By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 40 pages
of 40
Russian
"foreign"
Short form of the Russian Varvara, a feistier version of Barbara.
Veronike represents a variant spelling of Veronica, a name with classical roots. The traditional Veronica derives from the Latin 'vera icon' meaning 'true image,' associated with Saint Veronica in…
Greek and Latin
"purple flower"
Too close to violent.
Greek
"yellow horse"
Xanthipe, also spelled Xanthippe, is the name of the wife of Socrates. Challenging for English speakers, it's also dramatic and alluring.
"golden-haired one"
The ethereal name of a Greek mythology sea nymph.
"of Zeus"
As long as nobody connects it with xenophobia -- the fear of strangers and the unknown.
Greek variation of Selena
See SELENA.
Feminine variation of Zephyr, Greek
"west wind"
Zephyr may not be a name often heard in the U.S., but its variations are used throughout Europe. Zephyrine, a cousin in sound and feel if not in fact to such lovely names as Severine and Seraphina,…
"from the island of Cythera"
Cytherea, a place-name that is the home of Aphrodite, seems stuck in ancient Greece.
Kynthia is an alternative spelling of Cynthia, a name with ancient Greek origins. The name derives from Mount Kynthos on the island of Delos, birthplace of the goddess Artemis (Diana in Roman…
Greek word name
A mathematical possibility, but the odds are against it.
Diminutive of Cynthia or Lucinda
Cindy for the 21st century, with a word adjacent feel.
Achilios is a masculine name with Greek origins, derived from the legendary hero Achilles of Homer's Iliad. The name carries connotations of strength, bravery, and martial prowess. While less common…
"thistly plant"
Poetic though thorny, Cynara is one of those names that has a genuine root but that many will assume is invented. Depending on your viewpoint, that might be the best or worst of all worlds.
"young goat"
Often found as a brand name in the hi-tech and industrial worlds.
There once was a moralizing fabulist who tried to make it as a baby name...and failed.
Celtic
"sun lord or sun hound"
The title of a Shakespeare play based on legends featuring the early Celtic King Cunobelinus, whose name derives from the Gaulish sun god Belenus.
Alvertos is a masculine name that appears to be a variant of Alberto, the Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Albert. The name ultimately derives from Germanic elements meaning 'noble' (adal) and…
"the mother of all gods"
The Anatolian mother goddess Cybele had a place in Greek, Roman, Trojan, and Anatolian mythology. Today, she has special meaning as a symbol of gender nonconformity. In ancient Rome, Cybele's cult…
"bright blue enamel"
Cyane is a mythological Sicilian nymph who lived in a pool and whose name is an intriguing twist on the color name trend.
