sappho's longlist - girls

Clove

English word name

"clove"

Clove is a spice name that is a tad more piquant than Saffron or Cinnamon. It might get more attention now as a member of The Hunger Games family of names.

Clytemnestra

Greek

"famous courter"

In Greek legend Clytemnestra was the wife of Agamemnon, mother of Orestes and Electra. She took a lover while her husband was away fighting in the Trojan War, and upon his return she had him killed…

Comet

Word name, English from Latin

"comet"

Soaring astral name has a great gender-free feel. It also has a pleasing christmas connotation, courtesy of the reindeer listed in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Conwenna

Cornish, Welsh or Breton

Made familiar by poet William Blake. According to Blake, after her death, Conwenna "shines ... over the north with pearly beams gorgeous and terrible". Make of that what you will.

Corisande

Greek

"chorus-singer"

Corisande is a very unusual, haunting choice, with the aura of medieval romance--it is found in early Spanish romantic tales, arriving in the English-speaking world in the nineteenth century. 'La…

Cosette

French literary nickname

"little thing"

Cosette is best known as the heroine of Les Miserables . In the Victor Hugo novel, Cosette was the nickname given to the girl named Euphrasie by her mother. Although Hugo invented the name, some…

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…

Crescent

English, French, Latin

"waxing or waning moon; increasing, growing, springing forth"

Crescent is an intriguing word name with a pretty sound and links to the moon. Used to describe a curved shape more generally, it is heavily associated with the lunar calendar, with the moon forming…

Cressa

Cressa is a feminine name with ancient Greek origins, possibly derived from 'Cretan woman' referring to someone from the island of Crete. This uncommon name carries a sense of classical elegance and…

Cressida

Greek

"gold"

Cressida is a golden, mythological, and Shakespearean name, much better known in Britain than it is in the US. Given to just 11 American girls in a recent year — though still the highest number on…

Cybele

Greek

"the mother of all gods"

The Anatolian mother goddess Cybele had a place in Greek, Roman, Trojan, and Anatolian mythology. Today, she has special meaning as a symbol of gender nonconformity. In ancient Rome, Cybele's cult…

Cyra

Persian or Greek

"sun or throne, or lord"

Cyra is an unusual name that can be pronounced either SEER-a or SI-ra, rhyming with Keira or Tyra. This name may be a feminine variation of Cyrus but is also a Persian name that stands on its own.…

Cyrene

Greek

"supreme power"

Cyrene was a mythical nymph and huntress who was beloved by the god Apollo. He founded a city named after her in what is now Libya and made her the queen. Derived from Greek and pronounced with three…

Dagmar

Norse

"Day maiden"

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…

Dagny

Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Norse, "new day"

"new day"

If you're looking for a name with Scandinavian roots, Dagny makes a strong and appealing import. Derived from Old Norse, it means "new day", perfect for a girl born around New Year's or the change of…

Dandelion

Flower name, from French

"lion's tooth"

The bright yellow weed lends itself to a creative baby name, although we don't recommend the nickname Dandy.

December

English word name

"tenth month"

Cooler than April, May, or June, but also a tad icy. December gets its name from the number ten as the old Roman calendar only had ten months, and as now, December was the last.

Decima

Latin

"tenth"

In the days of huge families, this name of the Roman goddess of prophecy and childbirth, and one of the Fates, would be saved for bambina number ten. Now it might be used for a girl born in October,…

Delia

Greek

"born on the island of Delos"

Delia is a somewhat neglected southern charmer that stands on its own but also might be short for Adelia or Cordelia. Delia's name is based on that of the Greek island of Delos, which in Greek myth…

Delphi

Greek place name

"of Delphi; womb"

An interesting unisex possibility, with an air of mystery connected to the Delphic Oracle, the most important oracle in ancient Greece; it was also a major site for the worship of the god Apollo.…