Updated October 2026
Across 8 pages
of 8
Roman and Italian feminine variation of Petronius
"yokel, woodpecker, stone"
Petronilla is an ancient saint's name that relates to the Roman family name Petronius, thought to mean yokel or woodpecker, though some connect it with Petra or Peter, meaning stone. With the…
Feminine form of Peter
"rock, stone"
Peterina feels like an awkward invented feminization, ala Davette. To honor an ancestral Peter, consider Petra.
Modern invented name
Swinging London songbird Petula Clark claims that this name was her father's invention; in any case it hasn't seen much copycat usage.
English
"trumpet-shaped flower"
Literary heritage: the "Loony Tunes" girlfriend of Porky Pig. But with the increasing popularity of all kinds of unusual botanical names, Petunia may be a name we start to hear more of.…
Greek place-name
"brotherly love"
Place-name mentioned in the New Testament and not yet on the name map. Philadelphia Thursday was the character played by Shirley Temple in John Ford's 1948 "Fort Apache."
Latin, spelling variation of Phyllida
"green bough"
Phillida is a "Masterpiece Theatre" appellation, proper to an almost comical degree yet might make an original way to honor an ancestral Phyliis. Actress Phyllida Law is the mother of Emma and Sophie…
Color name
The singer known as Pink (born Alecia) brought this hue onto the name-possibility palette, especially as a middle choice. Could Pink be the next Blue?
Word name
An admirable quality to impart; Pleasant was used by Charles Dickens in Our Mutual Friend and in modern times is known via American Girl dolls creator Pleasant Rowland.
"poetry"
This old-fashioned word for poetry has some antiquated charm but doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.
Latin
"apple"
This name of the Roman goddess of fruit trees is also associated with a suburban town in Southern California.
The Shakespearean Portia may be a real name, but Porsche is now and forever a car, not a little girl.
Spanish
"precious, valuable"
See PRECIOUS.
Italian variation of Primrose, flower name
"first rose"
Primarosa somehow makes the meaning of this pretty delicate flower name more apparent to English speakers. This might make a good honor name for Grandma Rose.
French place-name
"province"
One of the most picturesque and enchanting areas of France could become a distinctive baby name. Provence Maydew is a Canadian actress.
"small plum"
Most ella names are hot, but this is one that won't catch fire because of the disagreeable connotations of prunes.
"the town"
Sandy southwestern feel.
"big cat"
Lithe and leonine name chosen for her daughter by singer Erykah Badu -- whose other child has the number name Seven.
Italian and Spanish
"serene"
A name that's more familiar in its male form, Placido, but this can be a similar-feeling alternative to Serena.
Cornish and Welsh place name and surname
"top of the heath"
Penrose – an ancient place-name and surname derived from several villages in Cornwall, Wales, and the Welsh border country of England – would make for an even more unexpected alternative to quirky…
Literary name
Puck, the mischievous sprite of Shakespeare, is a unisex name given more often to girls in The Netherlands and is also the name of one of the moons of Uranus, discovered in 1985 and named Puck for…