Hildegard is an ancient name that sounds it, but it does have sweet short forms Hildie and Hilda to recommend it, as well as several illustrious historical bearers.

Halo is a glowing word name that's both cosmic and spiritual, and with its shiny imagery and bright sounds, it was one of the fasted rising names in 2023.

Kairi is the name of the main female character in the popular role-playing video game series, Kingdom Hearts. Voiced by Hayden Panettiere in the main series, Kairi is one of the seven Princesses of the Heart. Kairi entered the US Top 1000 in 2010 and was given to over 400 baby girls in one recent year.

We're hearing Kat more and more being used by Katherines who are tired of Kathy, Kate and Katie. Katti or Kattie is another possibility.

A simple and pretty multicultural name: as a Japanese name, it's unisex and means "sky"; as a Korean name, it's feminine and means "conch shell".

Peach is one of those names that, a generation ago, would have been placed in the wacky celebrity baby name category. But now with the proliferation of word, nature, and yes, food names, Peach sounds adorably baby-ready.

While Vanilla might be too bland, the French version is more flavorful.

Homophonous with Mae and May, the beautiful (literally) Mei is poised to climb the charts. The hero of the 2022 Disney/Pixar film Turning Red is a Chinese-Canadian teen named Meilin "Mei" Lee, which may boost the name ever further.

BloodRayne is a series of action-adventure video games, but the heroine's name is actually Rayne, a much more usable appellation for a non-vampire, non-animated child. We hope no-one uses this for their child.

A lacy, lucky name very popular in the Hispanic community a decade ago, less so now.

Popular name in Japan in its own right, but also as a nickname for Miyako or Makiko. It appears in the visual novel Danganrompa, borne by the character Maki Harukawa.

Aerith Gainsborough is a lead character in the video game Final Fantasy. The name was invented by the developers as a translation for the character's original Japanese name Earisu.

Most familiar to American ears as the Russian variation of George. Not recommended for a daughter.

A feminine and fragrant member of the Rose family.

Rather than confusing things with Elexis, we'd stick with the original Alexis version.

Lucina, deriving from Latin lucus "grove" and also associated with lux "light", is an epithet given in Roman mythology to the goddess Juno (and sometimes also Diana) in her role as goddess of childbirth. A stately and unusual route to Lucy, more delicate than Lucinda.

Nickname for the star Gamma Cassiopeiae given by the late astronaut Gus Grissom after his own middle name (Ivan) spelled backwards. Navi also relates to the prophets in the Hebrew Bible.

Crimson could be a possible competitor for Scarlett's success, though it's lacking that Johansson charm.

Time was, even C-starting Catherines who called themselves Kate spelled it with a K, but Cate Blanchett changed all. Cate is now as acceptable as (but not as well used as) Kate. Cait might be short for Caitlin.

Franziska is a feminine name of German origin, serving as the female form of Franz (Francis). The name ultimately derives from Latin "Franciscus," meaning "Frenchman" or "free one." Franziska has been consistently popular in German-speaking countries, particularly Germany, Austria, and parts of Switzerland, where it's appreciated for its classic elegance and cultural roots. The name gained recognition through figures like Franziska von Hohenheim, a German noblewoman of the 18th century. While less common in English-speaking countries, Franziska offers an international alternative to Frances or Francesca. The name carries a sophisticated European flair with its distinctive consonant blend and melodic three-syllable structure. It provides the charming nickname options Franzi or Ziska, adding versatility to this culturally rich name.