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Inventive & Gorgeous
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Annette
French
"grace"
Annette is a French diminutive of Ann which was among the first wave of widely-used girls' names from France, now neglected for so long that it's almost starting to feel stylish again.
Zahara
Hebrew; Swahili
"to shine; flower"
Zahara, a delicate but strong multicultural name, came into the spotlight when Angelina Jolie bestowed it on her Ethiopian-born daughter, and we predict other parents will adopt it as well. If you…
Raphaelle
French feminine variation of Raphael, Hebrew
"God has healed"
American baby girls are usually given an a-ending version of this name -- Rafaela, Raffaella, Raphaella and so forth. But the sleek, sophisticated Raphaelle? Not a single baby girl received that name…
Willard
English from German
"resolutely brave"
Unfortunate identification with an army of rats in the movie of the same name.
Saffron
Spice name
"orange-yellow color; a type of crocus"
Spice names are increasingly appealing to the senses of prospective parents; this one, belonging to a precious spice derived from the crocus has a vaguely orange-scented-incense sixties feel. English…
Athalia
Hebrew
"the Lord is exalted"
Athalia was an Old Testament daughter of Jezebel and a king's powerful wife with a gory history. You don't wanna know -- and you probably don't wanna name your kid after her either. Pretty name,…
Tai
Chinese
"great extreme"
Tai, which rhymes with Kai, is a unisex name with a range of international references. It means the equivalent of "too much" in Chinese but is also used as a Maori name meaning "the tide" and in…
Elissa
Variation of Alice or Elizabeth
The Elissa version of a long-popular name is fading in favor of Alyssa, Eliza and other variants. The legion of other forms and spellings includes Alissa, Allissa, Allyssa, Alyssa, Elissah, Ellisa,…
Cataline
Cataline is a feminine name derived from the Latin name 'Catalina,' which is a variation of Catherine. Catherine stems from the Greek name 'Aikaterine,' meaning 'pure.' Cataline offers a unique twist…
Taline
Armenian, meaning unknown
This name of an old Armenian monastery would blend well into American culture.
Cherralyn
Cherralyn is a feminine name that appears to be a creative elaboration combining elements of names like Cheryl, Cherry, or Cherie with a decorative ending. The first part likely connects to the…
Tindra
Swedish
"to twinkle or sparkle"
Tindra is a new name in Sweden, used only since the 1980s, that has become enormously popular: It's in the Top 100 there. And while unknown in the US, Tindra certainly has possibilities as a…
Maikki
Finnish variation of Mary
An unusual name that has not ventured outside the Finnish culture.
Elizabella
English combination of Eliza + Bella
"pledged to God + beautiful"
Elizabella is a much more obscure smoosh than sisters Isabella and Annabelle, but the megapopularity of Isabella may give this unusual combo name a boost.
Alexine
Variation of Alexin, Alexinus, or Alexandrine, Greek
Alexine could be a diminutive for the classic name Alexandra, a short form of Alexandrine, or a feminine form of the French Alexin, a variation of Alexinus. Alexine Tinne (born Alexandrine "Alexine"…
Annelise
Danish variation of Anneliese, German, Dutch
"grace + oath"
A streamlined version of Anneliese, or perhaps a hybrid of Ann and Elise.
Sandrina
Sandrina is a feminine name of Italian and Portuguese origin, functioning as a diminutive form of Sandra or Alessandra, which ultimately derive from Alexander, meaning 'defender of mankind.' The…
Ashby
English
"ash tree farm"
Ashley substitute with a slightly more unisex feel; it was picked for her daughter by TV host Nancy O'Dell.
Avalon
Celtic
"island of apples"
Avalon, an island paradise of Celtic myth and Arthurian legend--it was where King Arthur was taken to recover from his wounds-- and also the colorful capital of the California island of Catalina--…
Tallie
Diminutive of Talia, Hebrew
"gentle dew from heaven"
Tallie is a seldom-heard nickname name that, with the ascendance of Hallie and Callie, we might just be hearing more of. In Colonial times, Tallie was also a nickname for Natalie.