Softer Sounding Names

Hermione

Feminine version of Hermes, Greek

"messenger, earthly"

Hermione's costarring role in Harry Potter has made this previously ignored, once stodgy name suddenly viable. Hermione could really take off once today's children start having kids of their own. In…

Hermia

Greek, female form of Hermes

"cairn, pile of stones, boundary marker"

Though we've gotten used to Hermione via Harry Potter , and even Hermes with its godlike and fashion associations, most people would still have a problem with Hermia (too close to hernia?) and…

Cassiopeia

Greek mythology name

"cassia juice"

Cassiopeia, the name of a mythological mother who became a stellar constellation, is challenging but intriguing, and has all those softening Cass nicknames available. And with all names Cass-related…

Casilda

Spanish

"poem, ode; battle"

An obscure medieval saint's name which nevertheless sounds pretty on-trend right now: a softer alternative to Matilda, perhaps. If you're searching for Spanish names for girls , this can make an…

Audrina

Variation of Audrey

"noble strength"

Audrina is a name that owes its fame to overnight reality TV sensation Audrina Partridge, one of the original cast of the MTV reality series The Hills .

Ismene

Greek

"knowledgeable"

Sister of Antigone and daughter of Oedipus in Greek mythology, Ismene's name is unlikely to make it in modern times because of its teasability factor. Ismay or Esme would be better bets.

Danae

Greek

An intriguing mythological name whose one challenge might be pronunciation questions. In Greek myth, Danae, a goddess of music and poetry, was the mother of Perseus by Zeus, who appeared to her in…

Jemima

Hebrew

"dove; daytime"

Jemima, the name of a strong and beautiful Biblical daughter of Job, has long been among the chicest choices of aristocratic Brits, and has since shifted to be used more generally too, replacing…

Julienne

French from Latin

"youthful or sky father"

Fine in France, but here it means vegetables sliced into thin strips.

Lilianne

Lilianne is an elegant feminine name that combines elements of the flower name Lily with the grace of French-influenced -anne endings. With roots in Latin and Hebrew, it essentially means "lily…

Lisette

French, diminutive of Elizabeth or Lise

"pledged to God"

Lisette, also spelled Lizette, is a dainty,, if somewhat dated, Gallic offshoot of Elizabeth. It reached its U.S. peak of popularity in 1999, then fell off the list in 2001. Lisette Model (born…

Meline

Meline is a feminine name with Armenian origins, derived from the Greek name 'Melina,' meaning 'honey' or 'yellow.' In Armenian culture, it carries connotations of sweetness and warmth. The name has…

Melora

Greek

"golden apple"

Euphonic hybrid of the sounds of Melissa and Laura. Melora Hardin is an actress who was featured on The Office.

Melusine

French, folkloric name

Melusine was a figure from early European folklore, associated with the water. Her legends are especially connected with the northern and western areas of France, as well as the Low Countries. She is…

Mirabel

Latin

"wonderful"

Mirabel is one of those names that's not on the Top 1000 but ought to be, and undoubtedly will be soon following the release of Disney's 2021 Encanto . Mirabel is the film's quirky and highly…

Morella

Literary name

The eponymous character in an Edgar Allan Poe ghost story, gothic Morella was likely based on Latin mors ("death") or Greek mauros ("black"). It’s also a subtle nature name, being an alternative name…

Marielle

Dutch and French diminutive of Mary

"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"

Popular in France in the 60s, Marielle is one of many international variations and diminutives of Mary. While actress and author Mariel Hemingway made us aware of the more abbreviated spelling —…

Neoma

Greek or Hebrew

"new moon; pleasantness"

An obscure yet on-trend name with two wonderful meanings associated with it. Neoma is one of the freshest celestial girl names with moon-related meanings, rarer than Luna or Phoebe but with the same…