By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 326 pages
of 326
French variation of Jean
"God is gracious"
Pronounced just like Jean in the English-speaking world, but as the more unusual zhahn in France, this has sailed away with the first wave of French favorites: Denise, Michelle, et soeurs.
French
"little rock"
While Rochelle may sound like a twist on Rachel, it has a different origin entirely. Rather than having Biblical and Hebrew ties, it comes from the name of a city on the west coast of France, La…
Modern invented name
Skylie is a contemporary feminine name that combines the natural element 'sky' with the popular feminine suffix '-lie.' This modern creation reflects the trend toward nature-inspired names with a…
English
"life + girl"
Zoelle is a modern-sounding name combining the stylish Zoe, which means life, with the trendy Elle, French for "she". Could make for a zippier spin on sweet Noelle.
Latvian or English variation of Alice
About 60 girls were named Alise in the US last year, making it an uncommon but not truly rare name. While it's pretty and intriguing as a spin on the very popular Alice, it's pronounced more like…
Color name
Blue suddenly came into the spotlight, as the unusual color name chosen by Beyonce and Jay-Z for their baby girl Blue Ivy. Blue is also a starbaby middle name du jour, used for both sexes in…
Coralee is a charming feminine name that combines the name Cora with the popular suffix 'lee.' Cora has Latin origins meaning 'maiden' or Greek roots meaning 'heart,' while the suffix adds a…
Variation of Daisy, diminutive of Margaret or flower name, English
"day's eye"
This spelling variation of Daisy ranks in the British Top 1000 but was only used for a few dozen baby girls last year in the US. At the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th, it made the…
Hazelee is a modern feminine name that combines the naturalistic appeal of 'Hazel' with the popular '-lee' suffix that adds a contemporary twist. Hazel itself comes from the Old English word 'hæsel,'…
Ivyrose combines two nature-inspired elements to create a delicate and distinctive feminine name. As a compound name, it pairs the evergreen climbing plant Ivy (symbolizing fidelity, eternity, and…
Kimberlee is a feminine name that represents a spelling variation of Kimberly, which originated as an English place name derived from Anglo-Saxon elements meaning "royal fortress meadow" or "meadow…
French variation of Lilian
"lily, a flower"
Now that Lily has become hugely popular, parents in love with this flower name are looking further afield for substitutes such as Liliane and Liliana.
French, diminutive of Elizabeth or Lise
"pledged to God"
Lisette, also spelled Lizette, is a dainty,, if somewhat dated, Gallic offshoot of Elizabeth. It reached its U.S. peak of popularity in 1999, then fell off the list in 2001. Lisette Model (born…
French, diminutive of Elizabeth
Whether you spell it Lisette or Lizette, a somewhat dated diminutive that nevertheless retains some charm.
Lynelle is a feminine name that combines elements of popular names like Lynn and Elle. It originated as a modern variation of names containing the 'lyn' sound, which often derives from Welsh elements…
Roselie is a charming feminine name combining the floral beauty of 'rose' with a melodic ending. It has French origins and is a variant of Rosalie, ultimately derived from Latin 'rosa' meaning…
Royale is an elegant feminine name that evokes notions of nobility and luxury. Derived from the French word 'royal' meaning 'kingly' or 'regal,' it carries connotations of sophistication and high…
English word name
"secret"
Runes are symbols in ancient Germanic alphabets. They are often viewed as mysterious and therefore as a name, Rune imparts a feeling of folkloric mystery. As intriguing as that might be, the homonym…
Variation of Cheyenne
"people of a different language"
Shy Anne? The original place-name spelling Cheyenne is preferable to this phonetic and slyly jokey spelling in every way.
French diminutive of Susannah, Hebrew
"lily"
Suzette has a kind of clunky retro charm – so kitsch it's almost cool again.
