Distinguished, lofty names not overused

  1. Corentin
    • Origin:

      French, Breton
    • Meaning:

      "tempest, hurricane"
    • Description:

      Corentin is an intriguing saint's name fashionable in France but virtually unknown here-- which you may consider a big plus. St. Corentin possessed a magical fish that regenerated itself each night, feeding himself and his lucky visitors in perpetuity.
  2. Othello
    • Origin:

      Variation of Otho
    • Meaning:

      "wealth, fortune"
    • Description:

      Possibly created as an elaboration of Otho or Otto, Othello is almost exclusively associated with Shakespeare's 1603 tragedy of the same name. Borne by a Moorish General who is tricked and manipulated by the cunning Iago, Othello is also the name of a classic board game.
  3. Mirabelle
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "marvelous"
    • Description:

      If you're looking for a fresher belle name than Isabelle, Mirabelle is lovely, and we also like the extra flourish of Mirabella. And if you want a nature tie, Mirabelle is also the name of a delicate French plum.
  4. Jael
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "mountain goat"
    • Description:

      This attractive Old Testament option is the name of a place in northern Israel.
  5. Beretta
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      A Beretta is a gun, so named because of the Italian firearms manufacturer that makes it. And now Beretta is also a badass baby name, used in the middle for daughter Breeze by Bristol Palin baby daddy Levi Johnston. What a Tripp.
  6. Marisa
    • Origin:

      Italian and Spanish combination of Maria and Louisa
    • Meaning:

      "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + famous battle"
    • Description:

      A name made famous by Marisas Berenson and Tomei, never became as saturated as its cousin Melissa, so still a feasible choice. Marisa is one of those Spanish and Italian names for girls that sounds at once unusual and familiar, which makes it truly an international choice.
  7. Thibault
    • Origin:

      French from German
    • Meaning:

      "courageous people"
    • Description:

      Pronounced TEE-bow, this version, which is also a very common surname in France, has a lot more charm than the name it derives from — Theobald. A variant spelling is Thibaut.
  8. Melisende
    • Origin:

      Norman, German
    • Meaning:

      "strong in work"
    • Description:

      Melisende, the mellifluous name of a 12th century queen of Jerusalem, gave rise to the more modern Millicent, after it was brought to England by the Normans. Ultimately, it comes from the Gothic name, Amalaswintha, meaning "strong in work" or "vigorous, brave, and strong".
  9. Arianne
    • Origin:

      French, from Latin Ariadne
    • Meaning:

      "very holy one"
    • Description:

      Soft and delicate French name rarely heard here.
  10. Lucilla
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "light"
    • Description:

      A delicate name with an ancient pedigree, more appealing to some than Lucille. It elaborates on Lucy and even Lucia and feels more distinctive than Lucinda.
  11. Abram
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "father of multitudes"
    • Description:

      Abram was Abraham's original name in the Bible; it's more user-friendly but with a bit less gravitas. And it does offer that cool nickname Bram, as well as the friendly Abe. After some early American usage, in 1936 Abram completely disappeared for nearly forty years, until its return in the 1970s.
  12. Clotilda
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "famous in battle"
    • Description:

      Old and aristocratic European name that would be tough for an American kid to pull off.
  13. Romana
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "a Roman"
    • Description:

      Romantic name, feminine form of the ancient name Romanus or the modern Roman, that may rise again with the league of Rom-beginning names that also include Romy and Romilly. Romana's downside: Easy to confuse with the more familiar Ramona.
  14. Evita
    • Origin:

      Spanish, diminutive of Eva
    • Description:

      There's only one Evita.
  15. Alexandrine
    • Origin:

      Variation of Alexandra, Greek
    • Meaning:

      "defending men"
    • Description:

      Alexandra is a name with many international variations, elaborations and short forms, and Alexandrine is one of the more unusual, found mostly in France and Germany. Another, Alexandrina, was the first name of Queen Victoria.

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