Birthday Names
February Names
Across 6 pages
of 6
Kato
African, Uganda
"second of twins"
Kato gained a lot of attention during the O. J. Simpson trial via witness Kato Kaelin (born Brian). It is also the name of a fictional character in "The Green Hornet." Spelled Cato, it has a lot more…
Kehinde
Yoruba
"second-born of twins or one who falls behind"
This African name, which derives from the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria, is used for both girls and boys -- but in the US, its most notable bearer is (male) artist Kehinde Wiley. Wiley, who paints brown-…
Kerensa
Cornish
"love"
Kerensa, forever romantic, is a rare Cornish name spelled with an ' s ' or ' z ', the most modern of the Karen family. Kerensa (or Kerenza) has ties to the Welsh Cerys. Kerensa is a name favored by…
Lakshmi
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…
Lavender
English color and flower name
"purple flower"
Lavender lags far behind sweet-smelling purple-hued sister names Violet and Lila, but is starting to get some enthusiastic attention from cutting-edge namers along with other adventurous nature names…
Anahita
Persian
"immaculate"
Anahita is the name of the water goddess who rules, among other things, fertility and wisdom. Associated with Venue, Anahita is a stylish Iranian name for girls. Anahita was derived from the Old…
Lilac
English, from Persian
"bluish or lilac"
Could Lilac be the next Lila or Lily or Violet? It certainly has a lot going for it--those lilting double 'l's, the fabulous fragrance it exudes, and the fact that it's a color name as well,…
Malachy
Irish version of Malachi, Hebrew, or Secundus, Latin
"my messenger; second"
This spelling, which came to the attention of readers of the best-selling Angela's Ashes as the name of author Frank McCourt's father and brother, the latter of whom wrote a bestseller of his own,…
Mandela
African surname
An African family name ripe for adoption in honor of Nelson Mandela, the South African activist imprisoned for almost thirty years for his antiapartheid activities.
Mauve
French
"violet-colored"
Mauve is an offbeat color name whose soft and sentimental Victorian spirit is conveyed by the name. One of the newer color names like Blue, Gray and Plum that are increasingly being used as novel…
Amethyst
Gem and Color name
As flower names become more unique, so can gem names move beyond Ruby and Pearl to names like Topaz, Sapphire, and Peridot. Amethyst, the purple birthstone for February, has never been in the Top…
Nakato
Luganda
"second of twins"
Nakato was traditionally used on the second-born (female) twin among the Luganda-speaking people of Uganda.
Nessa
Scandinavian
"headlands, promontory"
Like its cousin Tessa, Nessa -- a shortening of Vanessa or Agnes or Anastasia among other possibilities -- is an attractive nickname that can stand on its own.
Oswald
English
"divine power"
Despite the success of so many O-starting boys names --Oliver, Owen, Otis, Oscar--Oswald has not yet shown any signs of resurrection, though he does have the animating nicknames Ozzie/Ozzy and Oz.…
Owens
Welsh and Irish surname
"son of Owen / Eoghan"
This surname is on trend with its S ending, and could honor people such as athlete Jesse Owens. But it has strong potential for confusion with Owen singular.
Parks
English
"park-keeper or stone"
Parks is a rare member of the fashionable single-syllable, S-ending surname crowd, which includes trending choices like Brooks, Banks, Hayes and Wells. As well as being an English word name, Parks as…
Pili
African, Swahili
"second born"
Might frequently be understood as "pilly." Can also be a short form of Pilar -- though the long form is better.
Primrose
English flower name
"first rose"
A quaint and quirky flower name, until recently considered a bit too prim for most American classrooms but brought back to life in recent years by the attractive character of Primrose "Prim" Everdeen…
Priya
Sanskrit
"beloved"
Priya originated in India as a name derived from the Sanskrit word for "beloved." In India, where names are often given based on one's birthday and horoscope, Priya is traditionally given to girls…
Querida
Spanish
"dear, beloved"
Loving choice.