The Names of Elfane

Rhiannon

Welsh

"divine queen"

Strong and outdoorsy, yet pretty and queenly, Rhiannon was a once obscure Welsh name, brought into the mainstream in 1976, following Fleetwood Mac's flash hit song of the same title. It stormed into…

Rhodeia

Rhodeia is a feminine name of Greek origin, likely derived from 'rhodon,' meaning 'rose.' It shares roots with names like Rhoda and Rhode, all connecting to this beautiful flower symbol. The name may…

Rhonwen

Welsh

"slender, fair"

The delicate and haunting Welsh Rhonwen is still a rarity in the U.S., where her English version Rowena is better known, but would be a lovely choice for any parent in search of a name that was both…

Roisin

Irish

"little rose"

No, the pronunciation--ro-SHEEN--isn't immediately obvious to the non-Gaelic viewer, but the sound of this shiny Irish version of Rose is pretty enough to make it worth considering. Very popular in…

Rosabel

English

"beautiful rose"

Rosabel, a vintage smoosh name created in the 18th century, feels slightly less frilly than her cousins Rosabelle and Rosabella. It could make for a more distinctive alternative to Isabel, or an…

Rosalind

Latin

"soft horse or pretty rose"

Rosalind has a distinguished literary history – used and popularized by Edmund Spenser and Shakespeare via one of his most charming heroines, in As You Like It . Along with a bouquet of other Rose…

Rosamund

German

"horse protection"

This lovely, quintessentially British appellation, also spelled Rosamond, is the name of a legendary twelfth-century beauty. Rare on these shores, it is more than worthy of importation. There was a…

Rosine

Diminutive of Rose, Latin

"rose, a flower"

Rosine can be thought of as a short form of the classic flower name Rose. It's similar to the Irish Róisín, though that is pronounced roh-sheen.

Rowena

Welsh

"white spear; famous friend; fame and joy"

A fabled storybook name via the heroine of Sir Walter Scott's novel Ivanhoe (1819), which featured a heroine called Rowena of Hargottstanstede, and also a Harry Potter name, as Rowena Ravenclaw,…

Rune

English word name

"secret"

Runes are symbols in ancient Germanic alphabets. They are often viewed as mysterious and therefore as a name, Rune imparts a feeling of folkloric mystery. As intriguing as that might be, the homonym…

Saara

Saara is a feminine name representing the Finnish and Estonian form of Sarah, which has Hebrew origins meaning "princess" or "noblewoman." This variation maintains the meaning of the original while…

Sable

English animal name

Sable is often associated with the Dynsaty soap opera, but it is actually a type of animal historically hunted for its fur. Sable is also used as a word for a warm, rich black color. Both…

Saffron

Spice name

"orange-yellow color; a type of crocus"

Spice names are increasingly appealing to the senses of prospective parents; this one, belonging to a precious spice derived from the crocus has a vaguely orange-scented-incense sixties feel. English…

Saga

Swedish word name

"story; seeress"

Apt name for a little drama queen with a long future ahead of her. Saga is a Top 30 girls' name in Sweden. Saga was the Norse goddess of poetry, storytelling, and history. She was a prophetess — able…

Sancia

Italian, from Latin

"sacred"

Rarely heard outside Italy, could make an interesting import.

Sandrine

French variation of Alexandra, Greek

"defending men"

Sophisticated French choice. Or toxic petrochemical, as Ross on Friends famously joked when Rachel suggested it for their fictional daughter.

Sanne

Dutch, diminutive of Susanne

"lily"

Sanne is hugely popular in the Netherlands, but almost unknown here; which makes it an interesting prospect for the parent in search of an unusual name. Pronounced sah-na, Sanne is in keeping with…

Saoirse

Irish

"liberty"

Before the young Irish actress Saoirse Ronan made her mark in the films Ladybird and The Lovely Bones , few of us had heard this name, let alone known how to pronounce it. But now it is slowly way…