Ancient (mostly) and/or Internationally-Inspired Names

  1. Musetta
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "little muse"
    • Description:

      A musette is both a dance and an antique instrument, but the name is most associated with the classic opera La Bohème.
  2. Nabil
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "highborn"
    • Description:

      Pleasant and accessible and not as widely-used as some other African names.
  3. Nashira
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "the bearer of good news"
    • Description:

      Nashira is one of those obscure space names that might rise along with such heavenly choices as Orion, Luna, and even Nevaeh. A giant star in Capricorn, Nashira is an unusual and attractive name with several positive associations.
  4. Navid
    • Navin
      • Origin:

        Hindi
      • Meaning:

        "new, novel"
      • Description:

        Would fit right in with the currently popular in/an/en/on-ending boys' names.
    • Nera
      • Origin:

        Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "candle, light"
      • Description:

        Because of its meaning, this is a symbolic name given to girls born on Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights.
    • Nerissa
      • Origin:

        Greek
      • Meaning:

        "from the sea"
      • Description:

        An offbeat possible replacement for the overused Melissa and Marisa, Nerissa was used by Shakespeare for Portia's witty confidante in The Merchant of Venice. Queen Elizabeth has a cousin named Nerissa.
    • Nolan
      • Origin:

        Irish
      • Meaning:

        "champion"
      • Description:

        The friendly and sporty feeling Nolan blends some of the best qualities of other popular boy names. With the gentle but energetic sounds of Noah, a hint of the classic Nicholas, and the cool, surname-style vibe of Greyson or Colton, it makes for a familiar and grounded choice.
    • Nyla
      • Origin:

        Arabic
      • Meaning:

        "winner, one who achieves"
      • Description:

        This name of an ancient Egyptian princess could make a fitting choice for a bicoastal child.
    • Oberon
      • Origin:

        Variation of Auberon
      • Meaning:

        "noble, bearlike"
      • Description:

        The Shakespearean character Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream is King of the Fairies, but the name, with its strong 'O' beginning, projects a far more virile image than that.
    • Odelia
      • Origin:

        Hebrew, German
      • Meaning:

        "I will praise the Lord or wealth"
      • Description:

        Pretty Hebrew name that would create a strong but feminine impression, as well as a variant of the Germanic name Odilia or Ottilie.
    • Odin
      • Origin:

        Variation of Óðinn, Old Norse
      • Meaning:

        "god of frenzy; poetic fury"
      • Description:

        Odin is the name of the supreme Norse god of art, culture, wisdom, and law — who was handsome, charming, and eloquent into the bargain. The name projects a good measure of strength and power and has excellent assimilation potential.
    • Oliver
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "olive tree or elf army"
      • Description:

        Oliver is an international star, ranking near the top of the charts in the US and throughout the English-speaking world, along with a host of European and Latin American countries, from Norway to Chile, Slovenia to Switzerland.
    • Omari
      • Origin:

        Swahili, Arabic
      • Meaning:

        "populous, flourishing"
      • Description:

        This name, like Omar and Amari, has been in the US Top 1000 for many years. After taking a downturn in 2008, it's now again on the upswing. Actor Omari Hardwick keeps it in the public eye.
    • Oriana
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "dawn"
      • Description:

        Oriana is a dashing medieval name, with a meaning similar to Aurora. At this point, though, Oriana is much more unusual than Aurora and makes a unique choice if you're searching for names that mean new beginnings or dawn.
    • Orlando
      • Origin:

        Italian variation of Roland
      • Meaning:

        "famous throughout the land"
      • Description:

        Orlando, the ornate Italianate twist on the dated Roland, with a literary heritage stretching back to Shakespeare and before, has appealing book-ended o's, and is open to combination with almost any last name, a la British actor, Orlando Bloom.
    • Osias
      • Origin:

        Greek
      • Meaning:

        "salvation"
      • Description:

        Osias has a Latinate and biblical feel without making an appearance in the Bible. The related Ozias, on the other hand, is a form of Uzziah, found in the Greek and Latin Old Testament, and could make a distinctive path to the nickname Oz or Ozzie--both far cooler, in our opinion, than Oswald.
    • Osric
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "divine ruler"
      • Description:

        Clad in armor.
    • Ottilie
      • Origin:

        German, French
      • Meaning:

        "prosperous in battle"
      • Description:

        Ottilie is trending in the UK, where the pronounced T helps the name sound pretty and delicate, rather like Amelie and Elodie. Ottilie is less popular in the US, where many Americans pronounce it as a near-homonym for "oddly".
    • Perion