Great Meanings

Samina is a little-known name in the US, given to only a handful of baby girls each year, that is prime for wider use. It's attractive, easy to spell and pronounce, and makes a perfect alternative to the waning Samantha. The only problem may be confusion over pronunciation. Native Arabic speakers may pronounce it with equal emphasis on all syllables, but English speakers will say sa-MEE-na (correct) or sa-MY-na (not, but be prepared for a lifetime of corrections).

Erendira was the name of a Gabriel Garcia Marquez heroine and also a mythological princess. The name is best known in Mexico.

A possible Born Again name -- Amen -- in the same class as the still-popular Nevaeh (that's Heaven spelled backwards) and Trinity.

Lush and unusual.

Balthasar was one of the biblical Three Kings who visited the infant Jesus, also used by Shakespeare and in the oil-rich Getty family; offbeat and intriguing. Balthazar is another, equally appropriate spelling.

Used primarily for girls in Ireland, as a variation of Raithnait, Renny could easily be a diminutive form of a whole variety of names including Lorenzo, Laurence, Remington, Rowen, Renatus, Renaud, Reynold and simar.

Rhythmic and enchanting.

A name with a surprising amount of history--it was the name of the wife of Ptolemy I of Egypt, occurs in the New Testament, and belonged to a fourth century saint. In the US, it has long been spelled and pronounced Bernice. Nicknames include Bernie, Berry, Binnie and Bunny.

Possibility for a girl born under one of the water signs -- Cancer, Pisces, or Scorpio.

The beautiful Consuelo, with its compassionate meaning, is deserving of being used in full.

Completely undiscovered double-l name with an abundance of rhythmic charm.

A simple and seamlessly international choice with a joyful sound and beautiful meaning.

Constantina is a pretty, feminissima, if lengthy, variation on the Constance theme. The fourth century Constantina, also known as Constantia and Constantiana, was the eldest daughter of Roman Emperor Constantine the Great and his second wife Fausta, daughter of Emperor Maximian. Constantina received the title of Augusta by her father, and is venerated as a saint; in English she is also known as Saint Constance.

Dariela may have a not-quite-authentic provenance, but it's a pretty name and an unusual choice in the girly Isabella-Gabriella group.

See RETA.