vintage girl names begging to be rediscovered

Theda

Short form of Theodora or Theodosia, Greek

"gift of God"

Theda is most famous as the name of silent film vamp Theda Bara. Today most fashionable little Theodoras and Theodosias are called Thea, but Theda makes an intriguing change.

Theo

Diminutive of Theodora

"divine gift, gift of God"

Most commonly used as a short form of Theodora or Theodosia, this "boyish" nickname for girls is used much less frequently than Thea, Dora, or Teddy. One notable appearance however, was as the…

Theodosia

Greek

"gift of God"

This feminine form of Theodosius has long been buried deep in the attic, but might be a good discovery for the parent who wants to move beyond Theodora. Vice President Aaron Burr named a daughter…

Theone

Greek

"godly"

A solid, if somewhat serious Greek name. Theoni and Theona are variants. This might be a possibility if you're looking for an unusual route to Thea.

Theora

Greek

"a thinker, watcher; gift of god"

There are two ways to look at Theora. On one hand, it's a contracted form of Theodora, blending the appeal of both Thea and Dora. In this case, it would mean "gift of god". On the other hand,…

Thera

Thera is a feminine name with ancient Greek origins, derived from the island of Thera (modern Santorini) in the Aegean Sea. The name carries historical significance as this island was home to an…

Theta

Eighth letter of Greek Alphabet

Theta is the name of the eighth letter of the ancient Greek alphabet, which is also the symbol of death. As such, it has rarely been used as a baby name.

Tillie

English, diminutive of Matilda

"battle mighty"

A surprise recent hit revival with cutting-edge British, Tribeca and Malibu parents; Tillie, also spelled Tilly, is cute, frilly, and sassy all at once. Tilly features in the England and Wales Top…

Toby

Female diminutive of Tobias, Greek from Hebrew

"God is good"

Toby is an early unisex name with a Shakespearean pedigree; when used for a girl it retains its tomboyish quality. Fits well with the growing trend of boyish nicknames for girls -- alongside rising…

Tove

Scandinavian

"beautiful, beloved"

Tove is a modern variation of an Old Norse name for which there are no letters on the twenty-first century keyboard (Þórfríðr, for those interested.) Surviving and thriving in modern Scandinavia in…

Tressa

Short form of Theresa, English, Greek, or Cornish

"to harvest; third"

While Tessa is now preferred, this slightly sharper diminutive of Theresa was the more familiar option in the early 20th-century. It enjoyed a brief return to the US charts in the 60s and 70s but is…

Trilby

Place name, surname, and literary name

Trilby was used first for a character by French novelist Charles Nodier (1822) and made more famous by writer George du Maurier in an 1894 work. A Trilby hat, which Du Maurier's character wore, is a…

Trixie

Diminutive of Beatrix, Latin

"she who brings happiness"

A sassy, spunky name for the bold parent who doesn't remember Mrs. Ed Norton on The Honeymooners or who's into the nicknames-as-given-names trend sweeping the UK and returning to the US. Trixie is a…

Trula

Variation of Trudy or Truly

A variation of Trudy, blended with the sounds of Lula, Beulah, Eula, and Zula, Trula has the possible meanings of "strength" or "strength of the spear" from Trudy and Gertrude, or, as a compound…

Truly

Word name

"in a truthful way"

A would-be up-and-comer if it wasn't for the spiked seltzer brand.

Van

Van as a feminine name is quite uncommon, as it's more frequently encountered as a male name or surname across various cultures. Of Vietnamese origin, Van can mean 'cloud' and is often used as a…

Vashti

Persian

"lovely"

This Persian name with an Old Testament pedigree has a warm Sasha-like feel. The Biblical Vashti was a queen who refused her husband's orders to appear naked in front of his party guests and so was…