thefaeriequeene's list "Maybe Middles" of 20 great name ideas: Alayne - Meg!

Maybe Middles

Alayne is a feminine name that represents a variant spelling of Elaine, which derives from the Greek name Helen, meaning "bright, shining light." This elegant variation gained some recognition through literature, particularly in George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series. Alayne carries a medieval, romantic quality that evokes images of Arthurian legends, as Elaine appears in tales of Camelot. While less common than traditional Elaine, this spelling offers a distinctive touch while maintaining familiar pronunciation. The name has never reached widespread popularity, remaining a relatively rare choice that appeals to parents seeking something familiar yet uncommon, with literary connections and a softly feminine sound.

Alayne

Alysanne is a feminine name with medieval roots that combines elements of Alice and Anne, both classical names with royal associations. With its ethereal, lyrical quality, Alysanne gained contemporary recognition through George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, where it belonged to a beloved queen. The name carries an elegant, fantasy-inspired feel while maintaining connections to traditional naming patterns. Alysanne likely derives from Germanic origins, with components meaning "noble" and "grace." Though rare in everyday use, it appeals to parents seeking a name with a romantic, literary quality that stands apart from more common alternatives. Its melodic sound and noble associations give it a timeless appeal despite its relative obscurity in mainstream naming trends.

Alysanne

Andromache is a name found scattered throughout ancient literature. She was Hector's long-suffering wife in The Iliad and The Odyssey, featured in The Trojan Women and Andromache by Euripides, then later appeared in Shakepeare's Troilus and Cressida, and Jean Racine's 1667 play Andromaque. It has not made many appearances in the modern world, but now Charlize Theron's character in The Old Guard 2 is named Andromache, nickname Andy.

Andromache

This name stems from the Latin term Avis, meaning bird. Related names include Avice, Aveza and Aveline.

Avelot

Acadie

Aliénor

Artemidora

Athenodora

Briar-Rose

Cateline

Actress Hepburn made the Katharine spelling famous, which seems to be the inspiration for this spin on Catherine.

Catharine

A mythological Welsh name with an intriguing sound, Ceridwen appears in several Welsh legends, in which she is an an enchantress and the owner of the cauldron of poetic inspiration. She is also associated with the great bard, Taliesin, with one 16th-century tale recounting that when her servant consumed a potion of wisdom, intended for Ceridwen's son, Ceridwen swallows the servant, who is then reborn through her as the bard. 
 
Sometimes interpreted as the goddess of rebirth, transformation, inspiration, and poetry. in modern times, there are several theories on the etymology of the name. One is that it comes from cyrrid meaning "bent, crooked", combined with either ben or gwen meaning "woman" and "white, fair, blessed" respectively. In this case, the name could take on a darker, witchy-er feel.
 
Alternatively, it may come from credd meaning "poetry", mixed with either gwen or awen, which offer two lovely meanings: "fair as a poem" or "poetic inspiration". Other scholars have additionally proposed that the first element may come from craid meaning "passionate, fierce, powerful" or from credu meaning "belief", thereby interpreting the name as "powerful woman" or "woman to be believed in".
 
Ceridwen has been predominantly used in its native Wales, but is sometimes seen in England too.


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Ceridwen

Eileithyia

French form of Euphrasia. This was the real name of Cosette in Victor Hugo's Les Misérables. It was popular in French up to and around the turn of the 20th century, but fell out of the French Top 500 in 1943, just over 80 years after the publication of the novel.

Euphrasie

Eydis is the modern transcription of Eydís, one of the top names in Iceland right now.

Eydis

Fairamay

Lillemor is a relatively recent coinage in Scandinavia, where it was most popular in the 1930s and '40s, especially in Sweden. As such, it is considered rather dated in Scandinavia, but it would certainly make a fresh choice for lovers of "Lily" names abroad — although the "Lil" in this case actually comes from lille "little".

Lillemor

What better namesake for a baby girl than Ada Lovelace (or, to use her full title: Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace), the brilliant 19th-century writer, mathematician and early computer pioneer? Not to mention, her name has a lovely, delicate, vintagesque charm.

 Surprisingly, the soft and sweet sounding surname Lovelace actually derives from an Old English word laweles, meaning "lawless, outlaw".

Lovelace

Lórien

Meg, perennially one of the Little Women, is a Margaret short form that manages to be neither quite in nor quite out of style. Meg is sleeker and more sophisticated than Maggie, more contemporary than Peg, more stylish than Megan, and still one of the best diminutives of Margaret. 
Meg Ryan was born Margaret Mary Emily Anne.