User-created list
Non-English Virtue Names
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Hanita
Hindi
"divine grace"
The added h turns Anita alluring and breathy.
Jamilla
Arabic
"beautiful, graceful"
Soft and appealing, with a whiff of vanilla.
Panna
Hungarian variation of Anna; Hindi
"grace; emerald, leaf"
Panna is a name with many allusions — in addition to being a Hungarian variant of Anna (PAWN-naw) and a Hindi gemstone name (PAHN-nah), it is also a serene and sacred city in India and the Italian…
Allegra
Italian
"joyous"
In music, the term allegro means "quickly, lively tempo," which makes this quintessential Bohemian ballet dancer's name all the more appealing. Allegra is one of the most distinctive yet accessible…
Dagmar
Norse
"Day maiden"
This royal Danish name has long been used across Scandinavia, Germany and Slavic countries and somewhat in the US around the turn of the last century --it was #622 in 1888. There were two notable…
Gioia
Italian
"joy"
Prettier than Joy and just beginning to be used here.
Bayo
Dayo
Leta
Latin
"glad, joyful"
Leta has hipster cred as the daughter of cool mommy blogger Dooce. Related to the Greek mythological Leda, a great beauty who mothered another great beauty, Helen of Troy, Leta is a name that's as…
Preeda
Thai
"joyful"
This name has a sound that seems to match its meaning.
Sachi
Japanese
"child of joy"
Sachi, often short for Sachiko, was given to 25 girls in the US in a recent year. While it is technically Japanese, this short form has an unidentifiably international feel and might be a relative of…
Ilario
Latin from Greek
"cheerful, happy"
Ilario's merry, jovial sound reflects a shared root with the word hilarious.
Ilaria
Italian variation of Hilary
"cheerful, happy"
Hilary may feel too connected to a single personality, but this version offers a fresh and interesting alternative. Alec and Hilaria Baldwin (born Hillary Lynn Hayward-Thomas) chose this variation of…
Keiko
Japanese
"happy child"
Japanese classic with optimistic meaning.
Parvaiz
Persian
"lucky, happy"
Parvaiz would certainly stand out in an American classroom.
Zelig
Yiddish variation of Selig
"blessed, happy"
A super quirky and upbeat choice, if it can ever shake off its ubiquitous-guy Woody Allen identity.
Verena
Latin
"integrity"
Verena is pleasant but old-fashioned. Whether that's the outdated kind of old-fashioned or the so-out-it's-in-again kind is your call. St. Verena was a third century nurse; Verena Tarrant is a…
Sadako
Japanese
"Child of integrity"
Best known to the West through the story of Sadako and the thousand paper cranes , which tells the story of Sadako Sasaki, this name has become synonymous with peace. Sadako was two years old when…
Subira
African, Swahili
"patience"
One African name that's virtually unknown in the western world, but sounds both soft and strong.
Jena
Diminutive of Jennifer, variation of Gina, English, Arabic, "white wave; paradise"
"white wave; paradise"
Jena is a succinct name with a number of different roots, making it a versatile choice. On one hand, it might be used as a diminutive for the 70s favorite Jennifer, a name of Cornish origin that was…