User-created list
By Dark Angel · Updated May 2023
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Turkish; Russian and Bulgarian diminutive of Anastasia
"Asia; resurrection"
Asya has dual origins: it is both the Turkish word for Asia (the continent), and a short form of Anastasia in Russian and Bulgarian. Beyond that, it is a beautiful example of a "travelling light"…
Greek
"entangler"
Sounds like Serena, but refers to the mythological sirens -- half woman, half bird -- who virtually sang men to death. Not a great role model for your little girl.
Variation of Tara or Tyrone, English, Irish
"rocky hill, elevated place; land of Eoghan"
Taryn is an offshoot of Tara that has a variety of meanings in a variety of cultures. In 1953, Taryn was presented to the public as an invention by actors Tyrone Power and Linda Christian for their…
Variation of Adeline or Aileen
Aline may have originated as a short form of Adeline in the Middle Ages, but it may also be a variation of the Irish Aileen or Scottish Eileen. Aline dropped off the Top 1000 in the 1950s. Fewer than…
Nature name
Though some forward-looking parents are now choosing wood-related names like Oak, Pine, and Ash, this generic option would be even more avant garde.
French
"to entice, attract"
Sounds like a princess -- or an enticingly evil witch -- in a fairy tale.
Latin
"one who stutters"
Despite its modern sound, Blaise has plenty of history as a given name (for boys), from a Christian martyr to Arthurian legends. Today Blaise feels like the cool and edgy Blaze with a French accent.
Greek variation of Sapphire, Hebrew jewel name
"sapphire"
Sapphira is a lovely name which unfortunately has an unsavory Biblical history. The New Testament Sapphira was killed by God for lying about a tax payment. There's a Willa Cather novel called…
"the life of Zeus; dedicated to Zeus"
A powerful name with an intriguing air of antiquity, Zenaida has the freshness of Zephyr and Azalea too. Meaning "life of Zeus" or "dedicated to Zeus", it was notably borne by the first-century…
Variation of Celeste, Latin
"heavenly"
Celestia is a heavenly name that sounds more ethereal than Celeste, Celestia might make a distinctive, feminine choice if your taste runs toward names like Angelina and Seraphina. Celestia was more…
Japanese, Korean
"dignified, severe; jade, clear"
A very popular name for girls in Japan, though it is a unisex choice. It can mean "severe, cold", but also "dignified", "ethics" and "phosphorus", depending on the kanji used. It is notably used for…
"honor"
Annora is a noble name, a distinctive twist on its most essential form: Honor. Other variations to explore include Honora and Nora.
"integrity"
Verena is pleasant but old-fashioned. Whether that's the outdated kind of old-fashioned or the so-out-it's-in-again kind is your call. St. Verena was a third century nurse; Verena Tarrant is a…
Irish
"dream, vision"
Aisling is currently a very popular Irish name for girls . Pronounced variously as ASH-ling, ASH-lin or ash-LEEN, it was part of the revival of authentic Irish names in the twentieth century, and is…
Aurielle is a feminine name with French and Latin influences, derived from 'aurum' meaning 'gold.' It's a melodic elaboration of Auriel or Ariel, with the feminine '-elle' suffix adding elegance. The…
Mycah is a modern masculine name that represents a contemporary spelling variation of Micah. The biblical name Micah derives from Hebrew, meaning 'who is like God' or 'resembling God.' The…
"fire"
This phonetic Anglicization of the Irish name Eithne was made familiar by the single-named Irish singer and composer. St. Eithne was the daughter of a king and an early Irish convert to Christianity.
English word name
There's definitely a cold front of names for winter babies moving in, with Summer, Spring and Autumn giving way to Winter--plus North, January, Frost--and Snow. This name feels brisk, fresh, pure,…
A name with a weather-related meaning, a tie to mythology, and an airy, bright sound, Aella is a quietly rising choice, with 51 American babies receiving the name in a recent year. In Greek…
English, from Persian
"bluish or lilac"
Could Lilac be the next Lila or Lily or Violet? It certainly has a lot going for it--those lilting double 'l's, the fabulous fragrance it exudes, and the fact that it's a color name as well,…
