Three or plus syllables.

Vivian

Latin

"life"

Vivian, once an elderly lady name, is on the rise, along with all forms of girl names that mean life — from Zoe to Eva to those who share the vivid Viv syllable. It was one of the fastest-rising…

Genevieve

English from French

"tribe woman"

Genevieve is derived from the Germanic medieval name Genovefa, or Kenowefa, which consists of the elements kuni , meaning "kin", and wefa , meaning "woman." The medieval saint Genevieve, patroness of…

Miriam

Hebrew or Egyptian

"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"

The oldest-known form of Mary, serious and solemn Miriam has been a particular favorite of observant Jewish parents. But we can see it extending beyond that sphere into the next wave of Old Testament…

Joanna

Variation of Johanna

"God is gracious"

Joanna derives from the Greek name Ioanna, which in turn came from the Hebrew name Yohannah. It is featured in the New Testament as a woman who accompanied Jesus on his travels and eventually reached…

Elodie

French, variation of Alodia, German

"foreign riches"

The lyrical and melodious Elodie, a Nameberry favorite, is starting to rise through the US popularity charts for the first time since the 1880s. This once uncommon member of the El- family is a Top…

Dorothy

English variation of Greek Dorothea

"gift of God"

In the 1930s, Dorothy left Kansas and landed in the Land of Oz; by the '80s she had become a Golden Girl, living in Miami with roommates Blanche and Rose, giving her a decidedly older image. But…

Teresa

Spanish

"to harvest"

How do you spell Teresa? Teresa, the simpler phonetic form of this name, was the most popular variation for its early life, when it was used exclusively in Spain and Portugal. Other spellings of…

Eloisa

Italian and Spanish variation of Eloise

"healthy; wide"

Eloisa captures a lovely name back from the spoiled little girl at the Plaza. Historical romance writer Eloisa James has helped make this antique name sound fresh and sassy again.

Leonora

Italian diminutive of Eleonora or Eleanor, meaning unknown

Its mellifluous sound makes Leonora--which has a rich history and a tie to the popular Leo names-- a keen possibility for revival. Though it's been hiding below the Top 1000 since the 1940s, Leonora…

Abilene

English from Hebrew

"grass"

Abilene is a rarely used place name, mentioned as such in the New Testament, that combines the cowboy spunk of the Texas city with the midwestern morality of the Kansas town where Dwight D.…

Araluen

Aboriginal Australian

"water lilies; place of the water lilies"

Araluen is a beautiful Aboriginal Australian place name, used in several sites, always connected to the dainty water lily. In terms of sound Araluen offers it all - the "Ara" beginning made popular…

Jessamy

English, variation of Jessamine

"jasmine flower"

Jessamy and big sister Jessamine are all but unknown in the U.S., but make distinctive alternatives to overexposed Jessica, Jessie, and Jasmine.

Laramie

Wyoming place-name, French

"canopy of leafy boughs"

Laramie was derived from the French word la ramée , meaning "leafy canopy." It was historically a French surname, but today it is a viable first name option for girls or boys. The balance is…

Nerida

Greek; Aboriginial

"sea nymph, mermaid; red waterlily"

This is one of the more unusual examples of a group of Greek names connected to the sea, which makes sense for a nation of coastline and islands. The Nereids or water nymphs were the daughters of sea…

Nydia

Latin

"home"

Very rarely used, could provide a distinctive alternative to Lydia.

Verity

Latin

"truth"

If you love Puritan virtue names and want to move beyond Hope and Faith and Grace, this is a wonderful choice, both for its meaning and its sound. A rare find here, though occasionally heard in…