Strong Girl Names

A vintage Dutch name, Berendina is the feminine form of Berend, a Dutch variant of Bernard. Can be shortened to Dina or Diny.

Mahi is another name for the Hindu earth goddess Bhumi. It also means strong in Hawaiian and might be a medieval French variation of Mary. But most modern Americans would hear it as the name of the fish mahi-mahi.

Familiar in Brazil, Tamires is a Portuguese variation of the strong Tomyris, a name borne by an ancient warrior queen of Massagetae (modern-day Turkmenistan) who defeated Cyrus the Great when he tried to invade her country. Also spelled as Thamyres, Thamyris, Tamyris, and Tamiris to list a few, it is a no-frills yet regal choice.

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

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

Though some sources list this as a Greek variation of Emily, it is in fact used there only as a male name.

Slightly awkward girl's version of a straightforward male name.

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

There are a surprising number of baby boys named Barrett each year in the US -- nearly 1800 -- along with 30 baby girls. Which is more than many people might guess.

Nerio was one of the Roman goddesses of war and a wife of Mars. Her name is among the many intriguing names that mean strong.

This name was used by the royal House of Luxembourg in the Middle Ages, as a diminutive of Irmentrude. We definitely think this spunky shortening improves upon the heavy German original.

Sibry or Sibree were used as personal names in medieval times and are also surnames. Obscure but accessible, this name has real modern possibilities.

Alevtina is a Russian form of the spirited Valentina, and while it may have a slightly gentler sound to it, the name retains the level of grandeur, elegance, and liveliness of the Latin variation. Notable bearers include tennis player Alevtina Ibragimova and actress Alevtina Tukan.