User-created list
By RuthShterna · Updated May 2023
Across 95 pages
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German diminutive of Elizabeth
"pledged to God"
Sweet but sleek, and distinctive, Liesl is an old German nickname-name for Elisabeth. It might have once seemed inextricably tied to to its country of origin, but now, like Elsa, Enzo, Saoirse,…
English, diminutive of Nora
Noreen's in limbo, especially now that Nora has made a comeback.
Spelling variation of Sally, diminutive of Sarah, Hebrew
"princess"
Sallie ranked highest along with other -ie ending girls' names in the 1800s. It's been downhill since then for Sallie, though she didn't fall off the Top 1000 until 1970. Last year, only a couple…
Modern invented name, variation of Cherie, French
"darling"
As frozen in the pre-Beatles era as short white gloves.
Diminutive of Wilhelmina, German and Dutch
"resolute protection"
Historically a diminutive of Wilhelmina, Elma's parent name and soundalike sisters are slowly stirring back to life as the trend for vintage baby names continues. With Alma on the rise in the US,…
Variation of Matilda
"battle-mighty"
The addition of the h makes it more Old World, which is not the direction you want to push Matilda in.
Irish variation of Mary, Hebrew or Egyptian
"drop of the sea; bitter; beloved; love"
Almost as popular in the 1950s among the Irish in Boston as it was with those back in Bray, Maureen was once among the most prominent Irish names for girls in the US but has fallen from favor along…
Irish
"of the bright sea, sea-bright"
Once a poetic Celtic name, that of the angel who governs the month of June, Muriel has for a time, become the mom or grandma of TV sitcoms. A Top 200 name from 1912 to 1933, Muriel might just be due…
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,…
Sabella is a feminine name with Italian and Latin origins, most commonly considered a shortened form of Isabella or a variant of Sabina. Isabella derives from the Hebrew name Elisheba, meaning 'God…
Spelling variation of Deborah
"bee"
When Deborah seemed too formal in the laid-back sixties, Debra stepped in as a pared-down alternative, but the pendulum is about to swing back.
English variation of Lee
"pasture, meadow"
This spelling adds a little more femininity to the neutral Lee. Leigh and sister Lee were quite popular in the 1960s and 1970s among the first cool wave of unisex names for girls, but now have…
Diminutive of Adelaide or Adeline
This name has become increasingly popular, though usually with the Addie spelling. In fact, Addy/Addie has taken over for Maddie and Allie as one of the most frequently-heard short forms for a range…
German
"bright, glorious"
Ever since Allied soldiers in World War I dubbed the enormous German cannon "Big Bertha", this name hasn't worked for a sweet little baby girl. But this was not always so. Hard as it might be to…
English word name or diminutive of Candace, Latin
"white, pure, sincere"
Too sugary sweet and inconsequential for a modern girl.
Diminutive of Dove or Deborah, English, Hebrew
"dove; bee"
Dovie was a fairly popular nickname name a century or more ago, dropping off the Top 1000 in the 1940s only to be heading back uphill now. Given to around 30 girls in a recent year, Dovie has a way…
"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:…
Coralee is a charming feminine name that combines the name Cora with the popular suffix 'lee.' Cora has Latin origins meaning 'maiden' or Greek roots meaning 'heart,' while the suffix adds a…
Ellenor is a graceful feminine name, functioning as a variant spelling of Eleanor. Derived from the Provençal name Aliénor, it blends Occitan and Greek elements, with possible meanings including…
French variation of Lilian
"lily, a flower"
Now that Lily has become hugely popular, parents in love with this flower name are looking further afield for substitutes such as Liliane and Liliana.
