By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 607 pages
of 607
Latin
"from Sidon "
Sidonie is an appealing and chic French favorite that is starting to attract some American fans as a fresher alternative to Sydney. Also spelled Sidony, Sidonie was the birth name of the French…
French
"daring king"
Actress Sigourney -- born Susan -- Weaver made this unusual name (which she found in The Great Gatsby ) famous, if not popular.
Estonian
May derive from Estonian "sirel", meaning "lilac flower".
Arabic
"ship"
Variation of Safina or elaboration of Sofia makes for a unique by on-trend Arabic name for girls .
French, English
"to stay a while"
African-American and women's rights activist Sojourner Truth was born as Isabelle into enslavement. She adopted her new name when she began traveling and preaching abolition in 1843. Sojourner is a…
Japanese
"treasure, jewel"
A lovely Japanese alternative to Tamara.
Toni Tennille was one half of the musical group Captain & Tennille, which produced a number of huge hits in the 1970s, including "Love Will Keep Us Together."
Teressa is a feminine name that represents a spelling variant of the more common Teresa or Theresa. Of Greek origin, the name ultimately derives from 'therizo,' meaning 'to harvest,' or possibly from…
Thamara is a feminine name variant of Tamara, which derives from the Hebrew name Tamar meaning "date palm tree" or "palm date." This spelling with the added 'h' reflects the transliteration from…
Hebrew
"god is good"
Hebrew form of Tobiah, also used as a feminine form.
"harbor wave"
Tsunami is a Japanese word, derived from the elements tsu meaning "harbor," and nami , "wave." It was first used as a name in 2004 and 2005, then left the charts and reemerged in 2020. At the very…
Hawaiian
"heavenly beauty"
This lovely and lilting Hawaiian name is among our favorite girl names beginning with U and could make a rare alternative to the likes of Kalani or Leilani. Notably borne by model Uilani Owens, it…
Umaima is a feminine name of Arabic origin, derived from the root word 'umm' meaning 'mother' or 'source.' It can be interpreted as 'little mother' or 'little leader,' carrying connotations of…
Tahitian
"sea cave"
A pretty, mellifluous name from the Tahitian phrase vai ana o te mato teitei , meaning "water from the cave of the high rock". The Disney heroine Moana is called Vaiana in most European countries,…
Maltese place name
Valletta is the capital city of Malta. It takes on an air of attractiveness via model Amber Valletta and could make an appealing alternative to the somewhat dated Valerie.
Spanish
"good fortune"
Ventura started life as a shortening of Bonaventura, Spanish for good luck or good fortune, but now stands on its own. It has a pleasant sound and the stylish 'V' ending, but Angelenos would…
"true"
More often spelled VERENA, this name is attached to a third century Swiss saint. But the "virtue" name VERITY, is more appealing and comes more directly to the point.
Fictional name from Swahili
"demon of war"
The name of one of the antagonists in the 1998 Lion King sequel Simba's Pride . The character was originally named Shetani, which means "devil" in Swahili, but this name was later combined with…
English
"farm near the willows; willow town"
With Willow and Willa becoming more popular for girls, surname-style Willoughby could be a more unusual alternative. Meaning "farm near the willows" or "willow town", depending on how you interpret…
American invented name
"willow tree + valley"
The Social Security Lists show Willodean and all its variant spellings to have been used throughout the 1920s and 30s especially in Southern states. There are a few theories on its origins (an…
