Ilena-style variants have all been considered more stylish than Helen for many years.

Isabetta is a charming spin on both the Elizabeth and Isabella families and a new way to go if you love the originals but want something more, well, original. Isabetta Rose is the name chosen by Amber and Rob Mariano for their daughter. If you're searching for Italian names for girls that make an easy transition to the English-speaking world, this should be high on your list.

Stylish surname way to go if you want to name a girl after a James, and is more substantial than the passé Jamie; it was chosen for their daughter by Chynna Phillips and Billy Baldwin.

Popular in France in the 60s, Marielle is one of many international variations and diminutives of Mary. While actress and author Mariel Hemingway made us aware of the more abbreviated spelling — which is currently the more popular option in the US — this longer, elegant form saw increased interest in a recent year, when it was chosen for 115 girls.

One of those quintessentiallyFrench names still wearing a beret, also too tied to the image of tires.

This was a 100 percent boys' name till the willowy Mischa Barton of TV's "The OC" made it unisex, a la Sascha.

The sleek Malin is a contracted form of Magdalene or Madeleine, used in Sweden, Norway, and Switzerland. A popular choice back in the 2000s, it has declined in popularity in recent years, but it remains a concise and appealing choice.

Marcheline was the first name of Angelina Jolie's late mother, who was part French-Canadian, which Jolie and Brad Pitt used as the middle name for their twin daughter Vivienne. The name is related to the Latin Marcellus and Marcus, which come from Mars, the name of the God of War, and is often spelled Marceline. Jolie's mother's birth name was Marcia Lynne.

A variation of Maria and Mary, used as a diminutive in Estonia, Croatia, Macedonia, The Netherlands, and Slovenia, and occasionally as a respelling of the Irish Máire. In the first instance, it may be pronounced MA-reh, while in the latter, it may be more like MA-r(y)uh.

It could also be a form of Maren or Mairead, pronounced MEHR (like the word for a female horse).

Jessamine, a charming name occasionally heard in England, is just beginning to be appreciated in the U.S. as a possible successor to all the Jess names of the past. It's also spelled Jessamyn, as in Quaker novelist Jessamyn West, author of Friendly Persuasion--who started life with Jessamyn as her middle name.

The fact that this Spanish classic, which honors the Virgin Mary, does not end in the conventional letter 'a' gives it a special sense of strength, elegance, and style, making it a worthy choice.

The saintly Italian form of the saintly Latin Benedicta.

Annora is a noble name, a distinctive twist on its most essential form: Honor. Other variations to explore include Honora and Nora.

Oona is a name made famous by Eugene O'Neill's daughter, who became Charlie Chaplin's wife. One of the original Oona's granddaughters was named after her, and is now an actress famous in her own right for playing Talisa of Volantis in HBO's "Game of Thrones." The double-o beginning gives their name a lot of oomph.