It is no wonder that the names used in films, TV shows, and celebrities’ own lives are becoming popular options for babies. Whether you choose a classic name like Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively did with Betty, or a more modern name like Jax from “Sons of Anarchy,” your little one is bound to feel like a star.
Popular Pop Culture Baby Names
Below are some of the most popular names in the pop culture universe, along with their meanings and origins.
Abby
Origin: HebrewMeaning: Abby is a shortened version of Abigail, meaning “cause of joy” or “father’s joy"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Abbey, Abbie, AbbiFamous Namesakes: Female character Abby Whelan of the TV show “Scandal,” actress Abbi Jacobson from the TV show “Broad City,” professional soccer player Abby Wombach, actress Abby WildePeak Popularity: Commonly used for baby girls, Abby reached the height of its popularity in 2001 when it ranked No. 163 in the U.S., while Abigail has remained in the top 15 since 2000, currently sitting at No. 13.
Adrian
Origin: LatinMeaning: Adrian is a form of Hadrian, meaning “from the settlement of Hadria"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Adriann, Adrien, Adrion, Aidrian, AydrienFamous Namesakes: Adrian Monk, the title character of the television series “Monk”, Adrian Pennino of the “Rocky” movie franchisePeak Popularity: Adrian is considered a gender-neutral option, and it peaked in popularity as a girl name in 1983 when it ranked No. 439 (dropping off the list in 2001). In 2020, it ranked No. 58 as a boy name.
Aidan
Origin: IrishMeaning: “Fiery one"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Adan, Aden, Ady, Adyan, Adyen, Adyn, Aedan, Aiden, Aidyn, Ayden, AydinFamous Namesakes: Aidan Shaw from “Sex and The City,” Aiden Burn from the TV series “CSI: NY"Peak Popularity: Aidan continues to be a more popular option for boys, though it is a gender-neutral option. It reached peak popularity in 2003 when it broke into the top 40.
Alex
Origin: Greek, EnglishMeaning: The shortened version of Alexander or Alexandra, meaning “defender or protector of humankind"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Alecs, Aleix, Alek, Aleks, Alexx, Alik, Alix, Allex, Allix, AlyxFamous Namesakes: MLB baseball player Alex Rodriguez (“A-Rod”), late host of “Jeopardy!” Alex Trebek, soccer player Alex Morgan, actress Alexandra Breckenridge, actor Alexander SkarsgårdPeak Popularity: Alex continues to be a fairly popular name for boys, ranking at No. 182 in 2020. It broke into the top 1,000 names for girls in 1987 but dropped from the list in 2004. Alexandra still remains a popular name for girls and hit No. 137 in 2020.
Annalise
Origin: LatinMeaning: “Graced with God’s bounty"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Annelise, Annalisa, Annelisa, AnnalieseFamous Namesakes: Annalise Keating from the TV show “How to Get Away With Murder,” American actress Annalise BassoPeak Popularity: Annalise is popular among girls, with its most popular year being 2017. The name has gradually picked up steam since 2014, perhaps due to the release of “How to Get Away with Murder,” starring Oscar-winner Viola Davis as lead character Annalise Keating.
Archer
Origin: LatinMeaning: “Bowman"Famous Namesakes: Chemist and Nobel Prize winner Archer Martin, lead character Sterling Archer on the adult animated comedy “Archer"Peak Popularity: Archer made its way into the top 1,000 names for baby boys in 2009 at No. 682. Its rank has continued to rise, and in 2020 it reached its most popular year so far at No. 160.
Arya
Origin: German, Indo-IranianMeaning: “Melody” (German) and “noble” (Indo-Iranian)Alternative Spellings & Variations: Aria, Ariah, Aryah, Ari, Ariann, AryanaFamous Namesakes: Most notably, Arya Stark from the wildly popular TV show “Game of Thrones"Peak Popularity: Commonly used as a girl name, Arya barely broke into the top 1,000 U.S. names in 2010. It took a giant leap in 2012, likely linked to the release of “Game of Thrones.” It’s been climbing up the list since then, reaching peak popularity in 2019 at No. 92.
August
Origin: LatinMeaning: “Revered” or “exalted"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Augusta, Augustine, AugustusFamous Namesakes: August “Gus” Harrison Goldsmith, son of actress Mandy Moore and musician Taylor Goldsmith, August Chan Zuckerberg, daughter of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and wife Priscilla Chan, August Walker in the film “Mission: Impossible—Fallout"Peak Popularity: August is much more commonly used for boys. It was popular in the early 1900s and has started to pick up steam again in the United States. It broke into the top 500 names in the year 2008 at No. 477, and in 2020 it sat in the No. 155 spot.
Ava
Origin: Unclear, but possible origins include German, Hebrew, Latin, and PersianMeaning: “Birdlike” or “lively"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Avah, Avis, Eva, EveFamous Namesakes: Ava Phillippe, daughter of actors Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe, Ava Eliot Jackman, daughter of actor Hugh Jackman, Ava Frances Manning, daughter of NFL quarterback Eli ManningPeak Popularity: Ava has been a top contender for baby girls. It’s held a steady spot in the top 10 since the year 2005, and it has been at No. 3 every year since 2016.
Bella
Origin: ItalianMeaning: “Beautiful, lovely"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Annabella, Annabelle, Belle, Isabella, IsabelleFamous Namesakes: Bella Swan from the “Twilight” film series, former Disney star Bella ThornePeak Popularity: Bella has remained a relatively popular name for baby girls in the U.S. It has remained in the top 100 names since 2009 and was most popular in the year 2018, when it ranked No. 48.
Betty
Origin: Hebrew Meaning: “Pledged to God"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Bette, BettieFamous Namesakes: Actress Betty White, Betty Reynolds, daughter of actors Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, actress Bette Davis, actress and singer Bette Midler Peak Popularity: Betty saw the height of its popularity in the 1920s and ’30s, with its most popular year being 1934. It dropped out of the top 1,000 in 1996.
Blake
Origin: EnglishMeaning: “Fair-haired, dark"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Blaike, Blayke, Blakely, BlakemanFamous Namesakes: Actress Blake Lively, NBA basketball player Blake Griffin, country singer Blake SheltonPeak Popularity: While Blake is more popular among boys, it can be used for girls as well. It was the most popular in 2012 among boys at No. 72, and for girls, its highest rank was No. 219 in the year 2020.
Blue
Origin: GermanicMeaning: The color blue Alternative Spellings & Variations: Bleu, BluFamous Namesakes: Blue Ivy Carter, daughter of rapper Jay-Z and singer BeyoncéPeak Popularity: Blue stepped into the spotlight after the birth of Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s daughter, but it has yet to reach the top 1,000 names in the U.S. for boys or girls.
Brody
Origin: Scottish, GaelicMeaning: “Ditch"Alternative Spellings & Variations: BrodieFamous Namesakes: Reality TV star Brody Jenner, comedian Brody Stevens, football player Brody EldridgePeak Popularity: Brody has been in the top 1,000 names for boys since 1976. Its most popular year was 2008 when it broke into the top 100 at No. 70.
Cameron
Origin: ScottishMeaning: “Crooked nose” or “crooked river"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Camerin, Cammeron, Camren, Camron, Camryn, Kameron, KamrynFamous Namesakes: Cameron Tucker in the TV comedy “Modern Family,” NFL football player Cameron “Cam” Newton, actress Cameron DiazPeak Popularity: Cameron has been used more commonly for boys, but actress Cameron Diaz certainly put it on the map for girls. As of 2020, Cameron is the 64th most popular name for boys and the 489th most popular name for girls in the United States.
Chandler
Origin: FrenchMeaning: “Candlemaker” or “candle seller"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Chandlor, Chandlar, ChandyFamous Namesakes: Chandler Bing from the hit TV show “Friends,” actor Chandler RiggsPeak Popularity: Chandler is a gender-neutral name but much more popular among boys. Its most popular year was 1999 when it ranked No. 151 in the U.S.
Chase
Origin: FrenchMeaning: “Huntsman"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Chace, Chayce, ChayseFamous Namesakes: NASCAR driver Chase Elliott, country singer Chase Rice, actor Chace CrawfordPeak Popularity: The most popular year for baby boys named Chase was 2009 when it reached No. 61 on the top 100 U.S. names. Its popularity has bounced around a bit, but it remains in the top 200 names.
Claire
Origin: French Meaning: “Clear,” “light,” or “bright” Alternative Spellings & Variations: Clair, Clare, Klaire, Kiara Famous Namesakes: Actress Claire Danes, English actress Claire Foy, Australian actress Claire Holt Peak Popularity: The name Claire has been popular among baby girls for over a century. In 1998, it broke into the top 100 names in the U.S. and has remained there ever since.
Cora
Origin: GreekMeaning: “Maiden"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Core, Corrine, Corrina, Corrin, Corey, Cory, Kora, Kore, KorraFamous Namesakes: Cora Crawley from the hit TV show “Downton Abbey,” Korra from the animated show “The Legend of Korra"Peak Popularity: Cora was incredibly popular during the early 1900s. Its rank gradually declined over the years but began to gain momentum again in 2011, likely as a result of “Downton Abbey” being released in 2010. As of 2020, it held the No. 88 spot for baby girls.
Dakota
Origin: SiouxMeaning: “Friend” or “ally"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Dakotah, Dakoda, Dacota, DacotahFamous Namesakes: Actresses Dakota Fanning and Dakota JohnsonPeak Popularity: Dakota is a popular gender-neutral option. As of 2020, it held the No. 261 spot for girls and the No. 348 spot for boys.
Dusty
Origin: Old Norse Meaning: “Stone” Alternative Spellings & Variations: Dustee, Dustin Famous Namesakes: Dusty Rose Levine, daughter of Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine and wife Behati Prinsloo, professional wrestler Dusty Rhodes Peak Popularity: Dusty is a fun option for any child, but is not currently on the list of top 1,000 names in the U.S. The last rankings had Dusty No. 819 for boys in 1997 and No. 720 for girls in 1981.
Elsa
Origin: GermanMeaning: “Pledged to God"Famous Namesakes: Princess/Queen Elsa from the Disney movie franchise “Frozen"Peak Popularity: After the release of “Frozen” in 2013, Elsa jumped from No. 527 to No. 286 in 2014 (also its most popular year to date).
Emma
Origin: Germanic Meaning: “Whole” or “universal” Alternative Spellings & Variations: Ema, Emmalyn, Ima, Irma Famous Namesakes: British actress Emma Thompson, English actress Emma Watson, American actresses Emma Roberts and Emma Stone Peak Popularity: After Emma was used in the TV show “Friends” as the name for Rachel and Ross’s baby, it propelled to the No. 2 spot in 2003. Emma became the No. 1 spot for girls in 2014, where it remained for 5 years straight before slipping back to No. 2.
Flynn
Origin: IrishMeaning: “Son of the red-haired one"Alternative Spellings & Variations: FlinnFamous Namesakes: Flynn Rider in Disney’s “Tangled,” Flynn Christopher Blanchard Copeland Bloom, son of English actor Orlando Bloom and ex-wife Miranda KerrPeak Popularity: Flynn broke into the U.S. top 1000 boy names in 2011 after the release of “Tangled” in 2010. It reached its highest popularity in 2014, when it ranked No. 658.
Haley
Origin: BritishMeaning: “Hay meadow"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Hailey, Haylie, HayleyFamous Namesakes: Haley Marshall (Dunphy) from the TV sitcom “Modern Family,” actor Haley Joel OsmentPeak Popularity: While considered a gender-neutral name, Haley is historically more popular for girls. It hit the charts in 1974 and has remained fairly popular, with 2000 being its top year after it briefly slid into the top 30 names.
Harper
Origin: EnglishMeaning: “Harp player"Famous Namesakes: “To Kill A Mockingbird” author Harper Lee, and a popular name given by celebrities to their daughters, including musician Dave Grohl, professional soccer player David Beckham, and actors Bill Hader and Neil Patrick HarrisPeak Popularity: Harper is a gender-neutral name that is more commonly used for girls. The most popular years for baby Harpers were 2018 and 2019, when the name was in the No. 9 spot.
Jasper
Origin: PersianMeaning: “Keeper of treasure"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Gaspar, Gasper, Casper, Jaspar, Jazper, JesperFamous Namesakes: Jasper Hale in the “Twilight” series, Jesper Fahey from the “Six of Crows” series, Jasper Warren Paisley, son of country singer Brad Paisley and wife, actress Kimberly WilliamsPeak Popularity: Jasper has been on the charts since 1900, with its most popular year being 2019, when it sat in the No. 136 spot.
Jax
Origin: EnglishMeaning: Short form of Jackson, meaning “son of Jack"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Jaxx, Jaxon, Jaxen, Jacks, JacksonFamous Namesakes: The lead character Jax Teller on the TV series “Sons of Anarchy,” played by actor Charlie HunnamPeak Popularity: Jax made its way into the top 1,000 U.S. names for boys in 2005, but didn’t really start making an impact until 2009 after “Sons of Anarchy” was released in 2008. It has been steadily gaining popularity since then, and in 2020 it held the No. 246 spot.
Khaleesi
Origin: American (Fictional)Meaning: “Queen"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Lee, Leelee, Leesi, KhaliFamous Namesakes: The name gained traction after it was introduced in the mega-hit TV show “Game of Thrones,” when female character Daenerys Targaryen held the title of Khaleesi (meaning “Queen”)Peak Popularity: Thanks to “Game of Thrones,” Khaleesi entered the top 1,000 names for baby girls in 2014. While its popularity hasn’t skyrocketed, it’s still holding strong in the No. 733 spot as of 2020.
Kylo
Origin: American, LatinMeaning: A recently created name thought to come from the Latin word caelum, meaning “sky"Famous Namesakes: Star Wars fans were introduced to the character of Kylo Ren in the 2015 film “Star Wars: The Force Awakens"Peak Popularity: Considering the massive success of Star Wars, it makes sense that the characters’ names would go mainstream. After the release of “The Force Awakens,” Kylo made it into the top 1,000 names at No. 905, and it has been flying up the charts ever since. As of 2020, it held the No. 449 spot for baby boys.
Laurel
Origin: LatinMeaning: “Laurel tree"Famous Namesakes: Laurel from the TV show “Arrow” and Laurel Castillo from the TV drama “How to Get Away With Murder"Peak Popularity: Laurel has been a popular name for baby girls since 1901. Its most popular year was 1956 at No. 241, and in 2020 it held the No. 683 spot.
Liam
Origin: IrishMeaning: “Strong-willed warrior” and “protector"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Lliam, Lyam, WilliamFamous Namesakes: Former One Direction member Liam Payne, actors Liam Hemsworth and Liam NeesonPeak Popularity: Liam jumped from No. 75 spot in 2008 to No. 15 in 2011 around the same time the movie “Taken” debuted, starring actor Liam Neeson. Actor Liam Hemsworth also helped the name’s popularity in 2012 after the release of “The Hunger Games.” It is currently the No. 1 name for boys.
Logan
Origin: ScottishMeaning: “Little hollow"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Logen, Logon, Logun, LogynFamous Namesakes: Male character Logan (aka “Wolverine”) from Marvel Comics’ “X-Men,” male character Logan Echolls in the TV series “Veronica Mars"Peak Popularity: Logan is considered a gender-neutral name but has been more popular for boys. It broke into the top 100 baby boy names in 1991 and since then has made its way to No. 16.
Luca
Origin: Latin Meaning: “Bringer of light” or “from Lucania” Alternative Spellings & Variations: Lluc, Luc, Louka, Loukas, Lucas, Lukas, Łukasz, Luke, Luuk Famous Namesakes: Animated character Luca from Disney Pixar’s “Luca,” and it is a popular option by celebrities for their baby boys, including actors Audrey Hepburn, Colin Firth, Vincent D’Onofrio, James Marsden, John Rich, and Hilary Duff Peak Popularity: Luca joined the list of most popular boy names in 2000 at No. 626. Its popularity continued to rise, and as of 2020, it holds the No. 67 spot.
Maggie
Origin: GreekMeaning: “Pearl"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Madge, Meg, Megan, Margalit, Margaret, MargeFamous Namesakes: Actress Margalit “Maggie” Gyllenhaal, Maggie Rose, daughter of comedian Jon Stewart, Maggie Rhee (Greene) on the TV drama “The Walking Dead"Peak Popularity: Maggie has always been a popular option for baby girls, and its peak was during the year 1900. It has remained on the charts since then, and in 2020 held the No. 293 spot.
Mason
Origin: FrenchMeaning: “Stone-worker"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Macen, Maison, Masen, Mayson Famous Namesakes: Mason Disick, son of reality TV stars Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick, Mason Lockwood on the TV series “The Vampire Diaries,” male character Mason Greybeck from the Disney series “Wizards of Waverly Place"Peak Popularity: Mason secured a spot in the top 100 baby boy names in 1997 and has only grown more popular. It took the No. 2 spot in 2011 but has since dropped to No. 11.
Michonne
Origin: FrenchMeaning: “Who is like the Lord"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Chonne, Mich, MichiFamous Namesakes: Most notably, the female character Michonne on AMC’s zombie apocalypse drama “The Walking Dead"Peak Popularity: Michonne has not yet made it to the top 1,000 names in the U.S.
Nadia
Origin: RussianMeaning: “Hope"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Nadiia, Nadine, Nadiya, Nadja, NadyaFamous Namesakes: Romanian gold-medal gymnast Nadia Comăneci, Nadia Jaseem from the TV series “Lost"Peak Popularity: Nadia has been on the popularity charts for baby girls since 1976 and reached its peak in 2005 at No. 178. In 2020 it ranked at No. 468.
Noah
Origin: HebrewMeaning: “Rest"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Noa, Noé, Nuh, Noach, Nooa, Noak, NojusFamous Namesakes: Noah Calhoun from the novel turned movie “The Notebook,” singer Noah Cyrus, actor Noah Schnapp, MLB baseball player Noah SyndergaardPeak Popularity: Noah held the No. 1 baby name for boys from 2013 to 2016. Since then, it has remained in the No. 2 spot.
Odin
Origin: NorseMeaning: “Inspiration,” “frenzy,” or “raging"Famous Namesakes: Odin Borson, former King of Asgard in the Marvel Comics universe (most notably the “Thor” movie series)Peak Popularity: Odin made its first appearance on the list of top 1,000 boy names in 2008. The name reached its peak in 2019 at No. 330 and currently sits at No. 332.
Olivia
Origin: LatinMeaning: “Olive” or “Olive tree"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Alyvia, Livia, Livie, Lyvia, Olive, Olivie, OlyviaFamous Namesakes: Actress Olivia Wilde, “First Wives Club” author Olivia Goldsmith, Olivia Benson from the TV show “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” and Olivia Pope from the popular TV political drama “Scandal"Peak Popularity: In 2014, the name made the jump from No. 3 to No. 2. It stayed in second place until moving into No. 1 in 2019, where it currently remains.
Penny
Origin: GreekMeaning: A short form of Penelope meaning “weaver"Famous Namesakes: Actress and director Penny Marshall, Penny from the hit TV sitcom “The Big Bang Theory,” Penny Proud from the Disney show “Proud Family"Peak Popularity: Penny has been on the radar for baby girls since 1923 and reached peak popularity during the 1960s. In 2020 it ranked in the No. 727 spot.
Peyton
Origin: Irish, EnglishMeaning: “Fighting man’s estate"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Paytan, PaytonFamous Namesakes: NFL quarterback Peyton Manning, actor Peyton MeyerPeak Popularity: Peyton is a great gender-neutral option, but it is actually much more popular for girls. In 2020 it ranked No. 98 for girls and No. 430 for boys.
Phoebe
Origin: GreekMeaning: “Bright” and “pure"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Phebe, Phoebus, PhoibeFamous Namesakes: Phoebe Gates, daughter of Bill and Melinda Gates, musician and singer Phoebe Bridgers, Phoebe Buffay from the hit TV show “Friends"Peak Popularity: Phoebe took a big jump in popularity from 1994 to 1995, likely due to the successful release of the TV show “Friends.” It has gradually made its way up the charts for baby girls, and its most popular year was 2020, when it ranked No. 256.
Piper
Origin: EnglishMeaning: “Pipe player"Famous Namesakes: Actress Piper Perabo, lead character Piper Chapman on the Netflix drama “Orange Is The New Black"Peak Popularity: The most popular years for Piper were 2015 and 2016, likely due to the success of the show “Orange Is The New Black.” It has ranked in the top 100 baby girl names since.
Rani
Origin: Hebrew, SanskritMeaning: “She is singing” or “queen"Alternative Spellings & Variations: RaneeFamous Namesakes: Rani Rose, daughter of actress Kate Hudson and Danny Fujikawa, Indian film actress Rani AgrawalPeak Popularity: Rani is commonly used as a baby girl name but hasn’t yet made it into the top 1,000 names in the U.S. (Of course, Kate Hudson’s choosing of the name for her daughter in 2018 might change that.)
Rey
Origin: SpanishMeaning: “Kings"Alternative Spellings & Variations: RayFamous Namesakes: Most notably, the lead female character of Rey from the “Star Wars” franchisePeak Popularity: Rey has yet to make it to the top 1,000 names for baby girls, but in 2020 it ranked No. 888 for boys.
Sawyer
Origin: BritishMeaning: “Wood-worker"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Sauier, Sauyer, SawierFamous Namesakes: Male character James “Sawyer” Ford in the TV series “Lost,” Sawyer Stafford, daughter of NFL quarterback Matthew StaffordPeak Popularity: After the premiere of “Lost” in 2004, the name Sawyer began to pick up steam. It is a fun, gender-neutral option, and in 2010, it finally appeared in the top 1,000 names for girls. In 2020, it ranked No. 116 for boys and No. 238 for girls.
Vivienne
Origin: French, LatinMeaning: “Alive"Alternative Spellings & Variations: Vivian, Viviane, Vivianne, VivienFamous Namesakes: British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, daughter of actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Vivian Ward from the 1990 film “Pretty Woman,” Vivian Lake Brady, daughter of NFL quarterback Tom Brady and model Gisele BundchenPeak Popularity: Vivienne broke into the top 1,000 baby girl names back in 1911 at no. 666. It dropped off the list in 1930 and returned in 2009, with its most popular year being 2015, when it reached No. 233.
Zuri
Origin: SwahiliMeaning: “Beautiful"Famous Namesakes: Zuri in Marvel’s “Black Panther,” Zuri Marley, daughter of musician Ziggy MarleyPeak Popularity: Zuri broke into the top 1,000 names for baby girls in 2010. Its most popular year was 2020 when it reached No. 236.