Down the Rabbit Hole Names

Adelei

Modern invented name

Nouveau name related to Adele, Adeline, and the boys' biblical Adlai.

Madonna

Latin

"my lady"

There's only one. Okay, two.

Walburga

German

"strong protection"

An ancient saint's name belonging to an 8th century English missionary. Variants include Walpurga and Walpurgis.

Hayven

Hayven is a contemporary feminine name that represents a modern spelling variation of 'Heaven.' This celestial-inspired name conveys ideas of peace, beauty, and spiritual elevation. The alternative…

Dezray

Dezray is a modern feminine name, likely an alternative spelling of Desiree, which derives from the French word "désirée" meaning "desired" or "longed for." This contemporary variant maintains the…

Cleola

Cleola is a feminine name with possible roots in ancient Greek, potentially deriving from "Cleo" (meaning "glory" or "fame") with a decorative suffix. This elegant, melodic name emerged in American…

Jereni

Jereni is a feminine name with multiple possible origins. It may be a variant of Jeremiah (Hebrew for "appointed by God"), a creative spelling of Journey, or a unique invention inspired by names like…

Precious

Latin word name

"of great worth, expensive"

Though many might find it too syrupy, hundreds of parents each year choose this name for their daughters to make them feel special. Precious Ramotswe is the engaging African sleuth in the popular No.…

Yazz

Variation of Yazmin

"Jasmine"

Used as a short form of Yazmin and a name in its own right, Yazz is a sparky, jazzy feeling name. It is borne by British pop singer, Yasmin "Yazz" Evans and by a character in Bernadine Evaristo's…

Keighley

Keighley is a feminine name with geographical origins, derived from a market town in West Yorkshire, England. The place name comes from Old English, meaning 'woodland clearing.' As a personal name,…

Virginie

French variation of Virginia, Latin

"virginal, pure"

Say Virginie they way they do in Paris -- VAIR-zhin-ee -- and it sounds elegant and appealing. But Americans might pronounce it like virgin-y, which is a no-go.

Austria

Place name, Latinization of German Osterreich

"eastern realm"

Austria is an nteresting, appealing, unexplored geographic destination, much fresher than American cousin Austin. A related and attractive possibility is Austria's capital city, Vienna, the name of…

Edwige

French from German Hedwig

"war"

Haitian writer Edwidge Danticat highlighted this sophisticated, chignon-wearing choice for literate parents.

Kylillah

Kylillah is a feminine name with a melodic, multi-syllabic structure that gives it an exotic feel. While its precise origin is unclear, it may be a creative elaboration of names like Kylie or Lila,…

Reignbeau

English

"rainbow"

Melodramatic wordplay name coined by actor Ving Rhames for his daughter, this could be considered a variation of "rainbow" or as a smoosh name, blending Reign and Beau, to mean "royal and beautiful".

Gay

French

"joyful"

The meaning of this word flipped from "cheerful" to "homosexual" during the twentieth century, and it's now almost certainly too loaded to sit comfortably as a baby name. Which is a shame as…

Audrienne

Audrienne is a feminine name that evolved as a variation of Audrey with a French-inspired suffix. The name Audrey itself derives from the Anglo-Saxon name Æðelþryð, meaning 'noble strength.'…

Carna

Latin

"flesh"

Carna was a Roman goddess of the heart and flesh. She was eventually conflated with Cardea, goddess of hinges.

Jumelle

French word name

"twin or binoculars"

The French word for "twin," often used to refer to items found in pairs. Its plural form, jumelles, is the word for binoculars.

Camara

Camara is a feminine name with multicultural origins and meanings. In West African languages, particularly Mandinka, it's a surname meaning 'teacher' or 'one who teaches.' In Portuguese and Spanish…