User-created list
By ScarlettRobin · Updated March 2023
Across 8 pages
of 8
German
"spear of strength"
Innocent, sincere, and bright-eyed, and as outdated as its mother name, Gertrude.
Latin
"curly-haired"
Crispin, which was introduced into the mainstream by actor Crispin Glover and which means "curly-haired" in Latin, has an image very much like its first syllable: crisp, autumnal, and colorful. St.…
Russian form of Zenobia, Greek
"force of Zeus"
Zenovia makes Zenobia even more unusual. This mythology-adjacent name is worth a look.
Russian, variation of Leonidas "lion"
"lion"
This form got noticed as the first name of long-reigning Russian president Brezhnev; other bearers include playwright and short-story writer Andreyev, Leonid the Magnificent,a Russian performance…
Polish diminutive of Mina, short form of Wilhelmina, German
"resolute protection"
In the contemporary US, Minka attracted notice via actress Minka Kelly, who played the gorgeous Lyla on Friday Night Lights . This cute and lively nickname name can (and does) certainly stand on its…
English
"freezing"
Long heard as a last name, as in venerable poet Robert, U.K. talk show host David, British actress Sadie and old Jack Frost, Frost has suddenly entered the scene as a possible first, along with other…
Greek place name
"daughter of Atlas"
Mythical wonderland makes strong, evocative first name.
Finnish and Scandinavian variation of Erasmus
"beloved, desired"
A form of ancient name newly popular in Eastern Europe, Rasmus is rugged and distinctive - and on trend in Estonia and Finland. Virtually unknown in the U.S. but with its philosophical roots and…
Flower name, from Greek
"immortality"
Tansy is a flower name rarer than Rose, livelier than Lily and a lot less teasable than Pansy. Tansy is a perennial herbaceous plant of the aster family that has clusters of small bright yellow…
Finnish variation of Eric
"eternal ruler"
Creative gem perfect for an architect's son, in tribute to modern Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen.
Diminutive of Regina, Latin
"queen"
Boyish short form of Regina, which is so clunky it's cool. Reggie has a retro charm that feels fresh again. Female Reggies include Reggie Rocket from Rocket Power , adding a sporty, spunky vibe to…
English, Turkish
"noblewoman; country, world commander; ruler of the people"
A name with various origins, Elmira combines the sounds of multicultural Mira with the popular El- beginning. Despite this, the name is rarely heard in the US, though it does rank in the Top 100…
Norse
"groundskeeper, enclosure"
A name that took on a pronounced country twang via Nashville megastar Garth (born Troyal) Brooks.
"faithful"
Fidelia stems from the Latin word Fides, meaning faith. It has the some root as the English word fidelity. Fidelia gained popularity in the mid-19th Century after Beethoven's opera "Fidelio" gave…
"victorious peace"
Also spelled Sigfrid, this hefty German name has an appropriately majestic meaning: "victorious peace". Fittingly, a famous bearer was the English World War I poet and pacifist Siegfried Sassoon.…
Hungarian and Dutch diminutive of Maria
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
Robust and energetic with an even blend of spikiness and elegance, Mariska is a diminutive of Maria, notably used in Hungary and The Netherlands. Internationally, it was brought into the spotlight by…
Literary and botanical name
Katniss Everdeen is the heroine of the popular Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, whose name comes from the (very real) edible aquatic plant of the genus Sagittaria. Katniss's father tells her…
English, variation of Jessamine
"jasmine flower"
Jessamy and big sister Jessamine are all but unknown in the U.S., but make distinctive alternatives to overexposed Jessica, Jessie, and Jasmine.
Catalan form of Mireille
"to admire"
Popular name in Spain drawn from the Provencal Mireio, coined by the poet Frederic Mistral. Very pretty and, though difficult to spell and pronounce, simpler than the French version.
Hebrew
"hope"
Appreciated by religious Jews for its connection to "Hatikva," the Israeli national anthem.
