Down the Rabbit Hole Names

Valo

Finnish; Malagasy

"light; eight"

Valo, an unusual entry in the o-ending category, can work for girls in the US. On Nameberry, it's especially popular among visitors from Bangladesh.

Penthesilea

Greek

"mournful grip"

An interesting figure from Greek mythology -- an Amazon queen who fought for Troy in the Trojan War -- but no figure could be interesting enough to make that five-syllable mouthful usable today.…

Empress

English word name

"Female ruler of an empire, consort of an Emperor"

Yet another noble name to join King, Prince, Princess, et al. The name Empress was given to over 100 baby girls in the US last year.

Mandolin

French, musical intrument

Mandolin may seem like an outlandish choice for a name, but since BANJO has been used as a baby name, all the instruments in the band seem to be auditioning for a place on birth certificates. This…

Doveva

Hebrew

"graceful"

Feminine but strong name heard in Israel.

Josepha

Feminine variation of Joseph, Hebrew

"Jehovah increases"

Josepha is less heard in this country than in other parts of the world, seen as a slightly awkward feminization a la Ricarda and Benjamina. In the U.S., Josephine or Joanna is the more usual feminine…

Africa

Place name, various meanings

Most Africas today would be named for the continent, but the name actually existed in Scotland in medieval times, where there was a Celtic queen named Affrica. Africa has also been a Spanish name for…

Gana

Gana is a feminine name with diverse cultural origins. In Hindu tradition, it relates to the Ganas, which are Shiva's attendants, giving the name divine associations. In Serbian and Croatian…

Indian

Indian is an unusual feminine name derived directly from the geographic and cultural term. While not commonly used as a given name, it reflects a tendency in some naming traditions to adopt terms of…

Velma

German

"will helmet"

Velma likely originated as a phonetic spelling of the German name Wilma, itself derived from Wilhelmina. Velma Dinkley is a smart, if nerdy, character in Scooby Doo .

Xandrah

Xandrah is a feminine name that appears to be a modern, creative variant of Alexandra or Xandra. The name blends the contemporary appeal of names beginning with 'X' with traditional feminine naming…

Cloudy

English word name

"cloudy"

Sunny and Stormi are shooting up the charts — why not Cloudy? Cloudy debuted on the charts in 2022.

Turquoise

French

"Turkish stone"

Turquoise is similar in hue to Aqua, which is one of the cool new color names on the palette. Other blue-hued options: Cerulean, Cyan, Indigo, or Blue itself.

Answer

English word name

"answer"

An implied spiritual meaning makes this a plausible new name.

Padget

English and French variation of Page

"page, attendant"

This unusual offshoot of Page is one of the undiscovered unique baby names , with lots of energy and charm. Actress Paget Brewster, star of Criminal Minds , presents another spelling possibility. She…

Jin

Japanese or Chinese

"tenderness, gentleness; gold"

Similarity to the English name Jean could be a plus in a Japanese-American or Chinese-American family.

Rori

Rori is a feminine name with Gaelic origins, though it can occasionally be used for boys as well. Traditionally, it's a feminine variation of Rory, which means 'red king' in Gaelic. The name has a…

Selphie

Video game name

Selphie Tilmitt is a character in the popular video game Final Fantasy VIII. An orphan like the other main characters, she's described as upbeat, friendly, and energetic....though she wields a mean…

Mystique

French word name

Better for a perfume.

Brona

Irish

"sorrow"

Brona is an Anglicized form of Bronach or Bronagh, the name of a sixth century mystic and follower of Saint Patrick. The name is attracting some modern notice in the US via the character Brona Croft…