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Softer Sounding Names
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Eleri
Welsh
"greatly bitter"
Striking name of a legendary princess and a Welsh river that feels both moody and modern. It is currently popular in Wales.
Elisha
Variant of Alicia or Hebrew
"God is my salvation"
Elisha (ee-LYE-sha) is an Old Testament male name, sometimes borrowed for girls. Pronouced eh-LEE-sha, it is also used as a spelling variant of Alicia or Elysia.
Ellery
English
"island with elder trees; descendant of Hilary; cheerful, happy"
In the past few years Ellery has gone from middle-aged male detective -- from old school fictional hero Ellery Queen -- to a plausible girls' name, a la Hillary. Ellery is one of the golden names…
Emil
Latin
"rival"
Derived from the Latin word aemulus , Emil is a name with international appeal. Concise and sturdy but with the gentle Em sound, Emil is popular across Europe, from Azerbaijan to Finland, from…
Emile
Emile is a masculine name of French origin, derived from the Roman family name Aemilius, which comes from the Latin word 'aemulus' meaning 'rival' or 'emulating'. Popular throughout France and…
Emrys
Welsh, variation of Ambrose
"immortal"
Magical and powerful, but gentle and approachable too, Emrys is a Welsh name which may be worth considering if you're looking for something less common that Dylan, Evan, or Morgan. An offbeat epithet…
Enya
Irish
"fire"
This phonetic Anglicization of the Irish name Eithne was made familiar by the single-named Irish singer and composer. St. Eithne was the daughter of a king and an early Irish convert to Christianity.
Eyre
Literary name and Old Norse
"gravel bank river"
This lovely name is best-known as the surname of eponymous Bronte heroine, Jane Eyre, and would make an appealing and distinctive middle name for the child of fans of that book. While the surname…
Fae
Spelling variation of Faye, English
"fairy"
Now that Faye is back on the Top 1000 after a decades-long absence, its spelling variations are being revived as well. Fae was given to nearly as many baby girls last year as Fay and may be…
Faun
Faun is a delicate feminine name derived from Roman mythology, where fauns were woodland deities or nature spirits, often depicted as half-human, half-goat creatures similar to the Greek satyrs. The…
Fawn
Nature name
"a young deer"
The doe-eyed Fawn is as gentle and soft as the baby deer it represents. And much like that baby deer, it carries with it the potential of new life. Fawn was featured at the bottom of the Top 1000…
Fionn
Irish
"fair or white"
Fionn, the modern Irish form of Finn, is more popular in Ireland these days than Finn, which is rising fast in the U.S. where Fionn is virtually unknown. That's probably a good thing, because few…
Frey
Scandinavian
"lord, exalted one"
Frey is the handsome Norse fertility god, a worthy namesake. Frey remains rare in the US even as the similar Freya picks up in popularity.
Gwawr
Hymn
Ilaria
Italian variation of Hilary
"cheerful, happy"
Hilary may feel too connected to a single personality, but this version offers a fresh and interesting alternative. Alec and Hilaria Baldwin (born Hillary Lynn Hayward-Thomas) chose this variation of…
Ilario
Latin from Greek
"cheerful, happy"
Ilario's merry, jovial sound reflects a shared root with the word hilarious.
Ilia
Variation of Iliana or Julia, Greek, Basque, Bulgarian "from Illium or Troy; youthful or sky father; Yahweh is God"
"from Illium or Troy; youthful or sky father; Yahweh is God"
Three syllables in only four letters is quite a feat, but that's exactly what you get with Ilia, a versatile, unisex option with various origins. It could derive from the Greek Iliana, which could…
Isabeau
French variation of Isabel
"pledged to God"
With Isabel getting so popular, parents are searching for new varieties of the name, and Isabeau is one that makes a lovely French twist. Isabeau of Bavaria was the wife of King Charles VI of…
Jonquil
English flower name, from Latin
"reed"
Jonquil is an unusual flower name that is less outlandish than Daffodil and less common than Daisy. It just might appeal to parents seeking a singular botanical option. Unlike most flower names,…