Island Beneath the Sea Names
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I loved the names of the female characters (and one goddess) in Isabelle Allende's Island Beneath the Sea and thought they deserved a list!
- Adele
Origin:
French diminutive of AdelaideMeaning:
"noble, nobility"Description:
Credit the award-winning single-named British singer for taking the girls’ name Adele from a quiet semi-retirement back into currency. Adele reentered the US Top 1000 popular baby names in 2011 and has remained there ever since.
- Adi
- Celestine
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"heavenly"Description:
Celestine is a pretty, crystalline extension (actually a diminutive) of Celeste that would make a choice that is both delicate and strong. It is also a popular name in France.
- Delphine
Origin:
French from GreekMeaning:
"of Delphi; womb"Description:
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 to be the womb of the earth. All of these derive from the Greek word delphus "womb".
- Eugenia
Origin:
Feminine variation of Eugene, GreekMeaning:
"wellborn, noble"Description:
Eugenia, a name scarcely used at all since the 1980's, is another that flourished a century ago and could be due for a revival.
- Erzulie
- Fleur
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"flower"Description:
Fleur is a generic, delicate flower name that emigrated into the English-speaking world when John Galsworthy bestowed it on one of the Forsytes in his celebrated saga. More recently, there was Fleur Delacour, a French witch and the Beauxbatons champion for the Triwizard Tournament in Harry Potter.
- Giselle
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"pledge, hostage"Description:
Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen undoubtedly gave this name a boost. The French pronunciation (jiz-ELLE) gives it a more graceful, balletic, gazellelike feel.
- Loula
- Mathilde
Origin:
French variation of MatildaDescription:
Mathilde is even more popular in France than Matilda, a hipster favorite thanks to Michelle Williams and Heath Ledger, is here. And the French pronunciation, while confusing to English speakers, makes it softer and prettier than the version we're more familiar with.
- Marie-Louise
- Rose
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"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.
- Rosette
- Violette
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"purple"Description:
Now that Violet is becoming more popular, parents are starting to explore same-but-different options such as the French Violette, which would properly be pronounced with a long e sound in the first syllable and three syllables -- vee-oh-let -- as well as the Spanish Violeta — both of which were among the fastest-rising girl names of 2023.
- Zarite