My favorite girl names

Peach

Fruit name

Peach is one of those names that, a generation ago, would have been placed in the wacky celebrity baby name category. But now with the proliferation of word, nature, and yes, food names, Peach sounds…

Cassiopeia

Greek mythology name

"cassia juice"

Cassiopeia, the name of a mythological mother who became a stellar constellation, is challenging but intriguing, and has all those softening Cass nicknames available. And with all names Cass-related…

Lolita

Spanish, diminutive of Lola and Dolores, Spanish

"lady of sorrows"

In Nabokov's notorious novel, Lolita is the pet name given by the pedophilic narrator, Humbert Humbert, to his victim: a young girl called Dolores and nicknamed Lola or Lo by her mother. Still, it…

Nerissa

Greek

"from the sea"

An offbeat possible replacement for the overused Melissa and Marisa, Nerissa was used by Shakespeare for Portia's witty confidante in The Merchant of Venice . Queen Elizabeth has a cousin named…

Dean

English

"church official"

Like many passé boys' names, this one sounds fresh again for girls.

Peony

Flower name; Latin

"healing"

One of the rarest of the floral names, though not without some teasing potential. Peony is a historical 1948 novel by Pearl S. Buck.

Plum

Fruit name

British-born novelist Plum Sykes has taken this rich, fruity name out of the produce section and put it into the baby name basket. It's more appealing than Apple, more presentable than Peaches. The…

Icey

Icey is an uncommon feminine name that evokes a sense of coolness, clarity, and pristine beauty. As a nature-inspired name, it directly references ice and winter landscapes, projecting qualities of…

Laurin

Laurin is a feminine name with multiple possible origins, functioning as a variation of Lauren, Laura, or Loren. With roots in Latin, the name connects to the laurel tree, symbolizing victory and…