Fabian is the ancient name of a saint and pope that also has Shakespearean cred as Olivia's servant in Twelfth Night and more recently made an appearance in Harry Potter. In the U.S. Fabian became best known via the 1960s teen idol/singer who went solely by his first name.

The unisex word name Bean, distant cousin of the infamous Apple, was used for the name of a child of mysterious gender in Louise Penny's novel "A Rule Against Murder." While we can imagine Bean as a cute nickname for a yet-unnamed and unborn baby, we don't recommend it for real life.

This demon name from the anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, was one of the highest debuts of 2021, when it was given to 20 baby girls. It rose to 29 girls in 2022.

Instead of the usual French suspects -- Danielle, Isabelle, Gabrielle -- why not consider Fabienne, which is less common and just as pretty.

An upper-crusty-sounding name with humble origins, Bancroft is a surname and a place name that may appeal to those who like Banks and Banner but prefer something rarer (or who've found Bancroft in their family tree!)

Fabia is one of several pleasant international-accented female versions of Fabian.

Though the Fabian or Fabio versions are more often heard today, Fabius is the Roman family name they originated from. The general Quintus Fabius Maximum was famous for his strategic delaying tactics, so this might be a good choice for a child who is born late!

One of the many rhythmically appealing Italian names newly up for consideration, with more substance than the modelly FABIO. Variations: FABIO, FABIAN, FABRIZIO

The fashion for elaborate girly-girl names, especially those that end with -ella or -ana, has put this distinctive Latin favorite into play.

Sounds like exactly what it is: The name of a romance novel hero.