Girls' Names

Leora

Diminutive of Eleanor, or Hebrew and Greek

"light"

Somewhat dated Hebrew name that appears more modern when spelled Liora.

Taryn

Variation of Tara or Tyrone, English, Irish

"rocky hill, elevated place; land of Eoghan"

Taryn is an offshoot of Tara that has a variety of meanings in a variety of cultures. In 1953, Taryn was presented to the public as an invention by actors Tyrone Power and Linda Christian for their…

Arianwen

Welsh

"silver, white, fair, blessed"

Rarely heard outside of Wales, Arianwen combines the pretty Welsh element gwen with the silvery arian , giving it a metallic and shining meaning. The name is sometimes listed as one of the daughters…

Carina

Italian

"dear little one"

Carina is a pretty delicately feminine name whose fall from popularity is not helped by its similarity to hurricane name Katrina or slang victim Karen.

Ilaria

Italian variation of Hilary

"cheerful, happy"

Hilary may feel too connected to a single personality, but this version offers a fresh and interesting alternative. Alec and Hilaria Baldwin (born Hillary Lynn Hayward-Thomas) chose this variation of…

Zidana

An obscure European girls' name that will recall, to many, the Algerian surname of French soccer star Zinedine Zidane

Vaila

Scottish

"foreign Isle"

This unique Scottish name for girls is taken from the name of a small, inhabited Shetland island off the coast of Scotland, and fits into the tradition of Scottish parents choosing Scottish place…

Lillemor

Scandinavia

"little mother"

Lillemor is a relatively recent coinage in Scandinavia, where it was most popular in the 1930s and '40s, especially in Sweden. As such, it is considered rather dated in Scandinavia, but it would…

Liadain

Irish

"grey lady"

A variation of an old Irish saint’s name, Liadin, and the name of a lovelorn poetess in Irish folk legend. Be prepared for some clumsy pronunciation outside Ireland, however.

Rynn

Diminutive of Katherine, English from Greek

"pure"

Uncommon nickname for Katherine.