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These Are The Best Name Ideas For 2017 Babies

From Alden to Zelda.
Andersen Ross via Getty Images
Andersen Ross via Getty Images

If new parents in 2017 were limited to only 100 possible baby name options, what should they be? Nameberry is attempting to answer this question.

We’ve whittled down the thousands of possibilities to find the 100 baby names that we believe are most emblematic of our times ― while also being both somewhat timeless and forward-facing. The names here are perfect for a 2017 baby yet will serve him or her well into the turn of the next century (now there’s an amazing thought).

Of course, there are hundreds of other baby names that potentially fit these criteria. But if we are limited to only 100, these are our picks for the very best of the best ― and our reasons why.

  1. Alden ― May unseat the popular Aiden, thanks to actor Ehrenreich, the new young Han in β€œStar Wars”
  2. Amity ― Friendly update for Hope and Faith
  3. Amos ― A biblical boy that could follow the newly successful Abel
  4. Araminta ― British classic fresher than Arabella
  5. Arcadia ― Heavenly name for the optimistic
  6. Archer ― Fresher than Hunter, cooler than Arthur
  7. Arrow ― Shooting upwards
  8. Ash ― Cool short form of Ashton or Asher, or full name on its own
  9. Astrid ― Scandinavian import with lots of style
  10. Auden ― Poetic surname chosen by Kelsey Grammer for his son
  11. Aviva ― Vivacious palindromic choice
  12. Baxter ― Could Bax be the new Max?
  13. Bea ― Beatrice or Beatrix short form that stands alone
  14. Benno ― Ancient saint name makes Ben special
  15. Birdie ― Nature name taking flight
  16. Booker ― Iconic hero name with literary and musical associations
  17. Bowie ― The late idol inspiring baby namers
  18. Briar ― New unisex nature name in the Top 000
  19. Calliope ― Love child of Cadence and Penelope
  20. Cassius ― Ancient Roman name that couldn’t be cooler
  21. Celeste ― Ladylike name with heavenly associations
  22. Clara ― Clearly the most stylish Claire-related name today
  23. Clark ― Old-time heartthrob and superhero returns
  24. Corin ― The Bard gave us this distinctive yet straightforward boys’ name
  25. Cressida ― Posh British possibility with a Shakespearean pedigree
  26. Cyrus ― Celeb choice with historic Eastern roots
  27. Daisy ― Perennially-fresh and charming flower name
  28. Dashiell ― Literary name with lots of dash
  29. Delphine ― Chic French twist on floral name
  30. Dylan ― Rebel Nobel poet name turned modern classic
  31. Echo ― Three trends ― mythological, o-ending word name ― in one modern choice
  32. Eliza ― Classic revival keeps gathering steam
  33. Ember ― Emma meets Amber
  34. Emilia ― Khaleesi gone classic
  35. Esme ― Charming Salinger name that means beloved
  36. Esther ― Biblical heroine name weds ancient and feminist appeal
  37. Felicity ― β€œRogue One” star Felicity Jones adds strength to this name
  38. Felix ― Ancient saint turned cartoon cat turned happy modern baby name
  39. Fiona ― Romantic Scottish favorite moving on from β€œShrek”
  40. Forrest ― Nature name with buttoned-down appeal
  41. Frank ― Frank Ocean updates this name from the Sinatra era
  42. Frankie ― Boyish nickname for girls
  43. Geneva ― Cool Swiss place name destination
  44. Gideon ― Biblical boy name on the rise
  45. Goldie ― One nickname name that’s both rich and fun
  46. Greer ― Tailored Hollywood name, fresher than Harlow or Ava
  47. Gus ― Friendly, informal Gus is the new Max
  48. Indigo ―- Bright blue unisex choice
  49. Ines/Inez ― Spanish-inflected variation of Agnes with starry new gloss
  50. Iris ― Elegant floral that’s also the name of the goddess of the rainbow
  51. Isadora ― The new Isa girl in town
  52. Keziah ― Biblical name that feels sleek and modern
  53. Lachlan ―Scottish choice finding wider favor
  54. Lark ― Bird name that sings sweetly in the middle
  55. Lionel ― Jazzy name with stylish leonine associations
  56. Louise ― This year’s nominee for how can it NOT be in the Top 1000?
  57. Loxley ― Popping on Pinterest
  58. Loyal ― One virtue name that works for boys
  59. Lucian ― Male spin on the popular Lucy and Lucia
  60. Lula ― Retro girl name on the upswing, and Liv Tyler’s new daughter
  61. Lux ― As simple as it is luxurious
  62. Marguerite ― Cooler than Margaret, more classic than Margo
  63. McCoy ― The real thing
  64. Mirabelle ― The new Isabelle
  65. Monty ― British favorite feels fresh here
  66. Osiris ― Name from Egyptian mythology that feels powerful today
  67. Otis ― Bluesy choice that’s the epitome of cool
  68. Otto ― New old O name for boys
  69. Ozzie ― Adorable O nickname for Ozias, Oswald, etc; Oz works too
  70. Pearl ― The most stylish middle name of the moment
  71. Persephone ― Now that Penelope is a top name, Persephone is rising
  72. Posey ― Sweet update on Poppy and Rosie
  73. Quincy ― Unusual Presidential choice that works for boys and girls
  74. Ray ― Sleek, simple name right for both genders
  75. Reeve ― A successor to celebrity surname name Reese
  76. Remy ― French, simple, lovely for either sex
  77. Reuben ― Hot biblical boy name
  78. Roman ― Celebrity favorite with noble pedigree
  79. Rosamund ― Elegant rose family member
  80. Ruth ― Rich biblical name finding new fans
  81. Sadie ― The fastest-rising girl name on Nameberry
  82. Sage ― A name marrying wisdom and nature
  83. Sasha ― Unisex name re-embraced for boys
  84. Saskia ― Dutch treat with artistic vibe
  85. Sayer ― More eloquent than Sawyer
  86. Simone ― Gold medalist times two
  87. Snow ― Fresh, winter white choice
  88. Soleil ― Sunny French name shining here
  89. Sybil ― A not-done β€œDownton Abbey” name
  90. Sylvie ― Sweet French-accented choice
  91. Tallulah ― Dramatic name favored by celebrities, but still distinctive in the real world
  92. Thea ― Newcomer to the Top 1000 that feels both classic and modern
  93. Thor ― Powerful superhero choice
  94. Vera ― Fresher than Cora or Ava
  95. Wilder ― Prepster name with an outdoorsy vibe
  96. Winnie ― Winning nickname-name finding new fans, including Jimmy Fallon
  97. Winston ― Churchill makes it a hero name, but Winston feels wearable for a child, too
  98. Yara ― Spanish favorite slowly being discovered by the wider world
  99. Zelda ― New series based on the life of Zelda Fitzgerald soon to debut on
  100. Zinnia ― Exotic floral choice

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