User-created list
The Best Rare Names of WWII - Girls
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of 8
Emeline
French form of German Amelina
"work"
An old name, with a history separate from Emily and Emma and a different kind of vintage feel, that's a possible alternative to top-of-the-pops names. More common spelling is Emmeline.
Endora
Famously the name of Samantha's mother on Bewitched .
Enid
Welsh
"life, spirit"
This Celtic goddess and Arthurian name may sound terminally old-ladyish to many ears--but so did names like Ella and Etta not so long ago. So Enid is yet another forgotten four-letter E-possibility:…
Estellina
Estellina is a charming diminutive form of Estelle or Estella, names deriving from the Latin 'stella' meaning 'star.' This elegant elaboration adds the affectionate Italian suffix '-ina,' creating a…
Eugenia
Feminine variation of Eugene, Greek
"wellborn, noble"
Eugenia, a name scarcely used at all since the 1980's, is another that flourished a century ago and could be due for a revival. Eugenia has some interesting literary references, including the…
Eulalie
French form of Eulalia, Greek
"sweetly speaking"
Eulalie hasn't ranked in the US Top 1000 since 1899, but its French roots might make it more appealing to modern ears than its sister Eulalia. "Eulalie" is a poem by Edgar Allan Poe, and the name…
Eyre
Literary name and Old Norse
"gravel bank river"
This lovely name is best-known as the surname of eponymous Bronte heroine, Jane Eyre, and would make an appealing and distinctive middle name for the child of fans of that book. While the surname…
Fairy
English word name
"fairy"
Fairy's reputation as a slur directed at gay men takes it off the table as a baby name option. Go with Pixie or Faye instead.
Fancy
Diminutive of Frances
"free man"
Old fashioned nickname that some girls just might be able to pull off. You'd just have to be sure your little Fancy was one of them.
Flannery
Irish
"descendant of Flannghal"
Long before the vogue of using Irish surnames for girls, writer Flannery O'Connor gave this one some visibility. It has a warm (flannelly) feel and the currently popular three-syllable ee-ending…
Florentina
Latin
"blooming"
The Latin names for girls Florentina may be the most feminissima and flowery of the 'Flor" names. Another option would be Fiorentina, though you can also downshift to Flora or Florence.
Gusta
Dutch diminutive of Augusta, Latin
"great, magnificent"
Stick with the long form.
Helene
French variation of Helen
"bright, shining one"
Whether it's pronounced with an "een" or an "aine" or an "enn" sound at the end, Helene doesn't feel as current the more forthright Helen or the airier Helena. Helene reached a high of Number 228 in…
Ignacia
Latin
"ardent, burning"
This Spanish form of the yet-to-be-revived Ignatius was borne by an early and influential Philipina nun known as Mother Ignacia.
Ingeborg
German and Swedish
"the help of Ing"
Ingeborg (and all Germanic and Scandinavian names beginning with Ing-) references the ancient fertility god Ing. Ing, later known as Freyr, is one of the primary gods in Old Norse mythology.
Iona
Scottish place-name
This name of a small island off the coast of Scotland is trending upwards along with other I names.
Ione
Greek
"violet flower"
This unusual Greek flower and color name has gained considerable recent attention via actress Ione Skye, who is the daughter of sixties folksinger Donovan. Ione was one of the fifty sea nymphs —…
Joella
Hebrew
"the Lord is God"
Most modern parents would drop the Jo, leaving the superpopular Ella.
Joie
French variation of Joy
Pronounced as the English word joy, rather than as the French phrase joie de vivre, Joie might produce more complications than joy.
Justina
Latin, feminine variation of Justin
Justina was the pre-Justine feminization of Justin, now a possible alternative to Christina. Oddly, while Justine feels like a name unto itself, Justina feels like a pinned-together feminization in…