npwgallagher's list "pretty names" of 20 great name ideas: Nanette - Petunia!

pretty names

There was a time when <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/162/french-names">French names</a> like Annette, Paulette – and Nanette – were chic, but now, we'd have to say "No, no, Nanette".

Nanette

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 seen as a more unusual possible alternative to Rosy or Josie.
 Posy is a little sister name in the Hunger Games series, while before that, Posy Fossil was a character in Noel Streatfeild's Ballet Shoes. In 2026, it appeared on a character in the popular TV series, Bridgerton.
 
For now, Posy is the least popular spelling of the name with Posie first, Posey second, and Posy used for less than ten baby girls in the US in a recent count.
 Posy (or Posey or Posie) could also work as a nickname for a range of other names, from Penelope to Sophia to Primrose, though it started as a pet form of Josephine. Other P-beginning flower names you may want to consider along with Posey: Poppy, Petal, Primrose.

Posy

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. 

Bess

Replaced Patsy as the midcentury's popular, peppy babysitter. 

Patty

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 girls are still named Pamela in the US every year, the name Pam is now officially extinct.

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 cultures where similar-sounding names like Jules (French) or Julio (Spanish) are used for men. Julie derives from the Latin 'Julius,' meaning 'youthful' or 'downy-bearded,' and has connections to the illustrious Roman Julian family. While extremely uncommon as a masculine name in English-speaking countries, this usage might reflect multicultural naming practices or family traditions. The name has a gentle, approachable quality regardless of gender. Its usage for boys might appeal to parents seeking gender-neutral options or those honoring specific cultural or family traditions.

Julie

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 Cuchulainn. She was said to possess the six gifts of womanhood: beauty, voice, speech, wisdom, chastity, and needlework. While the exact meaning of the name is unknown, one suggestion is that it means "swift, quick", from the Irish mear.
 
Pronounced as EE-mer, the name may also be spelled as Emer, and more rarely, Eimer. Other forms are Éimhear (said as EH-ver) and Eimher, the Scottish variant (pronounced AY-veer).

Eimear

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 by Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music. Cissy has a distinctly vintage quality, having peaked in usage during the mid-20th century. It conveys a sweet, playful charm with its soft sounds and friendly vibe. While some might consider it primarily a nickname, Cissy has occasionally been used as a given name in its own right. The name projects an image of approachability and warmth, though in contemporary usage, some might prefer it as a familiar form rather than an official name. Its musical associations give it an artistic connection that adds depth to its cheerful character.

Cissy

Sister is an old-timey nickname-name for girls, ranking in the Top 1000 as a proper <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">name for girls</a> until the beginning of the 20th century. But more often, Sister was used as a nickname in the truest sense of the word, not a short form ala Kathy but a nickname in the way that Chip and Bud are. Or maybe Junior is a more appropriate name analogy: Sister was sometimes the nickname given to the only girl in a family of boys, so literally a descriptive word name like Junior. 
In the most recent year counted, Sister was given as a full name to zero baby girls in the US and was probably used in a casual way by not that many more.

Sister

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 in the records bureau.

Lisa

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 names and short, distinctive choices gained popularity. Lacey is more popular and more usable in everyday life: Lace has a pseudonym vibe, in the vein of Satin and Velvet.

Lace

This Latin-sounding place-name, created by C. S. Lewis for his Chronicles, will undoubtedly be adopted by a few admiring parents.

Narnia

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 both spellings are overwhelmingly female these days.

Lindsay

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 recognized as a feminine name in the United States, Lindsey has historically been used for boys in the United Kingdom and Scotland. The name peaked in popularity for boys in the 1970s and 1980s before shifting predominantly to female usage. Notable male Lindseys include American politician Lindsey Graham. The name carries associations with nature and English heritage, and offers a soft yet distinguished sound for male bearers. Many parents now choose it primarily for girls, making it a less common but distinctive choice for boys.

Lindsey

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 swing back into the blue column. The traditional Welsh pronunciation puts the stress on the middle syllable, making Red a cool nickname possibility.

Meredith

Patsy has been rarely heard for half a century, for either gender, and we're not expecting that to change in the near future.. 

Patsy

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.

Franny

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.

Pansy

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 and Daffodil theoretically make perfect <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/577/names-for-december-babies">names for December babies</a>.

Narcissa

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.  Perhaps-more-pleasing Petunia alternatives: Petal, Posy, Poppy.