The Best of A & C

Agatha

Greek

"good woman"

Agatha until recently summoned up visions of martyred saints, mauve silk dresses, and high lace collars, but now that some dauntless excavators have begun to resurrect it, we're sure more will follow…

Aster

English; Amharic

"star"

This is a fresh new addition to the botanical list; comedian Gilbert Gottfried made it a real bouquet when he named his daughter Lily Aster. And the name of the little girl on television's Dexter…

Avalon

Celtic

"island of apples"

Avalon, an island paradise of Celtic myth and Arthurian legend--it was where King Arthur was taken to recover from his wounds-- and also the colorful capital of the California island of Catalina--…

Anwen

Welsh

"very fair, beautiful"

Anwen is one of the simplest and best of the classic Welsh girls' names, more unusual than Bronwen but with the same serene feel.

Auden

English

"old friend"

A softly poetic surname name, associated with poet W.H., Auden is enjoying quiet but marked fashion status. It was chosen for his daughter by Noah Wyle and is definitely one to watch.

Auburn

Color name

"deep reddish-brown"

With its rich aural relation to names like Aubrey and Audrey, this color name could be the next Amber, or Scarlett.

Clea

Latinate variation of Cleo, Greek

"glory"

An attractive and unusual name that may be a variation of Cleo, Clea was possibly invented by Lawrence Durrell for a character in his Alexandria Quartet . Actress Clea DuVall is one noted bearer of…

Clove

English word name

"clove"

Clove is a spice name that is a tad more piquant than Saffron or Cinnamon. It might get more attention now as a member of The Hunger Games family of names.

Circe

Greek

"bird, hawk"

In Greek myth, Circe, daughter of Helios, the sun, was a sorceress living on the island of Aeaea (or Aiaia) who could turn men into animals with her magic wand, which is just what she did to…

Claret

English word name from French and Latin

"deep purple-red; clear"

Rich purplish red color choice that may gain favor along with Claire, though the wine connection can't be ignored.

Clarity

English virtue name from Latin

"the quality of being clear"

Clarity is one of the lightest of the newly rediscovered virtue names, with a bit of three-syllable sparkle, old-fashioned charm and a clear vision for the future. Clarity is a very desirable quality…

Constance

English version of Latin Constantia

"steadfastness"

Constance is one of the more subtle of the virtue baby names , but still has quite a prim and proper image. One impediment to its revival has been the decidedly dated nickname Connie, though modern…

Adair

Scottish and Irish, Brazilian

"oak tree ford; wealthy spearman; wealth and fame"

A unisex name with lots of flair and a daring spirit, Adair was first noticed as a girl's name in the 1980's, thanks to the long-running daytime drama Search for Tomorrow , with the character Adair…

Colleen

Irish

"girl"

Midcentury Irish-American favorite, never used in Ireland itself, being the generic word for "girl"; rarely given today.

Copper

Word name

It's a beautiful burnished metal -- but also slang for policeman.