User-created list
By turnip · Updated May 2023
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Latin
"mist"
Could be the next Nova, now that celestial baby names are in the ascendent.
From Greek
"orchid flower"
Orchid is a hothouse bloom that has not been plucked by many modern baby namers — yet. In the language of flowers, orchids symbolize love, beauty, and sophistication. In a 1926 silent comedy, femme…
Color name
One of the new color names that is catching on, invoking a calm, blue-green-sea feeling.
Animal name or English diminutive of Beatrice, Latin
"she who brings happiness"
We've seen Beatrice and Beatrix climb in popularity, along with traditional nickname Bea. And now there's Bee, giving it a buzzy nature world spin, plus a tie to popular late night TV''s Samantha…
Greek
"sea-green jewel"
Dated British favorite that never caught on in this country, where Jade remains the green gem of choice. Interesting namesakes: British writer Beryl Bainbridge and British aviatrix Beryl Markham.
Jewel name, from the French
"pomegranate"
One of the jewel names in use a hundred years ago, due for revival along with sisters Ruby and Pearl.
Gem is a concise, evocative feminine name derived directly from the English word for precious stones. This nature-inspired name conveys qualities of rarity, beauty, and value. As a given name, Gem…
Magenta is a vivid Crayola color name, that could make a vivid, colorful choice. It was named in 1859 after the Napoleonic Battle of Magenta, a town in Northern Italy. One of J.K. Rowling's…
Bird name
Unusual choice that was the original name of children's illustrator Tasha Tudor, but is an interesting elaboration of Star, taking it into avian territory.
English word, Old English
"an inlet of the sea where the land curves inward; berry"
One of the most usable of the pleasant, newly adopted nature/water names (like Lake and Ocean), especially in middle position. It's gentle, slightly whimsical, but grounded by its similarity to May…
English word name
"bright"
Bright is a rare yet intriguing word name used for a female character in Ann Patchett's novel The Dutch House.
English, French, Latin
"waxing or waning moon; increasing, growing, springing forth"
Crescent is an intriguing word name with a pretty sound and links to the moon. Used to describe a curved shape more generally, it is heavily associated with the lunar calendar, with the moon forming…
African, Ethiopian
"mountain goat"
Nyala is a secret nature name with a fashionable animal meaning. Nyala might be an appropriate name for a baby girl born under the sign of Capricorn, which is symbolized by the goat, or in the…
In 2014, fifteen newborns were named Whisper, all of them girls. We can see the attraction of the name but if you are in Australia be warned - Whisper is a well-known brand of sanitary products, so a…
"from the sea"
Marine was trending for a long time in France, but the far right politician Marine (born Marion) LePen has dampened the mood.
English
"a bunch of flowers"
A sweet, nostalgic nosegay kind of name, Posy has been long fashionable in England, a country of gardeners, but this pretty bouquet-of-flowers name is still rarely heard in the US, though it could be…
Word name
Shade can be cool and refreshing -- or negative and dubious. Shade was the name of the daughter played by Fairuza Balk in the 90s film Gas Food Lodging .
In 2014, six little girls in the US were given the name Starlit. Starlit has a sweeter meaning than the similar Starlet, and a better ring than Starlight.
"windy"
And her sisters, Stormy and Sunny.
Word name, English from Hindi
"fine, downy wool"
Cashmere is soft, luxurious — and way out of the ordinary. One of the unique names found in The Hunger Games series, you might be surprised to learn that this fabric name has been appearing in the US…
