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Softer Sounding Names
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Elissa
Variation of Alice or Elizabeth
The Elissa version of a long-popular name is fading in favor of Alyssa, Eliza and other variants. The legion of other forms and spellings includes Alissa, Allissa, Allyssa, Alyssa, Elissah, Ellisa,…
Leora
Diminutive of Eleanor, or Hebrew and Greek
"light"
Somewhat dated Hebrew name that appears more modern when spelled Liora.
Ilana
Hebrew
"oak tree"
Ilana is a name with seemingly endless variations, well used in Israel, sometimes chosen for little girls born on the holiday of TuB'Shevat, the New Year of the Trees. While some sources say Ilana is…
Serafina
Italian and Spanish variation of Seraphina
"ardent"
Serafina is a name so lovely it's worthy of an angel. But the more stylish spelling today is Seraphina.
Seraphine
French from Hebrew
"burning ones"
Seraphine is the Gallic version of the angelic name Seraphina. But while Seraphina has been rising rapidly since Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck chose it for their second daughter, Seraphine has been…
Corabelle
Corabelle is a charming feminine name that combines elements of Cora and Belle, both names with their own rich meanings. Cora comes from Greek, meaning "maiden" or possibly from the Latin "cor"…
Araminta
Literature, compound of Arabella and Aminta, Greek
"loveable; unyielding + defender; unfading"
Araminta is a poetic and enchanting eighteenth-century invention with plenty of elegance and a touch of old-fashioned clunkiness. It first appeared in William Congreve's 17th century comedy The Old…
Fleur
French
"flower"
Fleur is a generic, delicate flower name that emigrated into the English-speaking world when John Galsworthy bestowed it on one of the Forsytes in his celebrated saga. More recently, there was Fleur…
Ianthe
Greek
"purple flower"
Like Violet, Lavender and Lilac, Ianthe is a purple flower name. Chosen by the poet Shelley for his daughter, Ianthe has a poetic, romantic, almost ethereal quality. In the ancient myth, she was the…
Eulalie
French form of Eulalia, Greek
"sweetly speaking"
Eulalie hasn't ranked in the US Top 1000 since 1899, but its French roots might make it more appealing to modern ears than its sister Eulalia. "Eulalie" is a poem by Edgar Allan Poe, and the name…
Eulalia
Greek
"sweetly speaking"
Eulalia is a melodious name with a southern drawl, thanks to those lilting double L s and similarity to similar Eudora and Eula. Familiar in the US in the early 20th century, it was also a popular…
Calla
Greek
"beautiful"
Calla is a botanical name that is much more distinctive than popular Lily or similar Callie. Rarely heard today, it did appear in the popularity lists in the last decades of the nineteenth century.…
Junia
Latin, Feminine variation of Junius
"born in June"
Juno is hot, June is showing signs of a comeback along with other month and day names, whereas Junia, the name of the the first century Christian referred to by the apostle Paul as an apostle (and…
Amity
Latin
"friendship"
Amity--what nicer gift to give your little girl than a name that signifies friendship and harmony? This virtue name is also more rhythmic and feminine than the single-syllable Hope, Faith, and Grace.…
Forsythia
Flower name, from English surname
"Forsyth's flower"
This yellow harbinger spring bloom was named for Scottish botanist William Forsyth, and is even more unusual than such species as Acacia and Azalea.
Gardenia
Flower name, from English surname
"Garden's flower"
More uncommon and powerful than garden varieties like Rose and Lily. Named for Scottish botanist Dr Alexander Garden.
Echo
Greek mythology name
"echo or sound"
Echo, the pretty, resonant name of a legendary nymph, was the heroine of Joss Whedon's sci-fi series Dollhouse . Nick Hexum, of the band 311, named his daughter Echo Love. In the Greek myth, Echo was…
Thalassa
Greek
"the sea"
A pretty, rarely used Greek name, Thalassa is the ancient personification of the sea, particularly the Mediterranean, who is sometimes considered the mother of Aphrodite. In 1991, a newly discovered…
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…
Christiana
Latin feminization of Christian, Greek from Latin
"follower of Christ"
Not cutting edge, but still graceful and feminine. Parents who care about style may pass on all names Chris (or Kris) related, which were so popular in the second half of the 20th century. But…