Updated November 2023
Across 108 pages
of 108
Chinese
"frost"
Icy gender-neutral option.
Cornish
This punchy little name, reminiscent of Latin Io, has a whimsical and beautiful fable behind it. According to legend, the Cornish saint Ia was an Irish princess who sailed across the sea to Cornwall…
Urtė is a feminine Lithuanian name with roots in Baltic traditions. It likely derives from the Lithuanian word "urtas" meaning "wealth" or "abundance". The name is straightforward yet distinctive,…
Medieval variation of Esmee
Old English
"elf joy"
An ancient elfin name borne by a granddaughter of Alfred the Great. The name appeared on a character in The Lost Kingdom , a ruler of Mercia.
Literary name
"of Fred"
Offred is not technically a name but the "slave name" of a woman given to a man — literally Of Fred — in Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale . Offred, who was stripped of her own…
Man is an uncommon feminine name with diverse cultural roots. In Vietnamese tradition, it's pronounced with a different tone than the English word and means 'ten thousand' or 'intelligence.' In…
Invented literary name
Clia could be seen as a variation of Clea (probably another invented literary name), or the creation of L. Frank Baum for a mermaid Princess character in one of his Oz books. Offers a similar choice…
Neive is a feminine name with Scottish origins, derived from a picturesque village in the Scottish Borders. The name has Gaelic roots and may be related to 'naomh,' meaning 'holy' or 'sacred.' Some…
Ica is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In Slavic contexts, it may be a diminutive suffix added to create endearing feminine forms of names. It exists as an independent name in several…
Feminine variation of Ulf, Scandinavian
"wolf"
Ylva may look like it belongs with the Eva family of names, but it actually derives from Ulf, a name meaning "wolf." It's not a very intuitive name to English-speakers, and likely won't get picked up…
Diminutive of Rowan or Rowena, Irish, Scottish, Welsh
"rowan tree, little redhead; white spear, famous friend"
Ro- names are on the rise — think Roman, Rory, and Rowan — but straightforward and streamlined Row (and Rowe, Roe, and Ro) takes this trend to the next level. The pared-down single syllable gives Row…
Ici is an unusual feminine name that may have French origins, as 'ici' means 'here' in French. This uncommon name has an interesting minimalist quality with just two syllables and three letters. Ici…
English, word name
Dulse can either be a nature name — it's a kind of seaweed — or a short form of Dulcie. The "dull" sound is not in its favor, but it has occasionally been used for girls in the USA.
"willow tree"
Commonly associated with Chinese supermodel Liu Wen.
Modern invented name
This ancient-looking name is actually a 20th century invention, on the model of Suzanne, Marianne, Yvonne and other similar names. It is the name of a seer in Guy Gavriel Kay’s Fionavar Tapestry…
African, Akan
"fifth born child"
Even if you're not planning on having five kids, Enu makes a cute name for a son or daughter.
Norse
"beloved"
Frigg was the wife of Odin in Norse mythology, and may share a common origin with the goddess Freya. Despite the lovely history and meaning behind the name, be warned that in many parts of the…
Hungarian
"treasure"
Kincső was invented in the 19th century by the Hungarian author Mór Jókai for his book A jövő század regénye , " The Novel of the Next Century ." It's still a Top 100 choice in Hungary, where it…
Choctaw, Native American
"owl"