July Names

Philomena

Greek

"lover of strength"

Philomena is an earthy Greek name now used in various Latin countries. While it has felt simply clunky for many years, it's starting -- along with such sister names as Wilhelmina and Frederica -- to…

Merryn

Cornish variation of Mirin, Irish and Scottish, meaning unknown

St. Merryn, the name of a Cornish town derived from Mirin, a 6th century Irish saint important in Scottish history often as Mirren, is sometimes used in modern times as a girl's name. Lovely, sleek,…

Hyacinth

Flower name, from Greek

"blue larkspur; precious stone"

Though it may not be as sweet and gentle as, say, Violet, the purple-hued Hyacinth still might hold some appeal for the parent seeking a truly unusual flower name. In Greek mythology, Hyacinthus was…

Calandra

Greek

"lark"

Calista Flockhart opened the door to a whole flock of graceful and unusual Greek names like this, including Calantha, Calla, Carissa, and Cassia. Calandra itself is the name of a species of lark, and…

Lilou

Occitan pet form of French Liliane, or French compound of Lili and Louise

"lily; lily + renowned warrior"

Sweet, enchanting Lilou is considered both a pet name from the Occitan language (spoken in Provence in the south of France), and a compound name, blending floral Lili with classic Louise. It peaked…

Susanna

Hebrew

"lily"

Susanna is an old and under-appreciated name, perhaps because of the recent overpopularity of Susan, that is certainly due for a comeback. The Susannah spelling is just as appropriate as Susanna. The…

Betsy

Diminutive of Elizabeth

"pledged to God"

This Elizabeth nickname has a decidedly retro feel--think Betsy Ross and the Betsy Wetsy doll-- once seen as a perkier, younger-sounding alternative to Betty. But with Betty on the brink of a…

Ren

Japanese

"water lily, lotus"

In Japan the lotus is the Buddhist symbol of purity and perfection. In the US, Ren can also be short for Lauren or Renee, but it could be misspelt as the more popular Wren.

Leontine

French female form of Leontios, Greek

"lion"

Leontine is the French form of a name that's more familiar by its spelling variation Leontyne, the name made famous by opera diva Price. An obscure choice, Leontine nevertheless feels right for our…

Bathshira

Arabic

"seventh daughter"

The short form Shira is more manageable.

Aiyana

American from Arabic or African

"large eyes, or time, or beautiful flower"

Aiyana is a name that could easily cross cultures. It debuted on the US Top 1000 in 1999 and hovers near the bottom of the Top 1000.

Arizona

Place-name from Papago Indian

"little springs"

We usually think of place-names as a modern invention, but in fact Arizona ranked on the US Top 1000 from its inception in 1880 until 1911, when it vanished below the surface. It peaked at Number 510…

Cherokee

Native American tribal name

Cherokee is the name of a Native American tribe, the largest in the United States stretching from North Carolina through Oklahoma. The meaning of the word Cherokee is uncertain: It may be Choctaw for…

Denali

Place-name and Native American

"the great one"

Alaska's Denali National Park is the home of the highest mountain in the US, officially renamed Denali in 2014, endowing the name with a lofty feel. Twice as many girls as boys were given the name in…

Lakota

Native American, Sioux

"friend to us"

The name of one of the branches of the Great Sioux Nation has a very namelike sound, but is not used as a name by the Lakota people themselves, and could be seen as appropriative.

Sequoia

Native American, Cherokee

"sparrow"

This name of a giant tree, itself named for a nineteenth-century Cherokee who invented a way to write his tribe's language, makes a strong, stately statement.

Shawnee

Native American tribe name

The Shawnee were an Eastern tribe that migrated westward; Shawnee makes an unusual name, if a little dated a la Shawn and Tawnee.