By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 21 pages
of 21
Diminutive of Florence
"flourishing, prosperous"
All but unheard of today, Floy was a popular Florence nickname used on its own in a century ago: it was Number 448 in 1914. Charles Dickens uses Floy as a pet name for the character Florence Dombey…
Latin
"chancellor"
A name halfway between its old milquetoast image and a more jovial Irish-sounding contemporary one. Sounds more feminine than masculine these days.
"foreign"
This is a name used as a pseudonym by Celia in Shakespeare's As You Like It to conceal her real identity. It was later seen as a character in the Ken Follett novel Pillars of the Earth . Can also be…
Latin, mythological name
Accalia was the human foster-mother of twins Romulus and Remus. Her name is even more obscure than theirs.
Italian feminine diminutive of Roman family name Domitius, Latin
"tamed"
Domitilla is the name of the wife of the Roman emperor Vespasianus and the mother of the emperors Titus and Domitianus. There is a Santa Domitilla with catacombs in Rome named after her. The…
German feminine diminutive of Roman name Crescens
"to grow"
Senta is a lovely name, but if you name your daughter Senta, will the kids call her Santa? Maybe, but this obscure yet simple German name for girls .may appeal to parents searching the untraveled…
"wart"
Veruca is a name Roald Dahl made up for the horrid little girl Veruca Salt in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory . A modern rock band adopted the name, though few parents familiar with the original…
"love"
This Latin word for love is not traditionally used as a name, but why not? It's got a pretty sound and some distinctive flair. Variants Amori or Amorie can also be thought of as different spellings…
Spelling variation of Sela
"rock"
This spelling variation of the Biblical place-name Sela is found on early American census roles, but Sela is more usual today. Cela is another early variation. Cella may also be a variation of Cilla,…
Feminization of Cesar, Latin
"head of hair"
Cesaria, a modern feminine form of Caesar or the Latinate Cesar, has been obscure in the Western World but may stir to life along with other names that have their roots in ancient Rome. Cesarina,…
Spanish feminine form of Roman family name Tullius, meaning unknown
Tulia, rhyming with Julia, is one of several offshoots of the noble Roman family name Tullius, best known as the middle name of the philosopher Cicero. While the single L is considered the Spanish…
"over the moon"
Altalune is an invention used by Uma Thurman and Arpad Busson as one of several middle names for their daughter. It's evocative Latin meaning roughly translates to "over the moon." Celebrity baby…
Feminine variation of Ovidius, Roman family name
"shepherd or sheep"
Ovidia is the unusual feminine form of the ancient Roman Ovidius, most famous as the name of the exiled 1st century Roman poet Ovid. Modern male form Ovidio is known in Spain and Portugal. Ovida is…
Feminine form of Felinus, Latin
"cat-like"
This Top 100 girls' name in The Netherlands is unlikely to translate to the U.S., where it would undoubtedly pronounced fee-line and mistaken for the adjective that means cat-like. While the name…
"sweet and pretty"
Dulcibella is an old name that's fallen into disuse but may rise again with the new wave of fashionable names that end in -bel, -belle, and -bella. Behind the Name says that the medieval form of the…
Latinised version of Semiramis
Semiramis/Semiramide was the most important Queen of Assyria, who conquered much of Asia. Semiramis restored ancient Babylon and protected it with a high brick wall that completely surrounded the…
Latin "chalice; cup"
"chalice; cup"
Calpurnia is a name with a massive history. As the third and final wife of Julius Caesar, Calpurnia has been forever depicted in literature (Shakespeare) and film ( Cleopatra ; Rome ) as a modest and…
Word name or Latin
"purification feast"
If January, April and August are useable and fashionable, why not February? February as a word derives from the Latin februa , which was the name of a purification feast coming at the end of winter,…
Botanical, from Greek
"star-flower (English name)"
The Calytrix flower is endemic to much of Australia and is part of the myrtle family. They are commonly known as star flowers, due to their dainty (usually bright white) 5 petalled flowers. The name…
Feminine of Maximillian
"greatest"
Slightly weightier alternative to Maxine
