User-created list
Lovely Little Girls
Across 13 pages
of 13
Sanaa
Swahili; Arabic
"work of art; shining light"
Simple-yet-unusual name with a creative meaning. Actress Sanaa Lathan promoted it, and it was on the U.S. popularity list from 2003 to 2011. Shaquille O'Neal used it as the middle name of his…
Cecily
Feminine variation of Cecil
"blind"
Cecily is as dainty as a lace handkerchief. Cecily has a wide assortment of namesakes. One Cecily was the mother of King Richard III, whose beauty gained her the title "the Rose of Raby," Cecily…
Sinead
Irish form of Janet
"God is gracious"
One of the best known of the Irish girls' names , thanks to singer Sinead O'Connor. Though it's still in the Irish Top 100, it's no longer quite as fashionable in Ireland as Aoife or Aisling. But by…
Joey
Diminutive of Joanna or Josephine, Hebrew
"Jehovah increases"
Fun, friendly and fresher than Jo or Josie as a nickname for Joanna or Josephine. Joey can be thought of as one of the Stevie/Billie/Frankie boyish nicknames for girls so fashionable today.
Yael
Hebrew
"ibex"
Yael is an Old Testament name often heard in Israel that could work well here: just remember that it's pronounced with two syllables...it is also spelled Ya'el. In the Bible she was a Kenite woman in…
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…
Sela
Hebrew
"rock"
Sela is a Biblical place name, the original term for the city of Petra, which is finding new life through actress Sela Ward, star of several TV series. The young daughter of singer Lauryn Hill is…
Niobe
Greek mythology name
The mythological queen whose perpetual weeping for her slain children turned her into a stone has always cast a pall over this name. Still, when other names with less-than-savory associations --…
Letty
English, diminutive of Letitia or similar
"joy, gladness"
Letty is a sweet vintage gem, playful and cosy and more unexpected than Lottie, the popular pet form of popular Charlotte. Originally used as a nickname for Letitia or Lettice, it could also work for…
Philippa
Greek, feminine variation of Philip
"lover of horses"
Philippa is a prime example of a boy's name adapted for girls that was common as crumpets in Cornwall, but rarely heard stateside. That was before the advent of royal sister-in-law Philippa…
Tallie
Diminutive of Talia, Hebrew
"gentle dew from heaven"
Tallie is a seldom-heard nickname name that, with the ascendance of Hallie and Callie, we might just be hearing more of. In Colonial times, Tallie was also a nickname for Natalie.
Silivia
Silivia is an uncommon variant spelling of the more familiar Silvia or Sylvia, a feminine name with Latin origins meaning 'forest' or 'woods.' This alternative spelling creates a distinctive version…
Aliz
Hungarian variation of Alice, from German
"noble"
Aliz, traditionally spelt Alíz, is a Top 50 name in Hungary and puts a zippy spin, thanks to that final z, on the classic Alice. Its similarity to names such as Elise may cause some confusion, but…
Anaise
Variation of Anais
Anais, the name forever attached to the daring French-born American novelist and diarist Anais Nin, is unusual and French enough without appending an e, though some may think it clarifies…
Eilis
Irish variation of Elizabeth
"pledged to God"
Familiar in the US thanks to the lovely movie Brooklyn , based on the Colm Toibin novel of the same name. Popular in medieval times, it is still used in Ireland (properly spelt with a fada: Eilís)…
Noemie
Noemie is the French variation of Naomi, a name with Hebrew origins meaning 'pleasantness' or 'delightfulness.' In the Bible, Naomi was the mother-in-law of Ruth and a figure of loyalty and…
Whimsy
English word name
"whimsical or fanciful"
Whimsy is a new entry to the ever-expanding word name lexicon, sister for Pixie and Bliss. While it has an undeniable offbeat English aristocratic charm (maybe we're thinking of Dorothy Sayers'…
Cajsa
Cajsa is a feminine Scandinavian name, particularly popular in Sweden. It originated as a Nordic variant of Katarina (Katherine), developing as a distinct given name over centuries. Pronounced…
Lindie
Lindie is a feminine name that emerged as a diminutive or variant spelling of Linda or Lindsay. With Germanic roots, Linda means 'gentle, soft' or 'beautiful,' while Lindsay was originally a Scottish…