Updated May 2023
Across 8 pages
of 8
Sanskrit
"lotus"
A name rich in Hindu tradition as the alternate name for the Goddess Lakshmi, the embodiment of beauty and charm; currently borne, appropriately, by model-actress-writer Padma Lakshmi.
Greek
"green bough"
Phyllis has been used by classical poets for the idealized pastoral maiden. A Greek mythological name of a woman who was turned into an almond tree, Phyllis was in the Top 100 from 1916 to 1958,…
Literary name, English word name
"a composition in verse"
A handful of baby girls were named Poem in the US in the most recent year, along with Poet and Poetry. But of course, these word names can work for boys too.
Flower name; Latin
"healing"
One of the rarest of the floral names, though not without some teasing potential. Peony is a historical 1948 novel by Pearl S. Buck.
Swedish or Cornish
"fairy"
Pixie is a cute -- quite possibly too cute -- name that suddenly feels possible thanks to the craze for names that contain the letter x. Though its origin may be uncertain, a pixie is internationally…
Fruit name
British-born novelist Plum Sykes has taken this rich, fruity name out of the produce section and put it into the baby name basket. It's more appealing than Apple, more presentable than Peaches. The…
English
"peacock"
Hip new middle-name choice, conjuring up the gothic tales of Edgar Allan, and current single-named pop singer Poe. As a first name, it's radically underused, given last year in the US to only five…
"a bunch of flowers"
A sweet, nostalgic nosegay kind of name, Posy has been long fashionable in England, a country of gardeners, but this pretty bouquet-of-flowers name is still rarely heard in the US, though it could be…
Latin place-name, Spanish, Italian, Croatian
"palm"
Palma is an appealing Latin name that's both geographical and botanical, referring to the sunny and culturally rich capital of Majorca and to the foliage of a palm tree. As the word for "palm" in…
"the daughter of the mountain"
This Hindu goddess name is very popular in India. The goddess of love, fertility and devotion, representing female force, Parvati is the wife of Shiva and the mother of Ganesh. There is a Harry…
French variation of PATRICIA
"noble"
Patrice is a more modern-sounding and polished unisex alternative to Patricia.
German occupational name
"pipe player"
Potential alternative to Piper. Streamlined Fifer would probably be the preferred spelling if it wasn't for high-profile actress Michelle Pfeiffer.
Italian
"spring"
A bit syllable-heavy, but a pretty name for a springtime baby.
Latin
"first rose"
Primula is related to Primrose, the name and the flower, and would make a quirky yet charming (or is it charming yet quirky?) botanical name for a first daughter.
French place-name
"province"
One of the most picturesque and enchanting areas of France could become a distinctive baby name. Provence Maydew is a Canadian actress.
English virtue name
"cautious"
Prudence is rising again for baby girls. Prudent feels like a more modern spin, even though it too has a Puritan history. Plus, it still gets you to that cute nickname Pru.
Short form of Prudence, English virtue name
"caution"
Prudy does not improve on Prudence.
Prune is a fruit name loved by the French, for whom it's a Plum equivalent. In the U.S., Plum works, but Prune is not a name we'd want to inflict on a child. Prunella is slightly more plausible.
"small plum"
Most ella names are hot, but this is one that won't catch fire because of the disagreeable connotations of prunes.
French
"little plum"
This sweet, fruity French name debuted in the American charts in 2020 (but dipped out again the following year). Although it's offbeat, the spunky nicknames Prue and Nell(ie) definitely work in its…