Learn the meaning and origins of popular baby names that start with "Q."
ByAlyssa Sybertz
Updated on August 16, 2023
Fact checked byMarley Hall
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Despite the fact that many parents today are searching for more creative and unique names for their little ones, there are still some first letters that are not used as much as others. One such letter is "Q," which is very rarely used in the United States. Of the top 100 most popular baby names of 2021 for males and females according to the Social Security Administration, only one "Q" name, Quinn, made the list, clocking in at No. 80 for female babies.
That's not to say that there aren't plenty of strong, distinctive, and in most cases gender-neutral names that start with "Q." Here are 50 such names for you to consider for your new baby.
Creating a Unique Baby Name for Your Child
Qadir
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: capable or powerful
- Peak Popularity: Qadir has not been in the top 1,000 names any year since 1900.
Qadira
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: strong and powerful. Qadira is also a place in the popular "Pathfinder" role-playing game.
- Peak Popularity: Qadira has never reached the top 1,000 names in the U.S.
Qara
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: a little cloud
- Peak Popularity: Qara has not been in the top 1,000 names any year since 1900.
Qasim
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: charitable or generous
- Peak Popularity: Qasim has never reached the top 1,000 names in the U.S.
Qi
- Origin: Chinese
- Meaning: a fine jade
- Peak Popularity: Qi has not been in the top 1,000 names any year since 1900.
Qiana
- Origin: invented name
- Meaning: Qiana is the name of a silky synthetic fiber that was used in shirts in the 1960s and 1970s.
- Alternative Spelling: Quiana
- Peak Popularity: Qiana charted in the top 1,000 from 1977 to 1981.
Qiao
- Origin: Chinese
- Meaning: pretty or handsome
- Peak Popularity: Qiao has not been in the top 1,000 names any year since 1900.
Qira
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: to make a speech or orate
- Alternative Spelling: Kira
- Peak Popularity: Qira has not been in the top 1,000 names any year since 1900.
Qirin
- Origin: invented name
- Peak Popularity: Qirin has never reached the top 1,000 names in the U.S.
Qitara
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: fragrant
- Peak Popularity: Qitara has not been in the top 1,000 names any year since 1900.
Quade
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: son of Uaid
- Peak Popularity: Quade has never reached the top 1,000 names in the U.S.
Quame
- Origin: Ghanaian
- Meaning: born on Saturday
- Alternative Spelling: Kwame
- Peak Popularity: Quame has not been in the top 1,000 names any year since 1900.
Quana
- Origin: Native American
- Meaning: aromatic
- Peak Popularity: Quana has not been in the top 1,000 names any year since 1900.
Quantavius
- Origin: invented name
- Peak Popularity: Quantavius has never reached the top 1,000 names in the U.S.
Quartz
- Origin: mineral name
- Meaning: Quartz is one of the most common minerals on earth.
- Peak Popularity: Quartz has never reached the top 1,000 names in the U.S.
Quebec
- Origin: place name
- Meaning: Quebec is the largest province in Canada.
- Peak Popularity: Quebec has not been in the top 1,000 names any year since 1900.
Queen
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: a female leader of wife of a king
- Peak Popularity: Queen was most popular in 1907 but was utilized pretty consistently throughout the first half of the twentieth century.
Queenie
- Origin: English
- Meaning: queen
- Peak Popularity: Queenie was most popular in the 1910s.
Quenby
- Origin: English
- Meaning: queen's settlement
- Peak Popularity: Quenby has not been in the top 1,000 names any year since 1900.
Quentin
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: fifth
- Alternative Spelling: Quenton
- Famous Namesakes: Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino.
- Peak Popularity: The name Quentin was most popular in 1919.
Querida
- Origin: Spanish
- Meaning: dear, beloved
- Peak Popularity: Querida has not been in the top 1,000 names any year since 1900.
Quest
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: search or mission
- Peak Popularity: Quest has never reached the top 1,000 names in the U.S.
Questa
- Origin: French and Latin
- Meaning: one who seeks
- Peak Popularity: Questa has never cracked the top 1,000 names in the U.S.
Quicksilver
- Origin: invented name
- Famous Namesake: Quicksilver is the twin brother of Wanda Maximoff, aka the Scarlet Witch, in the Marvel Comics.
- Peak Popularity: Quicksilver has never reached the top 1,000 names in the U.S.
Qui-Gon
- Origin: Chinese
- Meaning: ghost
- Peak Popularity: Qui-Gon has never cracked the top 1,000 names in the U.S.
Quigley
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: someone with untidy hair
- Peak Popularity: Quigley has not been in the top 1,000 names any year since 1900.
Quill
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: Quill has multiple meanings, including a feather from a bird's wing or tail, a spine from a porcupine or a writing tool made from a feather
- Famous Namesakes: Quill is more popular as a last name, notably Chris Pratt's character Peter Quill in "Guardians of the Galaxy."
- Peak Popularity: Quill has never reached the top 1,000 names in the U.S.
Quillan
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: cub
- Peak Popularity: Quillan has not been in the top 1,000 names any year since 1900.
Quim
- Origin: Portuguese
- Meaning: established by God
- Peak Popularity: Quim has never reached the top 1,000 names in the U.S.
Quimby
- Origin: English
- Meaning: queen's settlement
- Famous Namesakes: Quimby is more popular as a last name, notably Ramona Quimby in Beverly Cleary's novels and Mayor Quimby in "The Simpsons."
- Peak Popularity: Quimby has never reached the top 1,000 names in the U.S.
Quince
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Quince is a pear-like, yellow fruit.
- Peak Popularity: Quince has never reached the top 1,000 names in the U.S.
Quincy
- Origin: French
- Meaning: estate of the fifth son
- Alternative Spelling: Quinsy
- Famous Namesakes: Musician and producer Quincy Jones.
- Peak Popularity: Quincy was most popular in the late 1970s.
Quinlan
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: slender, fit or strong
- Alternative Spelling: Quinlin
- Peak Popularity: Quinlan has not been in the top 1,000 names any year since 1900.
Quinn
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: descendant of Conn
- Alternative Spelling: Quin
- Famous Namesakes: Quinn Fabray was a main character on the TV series "Glee."
- Peak Popularity: The name Quinn has grown in popularity since 2009, peaking in the top 100 since 2015.
Quinney
- Origin: Manx
- Meaning: son of Crafty
- Peak Popularity: Quinney has never reached the top 1,000 names in the U.S.
Quint
- Origin: English
- Meaning: one of quintuplets or a group of five
- Peak Popularity: Quint has been in the top 1,000 names twice, in 1964 and 1965.
Quintero
- Origin: Spanish
- Meaning: fifth or farmstead
- Peak Popularity: Quintero has not been in the top 1,000 names any year since 1900.
Quintessa
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: essence
- Peak Popularity: Quintessa has never reached the top 1,000 names in the U.S.
Quintin
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: fifth
- Peak Popularity: The name Quintin was most popular in 1990, though its use remained relatively consistent from 1982 to 2006.
Quinto
- Origin: Spanish
- Meaning: fifth
- Peak Popularity: Quinto has never reached the top 1,000 names in the U.S.
Quinton
- Origin: British
- Meaning: fifth or queen's settlement
- Peak Popularity: The name Quinton was most popular in 1990, though its use remained relatively consistent from 1982 to 2003.
Quintrell
- Origin: British
- Meaning: dashing or elegant
- Peak Popularity: Quintrell has not been in the top 1,000 names any year since 1900.
Quirina
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: warrior
- Peak Popularity: Quirina has not been in the top 1,000 names any year since 1900.
Quirino
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: a spearman or warrior
- Peak Popularity: Quirino has never cracked the top 1,000 names in the U.S.
Quito
- Origin: Spanish
- Meaning: Quito is the capital of Ecuador.
- Peak Popularity: Quito has not been in the top 1,000 names any year since 1900.
Quixley
- Origin: English
- Meaning: clearing
- Peak Popularity: Quixley has never cracked the top 1,000 names in the U.S.
Quixote
- Origin: Spanish literary name
- Meaning: from the classic novel Don Quixote
- Peak Popularity: Quixote has not been in the top 1,000 names any year since 1900.
Quon
- Origin: Chinese
- Meaning: bright
- Peak Popularity: Quon has not been in the top 1,000 names any year since 1900.
Quora
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: maiden
- Alternative Spelling: Cora
- Peak Popularity: Quora has not been in the top 1,000 names any year since 1900.
Quvenzhane
- Origin: invented name
- Famous Namesakes: The actress Quvenzhane Wallis was nominated for an Oscar in 2012.
- Peak Popularity: Quvenzhane has never cracked the top 1,000 names in the U.S.
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Social Security. Popular baby names.
Social Security. Popularity of name.
