User-created list
Magnificent M Names [girls]
Across 5 pages
of 5
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.
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…
Merry
English
"lighthearted, happy"
She'd better be. Merry is one of the classic names for Christmas babies .
Marcy
Diminutive of Marcia
"Mars, god of war"
Marcy is about as hip as bobby sox and saddle shoes – which is to say, it's probably due a revival in the not-too-distant future! It was a typical Peanuts character name, which peaked in the…
Myka
Myka is a feminine name with multiple potential origins. It may be a variant spelling of Mika, which has roots in several languages including Japanese where it means 'beautiful fragrance,' Hebrew…
Minuet
French, dance term
Minuet is delicate, dancey, and lacy, with a Masterpiece Theatre feel. Is Minuet a real name? Not really, though similar-sounding French names such as Minette and Manette are.
Marietta
Italian diminutive of Maria
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
Marietta would make for a classy and uncommon long form for cool nickname Etta. The meaning of Maria is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea");…
Marine
Latin
"from the sea"
Marine was trending for a long time in France, but the far right politician Marine (born Marion) LePen has dampened the mood.
Minerva
Latin
"of the mind, intellect"
Minerva is the long-neglected name of the Roman goddess of wisdom and invention, the arts and martial strength, one of the mythology names for girls that might appeal to adventurous feminist parents.…
Maura
Anglicized variation of Maire, Finnish, Irish variation of Mary"sweet; drop of the sea, bitter"
"sweet; drop of the sea, bitter"
Somber, almost mournful name that still has a lovely sound. Neither really in nor out, Maura has played around at the lower half of the Top 1000 since the late 1940s. It might make one of those…
Melantha
Greek
"dark flower"
The th sound both softens and complicates this Melanie relative.
Melisande
French form of Millicent, German
"strong in work"
This old-time fairy tale name is rarely heard in the modern English-speaking world, but it's so, well, mellifluous, that it would make a lovely choice for a twenty-first century girl--a romanticized…
Mabry
Variation of Mayberry, English and Irish
"mud hill"
Cute and eminently wearable surname name for girls.
Meiko
Mai
Japanese, French, Welsh, Vietnamese, Navajo
"dance; May; cherry blossom; coyote"
Cross-cultural winner.
May
Diminutive of Margaret and Mary; month name
May is a sweet old-fashioned name that hasn't been on the national charts in several decades, but is definitely sounding fresh and springlike. Parents are beginning to see it once more as one of the…
Mischa
Russian, diminutive of Mikhail
This was a 100 percent boys' name till the willowy Mischa Barton of TV's "The OC" made it unisex, a la Sascha.
Moirah
Moirah is a feminine name that appears to be a variant spelling of Moira, which has Irish and Greek origins. In Irish, Moira derives from the name Máire (a form of Mary) or possibly from the Irish…
Minka
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…
Minnie
Diminutive of Wilhelmina, German
"resolute protection"
Minnie was wildly popular at the turn of the last century — it was the fifth or sixth most popular name throughout the 1880s — but is completely obscure in the US today. Blame Mickey's girlfriend.…