User-created list
Guilty Pleasures
Across 22 pages
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Bradach
Bumblebee
Callaghan
Irish
"lover of churches"
A classic Irish "top-o'-the-mornin' surname with a lot of rhythm and pizzazz.
Carleigh
Variation of Carly, English
"free man"
Carleigh, a fancier way of spelling Carly, reflects the trend toward trying to make an ordinary name more special by fiddling with the spelling. Yes, Leigh is a feminine way to spell Lee, so Carleigh…
Carmilla
Carmilla is a feminine name with literary origins, most famously associated with Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's 1872 Gothic novella featuring a female vampire character named Carmilla, predating even Bram…
Celestia
Variation of Celeste, Latin
"heavenly"
Celestia is a heavenly name that sounds more ethereal than Celeste, Celestia might make a distinctive, feminine choice if your taste runs toward names like Angelina and Seraphina. Celestia was more…
Celestina
Italian and Spanish variation of Celeste
"heavenly"
We are hearing more of such heavenly names as Celeste and Celia, which opens the door to the range of lovely variations rarely heard before. Celestina is one of them, though given the more accessible…
Chrysanthemum
Greek
"gold flower"
One of the rarest of the flower names, that of the blossom celebrated in Japan as a symbol of the sun and a possible object of meditation. One of the rare flower names counted among names for autumn…
Clea
Latinate variation of Cleo, Greek
"glory"
An attractive and unusual name that may be a variation of Cleo, Clea was possibly invented by Lawrence Durrell for a character in his Alexandria Quartet . Actress Clea DuVall is one noted bearer of…
Colombia
Place-name and Latin
"dove"
Colombia is a South American country name, with a rhythmic sound and peaceful connotations. The Irish Colm, Scottish Callum, and Columba are all attractive relatives of Colombia (or Columbia, if…
Condoleezza
Invented name, English from Italian
Made famous by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, whose parents fashioned her name from a musical term meaning "with sweetness".
Conlan
Irish
"hero"
An undiscovered Irish surname with a cool meaning. It could work as an alternative to Connor and Lachlan.
Cosimo
Italian variation of Cosmo
"order, beauty, universe"
Dramatic and worldly, Cosimo was chosen by singer Beck and his wife, Marissa Ribisi, for their son. Now that Cosima has emerged as a starbaby favorite, twin brother Cosimo could join her. Cosimo de…
Crescent
English, French, Latin
"waxing or waning moon; increasing, growing, springing forth"
Crescent is an intriguing word name with a pretty sound and links to the moon. Used to describe a curved shape more generally, it is heavily associated with the lunar calendar, with the moon forming…
Daffodil
Flower name, from Greek
"asphodel"
Yes, though it seems so extreme, girls were actually sometimes given this name a century ago; now it is so uncommon it would make a strong springtime statement. Biggest obstacle: the nickname Daffy.…
Darya
Russian or Persian, variation of Daria or feminine form of Darius
"kingly; possessing goodness; the sea"
The beguiling Darya is the name of a character in Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. As a Russian name, it's a spelling variation of Daria, while in Iran, it's a girl's name that means "the sea".
December
English word name
"tenth month"
Cooler than April, May, or June, but also a tad icy. December gets its name from the number ten as the old Roman calendar only had ten months, and as now, December was the last.
Delphina
Latin from Greek
"of Delphi; womb"
Delphina is another form of the sleek French Delphine, rising in popularity. The Blessed Delphina was a Provencal nun.
Diablo
Spanish
"devil"
Diablo Cody, self-named (she's really Brook Busey) screenwriter of Juno, singlehandedly helped popularize not just her heroine's name and her own but all o-ending names for girls. You don't need us…
Diantha
Greek
"divine flower"
Diantha, a mythological flower of the supreme Greek god Zeus, is a melodious and more unusual cousin of Diana, heard most often in The Netherlands. Some similar choices: Diandra and Dianthe.
