User-created list
By RuthShterna · Updated May 2023
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Short form of Theodora or Theodosia, Greek
"gift of God"
Theda is most famous as the name of silent film vamp Theda Bara. Today most fashionable little Theodoras and Theodosias are called Thea, but Theda makes an intriguing change.
Norse
"battle maid"
At the very least, shorten it to Hilda.
Variation of the word wild or German
"to strive"
Wilda (or Wylda) has two widely divergent images. Pronounced vill-da, it feels like a cousin of Hilda: a sturdy and none-too-attractive prairie settler. But you can also think of her as wild-ah, as…
Christabella is an elaborate feminine name that combines elements of Christine and Isabella, both with Christian roots. Derived from Latin and Greek origins meaning "follower of Christ" and enhanced…
Scandinavian
"holy, blessed"
A traditional Nordic name, Helga was extremely popular throughout Scandinavia in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In Germany, it was a Top 10 pick from 1924 to 1943. And it still ranks in the…
Variation of Susanna, Hebrew
"lily"
Literary elaboration of Clara
"bright, clear"
A poetic name first used in Edmund Spenser's "The Faerie Queene" in 1596, it had a literary vogue in the 18th century, especially favored by Robert Burns. "inda" names--Melinda, Belinda, Linda" are…
Variation of Sukey, pet form of Susanna
This spelling seems to be taking off as a result of media appearances as characters in first "Gilmore Girls" and then as Sookie Stackhouse, the Anna Paquin character in "True Blood," based on "The…
Short form of Elisabetta, Italian variation of Elizabeth
"pledged to God"
Isabetta is a charming spin on both the Elizabeth and Isabella families and a new way to go if you love the originals but want something more, well, original. Isabetta Rose is the name chosen by…
Latin, female variation of Constantinus
"constant, unchanging"
Constantina is a pretty, feminissima, if lengthy, variation on the Constance theme. The fourth century Constantina, also known as Constantia and Constantiana, was the eldest daughter of Roman Emperor…
Mauricette is a feminine French name derived from Maurice, which comes from the Latin name Mauritius, meaning 'dark-skinned' or 'Moorish.' The feminine suffix '-ette' adds a delicate, diminutive…
Old English short form of Jean or Janet
"God is gracious"
It feels like a slenderized modern version, but Jennet actually has deep roots. Could this plucky name rescue Janet and Jenny from their datedness?
Thomasine is the feminine form of Thomas, a name of Aramaic origin meaning "twin." This elegant variation emerged during medieval times when feminizing male names by adding suffixes like "-ine" or…
Adelais is a feminine name of Old German origin, representing a beautiful medieval variant of Adelaide. The name means 'noble kind' or 'of noble type,' combining 'adal' (noble) and 'heid' (kind,…
French feminine variation of Claude
There are much chicer versions of this name today, such as Claudie, Claudia, or Claude itself. Claudine is a name wobbling on the edge of extinction.
Diminutive of Margery or Margaret
"pearl"
A super diminutive nickname name, and sometime Madonna nickname – it was how the British tabloids referred to her when she moved to London in the 1990s, which she found annoying until then husband…
Spelling variation of Catherine, Greek
"pure"
Actress Hepburn made the Katharine spelling famous, which seems to be the inspiration for this spin on Catherine.
Tessy is a charming feminine name that functions both as a standalone name and as a diminutive form of Tess, Teresa, or Theresa. These parent names derive from the Greek 'therizo,' meaning 'to…
Eveleen is a feminine name of Irish origin, serving as a variant of Evelyn or a diminutive form of Eve. The name combines the Hebrew "Eve" (meaning "life" or "living one") with the characteristic…
Greek
"divine flower"
Diantha, a mythological flower of the supreme Greek god Zeus, is a melodious and more unusual cousin of Diana, heard most often in The Netherlands. Some similar choices: Diandra and Dianthe.
