User-created list
By AuntieofGretel · Updated December 2021
Across 11 pages
of 11
Spanish
"rosary"
Anglo parents are taking note of this Hispanic classic, thanks to actress Rosario Dawson and a character on Will & Grace. Poetic and powerful, it comes from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary,…
Place-name from Papago Indian
"little springs"
We usually think of place-names as a modern invention, but in fact Arizona ranked on the US Top 1000 from its inception in 1880 until 1911, when it vanished below the surface. It peaked at Number 510…
English word name
"dawn, sunrise"
Associated with the first light of the day, and more figuratively with new beginnings and fresh starts, Dawn's heyday came in the 1960s and 70s in the US, Canada and the UK. It had been in the charts…
"exquisitely beautiful"
Word names are often genderless, but Lovely feels particularly feminine (cue Isn't She Lovely? by Stevie Wonder). Chris Brown chose this name for his daughter, born in 2022, which may give the name a…
Word name
"queen"
Queen has seen a revival in recent times, reaching its record high in 2018 with 280 births — it has remained steady since then. Previously, Queen saw a peak in the 1920s, but its origins go back even…
Greek
"fourth letter; island formed at the mouth of a river"
Delta is an unusual vintage option, blending the sounds of Della and Etta. The fourth letter of the Greek alphabet and a geographical term, used to describe an island formed at the mouth of a river,…
English word and virtue name
"honor"
Honor is a somewhat more straight-laced virtue name than Hope or Grace, placing a high standard on any girl carrying it, but it's a goal worth setting. By choosing Honor for her daughter, Jessica…
French variation of Valentina
"strength, health"
For a girl, we'd say Val-en-teen, though many would insist on pronouncing it like the holiday.
English flower name
"first rose"
A quaint and quirky flower name, until recently considered a bit too prim for most American classrooms but brought back to life in recent years by the attractive character of Primrose "Prim" Everdeen…
English, Yiddish
"gold"
A name with an obvious meaning, for a long time associated with Golda Meir, the fourth Prime Minister of Israel. Nickname Goldie seems to be catching on in the celebrity community.
Sunshine was seen as a quintessential hippie name of the 70s, reaching as high as Number 536 in 1975. Now such names are making a bit of a retro comeback, seen, for example, as a character on Glee .
Latin word name
"of great worth, expensive"
Though many might find it too syrupy, hundreds of parents each year choose this name for their daughters to make them feel special. Precious Ramotswe is the engaging African sleuth in the popular No.…
English surname, English word name
"dear"
Darling has history as an English surname, but it would most likely be read as a quirky and loving word name, a la Sweetheart or Honey.
English diminutive
Originally a unisex nickname for a redhead -- red hair is called "ginger" in Britain -- or for the name Virginia, Ginger perennially wears pink gingham and spike heels.
"gold colored"
Like Silver, Golden is a shimmering, metallic color name, similar enough to the likes of Arden, Eden, and Gwendolyn that it might not over dazzle. It could work as an unexpected route to the vintage…
"cherry"
With other fruity names like Clementine, Olive and Plum ripe for the picking, sweet Cherry remains remarkably underused: just 27 baby girls received the name in 2017, down from 343 at its peak in…
Rosy is a charming feminine name that originated as a diminutive of Rose or Rosa. Rose derives from the Latin 'rosa,' referring to the beloved flower symbolizing love and beauty. Rosy also relates to…
"truth"
With the first name True receiving a Kardashian dose of popularity for girls, Truth is gaining in visibility too. Though its still more popular for boys two to one, the truth is that the name works…
There's definitely a cold front of names for winter babies moving in, with Summer, Spring and Autumn giving way to Winter--plus North, January, Frost--and Snow. This name feels brisk, fresh, pure,…
Flower name, from Greek
"blue larkspur; precious stone"
Though it may not be as sweet and gentle as, say, Violet, the purple-hued Hyacinth still might hold some appeal for the parent seeking a truly unusual flower name. In Greek mythology, Hyacinthus was…
