Down the Rabbit Hole Names

Morning

Word name

There are many lovely day/month/seasonal names -- and this is one of the most intriguing.

Anice

Variation of Agnes

"pure, virginal"

Anice and Annis are variations of Agnes that have fallen from use, perhaps because of pronunciation issues. Neither spelling was used for any baby girls in the US in the most recent year counted,…

Douce

French

"gentle, sweet"

A sweet French word name and an equivalent to English Dulcie, Douce may also be elaborated into Doucette and the saintly name Douceline. Pronounced with one syllable (DOOS), some English speakers may…

Snow flower

She may have been an appealing Chinese heroine in Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, but her name won't translate for a modern American girl. Better choices: Snow, or Flora.

Uvelia

Uvelia is an exceptionally rare feminine name with Latin-inspired roots. It may be derived from Latin words such as 'uva' (grape) or be related to the Latin term 'novella' (new, young). Another…

Jacinth

Gemstone name, variation of Hyacinth, English

"blue larkspur; precious stone"

Jacinth is a gemstone of the Zircon variety. The name is related to the floral Hyacinth.

Jaelyn

Modern invented name

Jaelyn is a name popular in many spellings and variations, including Jaelynn, Jaylin, and Jalen, and used for girls as well as boys.

Swyn

Welsh

"charm, magic spell"

Swyn is one of the vocabulary word names that has seen more use in Wales in recent years, though it's not quite a shoo-in elsewhere.

Easter

English, from German

Easter has been used as a name for several hundred years, as part of the day-naming tradition; now, this rarely heard holiday celebration name would make a novel choice for a springtime baby.…

Jessamyn

Variant spelling of Jessamine

"jasmine flower"

An alternative spin on Jasmine and Jessica, Jessamyn is a spelling variation of floral Jessamine, with just a little less frill. Notable bearers include writer Jessamyn West, wrestler Jessamyn Duke,…

Abelle

Abelle is a feminine name of French origin, serving as a variant of the more common Abelle or Abella. It derives from the Hebrew name Abel, meaning "breath" or "vapor." The feminine suffix "-elle"…

Po

Italian river name

The good news: the Po is Italy's longest river, flowing across the north. The bad news: Po is a manic, scooter-riding red Teletubby.

Adalina

Adalina is a feminine name with Germanic roots, derived from the name Adelaide, which means 'noble' or 'nobility.' This elegant name combines the classic appeal of Ada with the lyrical ending -lina,…

Amairani

Amairani is a beautiful feminine name with Nahuatl (Aztec) origins. It means 'rainbow' or 'one who walks in beauty,' symbolizing hope and colorful promise. The name has gained popularity particularly…

Brittan

Brittan is a feminine name that appears to be a variant of Brittany, which originated as a regional name for the northwestern province of France. The name has Celtic roots and was popularized in…

Truly

Word name

"in a truthful way"

A would-be up-and-comer if it wasn't for the spiked seltzer brand.

Sayuri

Japanese

"small lily"

Azalee

Azalee is a flowering variation of Azalea, the botanical name for colorful flowering shrubs native to several continents. The name derives from Greek 'azaleos' meaning 'dry,' ironically referring to…

Ioanna

Greek variation of Joanna

Ioanna may be an original spin on the Joanna family, but American tongues may have trouble wrapping themselves around all its vowels. Ioanna is pronounced ee-oh-ah-nah.

Nordica

Teutonic

"from the north"

An icy name with an operatic namesake in late 19th - early 20th century singer Lillian Allen Norton, better known by her stage name Nordica.