Down the Rabbit Hole Names

Fidelity

Word name

Fidelity is an admirable virtue, yes, but as a name it tends to sound like a financial institution. Faith, Honor, or Patience would be easier to live with than Fidelity.

Ashbie

Ashbie is a delicate feminine name with possible origins as a variant of Ashley or as a surname-turned-first-name. It combines the ash tree element (from Old English 'æsc') with the suffix '-bie,'…

Fantasia

Greek

"imagination"

One of the more prominent by-products of reality TV, via Disney.

Bellezza

Italian

"beauty"

Beauty con brio italiano.

Anitra

Anitra is a feminine name with multiple cultural connections. It gained recognition in Western culture through Henrik Ibsen's play 'Peer Gynt,' where Anitra is an alluring dancer character. The name…

Alyvia

Variation of Olivia

"olive tree"

Parents finding Olivia too popular first turned to Alivia and then went further with Alyvia. But making the spelling different does not improve on the original. If you love Olivia, name your daughter…

Aishwarya

Sanskrit

"prosperity, wealth"

A popular South Indian name that gained international attention when Aishwarya Rai became Miss World in 1994.

Araby

Araby is a feminine name with Arabic and literary connections. Rather than being a traditional Arabic name, it derives from 'Arabia' or serves as a poetic reference to Arab lands. The name gained…

Jolanda

Italian

"violet"

A sweet and feminine Italian name almost unheard of here.

Sanka

Sanka is a feminine name with diverse international connections. In Sanskrit traditions, it can relate to words meaning 'doubt' or 'hesitation,' while in Japanese, depending on the kanji used, it…

Whizdom

Spelling variation of Wisdom

Configuration coined by troubled former NBA star Jayson Williams for his daughter.

Golda

English, Yiddish

"gold"

A name with an obvious meaning, for a long time associated with Golda Meir, the fourth Prime Minister of Israel. Nickname Goldie seems to be catching on in the celebrity community.

Gundruna

Swedish

"divine wisdom"

Baby-naming rule #487: it's probably best to avoid names whose only possible nickname is Gun.

Agnesina

Agnesina is a feminine name that serves as a diminutive or elaborate form of Agnes. It originated from the Greek name 'Hagne,' meaning 'pure' or 'holy.' This elegant variation adds a melodic quality…

Maine

Place-name

Strong and spare state name, maybe better in the middle -- or for a boy.

Gudrun

Scandinavian

"god's rune; secret battle"

Difficult name familiar here mainly via D. H. Lawrence's Women in Love .

Reinette

French

"little queen"

Reinette was the childhood nickname of Madame La Pompadour, perhaps a cute short form for Regina or Reina but hardly worthy of the full name on the birth certificate today.

Addyson

Spelling variation of Addison

"son of Adam"

Variation of the very trendy Addison, perhaps lending itself more obviously to the nickname Addy.

Faythe

Faythe is a feminine name that represents a creative spelling variation of Faith. While Faith derives from the English word for belief and trust, particularly in a religious context, Faythe adds a…

Cheyanne

English variation of Cheyenne, Sioux

"people of a different language"

This is a variation of Cheyenne that is slipping in the popularity list toward obscurity.