My favorite girl names.

Laetitia

Latin

"gladness, happiness"

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

Maire

Finnish, Irish variation of Mary

"sweet; drop of the sea, bitter"

Both Maire and Mare have begun making inroads with parents seeking novel yet authentic ways of honoring an ancestral Mary. The Finnish variation derives from the word mairea , meaning "sweet."

Meliora

Latin, Cornish

"better; honey"

Unusual and lush Roman name adopted, improbably, by the Puritans. The Cornish version, pronounced mel-YOHR-ah, has been in use since the 13th century.

Melisande

French form of Millicent, German

"strong in work"

This old-time fairy tale name is rarely heard in the modern English-speaking world, but it's so, well, mellifluous, that it would make a lovely choice for a twenty-first century girl--a romanticized…

Meriel

Variation of Muriel, Irish

"of the bright sea"

This pleasant modernization of a dated original is still rare but has real modern possibilities. Alternate versions include Merial and Meryl. Meriel was given to fewer than five baby girls in the US…

Niamh

Irish Gaelic

"bright"

Niamh, derived from the Old Irish Niam, is an ancient Irish name that was originally a term for a goddess. In Irish myth, one who bore it was Niamh of the Golden Hair, daughter of the sea god, who…

Nieves

Spanish

"snows"

A name bestowed in honor of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de la Nieves, referring to a miracle she performed with unmelted snow in the August heat of Rome.

Rosabel

English

"beautiful rose"

Rosabel, a vintage smoosh name created in the 18th century, feels slightly less frilly than her cousins Rosabelle and Rosabella. It could make for a more distinctive alternative to Isabel, or an…

Rosamund

German

"horse protection"

This lovely, quintessentially British appellation, also spelled Rosamond, is the name of a legendary twelfth-century beauty. Rare on these shores, it is more than worthy of importation. There was a…

Saira

Saira is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins, creating a beautiful cross-cultural connection. In Arabic, it means "traveler" or "one who travels by night," while in Persian it can mean…

Theophania

Greek

This ancient name, belonging to a Byzantine empress, may be difficult for a modern child to carry, though it can be an original way to get to cute nickname Thea or even Theo or Teddie. The English…

Wisteria

Flower name, from English surname

"Wister's flower"

A frilly southern-accented flower name yet to be planted on many birth certificates. In the language of flowers, the wisteria is a symbol of devotion. It is named for American horticulturalist John…

Xenia

Greek

"hospitable, welcoming, guest"

The name of a Christian saint and a city in Ohio, Xenia is one of the more accessible and intriguing x names. It is the name of one of the Bond Girls--played by Famke Janssen in the film "GoldenEye."…