Girl Names That Don't End in a Vowel Sound

Amabel is an older name than Annabel and a lot more distinctive. Amabel was a very common name in the twelfth and thirteen centuries, then was revived during the nineteenth century British fad for medieval names.

A softly poetic surname name, associated with poet W.H., Auden is enjoying quiet but marked fashion status. It was chosen for his daughter by Noah Wyle and is definitely one to watch.

The French Canadian pop star Avril Lavigne put the spotlight on this name when she made the charts with "Sk8er Boi". It is simply the French form of April, the fourth month of the year, whose name might derive from the Latin aperire meaning "to open" in reference to the start of spring in the Northern hemisphere. Other sources suggest it comes from the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite.

Obsolete Swanhild gives way to oh-so-modern Swan, joining the flock of newly fashionable bird names such as Wren and Lark. In France, the Swann spelling is fashionable for both sexes. But Swan carries an image of grace, though perhaps also a bit of languor. It's a lovely and original name, right for our times.

With the sounds of Jennifer and Alexis, and the vibes of Eden and Serenity, Genesis is a Biblical inspired choice that has been popular in the US since the 2000s.

Just like Flora is for botanicals, Jewel is the generic gemstone name, not used much since the early twentieth century, when it was seen as a symbol of how precious a daughter could be. The French version, Bijou, feels more modern, as do Pearl and Ruby.

Anais, the name forever attached to the daring French-born American novelist and diarist Anais Nin, is unusual and French enough without appending an e, though some may think it clarifies pronunciation.

It's far cooler to drop the first syllable and go for Elle.

Fans of the classic French designer would now more fashionably choose Coco.

Karin was a fairly popular spelling variation of Karen in the US but fell off the Top 1000 in the late 80s, as Karen's popularity wained. Today, the Karen meme interferes with the otherwise appealing sound of this name.

Claribel improves on its mother name Clarabelle by distancing itself from the clown and the cow.

It's interesting how names imported to the US from other countries and cultures have fashion cycles based on their culture of origin. Paulette along with cousins Annette and Claudette were the most fashionable French imports in the middle of the last century, only to sink from sight and be replaced by such current French favorites as Charlotte, Sophie, and Eloise. In general, feminizations of male names have faded in favor of gender-neutral choices, and Paul itself is off its own fashion peak.

Popular in the US from the 1920s to the 1950s, Arlene is of uncertain origin and seems to be a modern innovation, perhaps based on names like Marlene and Darlene which were popular around the same time. Nowadays, the -lene names are mostly outdated, although the recent rise of retro Arlette could make Arlene seem plausible again as well.

Relic of a past period of French favorites, out to pasture with Claudette and Paulette.

Lisbeth is one of the many short forms of Elizabeth that are used on their own. Not only is it the name of the mother of the main character in George Eliot's novel Adam Bede, but it takes on a whole new, powerful image as the heroine of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo trilogy. Lizbeth is another spelling.

Lissette is a charming feminine name of French origin, functioning as a diminutive form of Elizabeth or Lisa. The name Elizabeth derives from the Hebrew 'Elisheva', meaning 'God is my oath' or 'pledged to God'. Lissette emerged as a pet form with the characteristic French diminutive suffix '-ette', adding a sense of delicacy and sweetness. Popular in French-speaking regions and Latin American countries, Lissette has maintained steady usage without becoming overly common. The name carries a graceful, feminine quality with its soft sounds and rhythmic syllables. While honoring the traditional Elizabeth, Lissette offers a more distinctive alternative with a touch of European flair. The name experienced modest popularity peaks during the 1970s and 1980s in the United States.

Patrice is a more modern-sounding and polished unisex alternative to Patricia.

Together with the more common (in France) Jeannine spelling, this feminine form of Jean was most popular in the 1930s in its home country, and in the 1960s in the US. It's fallen off the Top 1000 list since, but perhaps cute retro nickname Jeannie could tempt some vintage-loving parents back.

Majken, which is related to Maiken and Maike, is a popular name in Sweden whose variations are used throughout Scandinavia as cooler forms of Mary. Majken is virtually unknown in the U.S. and probably not bound for emigration.