By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 607 pages
of 607
Latin
"beyond price, valuable"
Putting an accent on it, as Willa Cather did in her famous novel, would endlessly confuse the waters for a young girl. The name is every bit as lovely and distinctive as simply Antonia.
Astaroth is a feminine name with ancient mythological origins. It derives from the name of a powerful demon or fallen angel in occult traditions, appearing in various grimoires and demonological…
French surname
"Moorish"
Irish surname
"son of Cárthach"
McCarthy is one of the most common Irish surnames, all fair game as first names for American babies, especially baby girls!
Variation of Tabitha
"gazelle"
If Abigail's too popular and Tabitha is too...."Bewitched."
Hebrew surname, meaning unknown
Arabic
"first leap"
Alula, the palindromic name of the first double star to be identified as physically related to its twin, would make the perfect name for a first-born twin. Ideas (we're only half joking) for the…
Invented variation of Agnes, Greek
"pure, virginal"
When British beauty Laura Hollin morphed into supermodel Agyness Deyn, she created a name few others would want to adopt.
"pencil"
An delicate and unusual name that might appeal to a family of artists or writers.
Italian place name, from the Umbri, one of the chief tribes settling the Italian nation
Umbria is a lovely, virtually unused Italian name for girls , reflecting the beautiful rolling hills of the area's countryside. And since it's right next door to Tuscany, in which Siena resides,…
"little redhead"
Philosophical surname that could make an unusual first for a red-headed girl.
French
"factory"
Sinetta is a feminine name that likely developed as a diminutive form of names like Sina or Sinead, with the Italian feminine suffix '-etta' added to create a more melodious quality. It may also have…
Italian
"musical composition with vocal elements"
Light and delicate musical name would make an unusual choice.
Literary name
The mixed-race heroine of one of Gertrude Stein's Three Lives searches for knowledge and power.
Velada is a feminine name with possible Spanish or Portuguese origins. It may derive from the Latin word 'velatus' meaning 'veiled' or 'covered,' potentially relating to concepts of mystery or…
French, musical term
Could be seen as extravagantly ecstatic for a baby name, though feel free to rhapsodize about your little girl, whatever her name.
English
"pure light"
Lucasta was invented by seventeenth century poet Richard Lovelace for a collection of poems dedicated to a lover named Lucy, and is familiar through the Eugene O'Neill play and film Anna Lucasta .…
Mejilla is a feminine name with Spanish language connections, though it's quite uncommon as a given name. In Spanish, 'mejilla' literally means 'cheek' (the facial feature), which gives the name a…
"slate, slate gray"
An attractive Italian color and rock word name that doesn't sound anything like its meaning.
