my original characters

Jamia

Jamia is a feminine name with Arabic and Muslim origins, meaning "gatherer" or "one who brings together." In some cultures, it can also refer to a university or place of higher learning, giving the…

Josefina

Hebrew, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish feminine form of Joseph, Hebrew

"Jehovah increases"

Sweet and bright international form of Josephine, used in many European countries with various pronunciations of the initial J. A notable bearer is Josefina "Joey" Guerrero, a Filipina spy during…

Mireia

Catalan form of Mireille

"to admire"

Popular name in Spain drawn from the Provencal Mireio, coined by the poet Frederic Mistral. Very pretty and, though difficult to spell and pronounce, simpler than the French version.

Ysabel

Spanish variation of Isabel, variation of Elizabeth, Hebrew

"pledged to God"

Ysabel is the original spelling of this ever-more-popular name, though to English-speakers, the initial Y may confuse pronunciation. Only 14 baby girls were given the Ysabel spelling in the US last…

Maris

Latin

"of the sea"

Maris is an unusual and appealing name that has never appeared in the U.S. Top 1000, overshadowed by its twentieth century elaboration, Marisa/Marissa. It derives from the phrase "Stella Maris," star…

Chiara

Italian

"light, clear"

Chiara is a lovely and romantic Italian name that's familiar but not widely used here: a real winner. You might consider Chiara instead of Claire, Clara, Cara, or even Keira. Santa Chiara, Aglicized…

Lucrezia

Lucrezia is an elegant Italian feminine name with ancient Roman roots. Derived from the Latin family name Lucretius, it's associated with wealth and prosperity. The name gained prominence during the…

Rhiannon

Welsh

"divine queen"

Strong and outdoorsy, yet pretty and queenly, Rhiannon was a once obscure Welsh name, brought into the mainstream in 1976, following Fleetwood Mac's flash hit song of the same title. It stormed into…

Xanthe

Greek

"golden, yellow"

X marks the spot in names these days, usually at the middles or ends of names, but here is one that puts it squarely up front. This extravagant name, which, like many Greek names beginning with X, is…