User-created list
By thesedays · Updated May 2023
Across 37 pages
of 37
English word name
"turbulent, stormy"
Tempest is one of those names that could go either way. Cool, evocative modern word name? Or asking for trouble? Your call, but if you decide the former image is dominant, be warned that some people…
Variation of Zita or Greek letter name
The sixth letter of the Greek alphabet, popularized by Welsh actress Catherine Zeta-Jones -- Zeta was her grandmother's first name. Zeta can also refer to the letter Z, the last in the Roman…
Spelling variation of Apollonia, feminine form of Apollo, Greek mythology name
"destroyer"
Apolonia is a feminine name of Greek origin, derived from Apollo, the Greek god of sun, light, music, and poetry. It can be considered a variant of Apollonia, which gained recognition through Saint…
Spanish
"cross"
Cruz might be a sister for Concepcion and Corazon, although its masculine side was emphasized when the high profile David Beckhams chose it for their son.
Latin
"woman of honor"
Honora and Honoria are two ways of softening the severity of Honor, while retaining its righteous meaning. They were predominant until the Reformation, when the Puritans adopted the abstract virtue…
Greek
"violet flower"
This unusual Greek flower and color name has gained considerable recent attention via actress Ione Skye, who is the daughter of sixties folksinger Donovan. Ione was one of the fifty sea nymphs —…
Short form of Melissa, Amelia, Melanie and related names
Mellie is not Millie and it's not Nellie, though it will forever be confused with those too more familiar nicknames. It's cute, too, and while some of the names it's usually short for may be sailing…
Hebrew; Spanish
"gold; peace"
Paz, currently represented by actresses Paz Vega and Paz de la Huerts, would make a sparkling middle name choice. It originated as a title of the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Peace, and is one of the…
English
"beautiful rose"
Rosabel, a vintage smoosh name created in the 18th century, feels slightly less frilly than her cousins Rosabelle and Rosabella. It could make for a more distinctive alternative to Isabel, or an…
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…
Azalee is a flowering variation of Azalea, the botanical name for colorful flowering shrubs native to several continents. The name derives from Greek 'azaleos' meaning 'dry,' ironically referring to…
Coralyn is a feminine name that beautifully combines elements of Cora and the popular suffix "-lyn." It likely emerged as a variation of Coraline or as an elaboration of Cora, which derives from the…
"glory"
Originally the name of the titular faerie queene of Spenser's epic poem "The Faerie Queene," published in 1590. Gloriana was, along with Belphoebe, an allegory for Queen Elizabeth. In the 400-odd…
Greek place-name
The name of an ancient country located in South Asia Minor, perfect for someone looking for a rare and feminine name with history.
"jet"
Although this is a legitimate name, most people would associate it with a line of Volkswagens -- you'd be better off choosing a Mercedes.
Linnie is a feminine name that originated primarily as a diminutive of names such as Linda, Linnea, Caroline, or Madeline. It has a sweet, vintage quality reminiscent of the late 19th and early 20th…
Natalina is a feminine name of Italian and Latin origin, serving as an elaborate form of Natalia. Derived from the Latin 'natalis' meaning 'birthday' or 'birth,' it traditionally referenced children…
"pig"
Portia is a perfect role-model name, relating to Shakespeare's brilliant and spirited lawyer in The Merchant of Venice , and is now also a Hunger Games name . Another Shakespearean Portia was the…
"amber, shining, bright"
Though the plays by Sophocles and Eugene O'Neill and via the "Electra Complex" proposed by psychoanalyst Carl Jung, this name has, unfortunately, become associated with incest and murder.…
Welsh
"fair, blessed"
The most modern choice in this group, and the most distinctive; the Gwyn form is a common male name in Wales.
