Electric E Names [girls]

An medieval English diminutive of Edith, which could make an unusual addition to simple vintage revivals like Eva, Ada and Ida. In Turkish, it means "well mannered".

Edith was a hugely popular name a hundred years ago that's being revived among stylish parents in Stockholm and London. It's currently beginning to gain traction in the US among those with a taste for old-fashioned names with a soft but strong image.

Edna is one of those names that, until what it seemed like a few minutes ago, felt so terminally frumpy that no one could imagine a parent choosing it for an innocent modern baby girl. But with the great upswing in names honoring ancestral family members, several of them being other four-letter, e-ending names, we wouldn't be so sure.

Edris was used occasionally for baby girl 100 years ago, but one can't help but wonder whether those girls might really have been named Edie but with bad handwriting. Edrie is cute, though, and unusual.

Edwina may still be taking tea in the parlor, but we can see her joining friends like Matilda and Josephine for a comeback, especially if pronounced like Edwin rather than Edween.

Eila is a Hebrew name heard in Israel. The name also has roots in Finland and Norway, where it's derived from Elina, a variation of Helen, or from Aila, a form of Helga. Eila could gain attention as a cross-cultural name and fresh alternative to popular sound-alike choices like Ayla, Ella, and Isla.

So airy, it's almost not there.

This Welsh nature name that can be pronounced exactly like the male Ira. Or, to avoid confusion, you could just name her Snow.

This international variation was publicized by Olympic skater Ekaterina Gordeeva.

Though the tragedies of the Greeks and Eugene O'Neill that used this name are filled with incest and murder, Electra is still a brilliant choice. Isabella Rossellini chose the gentler Italian verson, Elettra, for her now grown daughter.

Though the most famous Elia, screenwriter Kazan, was male, this name sounds like a spin on many popular girls' names, from Ella to Ellie to Isla and Leah. While the Italian pronunciation has the middle syllable as LEE, making it closer to the original Elijah would give the middle syllable a long I sound -- eh-LYE-ah.

Elif is the Turkish form of Alif, the name of the first letter of the Arabic alphabet. Actor Natalie Portman gave another spelling to her son, Aleph.

Elise is one of those golden names that stylish but not TOO popular. Its appeal is due in large part to its French flair and to the love for El-names in general.

Elisha (ee-LYE-sha) is an Old Testament male name, sometimes borrowed for girls. Pronouced eh-LEE-sha, it is also used as a spelling variant of Alicia or Elysia.

Elisheva was the original name of Aaron's wife in the Book of Exodus; Elisheva gains strength and distinction via the v sound.

Elixyvette is part Elizabeth, part Alexis, part Yvette -- and a total mess. Few people go to such lengths to make a name different. Aren't you glad?

Eliza is a name with a wonderful combination of streamlined zest and Eliza Doolittle charm and spunk. It's a classic that's popular right now -- but not too popular.