User-created list
Nickname Worthy Names
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Henriette
French, feminine form of Henri
Henriette is to Henri (or Henry) what Charlotte is to Charles. Yet this elegant French name is surprisingly rare in the States.
Honora
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…
Honorata
Feminine form of Honoratus, Latin
"esteemed, distinguished"
Honorata is the feminine form of Honoratus, the name of several saints including the patron saint of bakers.
Isabeau
French variation of Isabel
"pledged to God"
With Isabel getting so popular, parents are searching for new varieties of the name, and Isabeau is one that makes a lovely French twist. Isabeau of Bavaria was the wife of King Charles VI of…
Letitia
Latin
"joy, gladness"
Letitia is a delicate, once prim and proper sounding name whose staid image has been unbuttoned by numerous phonetic spellings. The original, often used in Spanish-speaking families, would still make…
Lillevi
Swedish
"little devoted one"
A sweet and sparky modern Swedish name, derived from the word for "little" plus the suffix vi , which may mean "devoted, dedicated". An intriguing alternative to the popular Lily family of names.
Millicent
German
"strong in work"
Combining the mild and the innocent, this sweet and feminine name is worthy of a comeback, in the mode of Madeline and Cecilia. Its original, also attractive form is Melisende, which came from…
Mirabella
Italian variation of Mirabelle
"wonderful"
The short-lived magazine edited by former Vogue chief Grace Mirabella put this beautiful name off-limits for a while, but now it's perfectly fit to join the fashionable Bella pantheon. More…
Nereida
Greek
"sea nymph"
More intriguing than the more familiar form Nerida, this name is perfect for a beach baby, or a baby born under a water sign.
Nicola
German; English, from Greek
"people of victory"
Nicola, an elegant Latinate feminization of Nicholas, has long been standard issue for English girls but for some reason has never voyaged across the Atlantic, which we consider a pity, especially as…
Odelia
Hebrew, German
"I will praise the Lord or wealth"
Pretty Hebrew name that would create a strong but feminine impression, as well as a variant of the Germanic name Odilia or Ottilie.
Oliviane
Oliviane is a refined feminine name that appears to be an elaborate variation of Olivia, which derives from the Latin word 'oliva' meaning 'olive tree.' The addition of the elegant '-ane' suffix…
Pandora
Greek
"all gifted"
Pandora has occasionally been used by the British gentry (for girls with brothers who might be called Peregrine) and is now starting to be heard in the US too: It was given to 34 baby girls last…
Philippa
Greek, feminine variation of Philip
"lover of horses"
Philippa is a prime example of a boy's name adapted for girls that was common as crumpets in Cornwall, but rarely heard stateside. That was before the advent of royal sister-in-law Philippa…
Primavera
Italian
"spring"
A bit syllable-heavy, but a pretty name for a springtime baby.
Primrose
English flower name
"first rose"
A quaint and quirky flower name, until recently considered a bit too prim for most American classrooms but brought back to life in recent years by the attractive character of Primrose "Prim" Everdeen…
Rhiannon
Welsh
"divine queen"
Strong and outdoorsy, yet pretty and queenly, Rhiannon was a once obscure Welsh name, brought into the mainstream in 1976, following Fleetwood Mac's flash hit song of the same title. It stormed into…
Riona
Irish
"queenly"
We'd opt for Fiona.
Romilly
English
"citizen of Rome"
Originally a surname deriving from the Roman twin Romulus, this attractive name was introduced to the English-speaking world as a first name by painter Augustus John who used it for his son. Romilly…
Rosetta
Persian
"splendid"
Associated with the ancient Rosetta stone, this is also the pretty Italian pet form of Rosa.
