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The Fairy Godmother

namesfrombooks
By namesfrombooks
Updated Thu May 25 2023
The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey
  1. Sophia

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "wisdom"

    • Description:

      Sophia, which was the Number 1 girls' name in the US from 2011 to 2013, is among the top girl names in the Western World, with a sensuous sound and high-minded meaning. A real winner, Sophia reached the top of the charts without losing any—okay, much—of its sophisticated beauty.
  2. Lily

    • Origin:

      English flower name

    • Meaning:

      "lily"

    • Description:

      Lily is the most popular of the popular delicate century-old flower names now making a return, thanks to its many irresistible attributes: a cool elegance and a lovely sound, a symbol of purity and innocence, and a role in Christian imagery.
  3. Penelope

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "weaver"

    • Description:

      Penelope is an unlikely 21st century baby name success story. Off the Top 1000 for 25 years, Penelope jumped back on in 2001 and has been heading uphill ever since, propelled by the trend for mythological names, Spanish actress Penelope Cruz, and some high-profile celebrity babies.
  4. Julian

    • Origin:

      English from Latin, variation of Julius

    • Meaning:

      "youthful, downy-bearded, or sky father"

    • Description:

      Cool and charming, with plenty of flair and sophistication, Julian manages to strike the balance between being a sensible classic and contemporary choice. Appealingly international, it is no wonder Julian is a rising star.
  5. Alexander

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "defending men"

    • Description:

      Alexander has been in a Top 25 boys' name in the US for 30 years now. But namers are still attracted to its imposing historic pedigree.
  6. Elena

    • Origin:

      Spanish, Italian, German, Greek variation of Helen

    • Meaning:

      "bright, shining light"

    • Description:

      Elena is at its most popular point ever in the US, thanks to its cross-cultural appeal and the overall popularity of El- names. It's more international than Ellen or Eleanor, but still accessible.
  7. Robert

    • Origin:

      English from German

    • Meaning:

      "bright fame"

    • Description:

      Robert was the Number 1 boys' name in the US in both 1925 and 1950, and in fact was in the Top 25 for more than a century, giving it true classic status. Strong if not quite stylish, Robert remains in the Top 100 for baby boys as a family favorite.
  8. Rose

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "rose, a flower"

    • Description:

      Rose is derived from the Latin rosa, which referred to the flower. There is also evidence to suggest it was a Norman variation of the Germanic name Hrodohaidis, meaning "famous type," and also Hros, "horse". In Old English it was translated as Roese and Rohese.
  9. Bella

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Isabella, Italian

    • Meaning:

      "beautiful"

    • Description:

      Everything ella, from Ella to Bella to Arabella, is red hot right now. Bella is one of the most, well, beautiful girl names starting with B. It carried a hint of a nice Old World grandmotherly veneer, until it became attached to Twilight's Bella Swan.
  10. Rosalie

    • Origin:

      French variation of Rosalia, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "rose"

    • Description:

      Rosalie hit its apex in 1938 and then slid straight downhill until it fell off the U.S. Top 1000 completely in the 1980s, only to spring back to life in 2009 as the name of a character in the Twilight series. The beautiful vampire Rosalie Hale has breathed fresh life back into this mid-century name, and the fact that the character is both sympathetic and relatively minor means Rosalie has the chance to thrive again as a baby name without feeling unduly tied to Twilight.
  11. Daphne

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "laurel tree, bay tree"

    • Description:

      In Greek mythology, Daphne was the nymph daughter of Peneus, a river god. Peneus saved Daphne from Apollo’s romantic obsessions by transforming her into a laurel tree. It is from this myth that the plant genus daphne, which contains the laurel species, gets its name.
  12. Colin

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Nicholas or Irish and Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "people of victory; pup"

    • Description:

      Thanks to its dashing Anglo-Irish image — due partly to Colins Firth and Farrell — and its C-initialed two-syllable sound, Colin and its cousin Collin have enjoyed a long run of popularity, reaching as high as Number 84 in 2004.
  13. Veronica

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "she who brings victory; true image"

    • Description:

      The name Veronica projects a triple-threat image: at once saintly, sensuous, and strong. The name derives from Berenice, the Latin form of the Greek name Berenike "she who brings victory", with the spelling influenced by the Latin phrase vera icon "true image". Veronica was the name of the compassionate woman who wiped Jesus's face when he was on his way to Calvary and whose cloth was miraculously imprinted with his image: she is now the patron saint of photographers.
  14. Lilliana

    • Origin:

      Variation of Lillian or Liliana

    • Meaning:

      "lily, a flower"

    • Description:

      While Lillian is the English version of this elaborated flower name and Liliana is the authentic Spanish and Portuguese spelling, Lilliana is a familiar and perfectly usable option in the US.
  15. Madeleine

    • Origin:

      French variation of Magdalen

    • Meaning:

      "woman from Magdala or high tower"

    • Description:

      Sophisticated and sweet, delicate but substantial, Madeleine is the classic French variation of Magdalene.
  16. Esteban

    • Origin:

      Spanish variation of Stephen, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "garland, crown"

    • Description:

      One of several Latino favorites on U. S. popularity list, Esteban sounds solid and strong. Esteban has ranked among the US Top 500 names for boys for half a century now, making it a familiar name that successfully crosses cultures.
  17. Miranda

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "marvellous, admirable"

    • Description:

      Miranda, a shimmeringly lovely, poetic name that was invented by Shakespeare for the beautiful and admirable young heroine of his play, The Tempest, is still a recommended choice even though its popularity peaked in the 1990's, partially as an antidote to Amanda. But while Amanda now sounds dated, Miranda retains a good measure of its charm.
  18. Robin

    • Origin:

      Bird name; or English, diminutive of Robert

    • Meaning:

      "bright fame"

    • Description:

      Gentle but solid, as much of a word as it is a name, Robin is a rising star in the US, and a favorite in Belgium, France, Czechia and Switzerland. With memorable namesakes like Robin Hood, Robin Williams, Christopher Robin, and Robin the Boy Wonder, a recent year saw Robin feature as a gender neutral choice in the US, ranking at #703 for boys and #704 for girls.
  19. Linette

    • Description:

      Linette is a feminine name of French origin, functioning as a diminutive of Line or Lina, which themselves derive from names ending in -line or -lina, such as Caroline, Emmeline, or Angelina. The name means 'little Line' or can be interpreted as 'little flax' in reference to the flax plant that produces linen. With its soft, melodic sound and French flair, Linette has maintained steady but modest usage throughout the 20th century. It peaked in popularity in the United States during the 1960s but remains relatively uncommon. Linette offers a delicate, feminine option that balances traditional roots with a certain lyrical charm, making it appeal to parents seeking a name that's recognizable but not overused.

  20. Blanche

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "white"

    • Description:

      Blanche, which originated as a nickname for a pale blonde and then became associated with the notion of purity, was in style a century ago, ranking in the double digits until 1920. She then had to fight the stereotype of faded Southern belle, a la Blanche DuBois in Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire and Blanche Devereaux in TV's Golden Girls. Now all three of the Golden Girls--Blanche, Rose and Dorothy--could be ready for revival, with Blanche sounding like a stronger, simpler alternative to Bianca.

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