The Fantastical List of Fantasy Names
- Amabel
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"lovable"Description:
Amabel is an older name than Annabel and a lot more distinctive. Amabel was a very common name in the twelfth and thirteen centuries, then was revived during the nineteenth century British fad for medieval names.
- Elior
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"My God is my light"Description:
This appealing Hebrew name is heard in Israel, and would fit in well with all the popular El-starting names for boys, such as Elliot and Ellery. It was given to just five American boys in 2015. Also worth considering is the pretty female version, Eliora.
- Adara
Origin:
Arabic, HebrewMeaning:
"maidens; noble, exalted"Description:
A charming multicultural choice with a daring yet grounded sound, Adara is a both a Hebrew name with a noble meaning, and an Arabic name with ties to astronomy. Popular in Puerto Rico and Spain, it is also on the rise in the US.
- Amaia
Origin:
Spanish or BasqueMeaning:
"high place or end"Description:
This pretty and uncommon Basque name is all but unheard of in this country. Amaya is a spelling variation as well as a similar Japanese name meaning "night rain." With the newfound popularity of Amara and Amora, Amaia and Amaya are among the Spanish names for girls we'll be hearing a lot more of in the US.
- Yana
Origin:
Slavic variation of Jana, feminine variation of JohnMeaning:
"God is gracious"Description:
A Slavic classic, as common as Jane or Joan here. If you live in an Anglophone culture and you want it pronounced with a Y sound at the beginning, use the Y spelling.
- Amaris
Origin:
Variation of Amara or AmariahDescription:
Amaris sounds like "amorous," which is a loving name for a child, but doesn't really have a clear derivation or meaning of its own. The popular Amara is one of the most international names on the charts, with derivations and meanings in cultures that truly span the globe. And Amariah is an ancient Hebrew name. Still, Amaris is unusual and pretty, and that may be enough.
- Dagmar
Origin:
NorseMeaning:
"Day maiden"Description:
This royal Danish name has long been used across Scandinavia, Germany and Slavic countries and somewhat in the US around the turn of the last century --it was #622 in 1888. There were two notable silent screen stars named Dagmar, one with Polish, the other with Danish roots.
- Iolanthe
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"violet flower"Description:
Iolanthe is known primarily through the 1882 Gilbert & Sullivan operetta of that name, in which the title character is a fairy. Iolanthe is a softer version of Yolanda, and is the kind of multi-syllabic classical name once considered too weighty for a modern baby girl, but now within the realm of possibility--this one as a dramatic twist on Violet. The biggest drawback is its variety of legitimate pronunciations in English.
- Bliss
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"great joy"Description:
A sweet, uplifting and still fairly uncommon modern virtue name. Its single syllable makes it especially good as a middle name, but it would also make a big impact in the first spot; in fact, nearly 90 girls in the US were called Bliss in a recent year.
- Leontine
Origin:
French female form of Leontios, GreekMeaning:
"lion"Description:
Leontine is the French form of a name that's more familiar by its spelling variation Leontyne, the name made famous by opera diva Price. An obscure choice, Leontine nevertheless feels right for our lion-name-crazed moment.
- Cymbeline
Origin:
CelticMeaning:
"sun lord or sun hound"Description:
The title of a Shakespeare play based on legends featuring the early Celtic King Cunobelinus, whose name derives from the Gaulish sun god Belenus.
- Gaius
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"to rejoice"Description:
Stately Gaius (pronounced GUY-us) was in the name of many ancient Romans, including Julius Caesar. Little-used before the year 2000, it now feels like a fresh possibility in the revival of Latin boys' names like Atticus and Cassius. Caius and derivatives like Caio come from the same root, and in ancient Roman times Caius was probably pronounced as Gaius. You could also see Gaius as a male version of the earth-goddess name Gaia.
- Fauna
Origin:
Roman, English word name, from LatinMeaning:
"young deer; all the animals that live in a particular area"Description:
Fauna is the Roman goddess of the earth as well as one of the fairies who protected Disney's "Sleeping Beauty". It can also be considered a word name with a scientific, nature focused feel. Used to as a way to refer to all the animals in a particular area, habitat, or time period, many might think of the phrase "Flora and Fauna" on seeing the name.
- Taliesin
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"shining brow"Description:
Poetic and handsome with a hint of mystique and magic around it, this rugged Welsh name may appeal as an alternative to Tristan or Taran.
- Sophronia
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"sensible, prudent"Description:
Stately and elegant, but with the familiar sounds of Sophia and Sophie, Sophronia was a familiar choice back in the 19th century but has since fallen into obscurity. Derived from the Greek sophron, it means "sensible, self-restrained".
- Sanne
Origin:
Dutch, diminutive of SusanneMeaning:
"lily"Description:
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 the Dutch taste for nicknames plucked from the middle or end of a name vs. the beginning, such as Bas for Sebastien or Bram for Abram.
- Allura
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"to entice, attract"Description:
Sounds like a princess -- or an enticingly evil witch -- in a fairy tale.
- Armand
Origin:
French variation of Herman, GermanMeaning:
"soldier"Description:
Since the first production of Camille this has been considered one of the world's most romantic names, though it's one of those French names for boys rarely heard in this country.
- Alethea
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"truth"Description:
Alethea, the name of the Greek goddess of truth, came into fashion in England in the 16th century, in tandem with the virtue names. Alethea may find new favor now, thanks to its similarity to Athena, Ophelia, and Alessia, and because it gets you nickname Thea.
- Azure
Origin:
English color name, PersianMeaning:
"sky blue; lapis lazuli"Description:
Azure is a colorful gender-neutral choice, currently used equally for baby girls and boys in the US. It refers to a specific shade of blue seen in a cloudless sky. Elon Musk revealed Azure to be the name of his daughter with Shivon Zilis, twin sister to Strider.
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