Name Image · Historic and Vintage Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 6 pages
of 6
German
"water nymph"
If you love Dixie, Trixie and Pixie, this name of a mermaid-like sprite in German folklore may be for you. It might also make an update for Nicki.
Hindi
"protector"
Name of one of the three main Hindu gods.
Spiritual word name, Chinese
"large wave; the path; harmony of the universe"
Tao is the Chinese word for the underlying harmony of the universe, combining both yin and yang. Extreme kayaker Tao Berman made this one of the spiritual names prime for adoption, and more recently,…
Thai, Yiddish, Romanian, Arabic "brave, princess, grey, to travel by night"
"brave, princess, grey, to travel by night"
This pretty multicultural name makes a pleasant update to Sarah.
Hebrew
"light, brilliance"
Though this name is used for both boys and girls in Israel, in the U.S. it sounds decidedly masculine, with Zohara the feminine form. Has a futuristic macho feel.
Sanskrit
"a lucky omen"
Often heard in India, this is the name of the Hindu goddess of abundance, beauty, and prosperity, the embodiment of grace and charm --lucky omens indeed. The goddess Lakshmi is worshiped daily in…
Greek
"force of Zeus"
With historical roots as a beautiful and intelligent ancient queen and literary ties to Hawthorne and Edith Wharton novels, this rarity could appeal to adventurous parents seeking the romantically…
"possessing drops of rain"
In the ancient Hindu religion, Indra is the warrior god of sky and rain. The vowel ending could make it sound feminine to the English speaker, though Ezra and Luca work just fine, so why not Indra?
Swedish word name
"story; seeress"
Apt name for a little drama queen with a long future ahead of her. Saga is a Top 30 girls' name in Sweden. Saga was the Norse goddess of poetry, storytelling, and history. She was a prophetess — able…
Ethiopian
"greatness"
The name of a wise and beautiful 10th century BC Ethiopian queen, probably the same person as the Queen of Sheba, who visited Solomon in the Old Testament.
"liberation"
With Bodhi one of the fastest-rising names, could other concepts from Eastern religions catch on as names too? Moksha can refer to various types of freedom and release, such as from ignorance and…
Flower name, from Greek
"immortality"
Tansy is a flower name rarer than Rose, livelier than Lily and a lot less teasable than Pansy. Tansy is a perennial herbaceous plant of the aster family that has clusters of small bright yellow…
"woman, wife"
Succinct and simple in spelling, Leda is a currently rare choice from Greek mythology with that appealing four-letter, ending in -a format of Lyra, Maia, Vada, Veda, and Nora. Borne by a Spartan…
Latin
"ninth"
Nona is a name sometimes given to the ninth child -- but unlikely to serve that purpose today. Musical cred: the name of a song by Motley Crue. In Roman mythology, Nona was also a goddess of…
"fire"
Agni is the name of the Hindu god of fire, which might make this a unique name for a child born under a fire sign or with a fiery personality.
"necklace, garland"
Mala is one of those names that's both simple and striking, easy to pronounce yet unfamiliar to many English speakers.
Norse
"poetry"
This Old Norse girl name has a lovely meaning and a familiar yet distinctive sound.
"lotus"
A name rich in Hindu tradition as the alternate name for the Goddess Lakshmi, the embodiment of beauty and charm; currently borne, appropriately, by model-actress-writer Padma Lakshmi.
"that which is heard"
Shruti references Hindu scriptures called the Vedas , considered to hold the timeless truths of the universe. It is commonly used among Hindu girls. Shruti can also be spelled Shruthi, which has the…
"to extract"
Appearing in an early Hindi scripture, The Vedas, Soma is the name of both a ritual drink or elixir, and of a deity, often connected to the moon god Chandra. The drink is sometimes interpreted as…
