Vivacious V names [girls]

Vera was the height of fashion in 1910, then was for a long time difficult to picture embroidered on a baby blanket. Now, though, it has come back into style along with other old-fashioned simple names such as Ada and Iris.

This name of a showy, lemony plant makes an unusual entry into the name garden.

Embodies both color and operatic style.

If you love Puritan virtue names and want to move beyond Hope and Faith and Grace, this is a wonderful choice, both for its meaning and its sound. A rare find here, though occasionally heard in England. It was used in Winston Graham's Poldark novels, was Madonna's name as James Bond's fencing instructor in Die Another Day, and made a brief appearance in Harry Potter. Not to mention being a fixture on British and Australian soaps. Verity also appears in one of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple mysteries.

This vivid reddish orange color name is an undiscovered possibility -- kind of a female equivalent of Cerulean for boys.

This Latin word used for evening spiritual services was introduced to baby namers by the Eva Greene character Vesper Lynd in the modern James Bond film Casino Royale in 2006, based on the Ian Fleming novel, and is just now beginning to provoke interest among namers, with its spiritual reference and soft, whispery sound.

Said to refer to either Jupiter or Venus, either of which would be preferable as a name.

Could be a short form of Sylvia, Olivia, or any other similar name. Or a vivid Italian word name.

This name of an architecturally glorious Italian city makes a romantic and evocative possibility.

Victoria is the Latin word for "victory" and a feminine form of Victor. It is the name of the ancient Roman goddess of victory, the equivalent of the Greek Nike, and also a popular third century saint.

Viola has several positive elements going for it: the rhythm of the musical instrument, the association with the flower, the trending 'Vi' beginning and its leading role in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.

Vital and vivacious, Vita is stirring back to life along with many of her V-themed sisters -- Vivian, Vivica -- and is becoming a new celebrity baby favorite.

Viva la baby with this life-affirming name, one of the appealing group of girl names that mean life.! Singer Rufus Wainwright chose it for his baby daughter, perhaps in celebration of a new life entering the world the year after he lost his mother Kate McGarrigle. The baby's middle name is Katherine.

A truly multicultural choice, with separate origins from Scandinavia (also spelled Viveca and Vivica), as well as India (with spiritual meaning in Hinduism).

Vivien (Scarlett O'Hara) Leigh was born Vivian. Some sources give Vivien as a relative of the Irish goddess name Bebinn and a literary name invented by Tennyson. Others say it's related to the Latin-based Viviana, meaning life. This spelling of the name is as legitimate as many others.

A happy combination of several desirable genres: it's a word name, it has a foreign accent, and it has a highly virtuous meaning. And few other parents will be bold enough to choose it.