Names like Andromeda

Aurora

Latin

"dawn"

The goddess name Aurora has consistently been on the US popularity list since the nineteenth century, but has really taken off in the past 30 years. Aurora also enjoys remarkable international…

Antonella

Diminutive of Antonia, Spanish, Italian, Latin

"from Antium"

Antonella is an elaborate feminine form of Anthony growing in popularity throughout Latin America as well as in the US. It first entered the US charts back in 2017 and has since shot into the Top…

Adelaide

Variant of Adelheidis, German

"noble, nobility"

Adelaide is now heading straight uphill on the coattails of such newly popular sisters as Ava, Ada, and Audrey, and in the company of Adeline and Amelia. It was chosen by actress Katherine Heigl for…

Artemis

Greek mythology name

"safe or butcher"

Artemis, one of the key figures of the female Greek pantheon, is the ancient virgin goddess of the hunt, wilderness, animals, childbirth, and a protector of young girls, later associated with the…

Eleonora

Italian, German, Dutch, and Polish variation of Eleanor

Makes a serious name frilly and feminine, which, depending on your viewpoint, might be a good or a bad thing. In this case, we vote good.

Cordelia

Latin; Celtic

"heart; daughter of the sea"

Cordelia is exactly the kind of old-fashioned, grown-up name for girls that many parents are seeking for their daughters today. The name of King Lear's one sympathetic daughter, Cordelia has both…

Antonia

Latin

"from Antium"

Antonia is stronger than most feminized boys’ names , reflecting the pioneer spirit of Willa Cather's classic novel My Antonia . Antonia is hovering near the bottom of the US popularity list, which…

Leonora

Italian diminutive of Eleonora or Eleanor, meaning unknown

Its mellifluous sound makes Leonora--which has a rich history and a tie to the popular Leo names-- a keen possibility for revival. Though it's been hiding below the Top 1000 since the 1940s, Leonora…

Andromeda

Greek mythology name

"advising like a man"

One of the stellar unique baby names from mythology, Andromeda was the beautiful daughter of Cassiopeia who, like her mother, literally became a star--the constellation that bears her name.The…

Invidia

Latin

"envy; to look against"

Invidia's meaning isn't very pleasant — as a Roman goddess, she was the personification of envy. However, Invidia has the sounds of an attractive name, not unlike Olivia.

Calypso

Greek

"she who hides"

This hyper-rhythmic name has two evocative references. In Greek mythology, she was an island nymph, a daughter of Atlas, who delayed Odysseus from returning home. It is also a genre of West Indian…

Arcadia

Greek

"region offering peace and contentment"

Arcadia, a name for an unspoiled paradise, makes an attractive secular alternative to Nevaeh or Eden. For parents who want an unusual name with a friendlier nickname, Arcadia has the advantage of…

Cosima

Italian feminine variation of Cosmo, Greek

"order, beauty, universe"

Cosima, the kind of elegant and unusual name the British upper classes love to use for their daughters, is given to a handful of baby girls in the US after being chosen by two high-profile celebs in…

Electra

Greek

"amber, shining, bright"

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.…

Avalon

Celtic

"island of apples"

Avalon, an island paradise of Celtic myth and Arthurian legend--it was where King Arthur was taken to recover from his wounds-- and also the colorful capital of the California island of Catalina--…