Iambic Girl Names

Danelle

Danelle is a feminine name that emerged as a modern variation of Danielle, the feminine form of Daniel, which comes from Hebrew meaning 'God is my judge.' Gaining some recognition in the United…

Danette

Danette is a feminine name of French origin, functioning as a diminutive form of Dana or Danielle, which themselves derive from the masculine Daniel, meaning "God is my judge" in Hebrew. Popular…

Danice

Danice is a feminine name that likely emerged as a modern variation of Denise or a blend of Dana and Janice. It may also be inspired by the word 'danice,' which means 'giving' in some Slavic…

Cordelle

Cordelle is a delicate feminine name with Latin and French influences. It likely derives from "cord" or "cordis" meaning "heart" in Latin, with the feminine French suffix "-elle" added to create a…

Danique

French variation of Danica

"morning star"

This Danielle/Monique hybrid offers a new twist on an old favorite.

Darlene

English

"darling"

A modern(ish) invented name, only in widespread use since the 20th century. It is a combination of the English word darling and the popular midcentury suffix -lene. It was recently used on a…

Brazil

English variation of Brasilia, Portuguese place name

"land of brazilwood; ember-colored land"

Place-name with character.

Deneb

Astronomy, Arabic

"tail"

A rare, astronomical choice, Deneb is a blue supergiant star in the "tail" of the Cygnus constellation. Derived from the Arabic dhanab , it is borne by Deneb Karentz, a Biology professor in the US.

Denise

French, feminine variation of Denis

"god of Nysa"

Denise was a French favorite of the fifties and sixties but is less chic now. In 2020 it broke back into the Top 1000 after a five-year hiatus, catapulted into style by reality TV star Denisse Novoa…

Dilek

Turkish

"wish, desire"

With a distinctive sound and pleasing meaning, Dilek comes from the Turkish word for "wish". The name is shared by several places in Turkey, the name is borne by actress and model Dilek Serbest and…

Annette

French

"grace"

Annette is a French diminutive of Ann which was among the first wave of widely-used girls' names from France, now neglected for so long that it's almost starting to feel stylish again.

Doreen

Variation of Dora; also Anglicized variation of Irish Doireann

"sullen"

Much fresher Irish imports available for colleens now.

Colombe

Colombe is a delicate French feminine name meaning 'dove,' symbolizing peace, purity, and gentleness. Derived from the Latin 'columba,' this name has been used in France since medieval times, often…

Earlene

Femininzation of Earl, English word name

"nobleman, warrior"

Earlene is even more out of style than Earl. These are among the names that have not been revived ala the Hundred Year Rule.

Colleen

Irish

"girl"

Midcentury Irish-American favorite, never used in Ireland itself, being the generic word for "girl"; rarely given today.

Boheme

French word name

"Girls Gone Child" blogger Rebecca Woolf made Boheme a first name when she gave it to one of her twin daughters (the other one's name is Reverie). La Boheme -- "The Bohemian" -- is a Puccini opera…

Eline

Eline is a delicate feminine name with multiple potential origins. In the Scandinavian tradition, it functions as a variant of Helena or Ellen, while in French contexts, it may be considered a form…

Clotilde

Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese

"famous in battle"

A romantic rarity, derived from the Old German name Chlotichilda, meaning "famous in battle." Saint Clotilde was a Frankish queen, wife of Clovis I, who played a role in the spread of Christianity.

Emel

Turkish

"desire, aspiration"

Turkish form of Arabic Amal, most popular in the 1980s in Turkey. Its similarity to Emma and Emily make is a good cross-cultural name.

Bisan

Arabic or Palestinian place name

Notably borne by Palestinian journalist, activist, and filmmaker Bisan Owda, Bisan is a name of Arabic origin, with a concise look and bright sound. The exact meaning of the name is unknown, however…