User-created list
classic and unusual character names for Women
Across 25 pages
of 25
Alula
Arabic
"first leap"
Alula, the palindromic name of the first double star to be identified as physically related to its twin, would make the perfect name for a first-born twin. Ideas (we're only half joking) for the…
Amapola
Spanish
"poppy"
A rarely heard flower name, Amapola comes from the Spanish word for "poppy", in turn associating with name with remembrance and the months of August and November. Pronounced as a-ma-POH-la, with the…
Anahera
Maori
"angel"
This feminine name — simply "angel" imported into Māori phonology — is fresher than Angela and less Hollywood than Angelina.
Anala
Hindi
"fire"
Indian choice meaning fire in step with American styles.
Annouska
Annouska is a feminine name with Slavic origins, representing a variation or diminutive of Anna. It shows particular connections to Russian, Czech, and Polish naming traditions, where diminutives and…
Answer
English word name
"answer"
An implied spiritual meaning makes this a plausible new name.
Apolline
French form of Apollonia, feminine variation of Apollo, Greek mythology name
"destroyer"
Apolline is a luscious French name chic in Paris -- it's a Top 100 name for baby girls in France -- and ripe for the plucking in the English-speaking world. Derived from the mythological name Apollo,…
Apple
English nature name
"apple"
When people talk about unique baby names, Apple is often one of the first examples they mention. Apple made international headlines when Gwyneth Paltrow chose this wholesome fruit name for her…
Aquila
Latin
"eagle"
An evocative ancient word that's used as a first name in the New Testament, among other places. It's also the name of an eagle-shaped constellation. That said, contemporary interest in the name…
Aquinnah
Native American place-name
The Native American name for Martha's Vineyard and for a town at the far end of that lovely island, this was used by Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan for one of their twin daughters.
Araminta
Literature, compound of Arabella and Aminta, Greek
"loveable; unyielding + defender; unfading"
Araminta is a poetic and enchanting eighteenth-century invention with plenty of elegance and a touch of old-fashioned clunkiness. It first appeared in William Congreve's 17th century comedy The Old…
Arantxa
Basque
"thornbush"
Basque names, indeed the entire Basque language, are unrelated to any other. Arantxa is a diminutive of Arantzazu. This obscure choice was made known by tennis player Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario.
Arantzazu
Basque, place name
This Basque name, which derives the name of a small town, is less well known than its diminutive version Arantxa. The name comes from the Basque word aratza meaning thornbush.
Arcadia
Greek
"region offering peace and contentment"
Arcadia, a name for an unspoiled paradise, makes an attractive secular alternative to Nevaeh or Eden. For parents who want an unusual name with a friendlier nickname, Arcadia has the advantage of…
Arcangela
Greek
"high-ranking angel"
Arcangela is a heavenly possibility if Angel or Angela isn't elevated enough for you.
Arethusa
Greek
"quick water"
In Greek mythology, Arethusa is a nymph who is transformed into a fresh water fountain. The name is also used for a type of orchid and featured in Bleak House by Charles Dickens.
Arizona
Place-name from Papago Indian
"little springs"
We usually think of place-names as a modern invention, but in fact Arizona ranked on the US Top 1000 from its inception in 1880 until 1911, when it vanished below the surface. It peaked at Number 510…
Arthurine
Feminine form of Arthur, Celtic
"bear"
If you're looking for a girl's name that honors an ancestral Arthur, try Artis.
Ashala
Variation of Asha or Ashley
Although Ashala is steadily yet quietly used as a name in its own right, it seems to be an invention derived from either Asha, a Sanskrit word and name meaning "hope" and also sometimes a variant of…
Ashla
Ashla is a feminine name with multiple possible origins. It may be a variation of Ashley, which derives from Old English elements meaning 'ash tree meadow,' or it could be related to the Hebrew name…