User-created list
Ballet Names
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Marie-Agnes
Merce
Diminutive of Mercer
"a merchant"
Merce Cunningham (born with the French version Mercier) was a highly influential avant garde dancer-choreographer and his name still resonates with an aura of bold originality.
Moira
Irish, variation of Mary
"bitter; beloved; drop of the sea"
Well-established Irish and Scottish name that has never really caught on across the pond. Remembered by an older generation as the beautiful red-haired ballerina in the film The Red Shoes , Moira…
Mikhail
Russian variation of Michael
"who is like God"
One of the most familiar Russian names in the West, thanks to ballet great Mikhail Baryshnikov and state head Mikhail Gorbachev.
Nikiya
Noella
Variation of Noelle and Noel, French
"Christmas"
Noelle may be literally 15 times as popular, but Noella was given to more than 100 baby girls in the US last year, a not insignificant number. The growing popularity of Nola may increase the…
Olesia
Polish, diminutive of Aleksandra
Sounds a bit pharmaceutical.
Ondine
Latin
"little wave"
Mythological spirit of the waters; spelled Undine, she was an Edith Wharton heroine.
Palemon
Polina
Russian and Basque, feminine variation of Paul
This version of the more familiar Paulina is occasionally used in the US, though some may see it as relating more to the word pole than to the classic Paul.
Rosaline
Medieval variation of Rosalind
Rosaline, which can be pronounced to rhyme with mine or mean in its final syllable, has a deeper, richer pedigree than it might seem. Rosaline was used twice by Shakespeare and was also used in the…
Rosella
Rosella can be seen as a nature name (a rosella is the name of a variety of beautiful Australian cockatoos and an Australian flower) or a diminutive version of Rose.
Rowena
Welsh
"white spear; famous friend; fame and joy"
A fabled storybook name via the heroine of Sir Walter Scott's novel Ivanhoe (1819), which featured a heroine called Rowena of Hargottstanstede, and also a Harry Potter name, as Rowena Ravenclaw,…
Tatiana
Russian, from Latin family name Tatius, meaning unknown
Classic yet spritely, Tatiana has long been familiar and popular in Russia and Eastern Europe, though it wasn't until the 80s that it caught on in the English-speaking world. With short forms Tiana,…
Violetta
Italian, Russian and Hungarian variation of Violet, English
"purple"
With Violet in vogue, this vibrant international variation has been on the rise since the 2010s. Vintage and floral like its more popular sister, Violetta has a slightly softer sound and a touch of…