shelbyrs's list of names
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- Ayelet
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"deer, gazelle"Description:
Ayelet is an unusual -- and somewhat challenging -- Israeli name familiar thanks to sometimes controversial Jerusalem-born novelist-essayist Ayelet Waldman.
- Boaz
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"swiftness"Description:
Now that such Old Testament patriarchs as Elijah and Moses fill the playground, Boaz seems downright baby-friendly, having more pizzazz than many of the others, perhaps as a successor to Noah.
- Cora
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"maiden"Description:
Cora is a lovely, old-fashioned girls' that has been recently rejuvenated by its contemporary-feeling simplicity. In fact, Cora seemed headed straight for the top of the popularity list when the coronavirus pandemic somewhat weakened its appeal.
- Cordelia
Origin:
Latin; CelticMeaning:
"heart; daughter of the sea"Description:
Cordelia is exactly the kind of old-fashioned, grown-up name for girls that many parents are seeking for their daughters today. The name of King Lear's one sympathetic daughter, Cordelia has both style and substance along with its Shakespearean pedigree.
- Dinah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"God will judge"Description:
As the song says, "Dinah, is there anyone finer?" Dinah is a charming, underused Old Testament name with a rich literary and musical resume.
- Dorothy
Origin:
English variation of Greek DorotheaMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
In the 1930s, Dorothy left Kansas and landed in the Land of Oz; by the '80s she had become a Golden Girl, living in Miami with roommates Blanche and Rose, giving her a decidedly older image. But parents today seeking a quiet classic are bringing Dorothy back—she reentered the Top 1000 in 2011 after almost completely disappearing.
- Ezra
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"help"Description:
Ezra has a lot going for it: the strength of its heroic Biblical legacy, its quirky sound, and its fresh but familiar feel. Ezra is now at its highest point ever, but its intuitive streamlined spelling and deep roots could make it a worth successor to Elijah in the Top 10 -- or even to Liam or Noah at Number 1.
- Imogen
Origin:
CelticMeaning:
"maiden"Description:
Imogen has long been fashionable in England and is gaining favor in the US among stylish parents. Pronounced the British way — the initial i is short as in Kim, as is the final E as in Ken — Imogen is as pretty and classy as it is distinctive.
- Jonah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"dove"Description:
Jonah, the name of the Old Testament prophet who was swallowed by the whale, only to emerge unharmed three days later, is increasingly appreciated by parents looking for a biblical name less common than Jacob or Joshua, yet not too obscure. Plus, Jonah comes with a ready-made nursery-decorating motif.
- Jonas
Origin:
Greek variation of JonahMeaning:
"dove"Description:
Jonas has a slightly more grandfatherly image than the English version of his name, but that only adds to its retro appeal. And though it may lag behind Jonah in this country, Jonas is riding a huge wave of popularity in Europe, where it ranks highly in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Norway.
- Miriam
Origin:
Hebrew or EgyptianMeaning:
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"Description:
The oldest-known form of Mary, serious and solemn Miriam has been a particular favorite of observant Jewish parents. But we can see it extending beyond that sphere into the next wave of Old Testament names post-Rachel, Rebecca, Sarah, Hannah, and Leah. Miriam is currently the Number 1 girls' name in Israel.
- Maraglit
- Naomi
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"pleasantness"Description:
Naomi was once a primarily Jewish name from the Old Testament that referenced the mother-in-law of Ruth. Because of this, it is a symbolic name given to girls on Shavuot when the story of Ruth is read in the synagogue.
- Noa
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"motion"Description:
This Old Testament female name has been one of the most popular girls’ names in Israel over the last decade. Also highly popular in Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands, and a new entrant to the US Top 1000, it may be misunderstood here as an attempt to streamline and feminize the more familiar Noah – although it's a separate name with a separate derivation.
- Nora
Origin:
Diminutive of Honora or Eleonora, LatinMeaning:
"honor or meaning unknown"Description:
Nora is a lovely, refined name that conjures up images of Belle Epoch ladies in fur-trimmed coats skating in Central Park. Long seen as a quintessentially Irish name though its roots are not in Ireland, Nora is a quietly stylish favorite that's tiptoed to the top of the popularity ladder.
- Odette
Origin:
French, from GermanMeaning:
"wealthy"Description:
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 soigne, sophisticated yet upbeat choice, unlike some of the more dated other 'ette'-ending names.
- Salem
Origin:
Biblical place-name or ArabicMeaning:
"safe"Description:
Salem is a Biblical place name in Canaan, believed to be the same as Jerusalem, as well as the Massachusetts town famous for its late 17th century witch trials. Salem is also a popular first name in its own right throughout the Arabic world.
- Salome
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"peace"Description:
A soft and interesting Hebrew name long popular in France, where it has ranked in the Top 400 since 1986 (as Salomé). Ex-ER star Alex Kingston named her daughter Salome Violetta.
- Shai
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"gift"Description:
Shai, pronounced like shy, might morph to rhyme with may among native English speakers. This simple and attractive name is sometimes confused with or anglicized as Shay or even the Irish Shea.
- Shira
Origin:
Hebrew, JapaneseMeaning:
"singing, song; poetry, excellent, white"Description:
A popular Israeli choice that could work across different languages, Shira comes from the Hebrew shir meaning "song." Some parents may be reminded of the animated heroine She-Ra, Princess of Power, from both the 1980s original and the 2018 reboot, however, they are not related.