Royal Names

Melita

Greek

"honey"

A coffee filter.

Alix

French

"noble type"

A chic and sassy French choice, popular in France but likely to be confused with the more prosaic Alex in English-speaking countries. Although sometimes used in the US as a variant spelling of Alex,…

Alfreda

English

"elf power,"

With a meaning like "elf power," Alfreda could find some appeal among fantasy enthusiasts. "Freda" makes for a pleasant nickname.

Nicoline

Nicoline is a feminine name of Greek origin, functioning as a derivative of Nicholas (Nikolaos), which combines 'nike' (victory) and 'laos' (people), meaning 'victory of the people'. This elegant…

Ninette

French diminutive of Ann

"grace"

Not quite Nanette and not quite Ninon, this is one of the more unusual 'ette' options. There was an eponymous Spanish film, starring Elsa Pataky, based on a novel.

Olga

Slavic variation of Helga, Norse

"holy"

This Slavic form of the Norse name Helga is a classic in many Slavic countries, including Russia and Poland, where it currently ranks within the Top 100 girl names. It has historically ranked among…

Olympia

Greek

"from Mount Olympus"

With its relation to Mount Olympus, home of the Greek gods, and to the Olympic games, this name has an athletic, goddess-like aura, making it the perfect Olivia substitute. A well-known art reference…

Philippa

Greek, feminine variation of Philip

"lover of horses"

Philippa is a prime example of a boy's name adapted for girls that was common as crumpets in Cornwall, but rarely heard stateside. That was before the advent of royal sister-in-law Philippa…

Alexia

Diminutive of Alexandria, Greek

"defending men"

This diminutive, similar to Alex or Alexis, has been yo-yoing in popularity since the turn of the 21st century.

Ruperta

Ruperta is the feminine form of Rupert, originating from Germanic roots meaning "bright fame" or "shining glory." The name comes from the ancient elements 'hruod' (fame) and 'berht' (bright). Though…

Alberta

English, feminine variation of Albert

"noble, bright"

This jazzy old name could make a comeback, the way Josephine and Ella have. In England the name was popularized by Queen Victoria's daughter Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, after whom her governor…

Agnes

Greek

"pure, virginal"

Agnes is the Latin variation of the name Hagne, which itself derived from the Greek word hagnos , meaning "chaste." In medieval times, St. Agnes was a very popular saint, leading to its popularity as…

Agatha

Greek

"good woman"

Agatha until recently summoned up visions of martyred saints, mauve silk dresses, and high lace collars, but now that some dauntless excavators have begun to resurrect it, we're sure more will follow…

Adrienne

Latin, feminine variation of Adrian

"man from Adria"

A long-integrated French feminine form of Adrian, now overshadowed by the a -ending version, but still a valid option, with considerable substance and dignity—though these days more parents would…

Adolpha

German

"noble wolf"

Nein.