Safe girl names and guilty pleasures

Erin

Irish

"from the island to the west"

First-wave Irish name and place name—the poetic name for Ireland—now supplanted by newer alternatives such as Maeve and Delaney.

Indigo

Greek

"Indian dye"

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…

Greta

German, diminutive of Margarethe

"pearl"

Greta is an Old World name long tied to the iconic Garbo, but now synonymous with environmental activism. In the early 2000s, Greta was showing signs of a comeback, along with other Old Hollywood…

Milena

Czech; Slovak; Serbian; Croatian; Polish; Italian

"love, warmth, grace"

This popular name in various Slavic countries and in Italy holds considerable continental appeal. It is the full name of Ukranian-born actress Mila Kunis, noted for her award-winning role in the film…

Anouk

Dutch and French variation of Anna

"grace"

Anouk, made famous by French actress Anouk Aimée, is a singular name with a lovely sound and a Bohemian feel. Anouk Aimée was born as Francoise, but adopted the first name of the character she played…

Avalon

Celtic

"island of apples"

Avalon, an island paradise of Celtic myth and Arthurian legend--it was where King Arthur was taken to recover from his wounds-- and also the colorful capital of the California island of Catalina--…

Cat

Diminutive of Catherine, Greek

"pure"

May be the most modern, stylish Catherine nickname: more unusual than Kate or Cate, with an animal and word name edge. Cat Power is a trendy folksinger.

Cia

English or Swedish diminutive of Cynthia, Greek, or Cecilia, Latin

"moon goddess, woman from Kynthos; blind"

What's Cia short for? Cynthia or most any other C -name. Stylish in its sleek Mia-Nia minimalist feel, but may remind some of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Cosima

Italian feminine variation of Cosmo, Greek

"order, beauty, universe"

Cosima, the kind of elegant and unusual name the British upper classes love to use for their daughters, is given to a handful of baby girls in the US after being chosen by two high-profile celebs in…

Delta

Greek

"fourth letter; island formed at the mouth of a river"

Delta is an unusual vintage option, blending the sounds of Della and Etta. The fourth letter of the Greek alphabet and a geographical term, used to describe an island formed at the mouth of a river,…

Deva

Hindi

"divine, shining one"

If you don't want your daughter to be a Diva, try this Hindu moon goddess name that was chosen by actress Monica Bellucci for hers.

Dinah

Hebrew

"God will judge"

Dinah is a charming, underused Old Testament name with a rich literary and musical resume. In the Old Testament, Dinah was the beautiful daughter of Jacob and Leah and while some conflate her with…

Esperanza

Spanish

"hope, expectation"

Esperanza is a Spanish classic that's found its way onto the national popularity list in recent years. It came into the spotlight not long ago when jazz singer Esperanza Spalding "stole" the Best New…

Faline

Popular culture, Latin

"catlike"

For many, this is a Disneyfied name: Faline was the sweet doe Bambi fell in love with. The name is possibly based on Feline, a Latin name meaning "cat-like", however other sources suggest it comes…

Felina

Felina is a feminine name with Latin and Spanish origins, derived from 'felinus' meaning 'cat-like.' This evocative name suggests grace, independence, and mystery—qualities often associated with…

Fia

Irish, Portuguese, Italian

"wild, weaver"

Fia may be most notable at this moment as the Anglicized version of the Irish Fiadh, one of the fastest-rising names in the Republic of Ireland. The meaning of Fia or Fiadh is sometimes given as…

Fifi

French diminutive of Josephine, Hebrew

"Jehovah increases"

Fifi is a perfect name -- for a French poodle. But Fifi may seem more child-friendly as names like Coco and Lulu rise. Fifi in its fluffiness also balances the seriousness of such full names as…

Filomena

Greek

"lover of singing"

See PHILOMENA.

Fiorella

Italian

"little flower"

Not only are individual flower names more popular (and out-there) than ever, but so too are the more generic names like Florence and Flora. While brother name Fiorello became known via long-term New…

Gaia

Greek and Latin

"earth mother; rejoicing"

Floral, bright, and subtly powerful, Gaia is a name with two separate origins. In Greek mythology, it is the name of the earth goddess and the universal mother, who takes her epithet from the Ancient…