Names That Mean Feminine

A unique relative of Zoe via the Ancient Greek name Zoilos, borne by a 4th century BC cynic philosopher.

A sophisticated girls' name for those attracted to Leona, Leonie and Leonore.

Senta is a lovely name, but if you name your daughter Senta, will the kids call her Santa? Maybe, but this obscure yet simple German name for girls.may appeal to parents searching the untraveled name routes.

Cai, as distinguished from the boys' name Kai, is international, simple, unusual.

With a meaning like "elf power," Alfreda could find some appeal among fantasy enthusiasts. "Freda" makes for a pleasant nickname.

Federica is the Latin version of Frederica, one of those formerly stuffy female names -- think Josephine and Eleanor -- that feels fresh and elegant again. And Federica has more energy without that first r.

A French name that's lost its chic.

Name that's virtually unknown here but has a lovely meaning and a simple sound and spelling.

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

Rare but attractive female form of Basil.

A delicate name with strong roots, Aniceta is most often used in contemporary Spain. Saint Anicetus was an ancient pope and martyr.

Juana has not achieved the popularity in the U.S. of the male version Juan. Whereas Juan has made it almost to the Top 50 on the U. S. hit parade, sister Juana has barely entered the thousand most popular.

Attractive form still très Parisienne.

Petronilla is an ancient saint's name that relates to the Roman family name Petronius, thought to mean yokel, though some connect it with Petra or Peter, meaning stone. With the resurgence of so many ancient Roman names, the elaborate and pretty Petronilla or its French form Petronille seem more usable these days than they have in centuries.

This version adds some Italian flair to the somewhat stolid Constance.

Linked to the early days of feminism via Germaine Greer, this saint's name feels neither French nor German enough.

Justina was the pre-Justine feminization of Justin, now a possible alternative to Christina. Oddly, while Justine feels like a name unto itself, Justina feels like a pinned-together feminization in the mold of Richarda or Benjamina. Still, it may appeal as one of the unusual-yet-familiar girl names starting with J.

Bente, pronounced ben-tah, is a popular girls' name in both The Netherlands and Denmark though largely unknown in the English-speaking world. It suffers by being a near-homonym of the English word bent, not the best dictionary equivalent for a first name. Still, if you're looking for a girls' name that equates to Ben or Benjamin or Benedict, this may be one of your best bets.

More streamlined – and more authentic – than Shawna.

Variation of Valentina with the same pared-down appeal as Maren.