By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 18 pages
of 18
Arabic
"beautiful dawn"
Not a spunkier version of Merlin, Zerlin has roots in the Middle East, Spain and Eastern Europe and is thought to mean "beautiful dawn". The countries where this name is most heard are Israel,…
Zerlina is a variation of Zerlin, meaning "beautiful dawn". Zerlina is most famous as the wily, clever servant girl in Mozart's opera Don Giovanni , where she is the only character to seemingly get…
French variant of Zerlin and Zerlina
Although a variant of the operatic Zerlina, Zerline has her own theatrical tale. She is the star character of the opera Fra Diavolo by Daniel Auber. Zerline, daughter of the innkeeper of Terracina,…
Neapolitan blend of Arabic, Slavic, Latin influences. "brilliant one; one who wish for peace"
"brilliant one; one who wish for peace"
This name belongs to the eponymous heroine of Rossini's opera Zelmira (1822) about a (fictional) princess of Lesbos who saves her father and husband and her kingdom. As a name, it may well be viewed…
Persian
"noble lineage"
Scheherazade -- or Sheherazade --is a legendary Persian queen immortalized as the narrator of all one thousand stories in the One Thousand and One Nights . Her story is even more remarkable than the…
"ornament"
Alzira found its highest degree of popularity in the mid-nineteenth century after Giuseppe Verdi created an opera of the name Alzira, after its romantic heroine. Despite Verdi using the name for a…
Astronomy, Arabic
"foot, leg"
The name of the seventh brightest star in the sky, Rigel was chosen by the Danish astronomer, Ejnar Hertzprung, and his wife Henrietta Kapteyn (the daughter of another astronomer) for their daughter…
"young woman; Damask rose"
A significant name in Islamic tradition, Juwayriyyah was borne by the eighth wife of the Prophet Muhammad. Also spelled Juwayriya, Juwairiyya, and Juwairiya, the name has two meanings depending on…
Variation of Nafisa, Arabic
"precious, valuable"
An Arabic name with an endearing meaning and an strong sound, Napheesa (also written as Nafisa, Nafeesa, and Nafisah) translates literally to "something so good and valuable that people compete for…
"soft, beautiful, delicate"
With an appealing blend of strong and soft sounds, Buthaina is an Arabic name, sometimes seen as a diminutive form of Basna, meaning "beautiful little one" or "soft, delicate". It can also be…
Arabic, Italian, English
"to be powerful, cherished; noble"
A stylish, multicultural option, Azzi may be considered a variation of the Italian Azzo, meaning "noble" or an Arabic name relating to the element azza meaning "to be powerful" or "to be cherished".…
Bosnian form of Zaina, Arabic
"beauty, grace"
This form of the Arabic Zaina is a recently popular choice in Bosnia and Herzegovinia. A name with a pleasant meaning and appealing sound, it ultimately derives from the popular Arabic boy name,…
"tail"
A rare, astronomical choice, Deneb is a blue supergiant star in the "tail" of the Cygnus constellation. Derived from the Arabic dhanab , it is borne by Deneb Karentz, a Biology professor in the US.
Sinhalese or Kazakh from Arabic
"fire"
An attractive one-of-a-kind option for a girl — Zinara has never been given to more than four American baby girls in a single year.
Hebrew, Arabic
"leopard"
Also spelled as Namira, this animal-inspired choice derives from the Hebrew namer or the Arabic namir , both meaning "leopard". As such, it's a multicultural choice, associated with strength,…
Diminutive of Khadija, Arabic
"premature child"
One of the girl names uncommon in the US but also cool and appealing.
English, Arabic, Hebrew
"date palm, fruit"
Tamra is both a contracted form of Tamara and an Arab village in Jezreel Valley, Israel. As such, its meaning could be "date palm" or "fruit" more generally, or it could relate to an old Arabic word…
Thai, Hebrew, Arabic
"everlasting; plowed field; first-born; fires"
A multicultural choice, Niran is used predominantly as a masculine name in Thailand where it is is associated with eternity and everlasting, while in among Hebrew and Arabic speakers it is used more…
"yearning, longing"
A distinctive choice with a familiar beginning Ashwaq is an Arabic name, derived from the word Shawq meaning "longing". It is a popular choice in Iraq and Yemen.
Feminine form of Kassim or Qasim, Arabic
"charitable, generous; one who divides goods"
A feminine form of the popular Arabic name Qasim — also spelled as Kassim and Kasim — Kassima shares its positive meaning of "one who divides goods", or, more figuratively, "charitable, generous."…
