Updated September 2019
Across 101 pages
of 101
Portuguese
"daisy; pearl"
This Portuguese version of Marguerite, Margherita, or Margaret has a distinctive yet familiar sound and could get you to nicknames Maggie, Daisy, Margo, Ida, and Edie.
Margrieta is a feminine name with Germanic and Dutch origins, representing a variant of Margaret, which derives from the Greek word 'margarites' meaning 'pearl.' This particular spelling is most…
Spanish diminutive of Maria
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
Mariquita derives from Maria, the meaning of which is uncertain. Theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and…
German
"grace + god is my light"
A pretty and substantial German smoosh name, a combination of Hanne and Eleonore. Most popular in Germany from the 1930s to the 1950s. Former German Chancellors Helmut Kohl and Helmut Schmidt both…
Russian form of Eugenia
"well born"
In an English-speaking country, stick with Eugenia.
English
"democracy, of the people"
A big, bold, ultra-rare virtue name. Could it follow in the footsteps of Justice and Liberty?
"the farm amonst the willows"
Even if you'd like your daughter to attend the venerable women's college, don't saddle her with this pretentious British surname.
French and English
"beautiful rose"
A felicitous combo of two sweet names; also a Queens, New York neighborhood.
Latin, meaning unknown
The name of one of the 35 tribes of ancient Rome, virtually unknown in the modern world
Cortesía is a feminine name with Spanish origins, directly derived from the Spanish word meaning 'courtesy' or 'politeness.' This virtue name embodies the qualities of respect, good manners, and…
Dutch
Dutch model Iekeliene Stange is a famous bearer of this one-of-a-kind name. Its meaning is unknown, but it may be a combo name formed from Ieke + the common suffix -liene.
Penélope is the Spanish and Portuguese form of Penelope, a name with ancient Greek origins. In Greek mythology, Penélope was the faithful wife of Odysseus who waited twenty years for his return from…
Literary name
The mixed-race heroine of one of Gertrude Stein's Three Lives searches for knowledge and power.
French place name
If you're looking for a really untouristed place name, Aquitaine could be it. Aquitaine is a region of France that includes both Bordeaux and Biarritz and is famous for such food and drink as its…
French, startling
Macmillan is an unusual feminine given name that originated as a Scottish surname, derived from the Gaelic 'Mac Maolain,' meaning 'son of the tonsured one,' often referring to a devotee of St.…
Mcpherson as a feminine given name represents an uncommon and distinctive choice that originated from a Scottish surname. Traditionally, Mcpherson (meaning "son of the parson/minister") comes from…
Mallarmé is an unusual feminine name derived from a distinguished French surname, most famously associated with Stéphane Mallarmé, the influential 19th-century Symbolist poet. This literary…
French from Hebrew
"burning ones"
Seraphine is the Gallic version of the angelic name Seraphina. But while Seraphina has been rising rapidly since Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck chose it for their second daughter, Seraphine has been…
Latin
"female warrior"
J.K. Rowling is a modern master of naming who brought a whole constellation of ancient and celestial names to modern parents. Bellatrix, of one of the stars of Orion, combines fashionable names Bella…