Black Satin and Pearls

Lenore

German variation of Leonora, Italian derivative of Eleonora, meaning unknown

A "modernization" of Leonora that has suddenly come back on the radar along with the many other Leo names--both male and female. With literary cred via a famous eponymous poem by Edgar Allan Poe (and…

Livana

Hebrew

"the moon, white"

Pretty and unusual, Livana may find a lot more fans as parents look for alternatives to Number 1 Olivia. Livana was used for only seven baby girls in the US last year.

Lysistrata

Greek

"she who disbands armies"

Literary and ancient, Lysistrata is the Latinized form of the Greek Lysistrate and the variation used by the ancient Greek playwright Aristophenes in his comedy of the same name. Set around the…

Marissa

Variation of Maris or a combination of Maria + Louisa

"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + famous battle"

Pretty feminissima name that never became as overused as cousin Melissa. The more streamlined Maris is a more modern sounding option. Namesakes include Marissa Mayer, the former CEO of Yahoo!. The…

Medora

Greek

"mother's gift"

Medora is a Greek name much less common here than, say, Melanie or Melissa. It has some literary references, including as the beautiful and passionate heroine of Lord Byron's poem The Corsair, and in…

Nerissa

Greek

"from the sea"

An offbeat possible replacement for the overused Melissa and Marisa, Nerissa was used by Shakespeare for Portia's witty confidante in The Merchant of Venice . Queen Elizabeth has a cousin named…

Olesia

Polish, diminutive of Aleksandra

Sounds a bit pharmaceutical.

Philippa

Greek, feminine variation of Philip

"lover of horses"

Philippa is a prime example of a boy's name adapted for girls that was common as crumpets in Cornwall, but rarely heard stateside. That was before the advent of royal sister-in-law Philippa…

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…

Sophronia

Greek

"sensible, prudent"

Stately and elegant, but with the familiar sounds of Sophia and Sophie, Sophronia was a familiar choice back in the 19th century but has since fallen into obscurity. Derived from the Greek sophron ,…

Tabitha

Aramaic

"gazelle"

Though never as popular as the name of her Bewitched mother, Samantha, Tabitha has its own quirky, magical charm. The name of a charitable woman who was restored to life by Saint Peter in the Bible,…

Tatiana

Russian, from Latin family name Tatius, meaning unknown

Classic yet spritely, Tatiana has long been familiar and popular in Russia and Eastern Europe, though it wasn't until the 80s that it caught on in the English-speaking world. With short forms Tiana,…

Theodosia

Greek

"gift of God"

This feminine form of Theodosius has long been buried deep in the attic, but might be a good discovery for the parent who wants to move beyond Theodora. Vice President Aaron Burr named a daughter…

Thisbe

Greek mythological name, meaning unknown

Thisbe, the name of a beautiful but tragic lover in mythology, is lively and cute -- in a slightly thistly, prickly way. Ovid retold the story of Thisbe and Pyramus, young lovers in ancient Babylon…

Titania

Greek

"giant, great one"

This name of the queen of the fairies in A Midsummer Night's Dream has a delicate, lacy charm similar to Tatiana's, but that first syllable could cause embarrassing problems.

Venice

Italian place-name

This name of one of the most romantic cities in the world could easily find its way onto an American baby girl's birth certificate.

Xanthe

Greek

"golden, yellow"

X marks the spot in names these days, usually at the middles or ends of names, but here is one that puts it squarely up front. This extravagant name, which, like many Greek names beginning with X, is…

Xanthippe

Greek

"yellow horse"

Famous as the long-suffering wife of the philosopher Socrates.

Yvette

French, feminine of Yves

"yew tree"

This French name has the elegance of other '-ette' names like Colette and Odette, and is a botanical name without being too obvious about it. Related to the sleek French name Yves, it was popular in…

Calpurnia

Latin "chalice; cup"

"chalice; cup"

Calpurnia is a name with a massive history. As the third and final wife of Julius Caesar, Calpurnia has been forever depicted in literature (Shakespeare) and film ( Cleopatra ; Rome ) as a modest and…