Girl names à la Lana Del Rey

Penelope

Greek

"weaver"

As elegant and refined as it is sweet and energized., Penelope has been well and truly revived in the 21st-century. Off the Top 1000 for 25 years, Penelope jumped back on in 2001 and has been heading…

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,…

Dahlia

Flower name, from Swedish surname

"Dahl's flower"

One of the flower names, used occasionally in Britain (where it's pronounced DAY-lee-a). It seems to have recovered from what was perceived as a slightly affected la-di-dah air. The flower was named…

Blaire

English variation of Blair, Scottish

"dweller on the plain"

Blair with a little something extra, which some parents may feel feminizes the name. The Blaire spelling was given to a surprising number of baby girls, with about a third of baby girls with the name…

Carmen

Spanish variation of Carmel or Latin

"garden or song"

Carmen has long been associated with the sensuous, tragic heroine of Bizet's opera, based on a novel by Prosper Merimee; more recently it has called to mind two other bombshells: Carmen Miranda (born…

Florence

Latin

"flourishing, prosperous"

Florence is back, returning to the US Top 1000 girl names in 2017 after a nearly 40 year absence. Other English-speaking countries have been quicker to welcome Florence back into fashion. The name…

Lana

English diminutive of Alana

"rock or handsome"

Popularized in the 1940s by Lana (born Judy) Turner, today Lana is synonymous with American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey. Although it has been rising steadily since the early 2000s, Lana still sits…

Eve

Hebrew

"life"

Eve, the oldest name in the Book, is now coming back into style, having the virtues of simplicity and purity, yet with more strength and resonance than other single-syllable names like Ann. British…

Zelda

Diminutive of Griselda

"gray fighting maid"

Classified as an early beauty, Zelda has long and often been used as such for characters in books and films. Since 1986, Zelda has been a prime Nintendo name, as in the Legend of Zelda: Twilight…

Azura

English, Persian

"sky blue, lapis lazuli"

A sparkly elaboration of the color name Azure, Azura is a vivid choice that may appeal to those who enjoy Azaria, Aurora, Astrid, and Alara. Used in English to mean "sky blue", azure ultimately comes…

Audra

English, Lithuanian

"noble strength; storm"

Used primarily in Scotland, and represented here by singer Audra McDonald, the girls' name Audra has been overshadowed by the return of the classic Audrey. Audra may be to Audrey what Jenna is to…

Astoria

Place name

Long more associated with the New York Waldorf- hotel and the neighborhood in Queens than as a baby name, Astoria is finally beginning to emerge from their shadow and find favor with parents looking…

Dolores

Spanish

"lady of sorrows"

Though it's related to the Virgin Mary, this name was once perceived as the height of sensuality, a role since taken over by nicknames Lola and Lolita. Dolores is one of the many titles given to the…

Diane

French variation of Diana, Latin

"divine"

Like Joanne and Christine, middle-aged Diane has been overshadowed by the a-ending version of her name. Diane has a definite mid-century feel; it was a Top 20 name from 1946 to 1959. Though it has…

Charlize

Afrikaans feminization of Charles, French

"free man"

Charlize is a name that owes its very life to a star: elegant blond South African actress Charlize Theron. She was named after her father, whose name was Charles. Charlize jumped onto the popularity…

Dionne

Greek, feminine variation of Dion

"divine"

Dionne is an Americanized version of the Greek Dione, with many sub-versions of its own, identified with singer Dionne Warwick. It was also the surname of the Canadian quintuplets born in 1934, who…

Velvet

English word name

"a fabric characterized by a short soft dense warp pile"

Velvet is a name that couldn't possibly be softer or more luxuriant. Many people have fond memories of it via the character of Velvet Brown, played by the young Elizabeth Taylor in National Velvet ,…

Lolita

Spanish, diminutive of Lola and Dolores, Spanish

"lady of sorrows"

In Nabokov's notorious novel, Lolita is the pet name given by the pedophilic narrator, Humbert Humbert, to his victim: a young girl called Dolores and nicknamed Lola or Lo by her mother. Still, it…

Merilyn

English, combination of Merry and Lynn

All the names ending in-lyn seem sadly dated.

Dune

English word name

"dune"

Dune is a haunting and evocative sandy-beach name, which also has sci-fi connections. Dune is a science fiction franchise that was launched by Frank Herbert's 1965 novel. Some interesting Dune…