Julietta feels newly fresh and friendly thanks to the growing familiarity of Juliet and French sister Juliette.

Zephyr may not be a name often heard in the U.S., but its variations are used throughout Europe. Zephyrine, a cousin in sound and feel if not in fact to such lovely names as Severine and Seraphina, has distinctive possibilities.

A striking and feminine possibility associated with a modern hero — long-time Indian prime minister, Indira Gandhi. It is also a significant choice within Hinduism, as it is used as an alternative name for Lakshmi, the wife of Vishnu and the goddess of luck and prosperity.

Oh, the many spellings of Rafaella. Those with Fs and double-Ls denote Italian origins, while an F and a single L is Spanish and Portuguese. The original Hebrew form is Raphaela.

Kassiani, also spelled Kasiani or Cassiane, is an ancient Greek name best known as the name of a saint famous as a hymnographer. The Hymn of Kassiani, traditionally sung on Tuesday of Easter Week in the Greek Orthodox Church, is associated with fallen women. The 9th century saint Kassiani was supposed to be in love with the Emperor Theophilos, who rejected her when she proved to be more intelligent than he.

Alexandra is a name with many international variations, elaborations and short forms, and Alexandrine is one of the more unusual, found mostly in France and Germany. Another, Alexandrina, was the first name of Queen Victoria.

Less electric and more serene than Electra which comes with a lot of tragic and psychoanalytical baggage, Elettra is the Italian form that ranks in the Top 200 in the Italian charts. Nicknames Etta, Lettie, and Elle make this doubly appealing.

A name with several distinguished namesakes: the wife of ancient Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, a famous Italian opera singer, and two Catholic saints--making it both substantial and unusual.

In the days of huge families, this name of the Roman goddess of prophecy and childbirth, and one of the Fates, would be saved for bambina number ten. Now it might be used for a girl born in October, the tenth month.

Sabelle is a graceful feminine name that blends French elegance with modern appeal. Likely a variation of Isabel or Isabella, which ultimately derive from Elizabeth (meaning 'God is my oath' in Hebrew), Sabelle carries similar noble associations. Some may interpret it as a combination of 'Sabel' and the French suffix '-elle,' creating a softer, more delicate variant. This name remains relatively uncommon, making it distinctive without being difficult to pronounce or spell. Sabelle has a romantic, lyrical quality that appeals to parents seeking something familiar yet unique. Its musical syllables flow beautifully, and while it doesn't rank among top naming trends, it has seen modest increased usage in recent years among parents favoring sophisticated French-inspired names.

Fashionably Continental and much fresher than Dominique, though it's been used since the Middle Ages. Dominica can be spelled any number of ways, from Dominika to Domenica, but we prefer this version.

A plausible color name, it was chosen by the singer Sting as a middle name for his daughter, after a character in the Gormenghast fantasy trilogy, of which he's a big fan. Another bearer is Fuchsia Voremberg, a member of the BBC Show, Antiques Roadshow who specializes in diaries and manuscripts.

The fashion for elaborate girly-girl names, especially those that end with -ella or -ana, has put this distinctive Latin favorite into play.

Fiammetta, from the Italian word for flame, has both femininity and fire. Fiammetta could make a good alternative to more conventional Italian girls' names like Giovanna.

More intriguing than the more familiar form Nerida, this name is perfect for a beach baby, or a baby born under a water sign.

This yellow harbinger spring bloom was named for Scottish botanist William Forsyth, and is even more unusual than such species as Acacia and Azalea.

In Etruscan mythology, Feronia was the goddess of wildlife, liberty, fertility, health, and abundance, who also granted freedom to slaves and rights to the poor. She was worshipped by the Sabine and Etruscan people of ancient Italy and was later adopted into Roman religions.

Keturah, the Old Testament name of Abraham's second wife, is a possibility for anyone seeking a truly unusual and interesting biblical name; certainly a lot more distinctive than that of Abraham's first wife, Sarah.

Kalindi is a lovely, rhythmic name refers to one of the seven sacred rivers of India.