Name Image
By Brynn McKeon · Updated September 2026
Across 19 pages
of 19
Literary name
Glinda is famous as the name of the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz, invented by author L. Frank Baum. but has there ever been a real life, non-fictional Glinda? Not in the US last year. The name may…
Greek
"middle"
Mythological princess who killed her kids. Eternal no-no.
Melisandra is an elaborate feminine name likely combining elements of Melissa (from Greek, meaning 'honey bee') with the -sandra ending from Alexandra or Cassandra (meaning 'defender of mankind' or…
Word name
Garland is fragrant and celebratory, and also has a celebrity-tribute tie to the star of The Wizard of Oz .
"she who is milk-white"
This name's meaning derives from the material from which the mythical sculptor Pygmalion chiselled his ideal woman - she was carved from ivory. Pygmalion fell in love with his creation and Aphrodite,…
Nature name
As a name, it's linked to Sir Mulberry Hawk, a character in Charles Dicken's Nicholas Nickleby.
"daffodil"
This Greek flower and mythological choice doesn't make it into the pantheon of possibilities because of its association with narcissism. But narcissa is December's flower of the month, so Narcissa…
Gaelic, meaning unknown
Known more commonly in Medieval legend as the Lady of the Lake, Ninianne is a key character in Arthurian legends.
Unknown origin
Known more commonly in Medieval legend as the Lady of the Lake and recorded under numerous names, Nyneve is a key character in Arthurian legends.
Fruit name
Fig was the unlikely name of a beautiful character in Curtis Sittenfeld's Man of My Dreams . It could make a playful middle name or a sparky nickname for the likes of Philippa, Fiona, Felicity, and…
English
"plant name"
A fresh, green, rising nature name for girls that would make a cool possibility for a baby boy as well. It has ranked in the US Top 1000 for boys a handful of times since naming records began.
Welsh
"white footprint"
Olwyn is a popular Welsh name that might be an alternative to the more familiar Bronwen or Rhonwen -- though in Wales the female form is usually spelled -wen and the male one -wyn.
Latin
"little wave"
Mythological spirit of the waters; spelled Undine, she was an Edith Wharton heroine.
English, Dutch, Frisian
"marshland; peace"
In English, a fen is a wetland fed by surface and/or groundwater. In Dutch and Frisian, it's a traditional diminutive of names containing the element frid , meaning "peace". Either way, Fen makes a…
"all or shepherd"
Pan is the Greek god with the legs of a goat and the body of a pipes-playing man known for his mischievousness. Pan is also the god of shepherds, pastures, and fertility. Pan is also a Hindi name…
Famously the name of Samantha's mother on Bewitched .
Arabic
"a green gemstone"
Peridot is the gem of the month of August, a vibrant green mineral, said to be good for helping people put the past behind them, and an interesting, undiscovered jewel name. It was regarded in…
Gemstone name
A rare gemstone name that could work for any gender, especially with the friendly nickname Perry.
"daughter of Perses"
An alternative name for the goddess Hecate, as well as the name of a water-nymph in Greek mythology.
Literary invented name
Elphaba was invented by Gregory Maguire for the protagonist of his novel Wicked , which became the long-running Broadway play and then a movie. Elphaba is the name of the Wicked Witch of the West,…
