Interesting names... abc

Jessamine

English from Persian

"jasmine"

Jessamine, a charming name occasionally heard in England, is just beginning to be appreciated in the U.S. as a possible successor to all the Jess names of the past. It's also spelled Jessamyn, as in…

Linden

English tree name

"tree of the genus Tilla"

Though this name of a sturdy tree that can live for centuries was quite popular for boys in the first half of the twentieth century, at this point in time we can see Linden as a fresh-sounding…

Magdelene

Magdelene is a variant spelling of Magdalene, a name with biblical origins referring to Mary Magdalene, a follower of Jesus from the town of Magdala. The name ultimately derives from Aramaic elements…

Serene

English word name

Serena in all its variant spellings is such a widely-used name that reducing it to its root word, Serene, might not occur to some. But like Pax and Clement, Serene is an excellent name for a calm…

Tess

English, diminutive of Theresa

"to harvest"

Cosy and warm but with plenty of substance and strength, Tess is a literary diminutive that works perfectly well as a stand-alone name. Stylish in the Netherlands, it currently sits outside the Top…

Elliot

English diminutive of Elias, Greek

"Yahweh is God"

Elliot is another traditional boy name used for girls" , a trend led by political commentator George Stephanopoulos and his actress wife Ali Wentworth. Variously spelled Eliot, Elliot, Elliott and…

Halley

Scottish and English

"hall or woodland clearing"

The Halley version of this popular name family hit the Top 1000 only once, in 1986, inspired by Halley's Comet, named for astronomer Edmund Halley. Today, Halley is still used -- it was given to 50…