Gina's Favorities

Young Canadian pop singer Alessia Cara has given this spicy-sounding name a new lease on life, propelling it into the Top 1000 in 2016. It was one of the fastest rising girl names of the year in 2016, then again in 2023. As a form of Alexander, Alessia could make a wonderful honor for any of Alexander's variants—Alexandra, Alexis—or as an alternative to Alexa, now best known as Amazon's AI voice.

The goddess name Aurora has consistently been on the US popularity list since the nineteenth century, but has really taken off in the past 30 years. Aurora also enjoys remarkable international popularity, ranking in the Top 100 throughout the English-speaking world as well as in Italy, Spain, Norway, Switzerland, and several other European and Latin American countries.

In Greek myth, Circe, daughter of Helios, the sun, was a sorceress living on the island of Aeaea, who could turn men into animals with her magic wand, which is just what she did to Odysseus's crew in Homer's Odyssey, transforming them into swine. All was forgiven, however, as Circe and Odysseus later had a child together—Telegonus.

A name with an ancient pedigree which might prove confusing to the modern ear.

Though closely associated with the great medieval Florentine poet Dante Alighieri -- who's so famous most people skip the last name -- it's not as much of a one-man name as you might think. Heck, it's not even a one-poet name, thanks to British pre-Rapahaelite Dante Gabriel Rosetti. Though especially well used in the Italian-American community, it would make a striking name for any little boy.

Cooler than April, May, or June, but also a tad icy. December gets its name from the number ten as the old Roman calendar only had ten months, and as now, December was the last.

Although this month name was used only for girls in a recent year, there's no reason it can't work for both genders. For a holiday baby, more original than Noel and more universal than Christmas.

Demi appeared in the US as a baby name thanks to a single celebrity, actress Demi Moore, who put it on the Top 1000 throughout the 1990s. As her star faded, so did the visibility of the name, though now it is rising again on its own steam. It's popular in Europe, too, especially in The Netherlands. Demi may be that unusual name that's launched by a celebrity and then maintains its visibility all by itself.

Most distinctive of the Dominic-related girls' names.

This is the second-to-the-original spelling of a name that's part Jersey Shore, part upper-crust British. Dominick gets you more directly to nickname Nick.

Gaeta is a southern Italian region; this makes a sunny first name.

Graziella, an Italian form of Grace, is another Latin version that adds spice. Consider Graziella as a distinctive alternative to either Grace or Gabriella.

She was queen of the Greek gods, both sister and wife to Zeus, but the name of her Roman counterpart Juno has become much more fashionable these days. That said, we think Hera has possibilities today too, as so many ancient goddess names rise to prominence.

Indie is an independent-sounding nickname name that is in the Top 100 in Wales. As a diminutive, it's growing in popularity -- along with indie films, indie publishing -- and the reason some parents are choosing names like India and Indigo. The Indie version seems more feminine, while Indy as in Indiana Jones tends toward the boyish.

Indigo is one of the most appealing and evocative of the new generation of color names. Color names have joined flower and jewel names -- in a big way -- and Indigo, a deep blue-purple dye from plants native to India, is particularly striking for both girls and boys. Indigo is the name of a character in the Ntozake Shange novel Sassafrass, Cypress & Indigo, and was used for his daughter by Lou Diamond Phillips.

Perky, pretty nickname name that seems to have been invented by or for Marlo Thomas, who was born Margaret. Hipster mommy blogger Dooce named her newborn daughter Marlo Iris and comedian Rob Corddry named his daughter Marlo Stevenson.

Meribella is a feminine compound name combining elements of 'Meri' (a variant of Mary, meaning 'bitter' or 'beloved') and 'Bella' (meaning 'beautiful' in Italian and Latin languages). This melodic creation emerged primarily in English-speaking countries in the early 2000s as part of the trend toward elaborate, romantic-sounding girls' names. While not historically traditional, Meribella draws from classic naming elements to create a flowing, ornate option with an inherently feminine quality. The name suggests 'beautiful Mary' or simply 'beautiful beloved' through its component parts. Meribella remains relatively rare in usage statistics but aligns with preferences for longer, musical names with clear feminine associations. Its compound structure offers the potential for nicknames like Meri, Bella, or Bell.

This female form of Nathan can be pronounced with three syllables or four.

An enchanting ancient Greek name belonging to the Greek goddess who was created from a cloud by Zeus and so became goddess of the clouds and mother of the centaurs. The name Nephele is not widely known but as among modern parents become used to Phoebe, Penelope, and Persephone, it may become one of the ancient Greek goddess names that's back in the mix.

An interesting and unusual member of the "Nic" family--far more distinctive than NICOLE or NICOLA.