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Neri
Hebrew or Greek
"my candle; ocean spirit"
A simple but unusual name with roots in disparate cultures, Neri appears in the Bible as a male name and is still sometimes used for boys as well as girls. The appeal of Neri are its deep roots…
Norris
French
"northerner"
A British surname that was used only for males until Mrs. Norman Mailer, Norris Church (born Barbara), came under the public eye.
Naema
Nomie
Oectra
Oectra is an extremely rare feminine name with obscure origins. It may be a modern invention or could have roots in ancient Greek or Latin terminology. The unusual combination of the initial 'Oe'…
Ombeline
French
"bright warrior"
A medieval French feminine form of Humbert, also found as Humbeline.
Opaline
Elaboration of Opal, French, Sanskrit
"gem"
A word name with a touch of Adeline/Caroline/Apolline mixed in, Opaline has a sleek and stylish yet whimsical feel.
Orange
Fruit or color name
An unlikely choice, but in this era of Apple, Navy, Golden, and Mint, you never know. In fact, Orange does have some historical grounding as a feminine name, appearing in Medieval times as Orange,…
Omenia
Panacea
Greek
"a cure for all ills"
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…
Parthenia
Greek
"chaste maiden"
Parthenia may be a bit unwieldy, but does conjure up majestic images of the Parthenon. It was briefly in the US charts in the late 19th century.
Pebbles
English, word name
As the former stage name of TLC founder Perri Reid and the name of the youngest member of the animated Flintstones clan, it's got some pop culture cache. But it'll be too cutesy by half for most…
Perrine
Feminine variation of Perry or Peter, English or Greek
"dweller near a pear tree or rock, stone"
Five girls were given the name Perrine last year. Other feminine Perry or Peter alternatives are Perrin, Perry, or even Petra.
Phemie
Phemie is a charming feminine name functioning primarily as a diminutive of Euphemia, which comes from Greek meaning 'well-spoken' or 'speech of good omen.' This shortened form offers a friendly,…
Plum
Fruit name
British-born novelist Plum Sykes has taken this rich, fruity name out of the produce section and put it into the baby name basket. It's more appealing than Apple, more presentable than Peaches. The…
Pocahontas
Algonquin
"playful one"
Seen from our vantage point, Pocahontas is a name that will please no one. It's sure to invite playground mockery, and parents without Algonquin ancestry will be engaging in cultural appropriation.…
Queenie
English
"queen"
Wisecracking waitress name stuck in the luncheonette. Started as nickname for girls named Regina -- queen in Latin -- now mostly a canine choice.
Raphia
Raphia is a feminine name with botanical origins, referring to a genus of palm trees native to tropical regions of Africa and Asia. The name has a melodic quality with its flowing sounds. While…
Rivers
Nature name and surname, English
"rivers"
Rivers is an indisputably unisex surname with is strong nature connotation and its connection to the character Diana Rivers from Charlotte Bronte's novel Jane Eyre . Rivers is also the first name of…