Samantha Alternatives

Alexandra

Greek, feminine form of Alexander

"defending men"

Alexandra fell out of the Top 100 for the first time since 1983 in 2015 but is still a popular choice. Strong, tasteful, and elegant, Alexandra remains a chic modern classic with a solid historic…

Samara

Hebrew, Arabic

"under God's rule, companion in night conversation"

Alluring and lovely — and much more distinctive now than Samantha or Tamara. Samara is a city in western Russia, a winged seed like the whirlygigs that fall from maple trees, as well as a bona fide…

Thea

Greek

"goddess, godly"

Thea is a diminutive of names ending in -thea, including Dorothea, Althea, and Anthea. It is also the Anglicized spelling of Theia, the Titan of sight, goddess of light, and mother of the moon. She…

Cassandra

Greek

"shining or excelling man"

The name of the tragic mythological Trojan princess who was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo, but was condemned never to be believed, Cassandra has been used for striking characters in movies and…

Martha

Aramaic

"lady"

The name of our first First Lady still has something of a prim and proper image, academic and efficient. That quiet, traditional, and tasteful gestalt is exactly what makes Martha appealing to some…

Alethea

Greek

"truth"

Alethea, the name of the Greek goddess of truth, came into fashion in England in the 16th century, in tandem with the virtue names. Alethea may find new favor now, thanks to its similarity to Athena,…

Cynthia

Greek

"moon goddess; woman from Kynthos"

Sleek and serious, yet bright and energetic at the same time, Cynthia appears in classic mythology as an epithet for Artemis or Diana. While it is now a more neglected choice, it was once hugely…

Althea

Greek

"with healing power"

Althea is a poetic, almost ethereal name found in Greek myth and pastoral poetry, associated in modern times with the great tennis player Althea Gibson, the first African-American to win at…

Tabitha

Aramaic

"gazelle"

Though never as popular as the name of her Bewitched mother, Samantha, Tabitha has its own quirky, magical charm. The name of a charitable woman who was restored to life by Saint Peter in the Bible,…

Amarantha

Flower name; Greek

"unfading"

Amarantha is a rare botanical name whose mythical equivalent was believed to be immortal. The Italian and Spanish form is the somewhat-more-acccessible Amaranta.

Anthea

Greek

"flowery"

This unjustly neglected floral name is smart and crisp, with a touch of Athena, Anna, and Cynthia about it. It also has that stylish Greek mythological heritage: Anthea is an epithet of Hera, the…

Calantha

Greek

"lovely flower"

Another of the new Greek-accented Cal- names.

Chrisantha

Chrisantha is a feminine name combining Greek elements: 'chris' meaning 'golden' or 'anointed' (from Christos) and 'anthos' meaning 'flower.' This elegant combination creates a name suggesting…

Diantha

Greek

"divine flower"

Diantha, a mythological flower of the supreme Greek god Zeus, is a melodious and more unusual cousin of Diana, heard most often in The Netherlands. Some similar choices: Diandra and Dianthe.

Evanthe

Greek

"fair flower"

Evanthe is a pretty Greek name not often heard outside its native culture. With its stylish Ev-begining, Evanthe could make an interesting choice if you're looking for a generic flower name.

Iantha

Iantha is a rare feminine name with ancient Greek origins. Derived from the Greek elements 'ion' (violet flower) and 'anthos' (flower), the name means 'violet flower' or 'purple bloom.' In Greek…

Iolantha

Iolantha is an elegant feminine name with Greek origins, derived from the elements 'ion' meaning 'violet flower' and 'anthos' meaning 'flower,' essentially translating to 'violet flower' or 'purple…

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…

Melantha

Greek

"dark flower"

The th sound both softens and complicates this Melanie relative.