StartedattheAutumn's list "Character und Baby Namez" of 20 great name ideas: Estee - Maxima!

Character und Baby Namez

Names for characters, my babies or my mom’s baby. Classic, Scandinavian, European, English, Scottish, Irish, Celtic, German, etc.

Estée, with or without an accent, is most famously associated with cosmetics entrepreneur Estée Lauder, whose birth name was actually Josephine Esther Mentzer. The name is believed to be a stylized form of Esther, a biblical name meaning 'star' in Persian. 

Estee, sometimes spelled Este, makes Esther more stylish and approachable, and is also reminiscent of Esme.

Estee

Thorsten is a Germanic masculine name variation of Torsten, derived from the Old Norse name Þórsteinn (Thor's stone). It combines the elements 'Thor' (the Norse god of thunder) and 'stein' (stone), symbolizing strength and durability. Primarily used in Germany, Denmark, and other Scandinavian countries, Thorsten gained moderate popularity throughout the 20th century. While not among the most common names today, it maintains steady usage in Germanic countries where traditional Nordic names are valued. In English-speaking countries, Thorsten remains relatively uncommon but recognized, often appreciated for its strong consonant sounds and distinctive Norse heritage.

Thorsten

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 to predict events.

Saga

Currently popular in Norway where it ranks in the Top 50, Solveig is a sunny but strong choice, also familiar across Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and Finland. It notably appears as the name of the heroine in Isben's 1876 play, Peer Gynt, making it a literary choice.
 
The name has a number of different meanings, depending on which etymological root you follow. From Old Norse, Sol- could mean "house, home", "sun", or "yellow, sun-colored", while -veig may be interpreted as "strength", "battle", or "way". As such, the two elements could be combined to make meanings such as "the strong house", "the way of the sun", "the strength of the sun" or "battle house". 
 
The pronunciation varies depending on where you are, but SOOL-vye is heard in Norway, SOOL-vay in Sweden, while elsewhere, it may be closer to SOHL-vye or SOHL-vay. (Sool to rhyme with pool; Sohl to rhyme with soul; VYE to rhyme with eye; VAY to rhyme with pay)
 
Other forms of the name include the Icelandic Sólveig, the Danish Solvej, Latvian and Lithuanian Solveiga, and Norwegian Sølvi.
 
While it has been used in the US throughout the 20th century, it was never given to more than 20 girls until 2014. Chosen for just 23 babies in a recent year, it may nevertheless have the potential to rise, given the increased familiarity of French Soleil.

Solveig

Could there be a more poetic name than Sonnet? Actor Forest Whitaker was inspired to choose it for his daughter.
 The word sonnet derives from the Italian sonetto, meaning 'little song.' And although Shakespeare is the most acclaimed master of this fourteen-line form, there have been many other accomplished sonneteers, including Milton, Wordsworth and Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
 Other names beyond Sonnet that can work for the child of a writer or book-lover: Story, Poet, Fable.

Sonnet

Ukrainian figure-skating champion Oksana Baiul made it known here. 

Oksana

This name of a tragic figure in Greek mythology, the daughter of King Minos, sister of Ariadne and wife of Theseus, has a mysterious and intriguing appeal, and would make a dramatic choice.

 Phaedra has been a persistent theme in literature, both ancient and modern. There have been plays by Euripedes, Racine, Unamuno, and O'Neill, novels, poetry, operas and film--as recently as the 2011 Immortals starring Freida Pinto.
 One celebrity pulled a gender switch when she named her son Phaedra Bloom Forever.

Phaedra

An uncommon Irish-accented surname that seems particularly well suited to a girl. Tierney Sutton is a well-known jazz singer. Tierney, in its original Tiarnach form, was the name of several saints. It can also join the ranks of Old Hollywood names, via the haunting actress Gene Tierney. ER actress Maura Tierney is a current surname bearer.

Tierney

Brought into the American consciousness as the nickname of ballet great Mikhail Baryshnikov, it more recently took on a unisex air via TV and screen actress Mischa Barton. Could become the next Sasha. 

Misha

If you want a pan-Scandinavian name with energy and style that could have been a winner, if not for the sound-alike water filtration company Brita.

Britta

Best known as a feminine diminutive, Romy is used now for boys too, as a short form of Roman or Romeo or a name in its own right.  Remy and Romi are other related choices, or you might want to go all the way to Romulus.

Romy

Introduced via Sopranos star Drea (born Andrea) de Matteo, and catching on with a wider audience. 

Drea

Elspeth is one of those names that never quite made it out of the British Isles--particularly Scotland, but possesses a winningly childlike charm. Elspeth was used by Sir Walter Scott for several of his female characters.
 Elspeth Huxley was a prolific Kenyan-born U.K. writer, best known for the autobiographical The Flame Trees of Thika--she was connected by marriage to the illustrous Huxley family.
 A close cousin is Elsbeth, as in the recurring character Elsbeth Tascioni on The Good Wife. Embeth is a more distant relation.

Elspeth

The rarer long form of Priscilla, which comes from the Roman name Priscus, meaning "ancient".

Prisca

This name of the bright orange flower found in Asia has been used occasionally in English-speaking countries. A notable namesake is Tiger Lily, the Native American princess from Peter Pan. Read more about Tiger Lily and other <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/disney-princess-names">Disney Princess Names</a> in our featured blog.

Tigerlily

You might think Artemisia is the feminine form of the name, but in fact the original Artemis is feminine too, the name of the Greek mythological goddess of the moon.  Artemisia Gentileschi was an esteemed Italian Baroque painter, unusual in an era when not many women were acknowledged.  Artemisia is also a genus of plants which include sagebrush and tarragon.

Artemisia

Sadly, this strong Celtic name often has "of the sorrows" attached to it because of the tragic character in Irish legend. Also a bit drab when compared with newer Irish imports. 

Deirdre

Though the plays by Sophocles and Eugene O'Neill and via the "Electra Complex" proposed by psychoanalyst Carl Jung, this name has, unfortunately, become associated with incest and murder. 
 
Nevertheless, if you can put the mythology and theory aside, Electra makes a bright, spikey, electric feeling choice, with a shiny, gemstone meaning. If you can't, you could follow actress Isabella Rossellini who chose the gentler Italian version, Elettra, for her now grown daughter.

Electra

The <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/515/latin-names-for-girls">Latin names for girls</a> Florentina may be the most feminissima and flowery of the 'Flor" names. Another option would be Fiorentina, though you can also downshift to Flora or Florence.

Florentina

Max names were one of the hottest trends for boys in the mid-2010s, and are still very popular. The girl versions haven't seen so much love, unfortunately. (Or fortunately, if you love them and want them to stay rare!) Maxima got some attention in 2015 when Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan used it for their daughter, but few parents have copied them.
The Nissan Maxima is a car model.