Rose by Any Other Name

  1. Damaris
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "dominant woman"
    • Description:

      In the New Testament, Damaris was an Athenian woman converted to Christianity by St. Paul. Known for her charitable work, her name was a favorite among the Puritans. Having slid off the bottom of the Top 1000 in 2012, Damaris might be deserving of more attention by parents in search of a New Testament name that is unusual but accessible, especially since girls' names ending in 's' are coming back into fashion.
  2. Desdemona
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "ill-starred"
    • Description:

      Desdemona is as Shakespearean as a name can be, but because the beautiful and innocent wife of Othello came to such a tragic end, her name has been avoided for centuries. But at this point in time, there might be some adventurous parents willing to overlook that.
  3. Drusilla
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "fruitful"
    • Description:

      Drusilla is an ancient Roman name, (probably) borne by descendants of Antony and Cleopatra, and is one of the 'illa' names that are ready for a comeback, especially with its cute short form Dru.
  4. Estrid
    • Elaiodora
      • Faustina
        • Origin:

          Latin
        • Meaning:

          "fortunate one"
        • Description:

          A name with several distinguished namesakes: the wife of ancient Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, a famous Italian opera singer, and two Catholic saints--making it both substantial and unusual.
      • Flannery
        • Origin:

          Irish
        • Meaning:

          "descendant of Flannghal"
        • Description:

          Long before the vogue of using Irish surnames for girls, writer Flannery O'Connor gave this one some visibility. It has a warm (flannelly) feel and the currently popular three-syllable ee-ending sound.
      • Florencia
        • Origin:

          Spanish, from Latin
        • Meaning:

          "flourishing, prosperous"
        • Description:

          A pretty elaboration on Florence used in Hispanic countries.
      • Floriana
        • Gardenia
          • Origin:

            Flower name, from English surname
          • Meaning:

            "Garden's flower"
          • Description:

            More uncommon and powerful than garden varieties like Rose and Lily. Named for Scottish botanist Dr Alexander Garden.
        • Indigo
          • Origin:

            Greek
          • Meaning:

            "Indian dye"
          • Description:

            Indigo is one of the most appealing and evocative of the new generation of color names. Color names have joined flower and jewel names -- in a big way -- and Indigo, a deep blue-purple dye from plants native to India, is particularly striking for both girls and boys. Indigo is the name of a character in the Ntozake Shange novel Sassafrass, Cypress & Indigo, and was used for his daughter by Lou Diamond Phillips.
        • Isadora
          • Origin:

            Greek
          • Meaning:

            "gift of Isis"
          • Description:

            For a long time, Isadora has been overlooked in favor of Isabella, owing perhaps to its association with the tragic modern dancer, Isadora Duncan, or because parents would rather their daughter be a Bella than a Dora. Now, with Theodora back in the charts and vintage names in vogue, Isadora has been slowly gaining more attention over the last decade.
        • Isolde
          • Origin:

            Welsh, German
          • Meaning:

            "ice ruler"
          • Description:

            Now that Tristan has been rediscovered, maybe it's time for his fabled lover in the Arthurian romances and Wagnerian opera, a beautiful Irish princess, to be brought back into the light as well.
        • Laelia
          • Origin:

            Latin family name and botanical name
          • Description:

            Upside: it has an interesting ancient look and feel, related to the Roman family name Laelius of uncertain meaning. There is also a type of orchid called the Laelia. Downside: possible confusion with all those Laylas, Lailas, etc. out there.
        • Laurentina
          • Opaline
            • Origin:

              Elaboration of Opal, French, Sanskrit
            • Meaning:

              "gem"
            • Description:

              A word name with a touch of Adeline/Caroline/Apolline mixed in, Opaline has a sleek and stylish yet whimsical feel.
          • Ophelia
            • Origin:

              Greek
            • Meaning:

              "help"
            • Description:

              Floral, elegant, and bold, Ophelia re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2015 after more than 50 years off the charts. It has risen more than 700 spots since then and shows no signs of slowing down. Now in the US Top 300, could Ophelia one day become the next Olivia or Amelia?
          • Patience
            • Origin:

              Latin virtue name
            • Meaning:

              "ability to accept or tolerate inconveniences, and suffering without anxiety or anger"
            • Description:

              Patience is a passive virtue turned engaging name, fresher than Hope, Faith, or even Charity. Its resemblance to the trendy Payton may be one reason that it returned to the US charts back in the 90's and 2000s, having been absent for a century.
          • Prudencia
            • Rowena
              • Origin:

                Welsh
              • Meaning:

                "white spear or famous friend"
              • Description:

                A fabled storybook name via the heroine of Sir Walter Scott's novel Ivanhoe (1819), which featured a heroine called Rowena of Hargottstanstede, and also a Harry Potter name, as Rowena Ravenclaw, founder of one of the Hogwarts houses..