Winter 2013 anthro names

Penelope

Greek

"weaver"

As elegant and refined as it is sweet and energized., Penelope has been well and truly revived in the 21st-century. Off the Top 1000 for 25 years, Penelope jumped back on in 2001 and has been heading…

Athena

Greek

"from Athens"

Magical and distinctive but grounded and familiar too, it's no surprise that Athena has become one of the most widely used ancient goddess names in the contemporary Western world. Derived from the…

Lilian

Alternate spelling of Lillian, English

"lily; pledged to God"

Lilian is the far less popular than the 'Lillian' spelling. To avoid a lifetime of mistakes and misspellings, we suggest you go with the Lillian spelling, which also looks more polished on paper.…

Eileen

Anglicization of Eibhlín, Irish, German

"desired; or water, island"

The Gaelic Eileen was a mid-century darling that was on a long downward slide for decades. And then, in 2012, it took an unexpected pivot and has been inching upward in the US, perhaps inspired by…

Ramona

Spanish, feminine variation of Ramon

"wise protector"

Ramona is a sweet spot name – neither too trendy nor too eccentric. Kids will associate it with the clever Ramona Quimby character in the series of books by Beverly Cleary, also seen on TV. It was…

Quincy

French from Latin

"estate of the fifth son"

Quincy is a Presidential surname name that actually sounds both cute and strong when used for a girl. For the first time ever, Quincy joined the Top 1000 roster for girls in 2023, given to over 250…

Jessamine

English from Persian

"jasmine"

Jessamine, a charming name occasionally heard in England, is just beginning to be appreciated in the U.S. as a possible successor to all the Jess names of the past. It's also spelled Jessamyn, as in…

Dorin

Dorin is a feminine name of Romanian origin, derived from the masculine name Dorian. It carries the meaning 'gift' or 'child of the sea.' In Romanian culture, the name has been used for girls, though…

Elisabeta

Elisabeta is the Romanian and Portuguese variant of Elizabeth, a name with Hebrew origins meaning "God is my oath" or "God's promise." This elegant feminine name has been used by European royalty…

Peggy

Diminutive of Margaret, Greek

"pearl"

Just when we had written off Peggy as the eternal perky, pug-nosed prom-queen she projected from the 1920s into the fifties, along came Mad Men , with intriguing mid-century characters with names…

Adelie

Adelie comes from French origins and is often associated with nobility, deriving from the Germanic name Adelaide, meaning 'noble' or 'nobility.' The name gained recognition from the Adelie penguin,…

Naima

Arabic, Scandinavian variation of Naema

"tranquil; pleasantness"

As an Arabic name, the normal transcription is Na'ima, with an apostrophe. It was a Top 200 name in France in the 1970s and '80s, and ranked in the US Top 1000 from 2005 to 2008. Naima can also be a…

Gretta

Gretta is a feminine name representing a variant spelling of Greta, which itself originated as a short form of Margaret or Margareta. With Germanic and Greek roots, the name ultimately derives from…

Misha

Russian, diminutive of Mikhail

Misha was a boys' name with a soft feminine sound and vowel ending until actress Mischa Barton turned it to the girls' side. Now Misha, like Sasha, works as well in either spelling for girls and…

Lotty

Lotty is a diminutive of Charlotte or sometimes Carlotta, carrying a vintage charm with English origins. The name conveys a sense of playfulness and warmth, often associated with affectionate…

Hilda

German

"battle woman"

Short for Brunhilda, the operatic Valkyrie of Teutonic legend, Hilda still has not quite shaken off that image that image. Though with the resurgence of Matilda, she might just have a bit of a…

Ines

Italian, Portuguese, Slovene and Croatian variation of Agnes

"pure, virginal"

This form of Agnes, Ines has always been popular since the true story of the thwarted lovers Queen Ines of Castro and King Peter of Portugal. This has to be one of the most heartbreaking and bloody…