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Storybook Girls

  1. Yvaine

    • Origin:

      Female variation of Yvain or Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "evening star"

    • Description:

      A mix of Yvonne and Elaine, Yvaine was first noticed in the Neil Gaiman fantasy novel and then movie Stardust, in which Claire Danes played the 'fallen star' Yvaine. This In all its forms, one of the most classic Scottish names for girls is now attracting namer attention--just as that other Gaiman-inspired name, Coraline, did. Yvaine has a definite romantic, medieval charm. A small segment of namers are definitely taking notice.
  2. Anthea

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "flowery"

    • Description:

      This unjustly neglected floral name is smart and crisp, with a touch of Athena, Anna, and Cynthia about it. It also has that stylish Greek mythological heritage: Anthea is an epithet of Hera, the Greek queen of the gods, and her name has been used as poetic symbol of spring.
  3. Georgina

    • Origin:

      English, feminine variation of George

    • Meaning:

      "farmer"

    • Description:

      Now more popular than Georgiana in Britain, this elegant Dickens. Jane Austen name deserves attention. Most American parents prefer Georgia to Georgina or any other feminization of George.
  4. Johanna

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"

    • Description:

      Johanna is the version of this name used in Holland, Germany, and Scandinavia. The extra h makes Johanna a slightly more dignified version of Joanna.
  5. Jessie

    • Origin:

      Anglicized form of Teasagh or diminutive of Jessica, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "behold or wealthy"

    • Description:

      Jessie has never been used as much as Jennie/Jenny, partly because it's a boys’ name as well (spelled Jesse), but it does have a friendly and unpretentious pioneer feel. In Scotland, it's found as an Anglicized form of Teasagh, itself a form of Jean, and is used as a full name. And in the rest of the world, Jessie may be short for Jessica or used on its own.
  6. Hermione

    • Origin:

      Feminine version of Hermes, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "messenger, earthly"

    • Description:

      Hermione's costarring role in Harry Potter has made this previously ignored, once stodgy name suddenly viable. Hermione could really take off once today's children start having kids of their own.
  7. Imogene

    • Description:

      Imogene is a feminine name of Celtic origin, believed to be derived from the Gaelic word 'imogen,' meaning 'maiden' or 'daughter.' Some scholars suggest it may also have connections to the Latin phrase 'Iphigenia,' from Greek mythology. The name gained literary significance through Shakespeare's play 'Cymbeline,' where the virtuous protagonist bears this name. Imogene enjoyed moderate popularity in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries before declining, though it has seen renewed interest in recent years as part of the revival of vintage names. With its combination of classical literary associations and a distinctive, melodic sound, Imogene appeals to parents seeking names with historical depth, intellectual connections, and a touch of antiquated elegance.

  8. Roberta

    • Origin:

      Feminine variation of Robert, English from German

    • Meaning:

      "bright fame"

    • Description:

      Roberta has been one of the most successful feminization names, up at #64 in 1936. It's a name that's found all over children's lit, often nicknamed Bobbie or Robbie, though Bertie is another possibility. Notable bearers have included singers Roberta Flack and Roberta Peters--plus it's the birth name of Joni Mitchell.
  9. Pauline

    • Origin:

      French, feminine variation of Paul

    • Meaning:

      "small"

    • Description:

      Pauline had its moment of glory almost a century ago, when movie audiences were thrilling to the silent serial The Perils of Pauline; it's a sweet and gentle name that just might be due for reconsideration. Off the list since the late 1990s, Pauline was a Top 50 name from around 1908 to 1930.
  10. Serafina

    • Origin:

      Italian and Spanish variation of Seraphina

    • Meaning:

      "ardent"

    • Description:

      Serafina is a name so lovely it's worthy of an angel. But the more stylish spelling today is Seraphina.
  11. Coraline

    • Origin:

      Variation of Coralie, French from Latin

    • Meaning:

      "coral"

    • Description:

      Coraline may not be original to Neil Gaiman's wonderful book of the same name, but it might as well be. Gaiman's young heroine Coraline Jones is constantly called Caroline but as a name Coraline is more distinctive and has a more mysterious feel. The 2002 novel Coraline was made into a 2009 animated film voiced by Dakota Fanning and nominated for an Academy Award.
  12. Liesel

    • Origin:

      German diminutive of Elizabeth

    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"

    • Description:

      Sweet but sleek, and distinctive, Liesel is an old German nickname-name for Elisabeth. It might have once seemed inextricably tied to to its country of origin, but now, like Elsa, Enzo, Saoirse, Freya, Soren, and Heidi, it leans more towards being international and European chic.
  13. Arianna

    • Origin:

      Italian form of Ariadne, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "most holy"

    • Description:

      A smooth, attractive choice, Arianna's on the rise with both single and double 'r's and 'n's. Single 'r' double 'n' Arianna — the second most popular version of the name — is these days associated with Greek-born blog queen Arianna Huffington.
  14. Fanny

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Frances, English from Latin

    • Meaning:

      "from France; free man"

    • Description:

      As this word is less often used to mean derriere, it becomes more possible to view Fanny as the kind of appealingly quaint nickname name, like Josie and Nellie, that many parents are favoring now.
  15. Ginny

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Virginia, Ginevra, Genevieve, or Imogen

    • Meaning:

      "virgin, pure; white wave; maiden"

    • Description:

      A nickname to Latin Virginia, French Genevieve, Italian Ginevra, English Imogen, and any other name with the 'gin' sound in there, Ginny ranked in the latter end of the US charts in the mid 20th century. Made familiar again in the contemporary world by the show Ginny & Georgia, along with the Harry Potter character, Ginny has seen a small amount of attention in recent years, given to around 50 babies in the latest stats.
  16. Beth

    • Origin:

      English diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"

    • Description:

      The sweetest and most sensitive of the pet names for Elizabeth, now also one of the most dated.
  17. Meg

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Margaret, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "pearl"

    • Description:

      Meg, perennially one of the Little Women, is a Margaret short form that manages to be neither quite in nor quite out of style. Meg is sleeker and more sophisticated than Maggie, more contemporary than Peg, more stylish than Megan, and still one of the best diminutives of Margaret.

      Meg Ryan was born Margaret Mary Emily Anne.

  18. Posy

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "a bunch of flowers"

    • Description:

      A sweet, nostalgic nosegay kind of name, Posy has been long fashionable in England, a country of gardeners, but this pretty bouquet-of-flowers name is still rarely heard in the US, though it could be seen as a more unusual possible alternative to Rosy or Josie.
  19. Junie

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of June

    • Description:

      A cute nickname, but June is a much better bet for the birth certificate.
  20. Arrietty

    • Origin:

      Literary name, variation of Harriet

    • Description:

      A pretty, dainty name for one of the little characters in the children's book series The Borrowers. It was the basis for a later Studio Ghible animated film, The Secret World of Arrietty. While the connection to Harriet is tenuous, you might want to consider Arrietty as an honorific for an ancestral Harriet, Harry, or even Henry or Henrietta.