Dusty Ancient Gems

Ostara

Old High German

"dawn"

In Germanic mythology, Ostara is the goddess of springtime, fertility, and dawn. Her existence as a mythological figure was pieced together by scholar Jacob Grimm, who used evidence such as the…

Ourania

Ourania is a feminine name with ancient Greek origins. It directly derives from the Greek word 'οὐράνιος' (ouranios) meaning 'heavenly' or 'of the sky.' In Greek mythology, Ourania was one of the…

Ovidia

Feminine variation of Ovidius, Roman family name

"shepherd or sheep"

Ovidia is the unusual feminine form of the ancient Roman Ovidius, most famous as the name of the exiled 1st century Roman poet Ovid. Modern male form Ovidio is known in Spain and Portugal. Ovida is…

Panacea

Greek

"a cure for all ills"

Parthenia

Greek

"chaste maiden"

Parthenia may be a bit unwieldy, but does conjure up majestic images of the Parthenon. It was briefly in the US charts in the late 19th century.

Parthenope

Greek

"maiden's face"

A mythological name, Parthenope is a rare and distinctive choice that may nevertheless appeal to those looking for little known alternatives to Penelope or Persephone. While some sources suggest the…

Pelagia

Greek

"the sea"

The name of several early saints, including one, Pelagia the Penitent, a beautiful and licentious dancing girl who repented, then, disguised as a man, spent the rest of her life living alone in a…

Penthesilea

Greek

"mournful grip"

An interesting figure from Greek mythology -- an Amazon queen who fought for Troy in the Trojan War -- but no figure could be interesting enough to make that five-syllable mouthful usable today.…

Perpetua

Latin

"perpetual"

A 3rd century saint's name sometimes used in Catholic communities, and in Western European countries like Portugal and Italy.

Petra

Greek

"rock, stone"

A strong Greek name with pan-European charm, Petra is a relatively recent feminization of Peter, though it relates back to an incredible ancient city in Jordan that was rediscovered in the early…

Petronella

Greek

"rock, stone"

Petronella, and its shorter sister Petra, are both feminizations of Peter. While Petronella is a name with deep history, it's extremely rare. It was given to no baby girls on record in the US last…