Name Image
Heroine Baby Names
Across 9 pages
of 9
Bessie
Diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew
"pledged to God"
After a century of association with horses and cows, this name just could be ready for revival by a fearless baby namer -- after all, it did happen to Jessie and Becky. Bessie has been in use since…
Betty
Diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew
"pledged to God"
Combine the popularity of Betty White and Mad Men 's glamorous Betty Draper Francis, with the residual sweetness of Ugly Betty 's Betty Suarez, and the result is an impending return of the name. It's…
Beyonce
American invented name from Louisiana Creole
You know who Beyonce is. One of the most famous people in the world. When she was born, her name was truly unique; it was a riff on her mom's maiden name, Biyence, with an accent over the final E.…
Boudicca
Celtic
"victory"
First century queen who led her Brittonic Iceni tribe in revolution against the Romans occupying England. Also found as Boudica, Boadicea (as in bodacious) and in Welsh as Buddug, the historic…
Bronte
Greek
"thunder"
This lovely surname of the three novel-writing sisters, now used as a baby name, makes a fitting tribute for lovers of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights . While the original name took an umlaut over…
Cady
English, diminutive and surname
Cady is one of those names that sounds popular but is actually rare in this form, given to only a few dozen baby girls in the US last year. Its origins are unclear, and as many possible meanings and…
Carson
English and Scottish surname
"son of the marsh dwellers"
Very popular surname choice — it's in the Boys' Top 100 — beginning to catch on for girls. First female association: novelist Carson McCullers.
Cather
English surname from French
"caterer"
An old surname which was originally given to a person in charge of buying groceries for the manor house, this is now most famously associated with American novelist Willa Cather. A nice option for…
Chanel
French
"dweller near the canal"
Fans of the classic French designer would now more fashionably choose Coco.
Chimamanda
Igbo
"my God will never fail"
Made most familiar in English-speaking countries by prize-winning author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Chimamanda has a wonderful meaning and can be shortened to Chima or the spunky Chi. In 2022, it…
Cleopatra
Greek
"glory of the father"
A royal name in ancient Egypt that's never quite made it to the modern world, though nickname Cleo is widely used. Other now-extinct Cleopatra diminutives, including Cleora and Cleola, achieved some…
Coco
Spanish and French pet name
Coco came to prominence as the nickname of the legendary French designer Chanel (born Gabrielle) and has lately become a starbaby favorite, initially chosen by Courteney Cox for her daughter Coco…
Corazon
Spanish word name
"heart"
With word names increasingly acceptable or even desirable, this Spanish word for heart, brought to the fore by Philippine president Corazon Aquino, may find more takers.
Coretta
English, elaborated form of Cora
Famous as the name of the widow of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Djuna
Invented name, variation of Juna, English from Latin
"born in June; young; moon"
Novelist Djuna Barnes introduced this interesting and unusual name with an arty, Bohemian feel to the mix. She explained that it was invented by her father, saying it came about as a combination of…
Dolly
English, diminutive of Dorothy
"gift of God"
Sweet and cosy with a touch of sass, this nickname-y choice was a familiar option up until the sixties in the US. Then, for a while, it was a bit of a one-person name, associated with singer Dolly…
Earhart
German surname
"honor, bravery"
Conceivable middle name choice for admirers of flyer Amelia.
Eliot
Variation of Elliot, English diminutive of Elias
"Yahweh is God"
Eliot is the sleekest spelling of the original, very occasionally used for girls, perhaps to honor novelist George Eliot.
Ellen
English variation of Helen
"torch; shining light"
An medieval English form of Helen, the sensitive but clear-eyed Ellen has swung in and out of style for centuries, often alternating with the parent name. Ellen was the more common in medieval…
Flannery
Irish
"descendant of Flannghal"
Long before the vogue of using Irish surnames for girls, writer Flannery O'Connor gave this one some visibility. It has a warm (flannelly) feel and the currently popular three-syllable ee-ending…