Cool Girl Names Beyond the Top 1000 (2015)

Now that Zoe is getting wildly popular in the U.S. and the U.K. -- one poll puts it at number one in Wales -- parents may start hunting down fresh twists like this.

With Violet in vogue, this vibrant international variation has been on the rise since the 2010s. Vintage and floral like its more popular sister, Violetta has a slightly softer sound and a touch of extra flair. Given to 135 girls in a recent year, it also gets you to nicknames Etta, Vita, and Lettie.

With related choices such as Lark and Phoenix gaining popularity, why not Sparrow? Though it's usually thought of as a female name, Nicole Richie and Joel Madden chose it for their son.

Marlena is a feminine name with various European origins, primarily formed as a blend of 'Maria' and 'Elena' or 'Magdalena.' The name carries a romantic, elegant quality while maintaining strength. With Latin roots connected to the names Mary and Helen, Marlena suggests traditional feminine virtues like grace, nurturing, and inner beauty. Though never among the most popular names in the US, Marlena has maintained consistent usage since the mid-20th century, with periodic boosts from characters in literature and television. The name has a melodic quality with its flowing syllables, making it both sophisticated and accessible. Marlena offers the appeal of being recognizable without being overly common.

Has a pure, clean aura, but is also evocative.

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 in 1882, before Arizona became a state. One notorious vintage bearer: criminal "Ma" Barker, born Arizona Clark.

A spelling variant of Corinne, which ranked a little behind its sister spelling until the 1990s when it fell out of favor.

Cute short form of Esther, now associated with the iconic nail polish brand.

Most names that start with Cam- are on the upswing, so why not this obscure term for Wales as well as for a prehistoric time period.

Out-of-the-way place name (it's an antiquated holiday spot on England's south coast) that might make a brilliant choice. Actor/director Jon Favreau named his daughter Brighton Rose.

Though Tristan was the male figure in the romantic legend and his name has become trendy for boys, it's used now for girls, too: About 15 percent of the baby Tristans are female. And about three times as many girls are named Tristan as are named Isolde, Tristan's mythical female counterpart. There are also feminizations of Tristan, such as Tristana and Tristine, but these are much more rare than the original.

Britton, technically a spelling variation of Britain, is much more popular that the original place name for both boys and girls. There are about three baby girls named Britton for every four boys, making it a truly nonbinary choice.

Avia is one of those multi-cultural, vowel-heavy girls' names so popular today, along with such choices as Ayla and Aya.