Strong, feminine girls' names?

[christinasol]

Hello!

I am due in November with our first child and while I feel like we're having a boy, I would like to be prepared with a few girls' names as well. The problem is, my husband and I can't think of ANY girls' names we both like! We've pored over lists and books but we just can't pick any. I want to name my daughter something that is both strong and feminine - hopefully with history and meaning behind it as well but not sounding too outdated. Hehe, I guess I'm pretty picky! Do you guys have any ideas for me?? Thanks!

[lucystone]

Katherine/Kate
Eliza
Georgia
Naomi
Alexis/Alexandra
Margaret
Charlotte/Charlie
Jordan
Zoe/y
Lucy/Lucia/Luciana/Lucille
Lauren
Afton
Brynn
Helen
Phoebe
Daphne

[holbs]

I assume by strong you mean that its not overly frilly, is that right?


Eve
Iris
Isis
Seren
Thora
Venus
Avalon
Eleanor
Diana
Honor
Junia


Are any of these close? Could you give some examples of names you maybe like, but can't use, or just don't quite like enough to give a bit more detail on your style?

[ksheja]

Well, just off the top of my head (sorry for any repeats, I didn't read the other posts first): Not sure how you feel about name popularity. so I've included a few very popular names - I'm sure you and your husband might have already considered them, but here's a few:
Clara
Georgia
Jane
Anne or Anna
Elizabeth
Eve or Eva
Nora
Katherine
Caroline
Natalie
Alexandra
Anastasia
Genevieve
Antonia
Helena
Lydia
Rosalind
Miranda
Thea
Julia
Susannah
Cassandra
Gwendolyn
Corinne
Virginia
Matilda
Miriam
Dinah
Nadia
Bridget

[lis09]

Here are some more ideas.
Bronwyn
Maren
Gwendolyn
Rhiannon
Tatum
Frances
Meredith
Esther
Antonia
Maris
Ruth
Blythe
Gweneth
Tamsin
Irene
Avis
Dorothy
Agatha
Hillary
Beatrice
Vesper
Helen
Elise
Sibyl
Geneva
Claudia

[lori johnson]

In their book, "Beyond Jennifer and Jason" [1994], Linda Rosenkrantz and Pamela Redmond Satran divide girls' names into three categories: Feminissima, Feminine and No-Frills.

From your stated preference for "strong, feminine" girls' names, names from the Feminine and No-Frills categories will be your best bet.

Listed below are a few of my recommendations from both categories ...

Feminine:

Audra/Audrey
Beatrice
Cordelia
Deirdre
Eloise
Evelyn
Gwendolen
Lucy
Patrice
Phoebe
Stella
Vivian


No-Frills:

Claudia
Eleanor
Emma
Grace
Greta
Kate
Margaret
Nora
Vera

[christinasol]

Thanks so much for all the ideas!! They're very helpful and it's also helpful to see what other people think of as "strong, feminine" names. My favorites of the ones you posted are:
Nora
Eleanor (I also really like Lenora)
Geneva
Eloise
Miriam
Lucy
Zoe

The boy names we have picked out are Jude, Jonah, Asher, and (my husband's choice) Phineas. Somehow they're all Biblical which is not one of our criteria, we just like these names. What I would like to do is find a girl's name that is just as meaningful and historical as these boy ones. What name do you guys think would fit in with our boys' names? Thanks for all your help!!

[erinlw]

Some names I'd recommend are:

Delaney (nn Laney)
Thea
Katherine (nn Kate)
Jane
Scarlett
Georgia (nn Georgie)
Reese

[jersey_gray]

Elizabeth
Catherine
Jane
Georgia
Clara
Julia
Ruth
Rebekah
Thea (thee-uh)
Virginia nn Ginny
Carolina
Anna