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Guilty Pleasures
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Dwynwen
Welsh
"wave"
St Dwynwen is the Welsh patron saint of lovers, and her feast day on January 25 is the equivalent of Valentine's day in Wales. The short form Dwyn may be more manageable for the non-Welsh.
Ode
Word name or medieval English form of Otto
If Story and Poet and Sonnet can be names that work as well for girls as for boys, why not Ode?
Beaman
English occupational name
"beekeeper"
This occupational choice is less appealing than such brethren as Baker and Baxter.
Nastia
Nastia is a feminine name primarily used in Eastern European countries, particularly Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. It functions as a familiar diminutive form of Anastasia, which derives from the…
Turtle
Nature name
The kind of nickname name you wouldn't want your own child to get stuck with.
Alchemy
Latin word name
"a medieval chemical science"
One of the most extreme of the new word names, recommended only to the most mystical-minded parents. Actor Lance Henriksen spelled his daughter's name Alchamy.
Magic
Word name
A name that's appeared out of thin air, in the same vein as such mystical favorites as Destiny and Nevaeh.
Britain
Place name
Britain is an attractive place that is used nearly equally for boys and girls. But spelling it Britton makes it considerably more popular for both genders.
Cosima
Italian feminine variation of Cosmo, Greek
"order, beauty, universe"
Cosima, the kind of elegant and unusual name the British upper classes love to use for their daughters, is given to a handful of baby girls in the US after being chosen by two high-profile celebs in…
Novella
Novella is a feminine name with Latin and Italian roots, derived from 'novus' meaning 'new' or 'young.' Beyond its literal meaning, Novella carries literary associations as it refers to a short prose…
Eilidh
Gaelic form of Eleanor
Long popular in Scotland, this attractive name is strictly-speaking the Gaelic version of Eleanor, but is also often considered part of the Helen family of names. After the Normans introduced it into…
October
English word name
"month name"
What is so rare as a month named June? October – and November and December – are a lot rarer. Brisk and substantial, they're so much more memorable and modern than April or May. October got its name…
Fenella
Celtic
"white-shouldered one"
More unusual than Fiona and more user-friendly than Fionnuala, the engaging Scottish Fenella, has been scarcely heard in this country. Fenella first became known outside of Ireland when Sir Walter…
Obadiah
Hebrew
"servant of God"
For the seriously audacious biblical baby namer who wants to move beyond Elijah and Josiah, this name has considerable old-fangled charm. Obadiah, who gave his name to one of the shortest books in…
Zaza
Hebrew
"movement"
Funky choice with za-za-zoom. Zaza could be used as a nickname for almost any name with the "za" cluster, including Elizabeth and Esperanza.
Timea
Hungarian feminine variation of Timaeus or invented name
"honor; good spirits, cheerful"
Familiar in Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Czechia, and Slovakia, but rare elsewhere, Timea is a name with several possible origins. Some suggest is was a literary invention, created by the writer Mór…
Quill
Irish, English
"lion; scribe, writer with a quill pen"
First appearing in the US stats back in 2013, this wordy choice fits in with the likes of Sonnet, Poetry, Fable, and Story as a literary option for writers, fans of classic literature, and those who…
Venice
Italian place-name
This name of one of the most romantic cities in the world could easily find its way onto an American baby girl's birth certificate.
Nebula
Latin
"mist"
Could be the next Nova, now that celestial baby names are in the ascendent.
Delta
Greek
"fourth letter; island formed at the mouth of a river"
Delta is an unusual vintage option, blending the sounds of Della and Etta. The fourth letter of the Greek alphabet and a geographical term, used to describe an island formed at the mouth of a river,…