December '16F

Delilah

Hebrew or Arabic

"delicate"

Melodic and lively, Delilah has cut itself (mostly) free from its treacherous past to become a contemporary favorite. Though some people are naturally still put off by the deceptive Biblical figure,…

Sophie

French variation of Sophia, Greek

"wisdom"

Sophie is the French form of the Greek Sophia, for which it is also commonly used as a nickname. Given Sophia's long standing among the Top 10 girl names in the US, Sophie may feel more popular than…

Lucia

Italian and Spanish variation of Lucius, Latin

"light"

Lucia is a lush, rich Latinate equivalent of Lucy, popular in Spain and throughout Latin America and also a cross-cultural favorite. You might be surprised to know that Lucia has ALWAYS ranked among…

Evangeline

Greek

"bearer of good news"

Evangeline is a romantic old name enjoying a major comeback, thanks to its religious overtones, Eva's popularity, and the star of the TV megahit Lost , Evangeline Lilly. Evangelia and Evangelina —…

Rosalie

French variation of Rosalia, Latin

"rose"

Rosalie hit its apex in 1938 and then slid straight downhill until it fell off the U.S. Top 1000 completely in the 1980s, only to spring back to life in 2009 as the name of a character in the…

Melissa

Greek

"honeybee"

Melissa derives from the Greek word mélissa , meaning "bee," which was taken from the word for honey, meli . In Greek mythology, Melissa was a nymph who nursed the infant god Zeus with honey. Melissa…

Alyssa

English variation of Alicia

"noble"

Alyssa was in the Top 20 from 1997-2010 and peaked as the 11th most popular girls’ name in 1998 and 1999 but has become less popular in recent years. It's related to the flower alyssum as well as to…

Clementine

French feminine version of Clement, Latin

"mild, merciful"

Clementine is a Nameberry favorite that broke back into the US Top 1000 in 2014 after more than half a century off the list. A female variation of the more-unusual Clement, Clementine's meaning…

Felicity

Latin

"good fortune, happy"

Felicity is as accessible a virtue name as Hope and Faith, but much more feminine -- and dare we say, happier. The hit TV show did a lot to soften and modernize the once buttoned-up image of…

Jacqueline

French, feminine diminutive of Jacques

"supplanter"

Jacqueline originated as a feminine form of Jacques, the French variation of James, and therefore Jacob. Jacob was ultimately derived from the Hebrew name Ya’aqov, and gets its meaning, "supplanter"…

Miranda

Latin

"marvellous, admirable"

Miranda, a shimmeringly lovely, poetic name that was invented by Shakespeare for the beautiful and admirable young heroine of his play, The Tempest , is still a recommended choice even though its…

Clarissa

Elaboration of Clara

"bright, clear"

Clarissa, the daintier version of Claire, has a long literary history of its own, having been featured in the novels of Samuel Richardson, Charles Dickens, and Virginia Woolf—Clarissa was the title…

Jewel

Word name

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…

Eveline

English or French

"desired; or water, island"

Variant of Evelyn or Aveline

Blue

Color name

Blue suddenly came into the spotlight, as the unusual color name chosen by Beyonce and Jay-Z for their baby girl Blue Ivy. Blue is also a starbaby middle name du jour, used for both sexes in…

Laurelle

Laurelle is a feminine name that evolved as a diminutive or ornamental form of Laura, ultimately derived from the Latin 'laurus' meaning 'laurel tree' or 'sweet bay tree.' The laurel wreath has…

Malva

Greek

"slender, delicate"

Your zany neighbor, the one who's a potter and has five cats.