Old-Fashioned, Vintage, Retro, Classic, Eclectic, Unusual and Uncommon Names for Girls

Isaline

French variation of Isabelle

A trendy name in France, sometimes also spelled Ysaline, that's related to both Isabelle and Iseult. To the American ear, it freshens up Isabelle without really improving on it.

Sybille

Sybille is a feminine name of Greek origin, representing a French and German variation of Sibyl. In ancient Greece, sibyls were women believed to possess prophetic powers and served as oracles. The…

Gisela

German; Dutch; Spanish; Portuguese

"pledge, hostage"

A variation of Giselle.

Christabelle

Christabelle is a feminine name with French and English origins, an elaborated form of Christina or Christabel. The name combines elements of 'Christ' and 'belle' (meaning 'beautiful' in French),…

Pamina

Italian

"little honey"

This operatic Italian name -- it appears in Mozart's "The Magic Flute" -- is a more unusual route to the nickname Pam/Pammy.

Thyra

Swedish and Danish

"Thor's temple; Thor's strength"

Xenia

Greek

"hospitable, welcoming, guest"

The name of a Christian saint and a city in Ohio, Xenia is one of the more accessible and intriguing x names. It is the name of one of the Bond Girls--played by Famke Janssen in the film "GoldenEye."…

Bibiane

Bibiane is a feminine name of French origin, derived from the Latin name Viviana, meaning 'alive' or 'full of life.' The name has roots in early Christianity through Saint Bibiana (or Viviana), a…

Gertrud

German

"strength of a spear"

The form of Gertrude found in German and much of Scandinavia.

Felicitas

Latin

"good luck, fortune"

In Roman mythology. Felicitas was the deity of good luck.

Heloise

French from German

"healthy; wide"

Heloise is an ancient name related to sleek, peppy classic Eloise. Both ultimately derive from the Germanic name Helewidis, which became Helewis in medieval England. In the twelfth century, the name…

Hypatia

Greek

"highest, supreme"

Hypatia, an ancient Greek name, has a distinguished namesake: Hypatia of Alexandria was an early philosopher and scholar of mathematics and astronomy. Fittingly, the name derives from the Greek…