User-created list
By lavenderwitch · Updated May 2023
Across 19 pages
of 19
Scandinavian
"new victory"
Signe could make an offbeat, more unusual alternative to Sydney or Sigrid. In Norse mythology, Signe was the twin sister of Sigmund. Can also be spelled Signy.
Greek
"cloudy"
An enchanting ancient Greek name belonging to the Greek goddess who was created from a cloud by Zeus and so became goddess of the clouds and mother of the centaurs. The name Nephele is not widely…
Czech form of Silvia
"from the woods"
Sleek and sharp Sylva is the Czech variation of Silvia. It could equally double up as a word-adjacent name in English, thanks to its similarity to the metal Silver.
"giant, great one"
This name of the queen of the fairies in A Midsummer Night's Dream has a delicate, lacy charm similar to Tatiana's, but that first syllable could cause embarrassing problems.
Slavic
"star"
Zorya is the name of the two star goddess in Slavic mythology, Zorya Utrennyaya and Zorya Vechernyaya, referring to the morning and evening stars, respectively. It's used as a name in Russia and…
Gaelic
"nut kernel"
Pretty and soulful name of a goddess from Irish mythology and several Irish saints. Singer Enya, born Eithne Ní Bhraonáin, has made the Anglicized spelling familiar. Eithne comes from the vocabulary…
Greek mythology
"Snow"
Khione was the name of several minor figures in Greek mythology, of which the most notable is the nymph who Hermes turned into a snow cloud. Khione works as both a high-brow mythological name and a…
Flower name from Latin
"pertaining to the wolf"
Lupine (spelled Lupin outside of North America) is a flower related to sweetpeas. It was given its wolfish meaning because the plant was said to deplete the soil. Comedian Jenny Slate used it as a…
Celtic Mythology (one of the names of the Lady of the Lake in Arthurian legends)
Nimue (Lady of the Lake) is the ruler of Avalon in the Arthurian legend. Nimue plays a pivotal role in many stories, including giving King Arthur his sword Excalibur, enchanting Merlin, and raising…
"lady"
Despina is best known as the clever and wily maidservant character in Mozart's opera Così fan tutte , and as one of Neptune's moons, making it a musical and an astronomy-inspired choice. However, the…
Welsh
"snowdrop"
This ethereal Welsh word name has a sound as pretty and delicate as its floral namesake. Pronounced with a bright IRE sound like in Iris or an AYR sound like in air, depending on region, Eirlys…
Russian from Greek
"shining"
This appealing Russian/Nordic name has been used a handful of times since Eowyn Ivey's novel The Snow Child was published in 2012. There, Faina is a mysterious girl who loves the cold Alaskan woods.
Greek mythology name
Io may be one of the slightest names in the book, but there aren't many two-letter names with as much substance as this Greek mythological example. Io, a name used for the largest moon of Jupiter,…
German
"horse protection"
The kind of serious old-school name that sounds appealing again; perfect for the intrepid baby namer. More commonly spelled Rosamund but highly unusual these days in either version, with fewer than…
"thorn, prickle"
Acantha is one of the unique baby names in the stylish mythological category that also might count as a flower name. In Greek mythology, Acantha was a nymph beloved by Apollo. An unusual and…
Aeronwen is a feminine Welsh name combining 'aeron,' meaning 'fruits' or 'berries,' with 'gwen,' meaning 'white,' 'blessed,' or 'fair.' Sometimes spelled Aronwen, this traditional Welsh name…
Aeronwy is a feminine Welsh name pronounced roughly as "air-ON-wee." It gained recognition as the name of Dylan Thomas's daughter, Aeronwy Thomas-Ellis, who became a poet and writer herself. The name…
Agnessa is a feminine name with Slavic and Greek roots, serving as a variant of Agnes. The original name Agnes derives from the Greek word 'hagnos,' meaning 'pure' or 'holy.' Agnessa emerged as a…
botanical name
Amaranth is a beautiful herb with bright fuchsia flowers and a tasty seed that flavors many Eastern dishes. The name is filled with potential for the more adventurous namer, with nickname potential…
Anatolia is a feminine name derived from the ancient Greek word "anatolē," meaning "sunrise" or "east." It refers to the geographic region now comprising most of modern Turkey, historically called…