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Short and sweet

Four letters or fewer, each with a meaning worth knowing.

40 namesFrom U.S. birth data

  1. Gaelic · Royal

    Liam

    “the determined protector” · “will”

    100Very commonSteady

    >99% boys

  2. Hebrew · Biblical

    Noah

    “rest” · “to comfort”

    100Very commonSteady

    98% boys · 2% girls

  3. Latin

    Mia

    “who is like God?”

    93Very commonEasing

    >99% girls

  4. Hebrew · Victorian era

    Levi

    “associated”

    91Very commonRising

    99% boys · 1% girls

  5. Hebrew · Biblical

    Ezra

    “help” · “one who is helpful”

    90Very commonRising

    95% boys · 5% girls

  6.  

    Luca

    “woman from Lucanus” · “surrounded by light”

    90Very commonRising fast

    99% boys · 1% girls

  7. English · Old-fashioned

    Jack

    “God is gracious” · “the son of Jack or John”

    90Very commonSteady

    >99% boys

  8. Hebrew · Norse

    John

    “God is gracious”

    89Very commonEasing

    >99% boys

  9. Latin · Saints

    Leo

    “lion” · “resembling a lion”

    89Very commonRising

    >99% boys

  10. Gaelic

    Owen

    “born of Esos”

    88Very commonEasing

    >99% boys

  11. Greek · Biblical

    Luke

    “man from Lucania” · “a man from Lucania”

    87Very commonEasing

    >99% boys

  12. Latin · Literary

    Lucy

    “light”

    86Very commonRising

    >99% girls

  13. Gaelic

    Isla

    “from the island”

    86Very commonRising fast

    >99% girls

  14. English · Royal

    Nora

    “a man from the north” · “shining light”

    86Very commonSteady

    >99% girls

  15. Latin · Nature

    Luna

    “the moon”

    86Very commonRising

    >99% girls

  16. English

    Aria

    “a beautiful melody”

    86Very commonEasing

    >99% girls

  17. German · Royal

    Ella

    “from a foreign land”

    85Very commonEasing

    >99% girls

  18. Greek

    Zoe

    “a life-giving woman; alive”

    85Very commonSteady

    >99% girls

  19. French

    Beau

    “handsome” · “a handsome man; an admirer”

    84CommonRising fast

    99% boys · 1% girls

  20. English · Nature

    Ivy

    “resembling the evergreen vining plant”

    84CommonRising fast

    >99% girls

  21. Italian

    Enzo

    “the ruler of the estate”

    83CommonRising fast

    >99% boys

  22. Slavic

    Mila

    “one who is industrious and hardworking”

    83CommonEasing

    >99% girls

  23. Latin · Nature

    Nova

    “new; a bright star” · “a butterfly chaser”

    83CommonRising

    5% boys · 95% girls

  24. Hebrew · Biblical

    Axel

    “source of life; small oak” · “axe”

    82CommonSteady

    >99% boys

  25. Hebrew · Biblical

    Eden

    “place of pleasure”

    81CommonRising

    21% boys · 79% girls

  26. Gaelic · Royal

    Ryan

    “the little ruler; little king”

    81CommonCooling

    90% boys · 10% girls

  27. Modern

    Luka

    “woman from Lucanus”

    81CommonRising fast

    99% boys · 1% girls

  28. Irish or Scottish Gaelic · Biblical

    Ian

    “God is gracious”

    81CommonSteady

    >99% boys

  29. Hebrew · Biblical

    Leah

    “languid”

    81CommonEasing

    >99% girls

  30.  

    Theo

    “God” · “gift”

    81CommonRising fast

    99% boys · 1% girls

  31. English

    Gael

    “woman from Ireland” · “one who is or speaks Gaelic”

    81CommonRising

    >99% boys

  32. Hebrew · Presidential

    Adam

    “man” · “of the earth”

    80CommonEasing

    >99% boys

  33. English · Old-fashioned

    Ruby

    “as precious as the red gemstone”

    80CommonSteady

    >99% girls

  34. Hebrew · Mythological

    Maya

    “an illusion; a dream” · “woman of the water”

    80CommonSteady

    >99% girls

  35. Greek · Mythological

    Iris

    “rainbow”

    80CommonRising

    >99% girls

  36. Virtue

    Jose

    “God will add” · “God shall add”

    80CommonEasing

    >99% boys

  37. Modern

    Zoey

    “life” · “a life-giving woman; alive”

    79CommonEasing

    >99% girls

  38. Hebrew · Biblical

    Eli

    “one who has ascended; my God on high”

    79CommonEasing

    99% boys · 1% girls

  39. Hebrew · Royal

    Amir

    “a prince” · “from the treetop”

    79CommonRising

    >99% boys

  40. Gaelic · Royal

    Rory

    “the red queen” · “a red-haired man”

    78CommonRising fast

    59% boys · 41% girls

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