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Lovely Little Girls
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Odessa
Russian form of Odesa, Ukrainian place-name
"voyage"
Odessa, (transcribed as Odesa in Ukrainian) is a Ukrainian port city and was given its name by Catherine the Great, who was inspired by Homer's Odyssey . It would make an original and intriguing…
Ofira
Hebrew
"gold"
Identified with a region famous for its gold, more commonly spelled Ophira.
Olympia
Greek
"from Mount Olympus"
With its relation to Mount Olympus, home of the Greek gods, and to the Olympic games, this name has an athletic, goddess-like aura, making it the perfect Olivia substitute. A well-known art reference…
Damiane
Brazilian Portuguese and German feminization of Damian, Greek
"to tame, subdue"
A name with an ancient pedigree which might prove confusing to the modern ear.
Ondine
Latin
"little wave"
Mythological spirit of the waters; spelled Undine, she was an Edith Wharton heroine.
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.
Delphine
French from Greek
"of Delphi; womb"
Delphine is a sleek, chic French name with two nature associations — the dolphin and the delphinium, a bluebell-like flower, a well as a link to the ancient city of Delphi, which the Greeks believed…
Orchid
From Greek
"orchid flower"
Orchid is a hothouse bloom that has not been plucked by many modern baby namers — yet. In the language of flowers, orchids symbolize love, beauty, and sophistication. In a 1926 silent comedy, femme…
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,…
Orla
Irish
"golden princess"
Orla is an Irish name closely associated with the high king Brian Boru, as it was the name of his sister, daughter and niece. It was very popular in the Middle Ages – the fourth most popular name in…
Dido
Greek, meaning obscure
Dido was the heroine of Virgil's Aeneid and of the opera "Dido and Aeneas," and in Roman mythology the founder of Carthage. A strong ancient name in the Juno mode, but it could have some awkward…
Dinah
Hebrew
"God will judge"
Dinah is a charming, underused Old Testament name with a rich literary and musical resume. In the Old Testament, Dinah was the beautiful daughter of Jacob and Leah and while some conflate her with…
Eachna
Irish
"horse"
Eachna is the name of an Irish goddess renowned for her beauty, brains and stylishness; in early legend, a Connacht princess named Eachna was deemed to be one of the loveliest and cleverest women int…
Ouisa
Diminutive of Louisa
"renowned warrior"
Wheezy short form of lovely name, featured in the movie "Steel Magnolias", spelled as Ouiser. Similar, literary Ouida is less breathy, while Lou, Lulu, Lula, Lissy or Whizz might appeal instead.
Paulette
French, feminine diminutive of Paul
"small"
It's interesting how names imported to the US from other countries and cultures have fashion cycles based on their culture of origin. Paulette along with cousins Annette and Claudette were the most…
Eira
Welsh
"snow"
This Welsh nature name that can be pronounced exactly like the male Ira. Or, to avoid confusion, you could just name her Snow.
Eirian
Welsh
"silver, bright, brilliant, snow"
A modern, unisex Welsh name with a shiny feel, Eirian can mean "silver" (from Welsh arian ) or "snow, brilliant, bright" (from eira ). It may appeal to those who like rising star Eira, but want…
Penrose
Cornish and Welsh place name and surname
"top of the heath"
Penrose – an ancient place-name and surname derived from several villages in Cornwall, Wales, and the Welsh border country of England – would make for an even more unexpected alternative to quirky…
Electa
American, Greek
"chosen, elected; amber"
An early American name inspired by the word spiritual word "elect" and by a passage in the New Testament in which the Christian Church is referred to as "The Elect Lady and Her Children". Used in the…
Eleni
Greek variation of Helen
A common choice in Greece, Eleni is starting to rise in the US too thanks to its bouncy rhythm and cool -i ending. Also familiar in England and Wales, Eleni was chosen for 255 girls in the US in…