Strong Girl Names

Familiar in Brazil where it might also be spelled as Tamiris, Tamyris or Thamires, this name was borne by a Persian warrior-queen noted for defeating Persian ruler Cyrus the Great when he tried to invade her country. Notable bearers of the name include professional footballer Tamires Cássia Dias de Britto, mixed martial artist Tamires Vidal, singer Tamyris Moiane, and musician Thamires Garcia.

Akshara is a unisex name taken from one of the names of Lord Vishnu.

Tetsu is a female name with an unusually strong and powerful meaning. It sounds spunky and cute too.

Hereswith is a rare name that comes to us from the dark ages. She was a Northumbrian saint, whose more famous sister, Hilda, was the Abbess at Whitby and patron of the first English poet, Caedmon. The name has a soft, lispy sound that is more wearable than its spelling would suggest.

A character name that makes an appearance in Shakespeare's King Lear, Nerilla has hardly been heard in modern times. Fewer than five baby girls received the name in the US last year, which places it among the rarest of the rare.

Romy lovers, here's a new one for you! Romary is a surname with French and Scottish roots and has historically been a masculine given name in France. It would be a great choice on either sex, but feels slightly more feminine with the -mary ending and Romy nickname.

Writer James Baldwin could make this an inspirational choice for a child of either sex.

Bridget variation that's the root of the unattractive nickname Biddy. Bedelia is another spelling.

Shakti is the female equivalent of the god Shiva in Hinduism. A sacred name sometimes used in a secular way.

Feeney is an Irish surname found mostly in northwest Ireland. It may rise in the US as a first name for girls along with such Irish surnames as Riley and Kennedy. Feeney might also be considered an out-of-the-box short form of Josephine.

Clunky Gertrude is heading towards obscurity in the US, but here's a variation that might intrigue - Gesine, also spelled Gesina.

Predominantly used in Nepal and India, Srishti, also spelled Sristi, is a name of Sanskrit origin that relates to creation of different kinds. As a Hindu concept, it refers to the work of creating the world.

Used for girls in Scotland in the sixteenth century; this would make a bold but bonnie choice.

Uncommon choice too reminiscent of "bidet". Try Bridie instead.

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

In the Bible, Elim is an oasis where the Israelites stopped during their Exodus from Egypt. It is a place of plenty representing the natural blessings of God, with twelve springs of fresh water and seventy date palm trees to provide food and shade.

An ancient saint's name belonging to an 8th century English missionary. Variants include Walpurga and Walpurgis.

Conceivable middle name choice for admirers of flyer Amelia.

Just a few years ago, Dustin, Dylan, and Daryl seemed like radical, edgy names for girls; now even Great-aunt Alberta wouldn't raise an eyebrow.

Makes Donna into a cool twenty-first-century unisex Irish surname.