Thinkers

Verity

Latin

"truth"

If you love Puritan virtue names and want to move beyond Hope and Faith and Grace, this is a wonderful choice, both for its meaning and its sound. A rare find here, though occasionally heard in…

Tavi

Feminine short form of David or short form of Octavia

Tavi has been catapulted into the spotlight by teenage fashion blogger Tavi Gevinson. This cute name, previously not on anyone's scope, could be a way to honor an ancestral David or a short form of…

Tavia

Spanish short form of Octavia

"eighth"

Cute, distinctive diminutive for this regal-sounding name.

Navi

Hebrew

"to name"

Nickname for the star Gamma Cassiopeiae given by the late astronaut Gus Grissom after his own middle name (Ivan) spelled backwards. Navi also relates to the prophets in the Hebrew Bible. The name…

Soley

Icelandic nature name, variation of Sólja, Faroese

"buttercup"

Sóley is the Icelandic word for the buttercup flower, derived from the words meaning "sun" and "island." It is also used on the Faroe Islands as a short form of Sólja.

Anouk

Dutch and French variation of Anna

"grace"

Anouk, made famous by French actress Anouk Aimée, is a singular name with a lovely sound and a Bohemian feel. Anouk Aimée was born as Francoise, but adopted the first name of the character she played…

Ione

Greek

"violet flower"

This unusual Greek flower and color name has gained considerable recent attention via actress Ione Skye, who is the daughter of sixties folksinger Donovan. Ione was one of the fifty sea nymphs —…

Pippa

English, diminutive of Philippa

"lover of horses"

Pippa, a peppy condensation of Philippa that turns it from serious to sprightly, has come into the public eye in a big way via the former Kate Middleton's sister. Pippa can and is given as a name in…

Petra

Greek

"rock, stone"

A strong Greek name with pan-European charm, Petra is a relatively recent feminization of Peter, though it relates back to an incredible ancient city in Jordan that was rediscovered in the early…

Suri

Yiddish, Hebrew, Persian, Sanskrit

Suri, a once obscure name, hit the headlines when it was chosen by Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise for their daughter in 2006. A truly multi-cultural choice, Suri is a unique name with a variety of…

Marin

Latin

"of the sea"

Marin is a lovely county north of San Francisco, and a lovely baby name on the rise, one which sounds more refreshing than the more familiar Marina. As a place-name, Marin is pronounced with the…

Bente

Danish feminine form of Benedict

"blessed"

Bente, pronounced ben-tah, is a popular girls' name in both The Netherlands and Denmark though largely unknown in the English-speaking world. It suffers by being a near-homonym of the English word…

Fenna

Dutch and Frisian

"peace"

The vintage Fenna, an old lady name making a comeback in the Netherlands, originates in Friesland in the northern part of the country, where the Fries language is spoken. Rhyming with Jenna, it's…

Sanne

Dutch, diminutive of Susanne

"lily"

Sanne is hugely popular in the Netherlands, but almost unknown here; which makes it an interesting prospect for the parent in search of an unusual name. Pronounced sah-na, Sanne is in keeping with…

Caro

Diminuitve of Carol or Caroline, English, French ,"free man"

"free man"

Upper-crusty nickname occasionally used in Britain, particularly in 1930s novels featuring significant garden party scenes, but eclipsed here by Carrie et al.

Vesper

Latin

"evening star"

This Latin word used for evening spiritual services was introduced to baby namers by the Eva Greene character Vesper Lynd in the modern James Bond film Casino Royale in 2006, based on the Ian Fleming…

Alaska

Native American

"great land"

State name Alaska stems from an Aleutian word for the land mass itself. The number of baby girls named Alaska has doubled in the past five years, and is sure to continue increasing as more place…

Jora

Hebrew

"autumn rain"

Unique possibility for a girl born between September and November.