Names I love

Adelpha

Greek

"beloved sister"

A seriously classic name meaning love , Adelpha is also the name for a genus of butterflies.

Trudy

German

"spear of strength"

Innocent, sincere, and bright-eyed, and as outdated as its mother name, Gertrude.

Živanka

Slavic

"full of life"

A vibrant and lively name, Živanka is likely to be a variation of Živa or Živana. Deriving from the Old Slavic word živŭ meaning "alive, living", it is also related to a Slavic goddess, associated…

Hermione

Feminine version of Hermes, Greek

"messenger, earthly"

Hermione's costarring role in Harry Potter has made this previously ignored, once stodgy name suddenly viable. Hermione could really take off once today's children start having kids of their own. In…

Ruri

Japanese

"lapis lazuli"

Naming babies after precious gems as a protection against evil spirits is an ancient Japanese tradition.

Augusta

Feminine variation of Augustus, Latin

"great, magnificent"

Augusta is a dignified name reminiscent of wealthy great-aunts and stately homes, but with the fashion for both August and Gus for boys, and the renewed interest in clunky classics like Gwendolyn and…

Gustava

Swedish

"staff of the gods"

Imposing, if not intimidating.

Antonia

Latin

"from Antium"

Antonia is stronger than most feminized boys’ names , reflecting the pioneer spirit of Willa Cather's classic novel My Antonia . Antonia is hovering near the bottom of the US popularity list, which…

Mariska

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…

Ruzena

Ruzena is a feminine name of Slavic origin, primarily used in Czech and Slovak cultures. It derives from the word for "rose" (růže in Czech), symbolizing beauty and femininity. The name is…

Leocadia

Spanish

"splendid brightness"

Leocadia marries a mix of sounds: the strength of a lion, with a rhythmic Latin ending. St. Leocadia was an early martyred Spanish saint, and "La Leocadia" is a famous Goya painting of Leocadia…

Ottilie

German, French

"prosperous in battle"

Ottilie is trending in the UK, where the pronounced T helps the name sound pretty and delicate, rather like Amelie and Elodie. Ottilie is less popular in the US, where many Americans pronounce it as…

Gwyneth

Welsh

"blessed, happy"

Because of Gwyneth Paltrow, this has almost become a one-person name, but not in the prohibitive there's-only-one-Oprah sense. Also seen as Gwenyth and Gweneth, this mellifluous appellation is…

Mireia

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.

Edna

Hebrew

"rejuvenation, delight"

Edna is one of those names that, until what it seemed like a few minutes ago, felt so terminally frumpy that no one could imagine a parent choosing it for an innocent modern baby girl. But with the…

Nydia

Latin

"home"

Very rarely used, could provide a distinctive alternative to Lydia.

Ludovica

Italian, feminine variation of Ludovic

"famous in war"

This Olde World name with a large measure of European style makes an offbeat possibility for the bold baby namer in search of interesting Italian names for girls . Currently very popular in its…

Meissa

Arabic

"the shining one"

Star in Orion that might make a fine name, except people will always assume it's Melissa, with a typo.

Corisande

Greek

"chorus-singer"

Corisande is a very unusual, haunting choice, with the aura of medieval romance--it is found in early Spanish romantic tales, arriving in the English-speaking world in the nineteenth century. 'La…