Down the Rabbit Hole Names

Lilibeth

English combination of Lily + Beth or diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew

"pledged to God"

Queen Elizabeth's childhood nickname was Lilibet, the name of Prince Harry and Meghan's newborn daughter, and Lilibeth has the same kind of lilting charm. While many combo names are less attractive…

Maddy

Maddy is a feminine name that functions both as a diminutive and as a standalone given name. Most commonly, it serves as a nickname for longer names such as Madeline, Madison, Madeleine, or Matilda.…

Monae

Monae is a feminine name with French influences, possibly derived from the French word 'moine' meaning 'monk.' It gained modest recognition in the United States in the late 20th century but became…

Ismay

Possible variation of Esme

"esteemed, beloved"

The rise of the the various Isabel names may give a boost to this variation, which has a sunny, springtime feel. Although this name has been around since the thirteenth century, its origins remain…

Laguna

Italian place-name

"pond, lake"

Laguna Beach is a famous California spot -- though there's "goonie" teasing potential.

Amarantha

Flower name; Greek

"unfading"

Amarantha is a rare botanical name whose mythical equivalent was believed to be immortal. The Italian and Spanish form is the somewhat-more-acccessible Amaranta.

Dilys

Welsh

"genuine, steadfast, true"

Common in Wales, but would really stand out here. One of the middle names of Stella McCartney's daughter Reiley; Dilys Powell was a well-known British film critic, Professor Dilys Derwent a Harry…

Satine

French

"smooth, shiny"

Satine, the name of the Nicole Kidman character in Moulin Rouge, , is, by definition satiny smooth. Jacinda Barrett named her daughter Satine Anais.

Laelia

Latin family name and botanical name

Upside: it has an interesting ancient look and feel, related to the Roman family name Laelius of uncertain meaning. There is also a type of orchid called the Laelia. Downside: possible confusion with…

Sidra

Latin, Hebrew, Arabic

"like a star; order, sequence; lotus tree"

Sidra is an uncommon name shared by a gulf off the coast of Libya. Popular in the Jewish community of North Africa, its Hebrew meaning refers to a weekly reading portion of the Torah. In Arabic, it's…

Rapunzel

German flower name

"rampion; lamb's lettuce"

Rapunzel is famous as the long-haired heroine of the fairy tale, locked in a tower only to fall in love with a handsome prince who climbed to her side via her hair. Rapunzel has never been widely…

Elif

Turkish and Arabic

"first letter in the alphabet; slender"

Elif is the Turkish form of Alif, the name of the first letter of the Arabic alphabet. Actor Natalie Portman gave another spelling to her son, Aleph. In Turkey, Elif is unisex but especially popular…

Nayara

Spelling variation of Naiara, Basque place-name

Nayara or Naiara is a Basque name for a Spanish city where the Virgin Mary appeared in medieval times, now a popular girls' name throughout Spain.

Amandine

French, diminutive of Amanda

"much-loved"

This fragrant, almond-scented name has hardly been heard in this country, which is a pity--we've loved it since John Malkovich used it for his now grown daughter. A French diminutive of Amanda, it…

Anoushka

Russian, diminutive of Ann

"grace"

A lively, affectionate Russian pet name that is never given as a full name in its homeland, but has found some popularity in upper-crusty British society. It's also a surprising cultural crossover…

Altalune

Latin

"over the moon"

Altalune is an invention used by Uma Thurman and Arpad Busson as one of several middle names for their daughter. It's evocative Latin meaning roughly translates to "over the moon." Celebrity baby…

Pavana

Sanskrit

"peacock"

If there are too many Savannahs in your neighborhood, you might consider this. Pavana is a Hindu goddess of the wind.

Alizeh

Persian

"wind"

This old Persian name was chosen by actress Geena Davis for her daughter. It's an attractive variation on a name that exists in dozens of forms, from Alissa and Eliza to the French Alizee, but you'll…

Loveday

Cornish, English

"beloved day"

A loveday in medieval England was a day when people engaged in a dispute would come together and try to resolve their differences amicably. The name was sometimes given to babies, male or female, who…

Thalassa

Greek

"the sea"

A pretty, rarely used Greek name, Thalassa is the ancient personification of the sea, particularly the Mediterranean, who is sometimes considered the mother of Aphrodite. In 1991, a newly discovered…