User-created list
Old-Fashioned, Vintage, Retro, Classic, Eclectic, Unusual and Uncommon Names for Girls
Across 95 pages
of 95
Constantia
Latin
"constant, steadfast"
A rare and refined name, which could make for a surprising route to cute nickname Connie.
Gladys
Possibly a form or Claudia or Welsh
"land, nation"
Hard as it might be to believe, Gladys was the Harper of 1900, emerging almost out of nowhere to take the naming world by storm. It became a favorite among parents — and writers of romantic Edwardian…
Idalia
Greek, Germanic
"behold the sun; work, labor"
A pretty, if unusual choice for a summer baby, particularly a girl with an ancestor named Ida. An epithet of the goddess Aphrodite, Idalia is derived from the Greek place name Idalion. It may also be…
Sharon
Hebrew
"a plain"
This Old Testament place name was in the Top 10 fifty years ago, but now Sharon, along with sound-alike Karen, have fallen out of favor.
Edwina
Feminine variation of Edwin, English
"wealthy friend"
Edwina may still be taking tea in the parlor, but we can see her joining friends like Matilda and Josephine for a comeback, especially if pronounced like Edwin rather than Edween. She had a very…
Philomena
Greek
"lover of strength"
Philomena is an earthy Greek name now used in various Latin countries. While it has felt simply clunky for many years, it's starting -- along with such sister names as Wilhelmina and Frederica -- to…
Dulcinea
Spanish
"sweetness"
Miguel de Cervantes invented this elaborate-sounding name -- which roughly translates as "sweetness" -- for the beautiful maiden Don Quixote is obsessed with in his great novel. Even in the fictional…
Laurentia
Latin, feminine form of Laurence
This pretty female form of Laurence originated in ancient Rome and is still sometimes heard in the Latino community. It is one of the many intriguing Latin names for girls worth consideration by…
Letitia
Latin
"joy, gladness"
Letitia is a delicate, once prim and proper sounding name whose staid image has been unbuttoned by numerous phonetic spellings. The original, often used in Spanish-speaking families, would still make…
Selma
German
"godly helmet"
Selma has recently been given a more youthful spin via actresses Selma Blair and Salma Hayek. But while Selma has not yet become popular again in the US, it is widely used in both Sweden and Norway.…
Bernice
Greek
"she who brings victory"
Rarely heard today-- it fell off the list around 1980--Bernice is a biblical name of Greek origin. In the Bible, she is a sister of King Agrippa. Bernice was a Top 100 name in the US for more than…
Erma
English variation of Irma, English, German, Slovene
"whole, great, universal; army man"
A variation of the German Irma, Erma emerged in the 19th century in English-speaking countries where its similarity to timeless Emma might have helped it gain popularity. In fact, if you follow its…
Prunella
Latin
"small plum"
Most ella names are hot, but this is one that won't catch fire because of the disagreeable connotations of prunes.
Adeliza
Medieval English and Old Swedish form of Adelaide
"noble, nobility"
Adeliza is a unique member of the popular Adelaide-Adeline family. Different enough to distinguish it from all the others? Maybe, and it's definitely got an appealing sound that makes it sound a bit…
Jean
English and Scottish, from French variation of Johanna
"God is gracious"
Originally a feminine of John, Jean was popular in Scotland long before it found favor elsewhere, and had its most shining moment here in the era of Jean Harlow (born Harlean), ultimate symbol of…
Posy
English
"a bunch of flowers"
A sweet, nostalgic nosegay kind of name, Posy has been long fashionable in England, a country of gardeners, but this pretty bouquet-of-flowers name is still rarely heard in the US, though it could be…
Fanny
Diminutive of Frances, English from Latin
"from France; free man"
As this word is less often used to mean derriere, it becomes more possible to view Fanny as the kind of appealingly quaint nickname name, like Josie and Nellie, that many parents are favoring now.
Lenore
German variation of Leonora, Italian derivative of Eleonora, meaning unknown
A "modernization" of Leonora that has suddenly come back on the radar along with the many other Leo names--both male and female. With literary cred via a famous eponymous poem by Edgar Allan Poe (and…
Leonora
Italian diminutive of Eleonora or Eleanor, meaning unknown
Its mellifluous sound makes Leonora--which has a rich history and a tie to the popular Leo names-- a keen possibility for revival. Though it's been hiding below the Top 1000 since the 1940s, Leonora…
Ambrosia
Latin, feminine form of Ambrose
"Immortal"
Ambrosia combines some of the more whimsical qualities of more popular Aurora and Isabella, with a heavenly meaning. In Greek mythology, Ambrosia was not a goddess or other figure but literally the…