bestie needs a screen-name!!

  1. Amara
    • Origin:

      Igbo, Sanskrit, Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "grace, immortal, tribe"
    • Description:

      Strong, attractive, and stylish, Amara is a true multicultural choice enjoying some popularity in both the US and the UK. In the US Top 1000 since the turn of this century, Amara has been holding steady in the rankings between overly popular and obscure.
  2. Aura
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "soft breeze"
    • Description:

      Aura is a New Age-y word turned name turned contemporary slang for karm. In Greek and Roman mythology, Aura was the Titan of the breeze and the fresh, cool air of early morning. But at odds with her peaceful, well, aura, the mythological Aura is a tragic figure, ultimately transformed into a fountain by Zeus.
  3. Brina
    • Origin:

      Yiddish
    • Meaning:

      "brown"
    • Description:

      A name heard in the Jewish community and another addition to the color name list.
  4. Celeste
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "heavenly"
    • Description:

      Celeste is a softly pretty and somewhat quaint name with heavenly overtones, which kids might associate with Queen Celeste of Babar's elephant kingdom. She's a light and lovely choice that's finally getting noticed.
  5. Donna
    • Origin:

      Italian
    • Meaning:

      "lady"
    • Description:

      Literally meaning "lady" in Italian, Donna was the perfect ladylike housewife mom name on The Donna Reed Show in the fifties and sixties. And there were plenty of namesakes: Donna was in the Top 10 in 1964. These days we'd be more likely to associate it with the emanciatpated clothes of Donna Karen than as a baby name.
  6. Elle
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "she"
    • Description:

      Combine the charming heroine of the movie Legally Blonde with supermodel Elle Macpherson and the trend toward all names beginning with "el"—Ellie, Ella, Eleanor—and you have one hit name.
  7. Laurie
    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Laura
    • Meaning:

      "from Laurentum or bay laurel"
    • Description:

      Laurie morphed into the more streamlined Lori in the sixties but now feels dated for a girl in either spelling. Update Lauren has been renovated as Laurel or Laura itself.
  8. Lina
    • Origin:

      Arabic; Latin diminutive
    • Meaning:

      "tender"
    • Description:

      This pretty, succinct Arabic name is also commonly used as a nickname for names like Carolina.
  9. Lorie
    • Luana
      • Origin:

        Combination of Louise and Anna or Hawaiian
      • Meaning:

        "content, at ease"
      • Description:

        In the slipstream of Luna, this everywhere-and-nowhere international name, with its attractive liquid sound, is popular in several European countries along with Hawaii.
    • Luanne
      • Megan
        • Origin:

          Welsh diminutive of Margaret
        • Meaning:

          "pearl"
        • Description:

          Megan originally evolved from Meg, which itself derived as a nickname for Margaret. Margaret ultimately comes from the Greek word margarites, meaning "pearl." Megan is no longer a common nickname for Margaret—it is most often used as a full name. Other spellings include Meghan, Meagan, Megyn, and Meaghan.
      • Nancy
        • Origin:

          English diminutive of Ann or Agnes, Hebrew; Greek
        • Meaning:

          "grace; pure"
        • Description:

          To some, Nancy is a sweet, sparkly, vintage choice with plenty of energy and style. For it strays too much into '"old-lady" territory to be cool again yet. It's out of fashion in France, New Zealand, and Canada; it lingers towards to bottom of the US charts. In the UK however, Nancy has been a Top 100 name for nearly a decade where it fits right in with Evie, Mabel, and Pippa.
      • Nicole
        • Origin:

          French feminine variation of Nicholas, Greek
        • Meaning:

          "people of victory"
        • Description:

          Nicole was derived from Nicholas, the English variation of the Greek Nikolaos, composed of the compounds nike, meaning "victory," and laos, "people." The variation Nicole arose in the Middle Ages in France to honor St. Nicholas. Names related to Nicole include Colette, Nicolette, Nika, Nicola, and Nicolina.
      • Nova
        • Origin:

          Latin
        • Meaning:

          "new"
        • Description:

          Nova has the feel of both newness, from its meaning, and great energy as an astronomical term for a star that increases suddenly in brightness before fading.
      • Ophelia
        • Origin:

          Greek
        • Meaning:

          "help"
        • Description:

          Floral, elegant, and bold, Ophelia re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2015 after more than 50 years off the charts. It has risen more than 700 spots since then and shows no signs of slowing down. Now in the US Top 300, could Ophelia one day become the next Olivia or Amelia?
      • Quartz
        • Sabrina
          • Origin:

            Celtic, Latin name for the River Severn
          • Description:

            Sabrina, the bewitchingly radiant name of a legendary Celtic goddess, is best known as the heroine of the eponymous film, originally played by Audrey Hepburn, and later as a teenage TV witch; it would make a distinctive alternative to the ultrapopular Samantha. Similar names you might also want to consider include Sabina and Serena.
        • Sandy
          • Origin:

            Diminutive of Sandra or Alexandra
          • Description:

            Nickname name hep in the era of Grease.
        • Stella
          • Origin:

            Latin
          • Meaning:

            "star"
          • Description:

            Stella is a name with star quality and sparkle, that manages to sound both ethereal and earthy. Celestial but not otherworldly, it lands somewhere between the popular Ella and bold Seraphina.