sappho's longlist - girls

Wildfire

English nature name

"destructive, fast spreading fire over bush or woodland"

Wild, bright, and fearless in feel, but perhaps insensitive in real life, given the destructive nature of wildfires. It might make an interesting choice for a fast moving pet, however.

Wildflower

Nature and flower name

Wildflower may be the ultimate hippie name, added to the lexicon by Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden when they chose it as one of their daughter's middle names. It's generic in the way that Flora and…

Wilderose

English

"wild rose"

Variant of Wildrose

Wisteria

Flower name, from English surname

"Wister's flower"

A frilly southern-accented flower name yet to be planted on many birth certificates. In the language of flowers, the wisteria is a symbol of devotion. It is named for American horticulturalist John…

Yseult

French variation of Iseult, Celtic

"fair, light-skinned"

Variation of Isolde, the name of a great Celtic heroine. The mononymous French singer Yseult is the most notable bearer today.

Zephyrine

Feminine variation of Zephyr, Greek

"west wind"

Zephyr may not be a name often heard in the U.S., but its variations are used throughout Europe. Zephyrine, a cousin in sound and feel if not in fact to such lovely names as Severine and Seraphina,…

Zerlin

Arabic

"beautiful dawn"

Not a spunkier version of Merlin, Zerlin has roots in the Middle East, Spain and Eastern Europe and is thought to mean "beautiful dawn". The countries where this name is most heard are Israel,…

Zelie

French

"noble"

A cute, zippy French saint's name that's picking up in popularity there, and starting to in the US as well. Zélie originated as a short form of Azélie, thought to derive from Adelaide via the Occitan…

Verse

English word name

"verse"

Writing-related names are starting to become more popular, with names like Poet, Story, and Lyric having been used by many a celebrity. Now it's Verse's turn, as it was recently used by Teen Mom 's…

Alizée

French

"trade wind"

This glamorous name of a hot young French singer is catching on. Tessa and Barron Hilton used it as a middle name for their daughter Milou.

Aurélie

French form of Aurelia, Latin

"golden one"

Popular in Quebec and Belgium, this French form of the stylish Aurelia may appeal to those who enjoy Elodie and Amelie but want something with that appealing golden meaning. Popular in France back in…

Clémence

Clémence is a feminine French name derived from the Latin 'clementia' meaning 'mercy', 'mildness', or 'gentleness'. This elegant name carries connotations of compassion, forgiveness, and…