Supermodel Names

You know who Beyonce is. One of the most famous people in the world. When she was born, her name was truly unique; it was a riff on her mom's maiden name, Biyence, with an accent over the final e.

The beguiling Darya is the name of a character in Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. As a Russian name, it's a spelling variation of Daria, while in Iran, it's a girl's name that means "the sea".

This Old Testament name feels feminine to a modern English speaker, thought the Biblical Jarah was male. In the most recent year counted, there were seven girls and five boys given the name. With the rise of Biblical boys' names that end in vowel sounds like Noah and Ezra, Jarah may have new possibilities for boys. An alternate spelling is Jarrah, which is also a distinct Arabic name. Jared and Jareth are unrelated but similar-sounding Biblical choices for boys.

The tree, not the charred bit of soot in the fireplace, usually used for boys, but, as a short form of Ashley, works for girls too.

Peppy cheerleader name of the 1960s and 70s that's sure to evoke the Four Seasons song of that name.

Rose lovers today would probably prefer Rosemary, Rosamund, or even Rose itself, all more stylish variations of the name. Some may associate this form of the name with actress Rosanna Arquette and your mom may think of SNL's Rosanne Rosanna-Danna, though that reference is lost on millennials.

We usually think of place-names as a modern invention, but in fact Arizona ranked on the US Top 1000 from its inception in 1880 until 1911, when it vanished below the surface. It peaked at Number 510 in 1882, before Arizona became a state. One notorious vintage bearer: criminal "Ma" Barker, born Arizona Clark.

Attractive and equally intriguing alternative to Katya.

One of the best-known African names in the Western World because of the Somali-born model and wife of the late David Bowie.

Word name with an appealing sound but a trivializing meaning.

Often heard in India, this is the name of the Hindu goddess of abundance, beauty, and prosperity, the embodiment of grace and charm --lucky omens indeed. The goddess Lakshmi is worshiped daily in Hindu homes, and has festivals held in her honor.

Laetitia adds a layer of ancient patina to the more prosaic LETITIA.

High profile supermodel/entrepreneur Tyra Banks has put this name in the spotlight, endowing it with her confident, superattractive image.

Most Africas today would be named for the continent, but the name actually existed in Scotland in medieval times, where there was a Celtic queen named Affrica. Africa has also been a Spanish name for girls since 1421. The church of the Virgin "Nuestra Senora de Africa" is in Ceuta, the Spanish city she is Patron of, in North Africa.

A simple and appealing unisex Korean name with many possible meanings, depending on the hanja characters used. Coincides with the English word "sun", which is a nice bonus.

Dutch supermodel Doutzen (pronounced doubt-son) Kroes has introduced us to a name from the Netherlands that might have a hard time in an American classroom and is nowhere near as glamorous as its bearer.

Pronounced a la Bette (Betty) Davis or Bette (Bet) Midler, a twentieth-century relic. Though if the equally vintage Betty comes back, Bette may be close behind.

This is the Armenian version of the familia Julia, which has a rich and evocative sound. Other variations are Iuliya, and the diminitive Yulya.

One of the few Korean names to migrate to Western culture, via supermodel Hye Park.