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Heroine Baby Names
Across 9 pages
of 9
Rihanna
Arabic
"sweet basil"
Many will associate Rihanna with the Barbados-born singer, known mononymously by her middle name. During her early years of fame, when "Umbrella" was on the radio and "Take a Bow" was playing through…
Rosalind
Latin
"soft horse or pretty rose"
Rosalind has a distinguished literary history – used and popularized by Edmund Spenser and Shakespeare via one of his most charming heroines, in As You Like It . Along with a bouquet of other Rose…
Rowena
Welsh
"white spear; famous friend; fame and joy"
A fabled storybook name via the heroine of Sir Walter Scott's novel Ivanhoe (1819), which featured a heroine called Rowena of Hargottstanstede, and also a Harry Potter name, as Rowena Ravenclaw,…
Roxane
Persian
"dawn"
Alternative (rarer) spelling of Roxanne.
Rumer
English
"fame; gossip, story"
Celebs Demi Moore and Bruce Willis made waves in the 80s when they named their now-grown daughter after novelist Rumer Godden. The author was actually born Margaret, with family surname Rumer as her…
Sacagawea
Native American
"bird woman"
Sacagawea (or, sometimes, Sakakawea or Sacajawea) was a Lemhi Shoshone woman who was instrumental to the Lewis and Clark Expedition across what is now the western part of the USA. She traveled…
Sade
Finnish, Nigerian and Yoruba, diminutive of Folashade
"rain; honor bestows a crown"
The one-named singer clarified the confusing pronunciation on this one (in her case, it's shah-DAY), but a number of parents have looked for more phonetic spellings. The Finnish version means "rain."
Sappho
Ancient Greek
"sapphire"
Name of the 7th century BC Greek lyric poet born on the island of Lesbos, whose name has been synonymous with lesbian love. Though this name is rarely used today, it certainly could be and, some…
Sarojini
Indian,"pond covered in lotuses"
"pond covered in lotuses"
This lovely Indian name could spruce up Sarah. It has at least two distinguished bearers — Sarojini Naidu (freedom fighter and poet) and Sarojini Sahoo, a modern Indian feminist writer and journalist.
Shelley
English
"clearing on a bank"
The Shirley of the 1950s. Shelley Winters was born a Shirley.
Shirin
Persian
"charming, sweet"
An attractive unisex choice heard in several countries, including Armenia. Can be pronounced sheer-IN or sheer-EEN.
Sirimavo
Sri Lankan
An extended form of Sirima, the birth name of Sri Lankan stateswoman Sirimavo Bandaranaike. She became the first non-hereditary female head of government in modern history on her election as Sri…
Sojourner
French, English
"to stay a while"
African-American and women's rights activist Sojourner Truth was born as Isabelle into enslavement. She adopted her new name when she began traveling and preaching abolition in 1843. Sojourner is a…
Solange
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…
Susan
English diminutive of Susannah, Hebrew
"lily"
Although Susan had her heyday from the thirties to the sixties, and is now common among moms and new grandmas, and though most modern parents would prefer Susanna/Susannah, we have spotted some…
Truth
English word name
"truth"
With the first name True receiving a Kardashian dose of popularity for girls, Truth is gaining in visibility too. Though its still more popular for boys two to one, the truth is that the name works…
Tyra
Scandinavian, feminine variation of Tyr, an ancient Indo-European god
High profile supermodel/entrepreneur Tyra Banks has put this name in the spotlight, endowing it with her confident, superattractive image.
Una
Latin, Irish, or Old Norse
"one; lamb; happy"
In an epic poem, the personification of truth, beauty, and unity; this ancient name is popular in several European countries but less common in the US. The Oona spelling is slightly more popular but…
Venus
Latin
"love, desire"
The name of a heavenly planet and the Roman goddess of beauty and love was an intimidating no-no until tennis champ Venus Williams put an athletic, modern spin on it. Associated with the Greek…
Vita
Latin
"life"
Vital and vivacious, Vita is stirring back to life along with many of her V-themed sisters -- Vivian, Vivica -- and is becoming a new celebrity baby favorite. Vita Sackville-West was a British author…