User-created list
By wintersdusk · Updated February 2021
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English from Italian
"nightshade, beautiful lady"
Literally meaning "beautiful lady" in Italian, Belladonna is the name of a poisonous flower also known as nightshade. This connection gives an otherwise flowery name a darker, more dramatic edge.
Hebrew
"I will sing"
Unusual name with stylish, silky feel.
English surname
"flat-topped hill"
Though Embry became famous as the name of a boy werewolf in Twilight , we think its Em- beginning and -y ending make it perfectly appropriate for a girl. You might consider it as an alternative to…
French feminine form of Cecil
"blind"
Cecile is a fairly common French saint's name, scattered throughout classic French literature--in Les Liaisons Dangereuses, in Balzac's Cousin Pons, and Zola's Germinal. Cecile, Cecily and Cecilia…
Cornish variation of Mirin, Irish and Scottish, meaning unknown
St. Merryn, the name of a Cornish town derived from Mirin, a 6th century Irish saint important in Scottish history often as Mirren, is sometimes used in modern times as a girl's name. Lovely, sleek,…
Italian feminine variation of Cosmo, Greek
"order, beauty, universe"
Cosima, the kind of elegant and unusual name the British upper classes love to use for their daughters, is given to a handful of baby girls in the US after being chosen by two high-profile celebs in…
Greek
"fair speech"
Ancient martyr's name that, though not especially appealing, might still be mildly possible, especially for Anglophiles. It was widely used in early Scotland, but was overtaken by its nickname, Effie.
Literature, compound of Arabella and Aminta, Greek
"loveable; unyielding + defender; unfading"
Araminta is a poetic and enchanting eighteenth-century invention with plenty of elegance and a touch of old-fashioned clunkiness. It first appeared in William Congreve's 17th century comedy The Old…
Iveth is a feminine name with Spanish and Latin roots, likely a variant of Yvette or derived from the Latin 'Ivia'. The name carries a sense of elegance and distinction. While not extremely common in…
Anushka is a feminine name of Indian origin, serving as a diminutive form of Anu, which means 'atomic' or 'small' in Sanskrit. The name carries warmth and affection through its diminutive suffix.…
Place name
Mount Olivet is a mountain ridge east of and adjacent to Jerusalem's Old City. It is named for the olive groves that once covered its slopes. Several key events in the life of Jesus, as related in…
English variation of Cecilia
This frilly Victorian name is a variant of Cecilia and Cecily, with which it might well be confused. Cicely was a surprise choice for comedienne Sandra Bernhard. Literary Cicelys can be found in Sir…
Sorelle is a feminine name derived from the Italian word for 'sisters,' making it particularly meaningful for families with multiple daughters or for parents who value sisterhood. The name has a…
"gold"
Cressida is a golden, mythological, and Shakespearean name, much better known in Britain than it is in the US. Given to just 11 American girls in a recent year — though still the highest number on…
Latin
"evening star"
While this is usually thought of as a girls' name because of the Bond Girl connection, its sound is masculine and there's no reason it couldn't work for boys.
Phoenician
"Baal protects the King"
This evocative name of one of the Three Wise Men of the Orient, also spelled Balthasar, may finally be ready for prime time. Balthazar, Melchior and Caspar were the Magi who brought gifts of gold,…
French
"ocean"
Oceane (oh-see-EN) has been one of the chicest names in France for several years, ranking in the French Top 50. This is a sophisticated name that could easily cross the ocean, and is much more…
Adrien as a feminine name represents the female version of Adrian, though it's more commonly used for males in French-speaking regions. Derived from the Latin name Hadrianus, meaning 'from Hadria'…
Flower name; Greek
"unfading"
Amarantha is a rare botanical name whose mythical equivalent was believed to be immortal. The Italian and Spanish form is the somewhat-more-acccessible Amaranta.
Kasimir is a masculine name of Slavic origin, specifically from Polish and Russian traditions. Derived from the elements 'kazi' (destroy) and 'mir' (peace or world), it paradoxically means 'destroyer…