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Unique Baby Name Alternatives to Popular Names

Written by Elizabeth Weiss McGolerick

When it comes to baby names, the word “popular” doesn’t mean unique and original – it means plentiful. With baby-naming trends unlikely to change drastically anytime soon, it’s time to begin developing alternatives to the names that regularly hold the top 10 spots for boys and girls.

cute baby Be inspired with our unique baby name alternatives to popular names.

Suitable substitutes for the top 10 baby names for girls:

1. Emma
Simultaneously young, and mature, sweet alternatives to Emma include Ella, Eden, Esme, Elise, Elle, Emy, Etta and Eva. If it’s the two-syllable, fun-to-say, lighthearted nature that you like, try these on for size: Lucy, Dora, Evie, Gemma or Zoe.

2. Isabella
Whether it’s due to the raging fame of Twilight or some other cultural phenomenon, Isabella is in demand. Short of the smaller versions of this name, Isa or Bella, there are other options that serve as fine substitutes: Iliana, Ioanna, Isadora, Isolde or Irina.

3. Emily
Emily has long been on the list of most popular baby names with alternatives arriving in the form of Emme or Emilie. So your daughter can truly boast a one-of-a-kind name, you may want to think about Amelie, Emlyn, Emory, Ezri or Eema.

4. Madison
The most obvious alternative for the name Madison might be Addison, but it’s on the cusp of landing in the top 10 girls’ names itself. Other desirable options that have both strength and modernity on their side include Madeline, McKenzie, Meredith, Micaela or Matilda.

5. Ava
Simple, beautiful and slightly exotic names that come in tiny packages like Ava include Aida, Alea, Alina or Anja. If you want an almost-incapable-of-being-turned-into-a-nickname kind of name for your daughter, try Kaia, Ivy, Jade, Sage, Rae, Piper, Ruby, Paige or Bryn.

6. Olivia
The combination of “O” and “V” make for one colorful name, but there are so many Olivias these days it’s necessary to look for back-ups that are just as striking. Give some thought to Olive, Odelia, Ophelia, Oona or Olympia.

7. Sophia
Another romantic name, Sophia (or Sophie) is steadily growing in popularity. Fine runners-up to this charming moniker are Sabrina, Savannah, Sonnet, Stephenie, Susanna or Sylvie.

8. Abigail
Maybe you love the nickname Abby. Consider Abigail counterparts like Abilene or Abelia. Or latch onto a similar name that is still sassy yet sensible: Adelaide, Adette, Alcott, Allegra, Amelia, Arcadia or Aurora.

9. Elizabeth
A derivative of the easily nickname-able Elizabeth may be what sets your little lady apart from the other Elizabeths: Eliza, Liza, Lizbet, Libby, Bess, Betty, Beth or Lisbeth. If it’s the dramatic length of the name that you like so much, mull over Eloisa, Evangeline, Esmeralda, Elspeth or Emmeline.

10. Chloe
Chloe alternatives that still make use of the far-underused letter “C” include: Camille, Carys, Cecile, Charlotte, Clementine, or Cressida. Chloe is also a popular French name so you may want to consider these options as well: Clothilde, Clarice, Colette, Corinne, Cerise or Celeste.

Suitable substitutes for the top 10 baby names for boys:

1. Jacob
Jacob is the new John – popular, common and showing no signs of giving up the number one spot anytime soon. Alternatives include derivatives of Jacob, and names that borrow the same sounds and letters, like Jack, Jonah, Jonas, Jacobus, Jarod, Jones, Joseph, Jacques or Jude.

2. Michael
Michael is one name that is never likely to fade in popularity. For your child to stand out, consider choosing a derivative or nickname: Mickey, Miguel, Mario, Mikhail or Mikko. Also give thought to strong alternatives like Maksim, Martin, Milo or Murray.

3. Ethan
Ethan is not alone in the class of names that exude a calm strength. Consider noble and unique alternatives such as Eirik, Evan, Eli, Elijah, Emory or Ezra.

4. Joshua
Not to be confused with the solid Jacob, the name Joshua has a dreamy quality to it. If you think your son will fit that mold, take a look at these charming alternatives: Jamison, Jasper, Jefferson, Jeremiah, Jethro, Justin or Julian.

5. Daniel
Dan, Danny, Dano or even Neil are nicknames for Daniel, but if you think your son is one who deserves a formal, more reserved name, take a look at Dalton, Dante, Darren, Deacon, Donovan or Duncan.

6. Alexander
Alexander is aristocratic in nature; if that’s your goal, there are several stand-outs that can give this in-demand moniker a run for its money: Abraham, Aelwyn, Alastair, Amadeus, Appolinaire, Archibald, Armstrong or Artemis.

7. Anthony
Short of going for derivatives like Tony, Ant or Antoine, there are other alternatives that evoke the striking traits of Anthony. Try these on for size: Apollo, Alfred, Atherton, Arthur or August.

8. William
Also majestic in nature, William is a proud, serious moniker. Likewise are these distinguished alternatives: Walter, Warren, Wesley, Willem and Winston.

9. Christopher
Grandiose and full of nicknames, derivatives of Christopher may be the way to go: Topher or Christo or Chris. Or you can just stick with the “C” and select something equally formal, like Callahan, Cameron, Campbell, Christian, Churchill, Clement or Cornelius.

10. Matthew
Derivatives of Matthew can satisfy your craving for the name, but give your son a way to be different in a good way: Matteo, Matthias, Mathys or Mattheus. Also worth giving some thought to are respected names like Magnus, Malcolm, Marco, Marshall, Mitchell or Monroe.