destiny.wise3's list "Rainbow Magic Fairies" of 20 great name ideas: Flora - Monica!

Rainbow Magic Fairies

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Flora, the name of the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, who enjoyed eternal youth, is one of the gently old-fashioned girls' flower names that's making a big comeback. Short and sweet, it joins Cora, Florence, Iris, and Ivy in the charts. 
 
Also the name of a saint, Flora has long been a favorite in Scotland where it was the name of the young heroine who helped Bonnie Prince Charlie make his way to the Isle of Skye. In Gaelic, her name was Fionnghal nic Dhòmhnaill, but the Anglicized Flora caught on with the Scots, who used it disproportionately compared to the rest of the UK until the 20th century.
 
Flora was a Top 100 name in the 1880s and 1890s but gradually descended until it finally fell off the list in 1972, but 2019 saw it return to the US charts in a big way. Now in the Top 700, it was given to 450 girls in recent year. Across the pond in Europe, it's even more popular: it ranks in the Top 300 in France, Italy, the Netherlands, and England and Wales, while in Hungary and Austria, it makes the Top 50. 

There have been a number of memorable Floras in literature, including the angelic yet eerie little girl in Henry James's Turn of the Screw, the exasperating but charming Flora Poste in Stella Gibson's Cold Comfort Farm, Flora MacIvor in Walter Scott's Waverly, and one of the three Good Fairies in Disney's Sleeping Beauty. Flora is also the name of the eighth child and fifth daughter of Ballerina Farm Instastar Hannah Neeleman. 
 
Variations of the lovely Flora include the Italian Fiorella and Fiore, Spanish and Portuguese Florinda, Dutch Floor and Flortje, French Fleur, and English Floretta, Floy, and Flower.

Flora

Goldie is a shimmering new addition to the nickname name lineup, and became one of the fastest rising girl names in 2023. After peaking at Number 114 in 1904-1905, Goldie slid off the list completely in 1958. She re-entered the US Top 1000 again in 2021.
 It was recently chosen for her daughter by Ione Skye and Ben Lee, as well as by shoemeister Steve Madden.

Goldie

Keira is a sweet yet tough name that's gotten a huge boost from the meteoric rise of Keira Knightley.  Original spelling Kiera, which relates more directly to the male Kieran, was the more popular form until the rise of Keira Knightley reversed the order.  Both are Anglicized versions of the Irish Ciara.

Keira

Lexi and Lexie, pixieish offshoots of the prolific Alex family, have come into their own. While it's on a gentle downslope, Lexi still ranks in the US Top 500.

Lexi

If Destiny is your daughter's destiny, she probably won't be the only one in her school: until 2009, Destiny was in the Top 50, with three of its alternate spellings in hot pursuit. It has since dipped a bit in popularity but is still widely used. Destiny Hope was the birth name of Miley Cyrus and Destiny Jones is the daughter or rapper Nas. 

Destiny

Friendly mega-popular short form of Katherine that has definitively replaced Kathy, Katie is often given on its own.  Going forward, though, Katie is more stylishly clipped itself to the grownup Kate.

Katie

Miranda, a shimmeringly lovely, poetic name that was invented by Shakespeare for the beautiful and admirable young heroine of his play, The Tempest, is still a recommended choice even though its popularity peaked in the 1990's, partially as an antidote to Amanda. But while Amanda now sounds dated, Miranda retains a good measure of its charm.
 
Derived from the Latin word mirandus meaning "admirable, worthy, marvellous", the name ranks in the Top 700 in the US, while in Mexico and Puerto Rico, it featured in the Top 100 in recent counts. Nicknames Mira and Miri keep it fresh, while Mandy and Randy may appeal to those who like a touch of retro. 
 
The name made a big impression in Sex and the City and The Devil Wore Prada, and there was also a Bond Girl in Die Another Day called Miranda. In the real world, Miranda has been notably borne by actress Miranda Cosgrove, singer Miranda Lambert, model Miranda Kerr, comedian Miranda Hart, and writer Miranda July.

Miranda

Many things to many peoples: a flower name, also spelled Hanae, to the Japanese; a Czech and Polish short form of Johana; and an alternate form of the biblical name Hannah in the US. It also means "craft, work" in Hawaiian and "glow" in Maori.

Hana

When Jennifer finally gave up her Number 1 place on the girls' popularity list, her crown was passed to Jessica, who reigned for not one but two decades. Jessica was the Number 1 name in both the mid-1980s and 1990s, never sounding quite as trendy as its predecessor, maybe because of its classic Shakespearean pedigree. 

Jessica fell out of the Top 10 in 2001 and has been heading straight downhill ever since, though she still ranks in the middle of the Top 1000. Our guess is that a lot of new moms who loved the name Jessica growing up are now giving it to their daughters, though it's far from a fashionable choice.
 Jessica seems to have been coined in this form by Shakespeare for the character of Shylock's daughter in The Merchant of Venice, possibly as an Anglicization of the biblical name Iscah. There are several attractive Jessicas on the scene today, including Jessica Lange, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Jessica Simpson, and Jessica Chastain.
 Many Jessicas, grownup as well as newborn, are called Jessie or Jess, which freshens up the name as one of the stylish boyish nicknames for girls. Other variations in use include Jessi, Jessy, Jesse, Jessa, and Jesslyn.

Jessica

While Skylar is currently the most popular spelling choice for girls, the Skyler option is more (statistically) unisex. Given to boy and girls in nearly equal numbers each year, it ranks around the middle of the US Top 1000. 
 
Derived from the Dutch surname Schuyler meaning "scholar", this spelling emerged in the 80s and was likely inspired by the popularity of the name Tyler.

Skyler

Sasha, largely male in Russia--and also spelled Sascha and Sacha--is an energetic name that has really taken off for girls here, chosen by Jerry Seinfeld (using the alternate Sascha spelling) and other celebs. The Barack Obamas use it as the nickname for their younger daughter, whose proper name is Natasha. But in line with a trend toward softer-sounding boys' names like Asher and Joshua and thanks to Borat star Sacha Baron Cohen, Sasha also still has life as a boys' name too--it's popular in France for boys and girls almost equally.
 Another notable female bearer is 2006 Olympic silver medalist skater Sasha Cohen; Sasha Alexander, on the TV show Rizzoli & Isles, was born Suzana. And Sasha Fierce is the name of Beyonce's alter ego.
 Sasha was as high as 147 in 1988.

Sasha

Billie is a tomboy nickname name, part of the growing trend for using boyish nicknames for girls and now destined for stardom along with its most famous contemporary bearer, music sensation Billie Eilish.
 To track its path from blue to pink, Billie was 100% male in 1880, was 55% female just a decade later, in the girls' Top 100 by 1928, and is now overwhelmingly female.
 Billie is a possible retro choice for fans of jazz great Billie Holiday, born Eleanora, and a very contemporary choice for teen singer Billie Eilish -- born Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell. Other conceivable namesakes are The Wizard of Oz's Glinda--Billie Burke (born Mary William), silent screen star Billie Dove (born Bertha), actresses Billie Whitelaw and Billie Piper (born Lianne) and tennis legend Billie Jean King (born Billie). Another cultural reference is the Michael Jackson hit song 'Billie Jean.'
 Billie was picked for their daughters by Carrie Fisher, My Name is Earl actor Ethan Suplee, and Rebecca Gayheart and Eric Dane.

Billie

This is an alternative to Laura or Lauren made romantic by Dr Zhivago, and badass by video-game heroine Lara Croft.

 In mythology, Lara was a nymph in Ovid's Fasti known for her beauty and inability to keep secrets. As a place name, Lara is a state in Venezuela.

Lara

Short but energetic and substantial, Nia has special meaning for African-American parents, as it's one of the days of Kwanza. Nia also benefits by its similarity to (yet differentness from) the megapopular Mia.
 Current bearers include actresses Long and Vardalos (born Antonia), and popular television show Dance Moms star Nia Frazier.

Angelica is by far the choicest form of the angelic names -- more delicate than Angelina, more feminine than Angel, more modern than Angela. But though Angelica is so lacy and poetic, it lags behind the bolder Angelina (probably for obvious reasons).
 Angelica was introduced to England from Italy in the seventeenth cenury, and is heard in early poetry and plays, including Romeo and Juliet. Angelica Schuyler, played by Renee Elise Goldsberry, is one of the most appealing characters in Broadway sensation Hamilton.
 Anjelica is a variant spelling, as in Anjelica Huston.

Angelica

The name of our first First Lady still has something of a prim and proper image, academic and efficient. That quiet, traditional, and tasteful gestalt is exactly what makes Martha appealing to some parents today.
 The New Testament Martha, sister of Lazarus and Mary of Bethany, was a solicitous housekeeper who looked after the material welfare of Jesus when he was a guest in her home. For this reason Martha has since been identified with domestic labor and hospitality and is the patron saint of housewives, waiters, and cooks (a la Martha Stewart, who shares her name with her mother).
 Martha has been a royal name in Scandinavia, the subject of Beatles song "Martha My Dear," and is also associated with the New England island Martha's Vineyard. Livelier foreign forms that have been used in this country include Marta, Martine, and Martina.
 Modern dancer/choreographer Martha Graham would make a notable namesake for a dance aficionado.

Martha

Shiny cousin of Samara with an intriguing meaning. Increasingly associated with the charming Samira Wiley, a perennial scene-stealer on "Orange is the New Black" and "The Handmaid's Tale."

Samira

While Gwen may have originated as a short form of Gwendolen and Gwendolyn, these days it frequently stands on its own. Rocker Gwen Stefani has given it a shot of cool, and parents are choosing it as a standalone more and more often—Gwen hopped back onto the US Top 1000 in 2013 after an absence of over 30 years. Gwen could also be short for Guinevere.

Gwen

Although the Kathryn spelling feels like a modern streamlining of this ancient royal and saints' name, it is in fact found back through history. At least one of Henry the Eighth's unfortunately wives sometimes spelled her name as Kathryn.
 
While Katherine is the number one spelling of the name these days and Catherine number 2, the Kathryn form is well-used if not exactly modern-feeling. Two recent Kathryns of note: Academy Award-winning film director Kathryn Bigelow and bestselling novelist Kathryn Stockett.

Kathryn

This saintly name--she was the mother of St. Augustine--plummeted after the double whammy of Lewinsky and the demise of Friends. 