This short form is used by supermodel Ekat Kiseleva.

Breton cognate of Angela, from Breton ael "angel".

Bama is a concise feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In the United States, it's most commonly associated with the nickname for Alabama, particularly in reference to the University of Alabama's sports teams. In some African cultures, particularly Nigerian, Bama can be a given name with various meanings depending on the specific language or dialect. In parts of India, it may derive from Sanskrit with connections to the goddess Lakshmi. The name's brevity gives it a punchy, memorable quality with just two syllables. While uncommon as a formal given name in Western countries, Bama might appeal to parents seeking a unique name with regional American significance or those with cultural connections to its various international origins.

A heroic figure in Exodus, Puah was a midwife during the Egyptian captivity who disobeyed Pharaoh's order to kill all male Jews at birth.

This sweet and simple name has origins in both Yiddish and Slavic, each with an equally appealing meaning.

Notable Wolfs like Blitzer, Mankowitz, and Kahn give this name a masculine bent, but nature names are inherently unisex, so we see no reason why Wolf can't be used on a baby girl.

Historically Wolf has been more common among German (where it's pronounced Vulf) and Jewish families, occasionally as a nickname for Wolfgang.

The nickname Wolfie softens and feminizes Wolf, while Wolfe turns it into a surname.

This name is hanging on as Renee, thanks to Ms. Zellweger, and in newer forms Renae and Renny.

A bit blunt.

Unna is a feminine name with several possible origins. In Finnish, it relates to the word meaning "dream" or "vision," giving it a whimsical, ethereal quality. It also appears as a place name in Germany and has roots in Sami culture from northern Scandinavia. The name's brevity and soft sounds make it appealing in multiple languages while remaining distinctive. Unna has never been widely popular, maintaining its uniqueness across cultures. The simple two-syllable structure gives it a gentle rhythm, while its uncommon status makes it stand out. The potential meaning connection to dreams gives the name a poetic quality that might appeal to parents seeking something meaningful yet understated for their daughter.

Atia Balba Caesonia was a Roman noblewoman who was the mother of Emperor Augustus. As was the practice at the time, she had two sisters also named Atia, Atia Prima and Atia Tertia. The real-life Atia was reportedly a more worthy personage than the scheming Atia on HBO's "Rome."

Ikea is a down-market version of the Chanel/Tiffany/Porsche brand-name-as-first idea.

In the Bible, Elim is an oasis where the Israelites stopped during their Exodus from Egypt. It is a place of plenty representing the natural blessings of God, with twelve springs of fresh water and seventy date palm trees to provide food and shade.

Cool, serene name of the Egyptian river can make a fresh choice for a girl. The origin of river name Nile relates to the Arabic and ancient Hebrew word for dark blue or indigo; in ancient Egyptian, its literal meaning is river.

Iara rhymes with Yara, an Arabic name of which it can be a variation. More commonly it's associated with Iara of Brazilian myth — a water nymph, sometimes mermaid, of Tupi and Guaraní legend. In the legends, Iara seduces men to the river to accompany her in her immortal life.

Rida is a name indirectly mentioned in the Quran. While it can be used for both girls and boys, in English-speaking countries its similarity to the more common Rita makes it more appropriate for girls.

Sounds a bit like a shortening of Rafael or a condensation of Rafaela, but Rafa is a name in its own right. Whether you use it as a full name or a nickname, Rafa's casual coolness could allow it to follow in the footsteps of other tomboy names for girls, like Billie and Scout.

In Armenian mythology, Nane was the mother goddess of fertility and creation, along with war and wisdom. Nane is a Top 50 name in Armenia today.

Hava is an anglicization of the Hebrew name Chava, which, like its English form Eve, means "life". In some accents, it may sound like "have a", so it's worth considering if this will be an issue combined with a last name. But overall, it's an elegantly simple name with a great meaning.

One African choice that might be easier to understand if spelled phonetically: it's pronounced TAH-shee.

That er sound -- as in Myrna, Myrtle, and Bernice -- sounds terminally dated.