By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 40 pages
of 40
Leandros is a masculine name of Greek origin, derived from the name Leander, which comes from the Greek elements 'leon' meaning 'lion' and 'andros' meaning 'man', thus translating to 'lion man' or…
Greek botanical name
Long in our category of so-far-out-it-will-always-be-out category, once seen as a gum-cracking 1940's telephone operator, we think it's time to reassess Myrtle, and look at is as a nature name, a…
Hebrew or Greek
"my candle; ocean spirit"
A simple but unusual name with roots in disparate cultures, Neri appears in the Bible as a male name and is still sometimes used for boys as well as girls. The appeal of Neri are its deep roots…
Greek
"loving"
Could Philo be the next Milo? We love the o-ending and sweet meaning of this dynamic and distinctive Greek name, often used in literature, but never particularly popular. The ancient Philo (aka Philo…
Greek diminutive of Eustace
Became completely feminized in the unisex name revolution of the seventies.
Greek, feminization of Fotis or Fotios
"light"
Toula came to light as the name of the heroine of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," short for Fotoula, a variant of Fortini, a feminine version of Fotis or Fotios, meaning "light". Toula is cute and…
Achilleus is the original Greek form of the more commonly known Achilles, one of the greatest heroes in Greek mythology. The name is steeped in classical tradition, referring to the legendary warrior…
"from the east, rising sun"
Anatole is one of the unique boys' names with an unusual-ish feel but an uncertain provenance, with a meaning related to sunrise and thus to fire. While it's Greek in origin, it is associated more…
"from Doris"
A male name occasionally borrowed by the girls, as in Dorian Cramer, a long-running female character on the soap One Life to Live and famous midcentury model Dorian Leigh.
Greek variation of Alexis
Rather than confusing things with Elexis, we'd stick with the original Alexis version.
Greek or Welsh
"violet; beautiful lady"
Isla is hot, Iona is cool – maybe it's time Iola got a second look? Last heard from on Carol Burnett's Mama's Family show, Iola feels like just the sort of uncommon, vowel-rich, vintage name that…
"mother's gift"
Medora is a Greek name much less common here than, say, Melanie or Melissa. It has some literary references, including as the beautiful and passionate heroine of Lord Byron's poem The Corsair, and in…
"golden apple"
Euphonic hybrid of the sounds of Melissa and Laura. Melora Hardin is an actress who was featured on The Office.
Nikola is a feminine name in Slavic countries, though it serves as the masculine form of Nicholas in several Eastern European languages. Derived from the Greek 'Nikolaos' meaning 'victory of the…
Greek mythology name
The mythological queen whose perpetual weeping for her slain children turned her into a stone has always cast a pall over this name. Still, when other names with less-than-savory associations --…
"green bough"
Phyllis has been used by classical poets for the idealized pastoral maiden. A Greek mythological name of a woman who was turned into an almond tree, Phyllis was in the Top 100 from 1916 to 1958,…
"resurrection"
Anastasia is a lovely yet very long name, and Stasia is a fresher, classier short form than Stacy.
"giant, great one"
This name of the queen of the fairies in A Midsummer Night's Dream has a delicate, lacy charm similar to Tatiana's, but that first syllable could cause embarrassing problems.
Literary name or variation of Zoe, Greek
"life"
Readers who remember J. D. Salinger's Franny and Zooey have probably forgotten that the character was male (nee Zachary). Nowadays the somewhat loopy spin on Zoe is associated with actress Zooey…
Biblical Greek form of Mattithiah, Hebrew
"gift of Yahwah"
An ancient relative of the classic Matthew, Mattathias is the Greek form of Mattithiah and Matttiyahu, names that appear several times in the Old Testament. Used in the Greek Bible and in some…
