Aries inspired names

Verbena

Latin

"sacred foliage"

This name of a showy, lemony plant makes an unusual entry into the name garden.

Vincentia

Feminine variation of Vincent

Vincenza would be a more user-friendly form in this country.

Virgilia

Feminine variation of Virgil, Latin

"staff bearer"

This Shakespearean name is even more out of step than its male counterpart, but it may possibly be so far out it could make its way back in.

Vivendel

Norwegian nature name

"honeysuckle flower"

The Norwegian word for "honeysuckle" could make for a fresh and vibrant nature-inspired choice.

Wanderer

English from German

"one who roams"

Wilhelmina

German and Dutch, feminine variation of Wilhelm

"resolute protection"

Wilhelmina might once have been condemned as a clunky relic best left in the past, but a steadily increasing number of parents are dusting it off for their 21st century babies. A reasonably popular…

Win

Diminutive of Winifred or Winslet

Win might be an upbeat short form for a girl named Winifred or the new-fangled Winslet, or can stand on its own. The Welsh name Wynn feels more complete and sounds the same.

Winnet

American diminutive of Winifred, Welsh

"blessed peacemaking"

Winnet is a long-forgotten nickname for Winifred that was used in the US in the 18th and 19th centuries. These days, it's more often found in South Africa.

Xantho

Greek

"golden-haired one"

The ethereal name of a Greek mythology sea nymph.

Xaviera

Feminine variation of Xavier, Basque

"new house"

Xaviera is one of the most intriguing and rarest female forms of a male name. Only a handful of baby girls are named Xaviera in the US each year, compared with nearly 3500 baby boys named Xavier.…

Xevera

Portuguese feminine variation of Severus, Latin

"stern"

An attractive, one-of-a-kind girl name with the covetable X initial.

Xiamara

Feminine variation of Guiomar, Spanish, Portuguese

"famous in battle"

The longer form of Xia is more rhythmic but also more problematic.

Xiola

Variation of Ziola or Zoila, Greek

"life"

A modern invented name, possibly a variation on Ziola, which comes from Greek Zoilos meaning "lively". It appears in several songs by the band Jane's Addiction, inspired by the adopted name of a…

Yelena

Russian variation of Helen

"bright, shining one"

One of many international versions of this classic.

Ylva

Feminine variation of Ulf, Scandinavian

"wolf"

Ylva may look like it belongs with the Eva family of names, but it actually derives from Ulf, a name meaning "wolf." It's not a very intuitive name to English-speakers, and likely won't get picked up…

Yonina

Feminine variation of Jonah, Hebrew

"dove"

Unlikely to catch on the way the male original has, though it may appeal to some parents as a more formal version of Nina.

Yonit

Feminine variation of Yonah, Hebrew

"dove"

A feminization of Yonah, the Hebrew form of Jonah.

Yuval

Hebrew variation of Jubal, Latin

"stream"

Although it's a variation of the masculine name Jubal, modern Israelis have taken to using Yuval for girls as well.

Yvette

French, feminine of Yves

"yew tree"

This French name has the elegance of other '-ette' names like Colette and Odette, and is a botanical name without being too obvious about it. Related to the sleek French name Yves, it was popular in…

Zaley

Feminine variation of Zale, invented nickname-name, or short form of Azalea

All baby names can be made more "creative" by putting a Z at the beginning instead of what's conventionally there: B or C or H, for instance. Zaley is an adorable entry in this group, also spelled…