Faves I guess

Hilaria

Latin, Spanish

"cheerful"

Hilaria, the ancient Roman form of Hilary also given to joyous festivals, is still used in Spain and Poland, while the intriguing Italian version is Ilaria. A notable current bearer is fitness expert…

Holiday

English word name

"holy day"

A fun and confident choice, Holiday is a celebratory name, particularly associated with Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannukah, and New Year, and with rest, leisure, and vacations more generally. Fitting…

Honoria

Latin

"woman of honor"

This is an eighteenth century elaboration of Honor found in Charles Dickens ( Bleak House ) but rarely heard here and now.

Hyacinth

Flower name, from Greek

"blue larkspur; precious stone"

Though it may not be as sweet and gentle as, say, Violet, the purple-hued Hyacinth still might hold some appeal for the parent seeking a truly unusual flower name. In Greek mythology, Hyacinthus was…

Hyacinthe

Hyacinthe is a feminine name with Greek origins, derived from the name of the purple-blue flower called hyacinth. In Greek mythology, Hyacinthus was a beautiful youth beloved by Apollo. The feminine…

Hydrangea

Flower name, from Greek

"water vessel"

Prettier than the other name the plant goes by, Hortensia.

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…

Idony

English, Norse

"love again, renewal"

Idony is a Medieval variation of Idonea, itself an English form of Iðunn, the Norse goddess of spring and eternal youth. She was notable for carrying, keeping, and guarding the box of apples from…

Imogen

Celtic

"maiden"

Imogen has long been fashionable in England and is gaining favor in the US among stylish parents. Pronounced the British way — the initial i is short as in Kim, as is the final E as in Ken — Imogen…

Imperia

Latin "imperial"

"imperial"

Rather imperious as a baby name, but has an interesting history. Imperia is the name of an obscure French saint, also known as Impère and Impérie, also borne by the famous Italian courtesan Imperia…

Innogen

Celtic

"daughter, maiden"

Innogen is the Shakespearean name that never was. Most sources will tell you that Shakespeare intended to use Innogen for a character in Cymbeline , but his printer mistook the twos Ns for an M, thus…

Io

Greek mythology name

Io may be one of the slightest names in the book, but there aren't many two-letter names with as much substance as this Greek mythological example. Io, a name used for the largest moon of Jupiter,…

Iolanthe

Greek

"violet flower"

Iolanthe is known primarily through the 1882 Gilbert & Sullivan operetta of that name, in which the title character is a fairy. Iolanthe is a softer version of Yolanda, and is the kind of…

Ione

Greek

"violet flower"

This unusual Greek flower and color name has gained considerable recent attention via actress Ione Skye, who is the daughter of sixties folksinger Donovan. Ione was one of the fifty sea nymphs —…

Iseult

Celtic

"ice battle"

Strong and sharp but with a pretty, poetic feel about it, Iseult appears in the world of Arthurian legend. Also written as Yseult, Ysolt, and Isolde, the name might have Germanic roots, blending is…

Islay

Scottish place-name

Islay is the name of a Hebridian island famous for its whisky. Don't be fooled by the "y" at the end - this name is pronounced exactly like the more well-known Isla.