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Dusty Ancient Gems
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Fiorenza
Italian variation of Florentia and Florence, Latin
"flourishing, prospering"
Bold and elegant, Fiorenza is an Italian form of Florence, which was used as the name of the Tuscan city in the Middle Ages. Appearing in the title of a 1907 play but Thomas Mann, it has been notably…
Flavia
Latin
"golden, blond"
An ancient Roman clan name, Flavia is one choice that's unusual but historic. Now a Top 60 name in Italy, Flavia has been a rarity in the US, but with the upswing in F names for girls, this could…
Florentina
Latin
"blooming"
The Latin names for girls Florentina may be the most feminissima and flowery of the 'Flor" names. Another option would be Fiorentina, though you can also downshift to Flora or Florence.
Forsythia
Flower name, from English surname
"Forsyth's flower"
This yellow harbinger spring bloom was named for Scottish botanist William Forsyth, and is even more unusual than such species as Acacia and Azalea.
Fortuna
Latin
"luck"
The Roman goddess Fortuna personified luck and ruled over fortune and fate. She is often depicted as blindfolded, and remains an important figure in Italian culture today, where a common saying…
Fortunata
Spanish variation of Latin
"luck, fate, wealth"
Brimming over with a sense of good fortune. Could make a little girl feel very lucky.
Febronia
Fostera
Galatea
Greek
"she who is milk-white"
This name's meaning derives from the material from which the mythical sculptor Pygmalion chiselled his ideal woman - she was carved from ivory. Pygmalion fell in love with his creation and Aphrodite,…
Ginevra
Italian variation of Guinevere or Jennifer
"white shadow, white wave"
Arty and elegant, Ginevra is one of the most popular girls' names in Italy at the moment, ranking at #3 in a recent year. Ultimately from the Arthurian Guinevere, it's a relative of Jennifer, meaning…
Godiva
English
"God's gift"
Whether you think of the chocolates or the naked long-haired lady on the horse, Godiva is a name with baggage no child should have to carry.
Gaiana
Gennaia
Geshtinanna
Glaphyra
Harpina
Greek
"sickle-shaped sword"
A potential Harper alternative with connections to Greek mythology. Harpina was a water nymph and lover of Ares.
Hecuba
Greek literary name
Queen Hecuba was the legendary queen of King Priam of Troy, mother of Hector, Paris, Cassandra and others. Euripedes' tragedy Hecuba depicts Hecuba's grief over the death of her daughter Polyxena,…
Hedwig
German
"war"
An ancient German saint's name – and most famously the name of Harry Potter's snowy owl – but the combination of "head" plus "wig" feels a little too literal in English.
Helisent
English, Germanic
"temple path"
Helisent was used in the medieval days and has royal antecedents found in both France and Germany. Information on its origins is sketchy, but some say it's related to Elise or Helen or Heloise, or…
Hereswith
Old English
"Strength of the army"
Hereswith is a rare name that comes to us from the dark ages. She was a Northumbrian saint, whose more famous sister, Hilda, was the Abbess at Whitby and patron of the first English poet, Caedmon.…