User-created list
By RuthShterna · Updated May 2023
Across 95 pages
of 95
Persian
"dawn"
Alternative (rarer) spelling of Roxanne.
Latin
"red-haired"
A feminine form of Rufus, which has potential in the current trend for ancient Roman names.
Greek
"sensible, prudent"
Stately and elegant, but with the familiar sounds of Sophia and Sophie, Sophronia was a familiar choice back in the 19th century but has since fallen into obscurity. Derived from the Greek sophron ,…
English, diminutive of Agatha and Agnes
Mauve-tinted nickname with vintage charm that could just follow in the footsteps of ABBIE. More prominent now as the nickname for the Texas A&M sports teams.
French diminutive of Barbara, Greek
"stranger"
A less common relic of the Claudette-Paulette-Annette era. Babette's Feast is a 1987 Danish film based on a Karen Blixen (Isak Dinesen) story about a cook who wins the lottery and prepares an…
English diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew
"pledged to God"
Although she declared her independence as far back as the reign of Elizabeth I — Good Queen Bess, Bess now sounds less passé than Beth or Betsy.
English feminization of Carl or Charles, German, French
"free man"
A handful of baby girls are still named Carlene every year, but today other feminizations of Charles or Carl, from Carly to Charlotte, are much more popular.
Edyth is a medieval variation of the Anglo-Saxon name Edith, derived from the Old English elements 'ead' meaning 'wealth, fortune' and 'gyth' meaning 'battle.' This spelling variant adds a…
Diminutive of Eulalia
Eula is a slightly sweeter and more compact version of Eulalia. Currently, neither name is given to more than a handful of girls each year. Eula was fairly popular in the US during the early…
"flower"
"demi-god"
Despite the possibility of gender confusion, the Hero in Greek myth was a woman. Myleene Klass got that when she chose Hero for her daughter, and Sam Taylor-Wood and Aaron Johnson used it as their…
Medieval variation of Esther, Persian
"star"
The disgraced heroine of The Scarlet Letter 's name, after long neglect, just might have a chance at revival, following in the wake of sister-name Esther. We've characterized her elsewhere as an…
"woman of honor"
This is an eighteenth century elaboration of Honor found in Charles Dickens ( Bleak House ) but rarely heard here and now.
Feminine variation of John, Hebrew
"God is gracious"
Jan, not short for Janet or Janice but standing on its own, ranked in the Top 200 throughout the 1950s but dropped off the Top 1000 in the 1980s and now is a truly extinct name, given to fewer than…
"from Laurentum"
A feminine form in France, this boyish choice could make a fresh alternative to Lauren or Laura -- or be an inventive way to honor Grandpa Larry.
English elaboration of Lucia or Lucy
"light"
Lace-hankie name with Shakespearean pedigree.
French color name
Mazarine is a deep blue color also used as a first name in honor of Cardinal Mazarin, a leader of France in the 17th century. As a first name, Mazarine is as charming as it is unusual.
French diminutive of Ann
"grace"
Not quite Nanette and not quite Ninon, this is one of the more unusual 'ette' options. There was an eponymous Spanish film, starring Elsa Pataky, based on a novel.
Diminutive of Patricia
"patrician"
Replaced Patsy as the midcentury's popular, peppy babysitter.
German
"horse protection"
The kind of serious old-school name that sounds appealing again; perfect for the intrepid baby namer. More commonly spelled Rosamund but highly unusual these days in either version, with fewer than…
