Updated May 2023
Across 4 pages
of 4
French
"rising"
Oriana's not-quite-as-pretty French cousin.
Latin
"golden"
Pretty Victorian-feeling cousin of Ariel; also, more prosaically, a kind of bay window.
Literary name
"gold"
Orleanna was the young heroine of Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible , whose name may share the same golden meaning as New Orleans, or be a twist on Orlena and Arlena.
A bird name from the same Latin root as Aurelia, Oriole is extremely rare as a name: No babies were given the name in the US in 2022. But most people are aware of the Oriole bird, which makes this…
French variation of Aurelia, Latin
"the golden one"
Aurelia may be back in a big way, but Oralee and Oralie definitely are not. Would you really want to name your daughter "orally"?
Variation of Orpah, Hebrew
"fawn or gazelle"
The misspelling that created an indelibly one-person name. And we mean that literally: Despite Oprah Winfrey's fame and appeal, there were no baby girls named Oprah last year, OR Orpah. The Biblical…
Orilla is a feminine name with Latin origins, derived from 'ora' meaning 'coast' or 'shore.' This uncommon name evokes imagery of peaceful coastal landscapes and ocean borders. While never reaching…
Japanese
"worker's field"
Not as familiar as some other Asian imports; has a strong unisex feel.
Spanish and Italian, feminine variation of Orlando
Orlanda is an intriguing feminization of Orlando, almost unknown in this country.
Literary invention
Princess Ozma was the leading character of L. Frank Baum's book Ozma of Oz and could provide a fun way to nickname Ozzie for a girl. Alternatively, it may occasionally be used as a variation of the…
"fawn"
Orpha, with its Biblical roots and its animal meaning, was once a fairly popular name, but fell from sight around the time of the Second World War, along with so many other Old School Names. And its…
Galician or Spanish form of Eulalia, Ancient Greek
"sweetly speaking"
A playful and spirited form of Eulalia, familiar in Spain.
"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…
Game of Thrones fans may recognize this as the name of the wily Wildling who helped protect Bran Stark for several seasons of the HBO show. George R.R. Martin has cited Harry Potter vet Natalia…
Place-name
With so many other places translating to first names, why not this major Japanese city -- especially if it holds some personal significance.
Nigerian
Intriguing name of the ancient goddess of rivers.
Hebrew
"courageous"
Virtually unknown in this country, has an interesting, rhythmic feel.
"ocean"
Popular in France and Quebec, but familiar in Switzerland and Belgium too, Océane is a French nature name that combines elegance with a beachy, summery feel. It recently ranked in the French Top 300,…
Diminutive of Louisa
"renowned warrior"
Wheezy short form of lovely name, featured in the movie "Steel Magnolias", spelled as Ouiser. Similar, literary Ouida is less breathy, while Lou, Lulu, Lula, Lissy or Whizz might appeal instead.
Irish
"little pale green one"
This Irish saint's name sounds like a lopped-off Lorna.