m]Robert[/name_m]
[name_m]Colin[/name_m] [name_m]Gregory[/name_m]
[name_u]Ryder[/name_u] - don’t remember the combos for the rest of these
[name_m]Isaias[/name_m] - found this on NB! I don’t like [name_m]Isaac[/name_m] or [name_m]Isaiah[/name_m] but I liked this
Hutson - went between this and [name_u]Hudson[/name_u]. Also liked [name_u]Hudson[/name_u] on a girl
[name_u]Jace[/name_u]
[name_u]Logan[/name_u]
[name_u]Parker[/name_u] - prior to knowing my [name_u]Parker[/name_u]
[name_m]Matthias[/name_m]
2014
I had a big “Name Purge” this year and basically deleted my entire girls list. At this point, I was on Nameberry for a year and was influenced by all of the vintage names. I used to do a somewhat-daily top 10 list and during the summer of 2014, you can see a clear transition between styles. I also found new names on Nameberry and those are reflected. [name_u]Brooklyn[/name_u], [name_u]Avery[/name_u], [name_u]Britton[/name_u], [name_u]Cadence[/name_u], and [name_u]Ryan[/name_u] hung around for girls for the early part of the year.
[name_m]Favorite[/name_m] names of this era:
[name_f]Lila[/name_f] [name_u]Romilly[/name_u]
[name_f]Adalyn[/name_f] [name_f]Faith[/name_f]
[name_f]Leonor[/name_f] [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] - found this on a NB blog post and it may have started my transition away from trendy/popular names
[name_f]Sadie[/name_f] [name_f]Caroline[/name_f]
[name_f]Seraphina[/name_f] [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] - added [name_f]Sadie[/name_f] as a nn for this (from the [name_f]Sera[/name_f] part sounding like [name_f]Sarah[/name_f])
[name_f]Isabetta[/name_f] [name_f]Soleil[/name_f] - also found this on a NB blog and thought it was cuter than [name_f]Isabella[/name_f]
[name_f]Elsie[/name_f] [name_f]Adeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Violet[/name_f] McKenna
[name_u]Adair[/name_u] [name_f]Elowen[/name_f]
[name_f]Iris[/name_f] [name_f]Magdalen[/name_f]
[name_f]Thea[/name_f] [name_u]Rowan[/name_u]
[name_f]Talia[/name_f] [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Maeve[/name_f] [name_f]Tallulah[/name_f]
[name_f]Moira[/name_f] [name_f]Seraphine[/name_f]
[name_f]Amabel[/name_f] [name_u]Sinclair[/name_u] - this became a character of mine (fn/ln instead of fn/mn)
[name_u]Piper[/name_u] - don’t remember the last four combos
[name_f]Bryony[/name_f]
[name_f]Margo[/name_f]
Lakelin
[name_u]Carter[/name_u] [name_m]Allen[/name_m] - back when I thought I’d go to the college this honors
[name_u]Nolan[/name_u] [name_m]Christopher[/name_m]/Kristoff - depending on the time of year compared to how long ago Frozen came out
[name_m]Torin[/name_m] [name_u]Hunter[/name_u]
[name_u]Jasper[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_u]Kieran[/name_u] [name_m]Robert[/name_m]
[name_u]Flynn[/name_u] [name_u]Ezra[/name_u]
[name_m]Ronan[/name_m] [name_u]August[/name_u] - and a brief obsession with [name_m]Lonan[/name_m]
[name_m]Lachlan[/name_m] [name_u]Sage[/name_u] - this was so NB and I was so proud
[name_u]Archer[/name_u] [name_u]Murray[/name_u] - yeah, this combo was that old
[name_u]Memphis[/name_u] - inspired by a NB post on [name_u]Memphis[/name_u] Dupay!
[name_u]Orion[/name_u]
[name_m]Canaan[/name_m]
[name_m]Leo[/name_m] - Blood of [name_m]Olympus[/name_m] came out late this year
2015
This is the last year that I made a semi-regular top 10 list but I started saving my lists to NB instead of to Notes lists that I’ve lost. [name_f]My[/name_f] boy Name Purge happened this year and I started to think I liked vintage names for boys (spoiler alert: I really kinda don’t).
[name_m]Favorite[/name_m] names of this era:
[name_f]Lila[/name_f] [name_f]Persephone[/name_f]
[name_f]Maeve[/name_f] [name_f]Ottilie[/name_f]
[name_f]Violet[/name_f] [name_f]Eilonwy[/name_f]
[name_f]Aurora[/name_f] [name_f]Delphine[/name_f]
[name_f]Elsa[/name_f] Adalaine
[name_f]Iris[/name_f] [name_f]Madelief[/name_f] - see the NB lol?
[name_f]Moira[/name_f] [name_u]Calypso[/name_u]
[name_f]Nola[/name_f] [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f]
[name_f]Calista[/name_f] [name_u]Fable[/name_u]
[name_f]Sabrina[/name_f] [name_u]Harbor[/name_u]
[name_f]Talia[/name_f] [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Athena[/name_f] [name_f]Fleur[/name_f] - or [name_f]Athena[/name_f] [name_u]Rowan[/name_u], with the nickname [name_f]Thea[/name_f]
[name_f]Etta[/name_f] [name_f]Mae[/name_f] [name_u]Phoenix[/name_u] - basically the one name I found on my family tree that I liked was [name_f]Etta[/name_f] [name_f]Mae[/name_f]
[name_m]Leo[/name_m] [name_m]Hadrian[/name_m] - went from not on my radar to #1 in a couple months
[name_m]Torin[/name_m] [name_m]Sirius[/name_m]
[name_u]Archer[/name_u] [name_u]Murray[/name_u]
[name_u]August[/name_u] [name_u]Laurence[/name_u]
[name_u]Elias[/name_u] [name_u]Maxwell[/name_u]
[name_m]Fabian[/name_m] [name_u]James[/name_u] - very not my style back then but inspired by a book character
[name_u]Elliot[/name_u] [name_m]Matthias[/name_m]
[name_m]Seamus[/name_m] [name_u]Wilder[/name_u]
[name_m]Lachlan[/name_m] [name_u]Sage[/name_u]
[name_m]Matias[/name_m] [name_u]Oliver[/name_u]
[name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_u]Ryder[/name_u]
[name_u]Flynn[/name_u] [name_m]Alexander[/name_m]
[name_u]Nolan[/name_u] [name_m]Shepherd[/name_m]
2016
We’ve now reached my junior/senior year of high school! At the beginning of this year, I would’ve said my top 4 was [name_f]Lila[/name_f], [name_f]Violet[/name_f], [name_m]Leo[/name_m], and [name_u]August[/name_u]. I also would’ve said that boy names on girls was misogynistic unless you would use girl names on boys. However, this year I’d also meet [name_u]Parker[/name_u], and loving her name would completely rock my world.
I found a list of 52 names from this year but I’ll limit it to names I would’ve considered top choices.
[name_m]Favorite[/name_m] names of this era (alphabetically):
[name_f]Adeline[/name_f] [name_f]Scarlett[/name_f] - I actually now know of a girl with this exact name
[name_f]Athena[/name_f] [name_u]Rowan[/name_u]
[name_f]Aurora[/name_f] [name_f]Isobel[/name_f]
[name_f]Eloise[/name_f] [name_f]Bluebell[/name_f]
[name_f]Elowen[/name_f] [name_f]Saskia[/name_f]
[name_f]Elysia[/name_f] [name_u]Parker[/name_u] - I also switched this to [name_u]Parker[/name_u] [name_f]Elysia[/name_f]
[name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] [name_f]Lily[/name_f] - always with the leen ending
[name_f]Hermione[/name_f] [name_f]Alice[/name_f]
[name_f]Iris[/name_f] [name_f]Matilda[/name_f]
[name_f]Ivy[/name_f] [name_u]Larkin[/name_u]
[name_f]Juno[/name_f] [name_f]Delilah[/name_f]
[name_f]Kaia[/name_f] [name_f]Eloise[/name_f]
[name_f]Lila[/name_f] [name_f]Persephone[/name_f]
[name_f]Lucia[/name_f] [name_u]Briar[/name_u]
[name_f]Maeve[/name_f] [name_u]Artemis[/name_u]
[name_f]Nola[/name_f] [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f]
[name_f]Sabrina[/name_f] [name_f]Fleur[/name_f]
Saela [name_u]Vesper[/name_u]
[name_f]Ziva[/name_f] [name_f]Elowen[/name_f]
[name_u]Archer[/name_u] [name_u]Murray[/name_u]
[name_m]Caius[/name_m] [name_u]Morgan[/name_u]
[name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_u]Ellis[/name_u]
[name_m]Conrad[/name_m] [name_u]Emory[/name_u]
[name_m]Dashiell[/name_m] [name_m]Heath[/name_m]
[name_u]Flynn[/name_u] [name_m]Alexander[/name_m]
[name_u]Jensen[/name_u] [name_m]Malachi[/name_m]
[name_m]Leo[/name_m] [name_m]Endymion[/name_m]
[name_m]Magnus[/name_m] [name_m]Jacoby[/name_m]
[name_m]Malachi[/name_m] [name_u]River[/name_u]
[name_m]Matias[/name_m] [name_u]Oliver[/name_u]
[name_u]Memphis[/name_u] [name_m]Roland[/name_m]
[name_u]Nolan[/name_u] [name_m]Shepherd[/name_m]
[name_u]Rory[/name_u] [name_m]Xavier[/name_m]
[name_m]Torin[/name_m] [name_u]Elliot[/name_u]
And a couple random combos that didn’t make my top list then but might seem more familiar now (a bit of foreshadowing): [name_f]Azula[/name_f] [name_f]Violet[/name_f], [name_f]Boheme[/name_f] [name_f]Louisa[/name_f], [name_f]Cleo[/name_f] [name_f]Rhiannon[/name_f], [name_u]Fable[/name_u] [name_f]Sofia[/name_f], [name_f]Freyja[/name_f] [name_f]Chloe[/name_f], [name_m]Emrys[/name_m] [name_m]Malachi[/name_m], and [name_m]Osiris[/name_m] [name_u]Finn[/name_u]
2017
This is the year that I graduated form high school and started college, and realized that I don’t really like vintage boy names. I also grew away from the idea that unisex names are inherently bad, and allowed myself to love the names that I actually loved.
I really struggled with names this year. Towards the end of the year, I had signature themes because I couldn’t keep a consistent number of girl favorites in my signature. I also wasn’t in love with my boy names.
[name_m]Favorite[/name_m] names from this era:
[name_f]Iris[/name_f] [name_f]Michaela[/name_f] - inspired by my uncle who passed in late 2016
[name_f]Maeve[/name_f] [name_f]Liliana[/name_f] - [name_f]Liliana[/name_f] was really the ultimate honor name
[name_f]Eleni[/name_f] [name_f]Sofia[/name_f]
Saela [name_u]Vesper[/name_u]
[name_f]Megara[/name_f] [name_f]Lily[/name_f]
[name_f]Mila[/name_f] [name_f]Ariadne[/name_f] - still adore this but don’t adore [name_f]Mila[/name_f]’s popularity. Also loved [name_f]Camila[/name_f] [name_f]Ariadne[/name_f] “[name_f]Mila[/name_f]” (but [name_f]Camila[/name_f] is just as common lol)
[name_u]Rowan[/name_u] [name_f]Maia[/name_f]
[name_u]Parker[/name_u] [name_f]Emilia[/name_f]
[name_f]Juno[/name_f] [name_f]Kalea[/name_f]
[name_f]Cleo[/name_f] [name_f]Susannah[/name_f]
[name_f]Sabrina[/name_f] Auli’i
[name_m]Leo[/name_m] [name_m]Matthias[/name_m]
[name_m]Cassian[/name_m] [name_m]Heath[/name_m]
[name_m]Torin[/name_m] [name_u]Elliot[/name_u]
[name_u]Nolan[/name_u] [name_m]Shepherd[/name_m]
[name_u]Archer[/name_u] [name_u]Murray[/name_u]
[name_m]Felix[/name_m] [name_u]Orion[/name_u]
[name_m]Malachi[/name_m] [name_u]Christian[/name_u]
[name_u]Memphis[/name_u]
[name_u]Nico[/name_u]
[name_u]August[/name_u]
[name_u]Asher[/name_u]
[name_u]Chase[/name_u]
2018
Girls didn’t change significantly but my boys became softer and more unisex.
[name_m]Favorite[/name_m] names from this era:
[name_f]Iris[/name_f] [name_f]Michaela[/name_f]
[name_f]Maeve[/name_f] [name_f]Alaska[/name_f]
[name_f]Juno[/name_f] [name_f]Kalea[/name_f]
[name_u]Rowan[/name_u] [name_f]Audrey[/name_f]
[name_f]Eleni[/name_f] [name_f]Sofia[/name_f]
[name_f]Mila[/name_f] [name_f]Ariadne[/name_f]
[name_u]Parker[/name_u] [name_f]Eloise[/name_f]
[name_f]Ziva[/name_f] [name_f]Elowen[/name_f]
[name_f]Kaia[/name_f] [name_u]Marvel[/name_u]
Saela [name_u]Vesper[/name_u]
[name_f]Siena[/name_f] [name_u]Blake[/name_u]
[name_f]Cleo[/name_f] [name_f]Lenore[/name_f]
[name_m]Leo[/name_m] [name_m]Endymion[/name_m]
[name_m]Cassian[/name_m] [name_u]Micah[/name_u]
[name_u]Finley[/name_u] [name_m]Matteo[/name_m]
[name_m]Felix[/name_m] [name_m]Alastair[/name_m]
[name_m]Torin[/name_m] [name_u]Elliot[/name_u]
[name_m]Dawson[/name_m] [name_u]Axel[/name_u]
[name_m]Donovan[/name_m] [name_u]Luca[/name_u]
[name_u]Emerson[/name_u] [name_u]Luca[/name_u]
[name_m]Malachi[/name_m] [name_m]Peter[/name_m]
2019
A few new middles here but nothing drastic. This was the calm before the storm in 2020.
Favorites from this era:
[name_f]Maeve[/name_f] [name_f]Alaska[/name_f]
[name_f]Juno[/name_f] [name_f]Kalea[/name_f]
[name_u]Rowan[/name_u] [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] - switched to [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] [name_f]Elodie[/name_f] this year
[name_f]Iris[/name_f] [name_f]Michaela[/name_f]
[name_u]Parker[/name_u] [name_f]Eloise[/name_f]
[name_f]Cleo[/name_f] [name_f]Lenore[/name_f]
[name_f]Saskia[/name_f] [name_f]Brynn[/name_f]
[name_f]Viola[/name_f] [name_u]Blake[/name_u]
[name_f]Siena[/name_f] [name_u]Blake[/name_u] - couldn’t separate [name_u]Blake[/name_u] from either of them
[name_u]Piper[/name_u] [name_f]Astraea[/name_f] - brought back [name_u]Piper[/name_u]!
[name_u]Tegan[/name_u] [name_f]Aurelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Megara[/name_f] [name_f]Lily[/name_f]
Saela [name_u]Vesper[/name_u]
[name_m]Cassian[/name_m] [name_u]Micah[/name_u] - or [name_m]Cassian[/name_m] [name_m]Peter[/name_m], depending on my mood
[name_m]Leo[/name_m] [name_m]Matthias[/name_m]
[name_m]Torin[/name_m] [name_u]Elliot[/name_u]
[name_u]Finley[/name_u] [name_m]Matteo[/name_m]
[name_m]Felix[/name_m] [name_u]Archer[/name_u]
[name_m]Dawson[/name_m] [name_u]Axel[/name_u]
[name_u]Evren[/name_u] - no mn yet but I discovered [name_u]Evren[/name_u] this year
[name_m]Donovan[/name_m] [name_u]Luca[/name_u]
[name_u]Flynn[/name_u] - dropped [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] because it’s literally every [name_u]Flynn[/name_u]’s middle name
[name_u]Alden[/name_u] [name_m]Silas[/name_m]
[name_m]Myles[/name_m] [name_m]Aurelian[/name_m]
[name_u]Koa[/name_u] [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m]
[name_u]Declan[/name_u] [name_u]Cove[/name_u] - oh, my pre Covid love of [name_u]Cove[/name_u]
[name_u]Luca[/name_u]
[name_u]Nico[/name_u]
2020
You guys probably remember these! In 2020, I had a dramatic shift in how I viewed names. Previously, I was obsessed with finding honor names, and thinking about different sibsets and who would be honored with names I would pick and how much they’d be honored, etc. It became so stressful and I also didn’t love a lot of the honor names I’d picked. So I thought about my values instead.
I got sent home from study abroad and spent the year inside, just as everyone else did. I spend the time wishing I was back abroad, living life spontaneously and traveling like it was normal, and my names shifted to reflect that. I’ll include my OG combos here and my new combos in 2021.
[name_m]Favorite[/name_m] names of this era:
[name_u]Rowan[/name_u] [name_f]Elodie[/name_f]
[name_f]Cleo[/name_f] [name_f]Helena[/name_f]
[name_f]Juno[/name_f] [name_f]Cecily[/name_f]
[name_f]Maeve[/name_f] [name_f]Alaska[/name_f]
[name_u]Parker[/name_u] [name_f]Eloise[/name_f]
[name_f]Eleni[/name_f] [name_f]Sofia[/name_f]
[name_f]Saskia[/name_f] [name_m]Heath[/name_m]
[name_f]Iris[/name_f] [name_f]Michaela[/name_f]
[name_f]Megara[/name_f] [name_f]Lily[/name_f]
[name_f]Siena[/name_f] [name_u]Blake[/name_u]
[name_u]Holland[/name_u] [name_f]Esme[/name_f]
[name_f]Amaia[/name_f] [name_u]Storm[/name_u]
Saela [name_u]Vesper[/name_u]
[name_u]Ridley[/name_u] [name_f]Athena[/name_f]
[name_f]Cosima[/name_f] [name_u]Quinn[/name_u]
[name_m]Cassian[/name_m] [name_u]Micah[/name_u]
[name_m]Leo[/name_m] Somerled
[name_m]Torin[/name_m] [name_u]Elliot[/name_u]
[name_m]Finnian[/name_m] [name_u]Sage[/name_u]
[name_u]Evren[/name_u] [name_m]Peter[/name_m]
[name_u]Nico[/name_u] [name_m]Endymion[/name_m]
[name_m]Myles[/name_m] [name_m]Aurelian[/name_m]
[name_m]Phineas[/name_m] [name_u]Archer[/name_u]
[name_u]Luca[/name_u] [name_m]Donovan[/name_m]
[name_m]Enzo[/name_m] [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m]
[name_u]Tristan[/name_u] [name_u]Atlas[/name_u]
2021
Here are my current top names! I love gender neutral names, word names, crazy names—a mix of names I would’ve either loved in 2013 or absolutely hated.
[name_u]Rowan[/name_u] [name_f]Ariadne[/name_f]/Freyja
[name_f]Cleo[/name_f] [name_u]Solstice[/name_u]
[name_f]Juno[/name_f] [name_f]Wildrose[/name_f]
[name_u]Fable[/name_u] [name_f]Matilda[/name_f]
[name_u]Parker[/name_u] [name_u]Indigo[/name_u]
[name_u]Rivers[/name_u] [name_f]Odette[/name_f]
[name_u]Holland[/name_u] [name_f]Esmeray[/name_f]
[name_f]Eleni[/name_f] Courage
[name_u]Ridley[/name_u] [name_f]Athena[/name_f]
[name_m]Cassian[/name_m] [name_u]Storm[/name_u]
[name_m]Myles[/name_m] [name_m]Aurelian[/name_m]
[name_u]Everest[/name_u] [name_m]Bowman[/name_m]
[name_u]Nico[/name_u] [name_m]Endymion[/name_m]/Seafarer
[name_m]Phineas[/name_m] [name_u]Amour[/name_u]/Knight
[name_u]Evren[/name_u] [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u]
[name_m]Darwin[/name_m] [name_u]Valor[/name_u]
[name_m]Kylian[/name_m] [name_u]Archer[/name_u]
[name_m]Enzo[/name_m] [name_m]Valerian[/name_m]
[name_m]Weston[/name_m] [name_u]Mercury[/name_u]
Of course, you can look at all of them or none of them!
I like all of your styles
Also [name_f]Esmeray[/name_f] is new to me and completely gorgeous!
!