Favorites from Fiction/History

Isabella

Spanish and Italian variation of Elizabeth, Hebrew

"pledged to God"

Isabella has been a Top 10 name for girls in the US for two decades now. The Latinate form of Isabel, a variation of Elizabeth which originally derived from the Hebrew name Elisheba, Isabella reigned…

Maeve

Irish

"she who intoxicates"

Maeve is a short and sweet name that has become one of the most stylish Irish names for girls in the modern US. It joined the Top 100 for the first time in 2023 and now ranks at Number 75. Maeve…

Caroline

French, feminine variation of Charles

"free man"

Caroline is a perennial classic, one of the elite group of girls' names that's ALWAYS ranked among the Top 1000 and that's been in the Top 100 since 1994. Elegant yet strong, Caroline calls to mind…

Margot

French, diminutive of Margaret

"pearl"

Margot is suddenly a star again. After a nearly-half century absence, it hopped back on the Top 1000 list in 2013 and is on the rise. The Margot spelling is now given to three times as many baby…

Jasmine

Flower name, from Persian

"gift from God"

Jasmine was derived from the Persian word yasmin , referring to the jasmine flower. Scented oil was made from the plant, and it was used as a perfume throughout the Persian Empire. Variants include…

Lucille

French variation of Latin Lucilla

"light"

Lucille is a name that had long been overpowered by its link to Lucille Ball, with an image of tangerine-colored hair, big, round eyes, and a tendency to stage daffy and desperate stunts. But with…

Leia

Variation of Leah, Laya, or Leya, Portuguese, Spanish, English, Sanskrit

"weary; the law; dissolution"

Most familiar in the English speaking world as the Star Wars princess, Jedi, and leader, Leia can be considered a pop culture choice, created by George Lucas who in turn likely based it on the…

Tiana

Diminutive form of Tatiana

A pretty princess-connected choice, with a compact, no-frills appearance, Tiana's debut in the US charts was likely thanks to actress Tiana Alexandra-Silliphant making her own debut in the 1975 movie…

Elayne

Elayne is a feminine name representing a variant spelling of Elaine, which derives from the Old French form of Helen, ultimately from Greek origins meaning 'bright' or 'shining light.' This name…

Caterina

Italian variation of Katherine

If your ancestry is Italian, you may want to consider this elegant twist on a classic.

Rey

Spanish

"king"

Rey, a Ray-soundalike that has ranked on the boys' side for the past 15 years, is about to get more popular for girls too, now that it's the name of the new heroine of the latest Star Wars movie.…

Fleur

French

"flower"

Fleur is a generic, delicate flower name that emigrated into the English-speaking world when John Galsworthy bestowed it on one of the Forsytes in his celebrated saga. More recently, there was Fleur…

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…

Myrcella

Variant of Marcella

One of the many faux-Medieval names invented by George R.R. Martin for his A Song of Ice and Fire series of books, the source of HBO's Game of Thrones . Princess Myrcella Baratheon is the daughter of…

Bedelia

Irish

"strength or exalted one"

This fanciful Irish extension of Bridget is known here through the wacky Amelia Bedelia books for kids -- an association your child may or may not like.