Updated October 2026
Across 25 pages
of 25
Latin surname and Native American
"people of the standing rock"
Seneca was both a Roman philosopher-statesman and is a Native American Iroquois tribe. Occasionally used for both girls and boys, Seneca is now a Hunger Games character.
French
"solemn"
This is a soft, soignée French girls' name that has become familiar here via singer Solange Knowles, younger sister of Beyonce. It is also the name of a martyred ninth century saint, a poor…
Norse
"fair victory"
Sigrid is a distinctly Scandinavian name that is starting to edge out into the wider world, a la cousin Ingrid. Unfortunately, short form Siri is now off the table, but Sigrid is still a possibility.
Nordic
"spear"
More Scandinavian names are making their way into English-speaking homes. If Sven and Freya are useable, why not Svea? With a similar sound to Ava, it is associated with Mother Svea, a national…
Hebrew
"rock"
Sela is a Biblical place name, the original term for the city of Petra, which is finding new life through actress Sela Ward, star of several TV series. The young daughter of singer Lauryn Hill is…
Scottish
"from the town of St. Clair"
The most famous Sinclair was the (male) writer Lewis, but these days the name works at least as well for a girl.
Skylyn is a modern feminine name that emerged in the late 20th century, blending the popular nature-inspired element "Sky" with the trendy "-lyn" suffix that appears in names like Brooklyn and…
English
"dweller by the wood"
With the current taste for last names first, this sounds a lot cooler than Shawn; it also has creative connections to the great Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw, novelist Irwin Shaw, and Big…
Saleen is a contemporary feminine name with multiple possible origins. It may derive from the Arabic name Salim (meaning 'safe' or 'peaceful'), represent a variation of Selene (Greek moon goddess),…
Santina is a feminine name of Italian origin, functioning as a diminutive form of Santa, meaning "saint" or "holy." The suffix "-ina" adds an endearing quality, essentially meaning "little saint" or…
Spanish
"solitude"
This strong Spanish name that refers to the Virgin Mary (Our Lady of Solitude) has been made accessible by broadcaster Soledad O'Brien -- who shows how well it combines with an Anglo surname. Her…
Variant of Samuel
Samwise Gamgee is the name of Frodo's most loyal companion in Lord of the Rings , played by Sean Astin in Peter Jackson's movie adaptations. Like the related Samwell from Game of Thrones , it could…
Italian form of Silvanus
"wood, forest"
Silvanus was the Roman god of the forests and is also an alternate name in the New Testament for Silas. Relatives include Silvio, Silvius, and Sylvia.
English occupational name
"shearer of woolen cloth"
Not quite as over-the-hill as Herman, but not far behind either.
English word name
This shimmery Age of Aquarius unisex flower child name is making a comeback, along with metal and gem names like Steel, Jade, and Ruby.
"of the sun"
Solar is a new gender-neutral word name used nearly evenly for boys and girls. With both a weather and a heavenly bent, it's a name that's just warming up.
" a supernatural being or essence"
Spiritual word names are becoming more and more popular – think Peace, Bodhi, Zen and Psalm – and Spirit is among the rarer options, given to a couple dozen baby girls each year in the US. It's the…
Scandinavian
"sun gift"
Sunniva was an Irish-born saint who fled to Norway, where she hid in an island cave with her followers and eventually died. After miracles were reported on the island, the cave was excavated and…
Irish
"searcher"
Upper crust-y surname Sheridan gains some energy when used for a girl.
Sanskrit
"gold, beautiful color"
Especially used in Bengal and Bangladesh, Sonali is nowadays considered to mean "golden". Bengali actress Sonali Chowdhury is a notable bearer of this name.