Strong women names

Tyra

Scandinavian, feminine variation of Tyr, an ancient Indo-European god

High profile supermodel/entrepreneur Tyra Banks has put this name in the spotlight, endowing it with her confident, superattractive image.

Nyx

Greek mythology name

"night"

In Greek mythology, Nyx was a powerful goddess and the embodiment of the night, giving this name a dark yet mystical feel. She is often depicted as one of the first deities, an offspring of Chaos who…

Arcadia

Greek

"region offering peace and contentment"

Arcadia, a name for an unspoiled paradise, makes an attractive secular alternative to Nevaeh or Eden. For parents who want an unusual name with a friendlier nickname, Arcadia has the advantage of…

Elysia

Latin

"from Elysium"

While this might be used as an alternative spelling to Elisa, Alyssa, Alicia, and similar, this form stands out from the pack as Elysia relates to Elysian Fields, the home of the blessed dead in…

Atalanta

Greek mythology name

"equal in weight"

Atalanta was a beautiful mythological maiden who refused to marry any man who couldn't beat her in a footrace -- quite a role model. This myth is found in Ovid's Metamorphoses and later in…

Sappho

Ancient Greek

"sapphire"

Name of the 7th century BC Greek lyric poet born on the island of Lesbos, whose name has been synonymous with lesbian love. Though this name is rarely used today, it certainly could be and, some…

Artemisia

Greek, variation of Artemis

You might think Artemisia is the feminine form of the name, but in fact the original Artemis is feminine too, the name of the Greek mythological goddess of the moon. Artemisia Gentileschi was an…

Sojourner

French, English

"to stay a while"

African-American and women's rights activist Sojourner Truth was born as Isabelle into enslavement. She adopted her new name when she began traveling and preaching abolition in 1843. Sojourner is a…

Aletta

Dutch from Germanic

"noble, nobility"

A form of Adelaide (and therefore related to Alice, too) used in the Netherlands. The country's first female physician was Aletta Jacobs. In the USA, Aletta is rare, but on a slight upward trend. It…

Aphra

Hebrew, variation of Aphrah

"dust"

Aphra would make an interesting choice-- especially since it's the name of the first professional female writer in English, the seventeenth century's Aphra Behn. Born in 1640, she was a prolific…