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Pandora
Greek
"all gifted"
Pandora has occasionally been used by the British gentry (for girls with brothers who might be called Peregrine) and is now starting to be heard in the US too: It was given to 34 baby girls last…
Pearleen
Pearleen is an uncommon feminine name that emerged as an elaboration of Pearl, which itself comes from the precious gem. This embellished variant adds the diminutive suffix '-een' to create a more…
Pepina
Pepina is a feminine name with Spanish and Italian origins, functioning as a diminutive form of Josefa or Josephine, ultimately derived from the Hebrew name Joseph meaning 'God will add'. This…
Perdita
Latin
"lost"
A Shakespearean invention for an abandoned baby in The Winter's Tale , Perdita's sense of loss has always been off-putting to parents. But her image was somewhat resuscitated by its association with…
Phyllida
Greek variation of Phyllis
"green bough"
Phyllida, a "Masterpiece Theatre"-style appellation, seems far fresher and more unusual than Phyllis. It's green-related meaning makes it one of the prime names that mean new beginnings . It's a name…
Pippa
English, diminutive of Philippa
"lover of horses"
Pippa, a peppy condensation of Philippa that turns it from serious to sprightly, has come into the public eye in a big way via the former Kate Middleton's sister. Pippa can and is given as a name in…
Quanda
English
"queen"
A bit too close to "quandary" and "queen".
Quintana
Spanish
"the fifth girl"
Mexican place-name famously used by Joan Didion for her daughter, Quintana Roo.
Quintessence
Word name
Sounds pretty. But pretentious.
Rain
Word name
Among a small shower of rain-related names, this pure version can have a cool, refreshing image. Richard Pryor named his now-grown daughter Rain, and Rain is also one of the nature-named Phoenix…
Renate
Latin
"to be born again"
Common French and German alternative to Renata.
Reva
Hindi river name; Hebrew
"rain"
Refers to one of the seven sacred rivers of India.
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…
Rihanna
Arabic
"sweet basil"
Many will associate Rihanna with the Barbados-born singer, known mononymously by her middle name. During her early years of fame, when "Umbrella" was on the radio and "Take a Bow" was playing through…
Riona
Irish
"queenly"
We'd opt for Fiona.
Rommola
Rommola is an uncommon feminine name with obscure origins. It may be a variant of Romola, which derives from the Latin "Romulus," the legendary founder of Rome, thus carrying the meaning "from Rome"…
Rosalind
Latin
"soft horse or pretty rose"
Rosalind has a distinguished literary history – used and popularized by Edmund Spenser and Shakespeare via one of his most charming heroines, in As You Like It . Along with a bouquet of other Rose…
Roseanne
Combination of Rose and Anne
Forever -- or at least for a while -- linked to the onetime "Domestic Goddess", Roseanne Barr.
Russia
Russian place name
Consider ODESSA instead.
Scotia
Latin
"Scotland"
Place names can be a nod to your cultural heritage or a commemoration of a favorite destination. Scotia comes from the Latin name for Scotland, which may be a perfect fit for a family of Scottish…