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English and British Royal names from 1066

  1. Georgiana
    • Origin:

      English, feminine variation of George
    • Meaning:

      "farmer"
    • Description:

      Long a popular upper-crust form in England, where it's pronounced George-ee-AH-na, Georgiana has been been neglected here. But with Georgia growing more popular and the general fashion for elaborate feminine names, Georgiana might have room to grow.
  2. Joan
    • Origin:

      English feminine variation of John, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"
    • Description:

      Joan was the perfect name choice for one of the leading characters on Mad Men, being a quintessential girls' name of the period. A Top 10 name in the 30s, a Top 50 name from the 40s through the early 60s, it was the fifth most popular name in the country for three years running and ranks as one of the most common names for girls in the 20th century. But alas, Joan hasn't even appeared in the Top 1000 for a dozen years, and these days it's primarily associated with Joans of the generation of Joan Crawford, Joan Collins and Joan Rivers--just a few of the noted Joans whose ranks also include the singers Joan Sutherland, Joan Baez, Joan Armatrading and Joan Jett. But it's possible that modern parents who are reviving Jane might move on to Joan, inspired by Joan Hollaway Harris.
  3. Adolphus
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "noble wolf"
    • Description:

      This softer version of Adolf is sadly still off-limits due to the connotations with Hitler.
  4. Rupert
    • Origin:

      German variation of Robert
    • Meaning:

      "bright fame"
    • Description:

      Rupert is a charming-yet-manly name long more popular in Britain (where it's attached to a beloved cartoon bear) than in the U.S. Yet we can see Rupert as a more stylish, modern way to honor an ancestral Robert.
  5. Blanche
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "white"
    • Description:

      Blanche, which originated as a nickname for a pale blonde and then became associated with the notion of purity, was in style a century ago, ranking in the double digits until 1920. She then had to fight the stereotype of faded Southern belle, a la Blanche DuBois in Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire and Blanche Devereaux in TV's Golden Girls. Now all three of the Golden Girls--Blanche, Rose and Dorothy--could be ready for revival, with Blanche sounding like a stronger, simpler alternative to Bianca.
  6. Teresa
    • Origin:

      Spanish
    • Meaning:

      "to harvest"
    • Description:

      How do you spell Teresa? Teresa, the simpler phonetic form of this name, was the most popular variation for its early life, when it was used exclusively in Spain and Portugal. Other spellings of Teresa include Theresa, the usual English form, and the French Therese.
  7. Leopold
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "brave people"
    • Description:

      An aristocratic and stately Germanic route to the popular Leo, Leopold is a royal name: Queen Victoria used it to honor a favorite uncle, King Leopold I of Belgium. These days, this royal tie may be seen as a drawback to the name, owing to the cruelty of King Leopold II's rule over the Congo, though it remains popular in Austria, Poland, and France (as Léopold).
  8. Eleonora
    • Origin:

      Italian, German, Dutch, and Polish variation of Eleanor
    • Description:

      Makes a serious name frilly and feminine, which, depending on your viewpoint, might be a good or a bad thing. In this case, we vote good.
  9. Agatha
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "good woman"
    • Description:

      Agatha until recently summoned up visions of martyred saints, mauve silk dresses, and high lace collars, but now that some dauntless excavators have begun to resurrect it, we're sure more will follow their lead. Actor Thomas Gibson used it for his daughter in 2004.
  10. Edmund
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "fortunate protector"
    • Description:

      The sophisticated Edmund and its nearly-identical French twin Edmond are coming out of mothballs now that Edward, inspired by Twilight, is once again a hot name. In fact, it's already a fairly popular choice on Nameberry and a solid presence on the England and Wales charts, where it's featured in the latter half since the 90s.
  11. Claudine
    • Origin:

      French feminine variation of Claude
    • Description:

      There are much chicer versions of this name today, such as Claudie, Claudia, or Claude itself. Claudine is a name wobbling on the edge of extinction.
  12. Alberta
    • Origin:

      English, feminine variation of Albert
    • Meaning:

      "noble, bright"
    • Description:

      This jazzy old name could make a comeback, the way Josephine and Ella have. In England the name was popularized by Queen Victoria's daughter Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, after whom her governor general of Canada husband named the North American province. Jazz singer Alberta Hunter was a noted bearer.
  13. Baldwin
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "brave friend"
    • Description:

      One "bald" name we can get behind, thanks to pioneering African-American author James Baldwin – though the name is now also associated with the Baldwin brothers, particularly Alec.
  14. Margarete
    • Origin:

      German, Russian and Scandinavian variation of Margaret
    • Meaning:

      "pearl"
    • Description:

      A common name in many cultures, sometimes spelled Margarethe.
  15. Elisabeth
    • Origin:

      German, Dutch, Danish, English, variation of Elizabeth, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"
    • Description:

      This spelling of the classic name is found in France, Germany, Greece, and other cultures, and is worn by such notables as Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, Elisabeth Shue, Elisabeth Moss, and Elisabeth Hasselbeck. The name's pronunciation is usually just like the Z version, but some parents choose this because they want to discourage the Liz or Lizzie short forms and so pronounce it as if it has Lisa in the middle.
  16. Duncan
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "dark warrior"
    • Description:

      Duncan is jaunty, confident, and open, a Scottish royal name that's brimming with friendly charm and makes it into our golden circle of names that are neither too popular nor too strange. Popularity aside, Duncan is one of the most classic Scottish names for boys.
  17. Maurice
    • Origin:

      English and French from Latin
    • Meaning:

      "dark-skinned"
    • Description:

      In the USA, Maurice was in the Top 200 for most of the 20th century; since 1990, however, it has been on a slow and steady decline. This name has the potential for some old-school cute nicknames such as Mo as well as the more trendy Reece.
  18. Wilhelm
    • Origin:

      German variation of William
    • Meaning:

      "resolute protection"
    • Description:

      This dignified German form of William belonged to two German Emperors and Kings of Prussia, as well as a host of other important historical figures. These include composer (Wilhelm) Richard Wagner, philosophers Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel and Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, mathematician Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz, and physicist Wilhelm Roentgen, who discovered the X-ray. It now sounds rather dated in Germany, however, having dropped out of the Top 20 there in the late 1920s and continuing to decline since.
  19. Mafalda
    • Origin:

      Italian and Portuguese variation of Matilda
    • Description:

      Mafalda is nearly unknown in the English-speaking world, despite an appearance in Harry Potter. Indeed, it does have a witchy feel. Matilda itself is preferable, or her French form Mathilde, Spanish Matilde, or abbreviation Maud.
  20. Adela
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "noble"
    • Description:

      A vibrant variation of Adele, with a bit of extra flair from that "-a" ending. It could join the army of popular A girls' names, especially with its tie to the success of singer Adele.

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