User-created list
The Best Rare Names of WWII - Girls
Across 8 pages
of 8
Belen
Spanish place name and form of Bethlehem, Hebrew, Turkish
"house of bread; mountainside"
A fast rising choice in the US, Belen is a name with two possible origins. On one hand, it could be a variation — or an anglicization — of Belén, the Spanish form of Bethlehem. This would make it a…
Nola
Gaelic
"white shoulder"
Nola, a name with a sleek, enigmatic quality, was used for the much-pursued heroine of Spike Lee's 1986 breakout film, She's Gotta Have It , and again by Woody Allen in Match Point . It's a short…
Odette
French, from German
"wealthy"
Odette is the good swan in Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake , a role for which Natalie Portman won an Oscar ---and it would make a particularly sophisticated yet upbeat choice. In fact, it charted in…
Tilly
Diminutive of Matilda
"battle-mighty"
A favorite in England and Wales where nicknames as given names are very much the norm, Tilly has the potential to catch on in the US, given its similarity to the popular Lily and Ellie and the rising…
Greta
German, diminutive of Margarethe
"pearl"
Greta is an Old World name long tied to the iconic Garbo, but now synonymous with environmental activism. In the early 2000s, Greta was showing signs of a comeback, along with other Old Hollywood…
Marcella
Latin
"warlike"
Marcella is a name of Latin origin, which has been neglected for decades now. Depicted as the world's most beautiful woman in Don Quixote (where it's spelled Marcela), it has plenty of flair and…
Zora
Serbo-Croatian
"dawn"
Zora is a meaningful literary heroine name honoring Zora Neale Hurston, an important black writer and leader of the Harlem Renaissance. Spelled Zorah, it is a biblical place name, and is also the…
Aina
Scandinavian and Finnish variation of Aino, Catalan variation of Anna, Japanese, Latvian, Kazakh, Yoruba
"always; grace; lover of green; sight; mirror; delivery had complications [umbilical cord twisted around neck]"
A bright-sounding name with multicultural appeal, used regularly as a first name in Japan, Scandinavia, Latvia, and Spain. The Yoruba name Aina, pronounced ah-ee-NAH, is traditionally used for baby…
Alba
Latin, Germanic, Spanish , Italian., "white, light; elf; dawn"
"white, light; elf; dawn"
Bright, lively, and multicultural, Alba has the vintage mellowness of Alma but spirited feel of Ebba, Phoebe, and Pippa too. Derived from multiple different sources, a recent year saw it appear as a…
Alida
Diminutive of Adelaide
Alida had a brief flurry of popularity a hundred years ago but is rarely used today. But given the rise of so many names related to Adelaide and Adeline, Alida might be rediscovered.
Aline
Variation of Adeline or Aileen
Aline may have originated as a short form of Adeline in the Middle Ages, but it may also be a variation of the Irish Aileen or Scottish Eileen. Aline dropped off the Top 1000 in the 1950s. Fewer than…
Alta
Latin
"elevated, high"
Familiar in the 19th- and early 20th-centuries, Alta is little heard today, but it does have that four letter, A-a formula of Alma, Alba, Anna, Ayla, and Anya. Derived from the Latin altus , it has…
Althea
Greek
"with healing power"
Althea is a poetic, almost ethereal name found in Greek myth and pastoral poetry, associated in modern times with the great tennis player Althea Gibson, the first African-American to win at…
Amada
Feminine variation of Amado, Spanish
"loved"
Amada is an unusual Spanish name that's becoming more famous thanks to Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes, who named their second daughter Amada Lee and their first Esmeralda Amada. Amada was also the name…
Anastazia
Anastazia is a feminine name representing a variant spelling of Anastasia, which derives from Greek origins meaning "resurrection" or "rebirth." The name has deep historical roots, associated with…
Angeline
French variation of Angela
"angel"
With Angelina becoming so popular thanks to Ms. Jolie, this could be a new twist—but everyone will always misunderstand it as Angelina. While it currently ranks at Number 951 in the US, it's Number…
Annetta
Annetta is a feminine name that serves as a diminutive form of Anna, which originates from the Hebrew name Hannah, meaning 'grace' or 'favor.' This charming variation emerged in Italian and has…
Antoinette
French feminine diminutive form of Antoine
"priceless one"
This feminization of Anthony, like other early French forms, such as Babette and Nanette, is not heard as often as it once was, but it could be time for a reappraisal of this delicate Gallic choice.…
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…
Arabelle
Variation of Arabella, Latin, Scottish
"yielding to prayer; lovable"
This more succinct form of the elegant Arabella might appeal to those who are looking for a less popular spin on Annabel or those who like the sounds of Arabella but want something with fewer frills.…