User-created list
By npwgallagher · Updated May 2023
Across 11 pages
of 11
French diminutive of Anne
"grace"
There was a time when French names like Annette, Paulette – and Nanette – were chic, but now, we'd have to say "No, no, Nanette".
English
"a bunch of flowers"
A sweet, nostalgic nosegay kind of name, Posy has been long fashionable in England, a country of gardeners, but this pretty bouquet-of-flowers name is still rarely heard in the US, though it could be…
English diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew
"pledged to God"
Although she declared her independence as far back as the reign of Elizabeth I — Good Queen Bess, Bess now sounds less passé than Beth or Betsy.
Diminutive of Patricia
"patrician"
Replaced Patsy as the midcentury's popular, peppy babysitter.
Diminutive of Pamela, English
"all honey"
This mild-mannered short form was Queen of the Prom in the fifties and sixties, but today is mostly heard on TV's The Office (and of course as one of the founders of Nameberry). While about 100 baby…
Julie as a masculine name represents an interesting cross-cultural usage, as it is predominantly recognized as a feminine name in English-speaking countries. As a masculine name, it may have roots in…
Irish Gaelic
"swift"
Popular in Ireland but less familiar elsewhere, Eimear is a mythological choice, which some may see as a fresh alternative to Emma. In Irish legend, Eimear was the wife of the warrior hero…
Cissy is a feminine diminutive that traditionally serves as a nickname for names like Cecilia, Cecily, or Priscilla. Derived from the Latin 'caecus' meaning 'blind,' its root names were popularized…
"a female who has one or both parents in common with another"
Sister is an old-timey nickname-name for girls, ranking in the Top 1000 as a proper name for girls until the beginning of the 20th century. But more often, Sister was used as a nickname in the truest…
Lisa was so popular for girls in the late sixties and early seventies that according to government statistics some parents chose it for their sons, too. Either that or there were some serious mixups…
English word name
Lace is a delicate feminine name derived from the English word for the ornate fabric made from intricately looped threads. As a given name, it emerged primarily in the late 20th century when word…
Literary place-name
This Latin-sounding place-name, created by C. S. Lewis for his Chronicles , will undoubtedly be adopted by a few admiring parents.
"island of linden trees"
Lindsay is one of the few truly unisex names (rather than being a name that has changed genders). Over time the ey ending was usually reserved for women and the ay ending reserved for men, although…
Lindsey as a masculine name has Anglo-Saxon origins, originally derived from the Old English place name 'Lindesege,' meaning 'island of linden trees' or 'Lincoln's marsh.' While now more commonly…
Welsh
"great ruler"
Meredith has been considered primarily a girl's name since the fifties, before which it was more commonly used for boys. Comic actor Jay Mohr recently named his son Meredith, which might help it…
English and Irish, diminutive of Patrick
"noble, patrician."
Patsy has been rarely heard for half a century, for either gender, and we're not expecting that to change in the near future..
Latin, diminutive of Frances
"from France or free man"
If Frances and Fran are too serious for you, and Fanny too saucy, you might like Franny, still identified by some with J. D. Salinger's Franny and Zooey stories.
English flower name from French
"thought"
Pansy is an early floral name that lost credibility when it became a derogatory slang term for gay people. Better these days: Posy or Poppy.
Greek
"daffodil"
This Greek flower and mythological choice doesn't make it into the pantheon of possibilities because of its association with narcissism. But narcissa is December's flower of the month, so Narcissa…
"trumpet-shaped flower"
Literary heritage: the "Loony Tunes" girlfriend of Porky Pig. But with the increasing popularity of all kinds of unusual botanical names, Petunia may be a name we start to hear more of.…
