names that inspire me

Stella

Latin

"star"

Stella is a name with star quality and sparkle, that manages to sound both ethereal and earthy. Celestial but not otherworldly, it lands somewhere between the popular Ella and bold Seraphina. The…

Elia

Spanish feminization of Elio, Italian and Spanish

"sun"

Though the most famous Elia, screenwriter Kazan, was male, this name sounds like a spin on many popular girls' names, from Ella to Ellie to Isla and Leah. While the Italian pronunciation has the…

Marlene

German variation of Madeline; combination of Mary and Magdalen

Marlene Dietrich made it famous when she condensed her first two names, Maria and Magdalena. Now more often pronounced with two syllables rather than three.

Keaton

English place and surname

"place of hawks; river town; Káti's town"

A cool, engaging surname, Keaton might feel like a fresh spin on Katelyn, Keeley or Katherine. While it is used ten times more often for boys, 27 girls were still given the name in a recent year.…

Doris

Greek

"gift of the ocean"

Doris had long been on our so-far-out-it-will-always-be-out-for-babies list, and seemed to be written there in indelible ink. But there are signs of a sea change, that Doris could profit from the…

Jeannie

Diminutive of Jean, English and Scottish

"God is gracious"

A nickname-y choice with a touch of vintage charm, Jeannie is ultimately a feminine diminutive form of the classic John, via Johanna and Jean. With sounds reminiscent of magical genies and of genius,…

Amadea

Latin

"lover of God"

Amadea is a strong and musical feminine form of Amadeus, as in Mozart. In more conservative times, Amadea might have seemed too strange for use on a contemporary baby, but by today's sensibility, it…