Daring Middle Names for Girls

Venus

Latin

"love, desire"

The name of a heavenly planet and the Roman goddess of beauty and love was an intimidating no-no until tennis champ Venus Williams put an athletic, modern spin on it. Associated with the Greek…

Verona

Italian place-name

Verona is a scenic place-name with the added attraction of a Shakespearean connection, as in Two Gentlemen of ....

Veruschka

Veruschka is a diminutive form of the Russian name Vera, meaning 'faith.' This exotic variation gained international recognition through the famous 1960s supermodel Veruschka von Lehndorff (born Vera…

Viridiana

Latin

"green"

Viridiana is a frillier version of the medieval name Viridis, meaning green. Viridiana briefly made it into the top 1000 in the US in the 1990s.

Waverley

Waverley is a feminine name derived from English place names, originally meaning "meadow of quivering aspens" from Old English roots. The name gained literary recognition through Sir Walter Scott's…

Whimsy

English word name

"whimsical or fanciful"

Whimsy is a new entry to the ever-expanding word name lexicon, sister for Pixie and Bliss. While it has an undeniable offbeat English aristocratic charm (maybe we're thinking of Dorothy Sayers'…

Wilder

Word name and surname

"wild, untamed, uncontrolled"

The name Wilder is still used more than 90 percent of the time for boys, but it's being used quietly for girls too. with 50 receiving the name in a recent year. Along with the rest of the Wild and…

Wisteria

Flower name, from English surname

"Wister's flower"

A frilly southern-accented flower name yet to be planted on many birth certificates. In the language of flowers, the wisteria is a symbol of devotion. It is named for American horticulturalist John…

Xena

Pop culture, Greek

"guest, hospitality"

Likely a variation of the Greek name Xenia, Xena is associated with the the TV Warrior Princess, played by Lucy Lawless back in the 90s. Also used as a diminutive form of Alexina or Zenobia, the name…

Zsazsa

Hungarian, , diminutive of Erzsebet

"God is my oath"

Zsa Zsa is a zippy Hungarian nickname name, sometimes used independently, linked for decades with the Hungarian-born actress Zsa Zsa Gabor--who was born Sari.

Empress

English word name

"Female ruler of an empire, consort of an Emperor"

Yet another noble name to join King, Prince, Princess, et al. The name Empress was given to over 100 baby girls in the US last year.

Loveday

Cornish, English

"beloved day"

A loveday in medieval England was a day when people engaged in a dispute would come together and try to resolve their differences amicably. The name was sometimes given to babies, male or female, who…

Pascalette

Pascalette is a feminine variation of the name Pascal, which has Latin origins and means "of Easter" or "relating to Passover." This charming derivative combines the traditional male name Pascal with…

Kassiopeia

Kassiopeia is a feminine name of Greek origin, derived from the mythological figure Cassiopeia, who was a queen in Greek mythology known for her beauty and vanity. The name carries a sense of…

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…

Odyssia

Variation of Odysseus or Odessa

Whether you take this as a female form of the mythical wanderer's name Odysseus or a spin on the place name Odessa makes a huge difference. But both names have that potential playground problem of…

Veruchka

Veruchka is a feminine name with Slavic origins, most likely a diminutive or variant form of Vera or Veronica. The name gained some international recognition through Veruschka, the professional name…

Nanette

French diminutive of Anne

"grace"

There was a time when French names like Annette, Paulette – and Nanette – were chic, but now, we'd have to say "No, no, Nanette".