Mysterious and Mystical Girl Names

Maren is one of the many twenty-first-century takes on Mary--but we find the more classic Marin spelling preferable. When spelled Maren, the pronunciation seems more clearly to resemble Mary, with the emphasis on the first syllable. Marin, the spelling also used for the beautiful coastal county north of San Francisco, is often pronounced with the emphasis on the second syllable, as in Marie.

Now that Tristan has been rediscovered, maybe it's time for his fabled lover in the Arthurian romances and Wagnerian opera, a beautiful Irish princess, to be brought back into the light as well.

Seren is a top girls' name in Wales – and a lovely choice almost unknown elsewhere. Seren, in the Sirona form, was an ancient goddess of the hot springs.

Rue has gone from Golden Girls actress to Hunger Games heroine to a fresh alternative to beloved middle name Rose. This botanical name is also a coincidental double word name, meaning "regret" in English and "street" in French. Despite these unfortunate secondary meanings, Rue has real potential to be one of the most popular new middle names for girls.

This Welsh nature name that can be pronounced exactly like the male Ira. Or, to avoid confusion, you could just name her Snow.

Meredith is a soft, gentle-sounding name with subtle Welsh roots. Although originally a boys’ name , Meredith is used mainly for girls now.

From the first time we saw the name Saskia attached to a portrait of Rembrandt's wife (her full name was Saakje van Uylenburgh, but she was always called Saskia), we have found it utterly charming and wondered why it hasn't attracted more fans In this country--she's appreciated by the Brits, who have moved her to Number 392. Saskia is one of those names that's been used in Europe since the Middle Ages, but has never crossed the ocean.

This pretty, succinct Arabic name is also commonly used as a nickname for names like Carolina.

Eilonwy is a rare and poetic Welsh name first recorded in the late 19th century and used by Lloyd Alexander for his novel series The Chronicles of Prydain. The character appeared in Disney's adaptation of the series. In both the books and on the screen, Eilonwy is a feisty yet kind character. Read more about Eilonwy and other Disney Princess Names in our featured blog.

A saint's name with a noteworthy literary background, including uses by Shakespeare in Two Gentlemen of Verona and Much Ado About Nothing, by Ben Johnson, Walter Scott, Longfellow, D. H. Lawrence and Neil Gaiman. In real life, her two most well known representatives are writer Ursula Le Guin and actress Ursula Andress. In literature, there is also Ursula Iguaran, a key, long-lived character in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's major work, One Hundred Years of Solitude.

Name of the Phoenician deity who was the patron of Carthage, goddess of the moon, and a fertility figure. Variations include Tanit, Tanis, and Tanitha. The name is frequently misinterpreted to be an Irish name meaning "estate." Despite this august heritage, the original form of the name is a bit lispy for use in modern English-speaking lands.

Eli is more often considered a Biblical classic for boys, with the name ranking in the Top 100 alongside Biblical choices for boys, like Elias, Elijah and Levi. Despite this, nearly 50 girls in the US were still called Eli last years. While some parents might have been following in the footsteps of those naming their daughters James, it could also be a spelling twist on familiar Ellie, or a short form of the Scandinavian names, Elisabet and Elin. Either way, with its similarity to Ellis, Ari, Elizabeth, Evie, Ivy, Riley, and Eden, there could be scope for Eli to be seen as a gender neutral option.

No, the pronunciation--ro-SHEEN--isn't immediately obvious to the non-Gaelic viewer, but the sound of this shiny Irish version of Rose is pretty enough to make it worth considering. Very popular in its native Ireland, it's one of many Irish girl names finding a wider audience. Earlier generations Anglicized at as Rosaleen, but we stay stick to the original.

Sigrid is a distinctly Scandinavian name that is starting to edge out into the wider world, a la cousin Ingrid. Unfortunately, short form Siri is now off the table, but Sigrid is still a possibility.

Romantic and mysterious, Eluned's beauty and intelligence were legendary in Welsh legend; she was the handmaiden of the Lady of the Fountain in a Welsh Arthurian romance, who had a magic ring that made the wearer invisible. Pronunciation is usually similar in emphasis to Eleanor, but with ned instead of nor at the end. However, it's sometimes also pronounced el-LIN-ed or even shortened to Luned, the sounce of Lynette, in Tennyson's Gareth and Lynette.

If you like soft, lispy Welsh names like Gwyneth, or want an alternative to Delilah, Adele, or Edith, consider this out-of-the-ordinary option.

Literally meaning "beautiful lady" in Italian, Belladonna is the name of a poisonous flower also known as nightshade. This connection gives an otherwise flowery name a darker, more dramatic edge.

Illyria can trace all its varied associations to the name of an ancient place in the western part of the Balkan peninsula, also called Illyricum. Its inhabitants, conquered by the Romans in 168 BC, were called the Illyrians. Its mythological ancestor was Illyrius, a demigod and son of King Cadmus and the goddess Harmonia.

Eliška is warm and friendly, in the Misha, Sasha mode.

Simona is a feminine name of Italian and Eastern European origin, serving as the feminine form of Simon, which derives from the Hebrew name Shimon, meaning 'he has heard.' This elegant name has remained consistently popular in Italy, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and other European countries. In Italy, it gained particular recognition through famous bearers like Olympic swimmer Simona Quadarella. While less common in English-speaking countries, Simona offers a sophisticated international alternative to the more familiar Simone. The name has a melodic quality with its flowing vowel sounds and soft consonants. Simona projects both strength and femininity, combining classical roots with a contemporary feel. Its cross-cultural appeal makes it accessible across various languages while maintaining its distinctive character.