My Writing Name List- Girls

Livia

Diminutive of Olivia or Latin

"blue, envious"

Though it sounds like a chopped-off variation of Olivia, which means olive, the distinctively attractive Livia has been an independent name since the days of the ancient Romans, when it belonged to…

Sybil

Greek

"seer, prophetess"

The image of the lovely Lady Sybil, tragic youngest daughter of the Crawley family on Downton Abbey is likely to go a long way towards reviving this almost forgotten name, off the list since 1966 and…

Echo

Greek mythology name

"echo or sound"

Echo, the pretty, resonant name of a legendary nymph, was the heroine of Joss Whedon's sci-fi series Dollhouse . Nick Hexum, of the band 311, named his daughter Echo Love. In the Greek myth, Echo was…

Kristen

Danish and Norwegian variation of Christine

"a Christian"

Kristen may be somewhat past its fashion high point, but it remains forever crystalline clear. Possible problem: confusion with the similar Scandinavian names Kristin, Kirsten, Kirstie, et al.…

Erika

English and Scandinavian variation of Erica, Norse feminization of Eric or Italian word name

"eternal ruler; heather"

This is a more spunky and Nordic looking variant of Erica, but the k also makes the connection to the beautiful flower less apparent.

Waverly

English

"meadow of quivering aspens"

Waverly, with its literary resonance and lilting three-syllable sound, could well become the next generation's successor to Kimberly. Its upper-crusty surname feel places it among the new stylish…

Clare

Latin

"bright, clear"

This is the original, more prosaic spelling, but the airier Claire now dominates. If you're seeking a literary connection, look no further than Nella Larsen's 1929 novel Passing , which stars Clare…

Keely

Irish

"slender"

Keely is well-used in modern Ireland, also found as Keeley and Keela. The boys' form is Keelan. Largely unknown in the US, this could make an interesting update for Kelly or Kaylie or Kylie -- though…

Alisha

Phonetic spelling of Alicia; also Sanskrit

"protected by God"

This name has two derivations. One is as a member of the well-populated Alice/Alicia family (with an overly literal spelling), which gives it the meaning "noble"; the other is an Urdu name with the…

Bryn

Welsh

"hill"

Bryn is an up-and-coming gentle, yet substantial, Welsh name that would also be effective in the middle spot. In Wales it's a traditional boys' name, but it's far more popular for girls now in the…

Fae

Spelling variation of Faye, English

"fairy"

Now that Faye is back on the Top 1000 after a decades-long absence, its spelling variations are being revived as well. Fae was given to nearly as many baby girls last year as Fay and may be…

Addie

Diminutive of Adelaide or Adeline

Old-fashioned nickname with sweet turn-of-the-last-century charm that's become a favorite among the popular girl names starting with A of today. In fact, with all spellings of Adeline/Adalynn taken…

Delia

Greek

"born on the island of Delos"

Delia is a somewhat neglected southern charmer that stands on its own but also might be short for Adelia or Cordelia. Delia's name is based on that of the Greek island of Delos, which in Greek myth…

Felicia

Latin

"lucky"

A lacy, lucky name very popular in the Hispanic community a decade ago, less so now.

Leandra

Feminine variation of Leander, Greek

"lion-man"

With the rise of many once-dated leonine names, from Leona to Lionel to Leonora, Leandra is an unusual choice that might be looking at a comeback..

Arbor

Nature name

Arbor is an original unisex tree-related choice we're sure to hear more of. Highly unusual now, Arbor takes its place alongside other new arborial names ranging from the mighty Oak (or Oakley) to the…

Autum

Autum is a feminine name representing a variant spelling of Autumn, the season between summer and winter. The name evokes images of falling leaves, harvest time, and the warm golden and red hues…