User-created list
By Tirilan16 · Updated December 2022
Across 3 pages
of 3
Latin
"from the woods"
This original form of the name -- the more familiar Sylvia spelling came later -- seems more modern now.
Pop culture, Greek
"guest, hospitality"
Likely a variation of the Greek name Xenia, Xena is associated with the the TV Warrior Princess, played by Lucy Lawless back in the 90s. Also used as a diminutive form of Alexina or Zenobia, the name…
Greek and Latin
"earth mother; rejoicing"
Floral, bright, and subtly powerful, Gaia is a name with two separate origins. In Greek mythology, it is the name of the earth goddess and the universal mother, who takes her epithet from the Ancient…
Sanskrit
"beauty of Saraswati"
Indian actress Sameera Reddy chose this name for her daughter in 2019, sending it sharply up the charts. It is connected to Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of wisdom, music, speech, art, and learning.
"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…
Italian
"dear little one"
Carina is a pretty delicately feminine name whose fall from popularity is not helped by its similarity to hurricane name Katrina or slang victim Karen.
Latin, Feminine variation of Junius
"born in June"
Juno is hot, June is showing signs of a comeback along with other month and day names, whereas Junia, the name of the the first century Christian referred to by the apostle Paul as an apostle (and…
German variation of Katherine
"pure"
The hurricane blew this one out of the realm of possibility.
Greek mythology name
"night"
In Greek mythology, Nyx was a powerful goddess and the embodiment of the night, giving this name a dark yet mystical feel. She is often depicted as one of the first deities, an offspring of Chaos who…
French variation of Rachel
Elaboration of Rachel sometimes seen in France, but more rarely here.
Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian variation of Isadora, Greek
"gift of Isis"
The Isidora spelling, though equally legitimate, is about 90 percent less common than Isadora.
French variation of Viviana or Vivien
Viviane is one of a cluster of names that may or may not be related. They include the Latin Viviana, which means life, and its modern forms Vivian and the French form Vivienne. But Vivien, pronounced…
Scandinavian diminutive of Katarina, Polish variation of Gaia or Estonian
"pure; earth mother; rejoice; echo"
Short, sharp, and pretty, Kaja is an international choice with multiple origins. Favored in Slovenia, Norway, and Poland, the similar Kaia is currently popular more widely. Most often used as a…
"glory"
Originally the name of the titular faerie queene of Spenser's epic poem "The Faerie Queene," published in 1590. Gloriana was, along with Belphoebe, an allegory for Queen Elizabeth. In the 400-odd…
Spanish word name
"heart"
With word names increasingly acceptable or even desirable, this Spanish word for heart, brought to the fore by Philippine president Corazon Aquino, may find more takers.
Greek
"gold"
Cressida is a golden, mythological, and Shakespearean name, much better known in Britain than it is in the US. Given to just 11 American girls in a recent year — though still the highest number on…
Elynor is an uncommon variant spelling of Eleanor, a name with Greek and Provençal origins meaning 'light' or 'bright one.' This distinctive spelling gives a fresh twist to the classic name while…
French
"flower"
Fleur is a generic, delicate flower name that emigrated into the English-speaking world when John Galsworthy bestowed it on one of the Forsytes in his celebrated saga. More recently, there was Fleur…
French from Latin
"youthful or sky father"
Fine in France, but here it means vegetables sliced into thin strips.
Irisa is a delicate feminine name with multiple possible origins. It may be a variant of Iris, the Greek name meaning 'rainbow' and associated with the goddess who served as a messenger between gods…
