User-created list
pretty names
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Sisley
English
"blind"
Sisley may look like a modern coinage, building on the fashionable -ley ending, but it's actually a medieval English variant of Cicely or Cecily, which in turn is a variation of Cecilia. Also found…
Sissy
Diminutive of Cecilia; pet name for "sister"
"sister"
Old-fashioned nickname for a sister, almost never heard today.
Petal
English from Greek
"leaf"
Petal is the soft and sweet-smelling name of a character in the novel and film, The Shipping News . With the rise of such flower names as Poppy and Posy, we believe Petal — down-to-earth yet romantic…
Cardigan
Peplum
Nerys
Welsh
"chief, lady"
A sweet yet substantial name of Welsh origin, Nerys has the fresh feel of Carys, but the vintage charm of Mavis, Morag, and Lois. Likely borrowing from the Welsh element nêr meaning "lord, chief",…
Nerissa
Greek
"from the sea"
An offbeat possible replacement for the overused Melissa and Marisa, Nerissa was used by Shakespeare for Portia's witty confidante in The Merchant of Venice . Queen Elizabeth has a cousin named…
Obelia
Greek
"needle"
Victorian feel.
Penny
Penny as a masculine name represents an interesting naming trend, as it's more commonly recognized as a feminine nickname for Penelope. For boys, Penny likely functions as a nickname derived from…
Nuala
Irish, short form of Fionnuala
"white shoulders"
Officially a shortening of the traditional and tricky Gaelic Fionnghuala/Fionnuala, Nuala makes a lovely choice all on its own. Nuala is well-used in Ireland.
Winslet
English surname and place-name
"Wynn's channel or stream"
Winslet is one of a legion of surnames newly considered fair game as first names. The inspiration may be British star Kate, but she's not the only reason parents are attracted to Winslet, one of…