jessivalla's oc names

Could Lilac be the next Lila or Lily or Violet? It certainly has a lot going for it--those lilting double 'l's, the fabulous fragrance it exudes, and the fact that it's a color name as well, providing a ready made nursery theme. In addition, the lilac is symbolic of first love.

Foreign variations of Mary are definitely the way to go; this one has a nice Dutch-girl feel. It also works as a cultural crossover name, e.g. between European languages and Japanese.

Mars is a name with interesting potential, ticking the boxes as a mythological name, a space name, and a single syllable choice ending in -s. For parents wanting something unexpected, Mars could work as an alternative to popular Brooks, Max, Atlas, or Miles - and given to around 150 boys - and 35 girls - in a recent year, it is unusual but recognisable.

Marcia is the most common version of this group of names in the U. S., now found more often among moms and grandmas than babies. Marsha was a Top 100 name in the 1950s, when Marcy was its common go-by name.

Used for summer-born babies in Japan.

Paul is an ancient name for boys -- popular in Roman and medieval times -- that's not very fashionable now, which can work in its favor, scarcity balancing simplicity.

Pax, one of the variations of names meaning peace that are newly popular in these less-than-peaceful times, got a lot of publicity when chosen by Brad & Angelina for their Vietnamese-born son. Parents attracted to Pax may also want to consider Paz, the unisex Spanish version, or Paxton, a growing-in-popularity surname choice that shares that magical X-factor.

A cool name, representing the Roman goddess of peace and offering a positive message to bestow upon a child. Pax is one of the most stylish new names that mean peace.

This short form of Robert was borne by famous figures from Robbie Williams to Robbie Coltrane to Robbie Robertson. At one point, Robbie was the cool new Bobby, but now Robbie is cool only for girls.

Roberta and Robert may be so far out they're...still out, but Robbie might make one of the trendy new boyish nicknames for girls a la Scottie and Charlie. Actress Margot Robbie gave it a surname spin.

Rock definitely has a macho image, if a somewhat caricatured one, ala The Rock. But with the rise of word names and also of tough guy names, Rock feels more plausible than it did a generation ago.

Roxy, also spelled Roxie, is one of those high-stepping showgal names with plenty of moxie, among the many sassy nickname names on the U.K. popularity list--currently Number 398.

Shanna is a feminine name with multiple possible origins. Most commonly, it's considered an Americanized variation of the Irish name Shannah, meaning 'wise' or a feminine form of Shane, meaning 'God is gracious.' Alternatively, it may derive from the Hebrew name Shoshana, meaning 'lily' or 'rose.' Shanna gained considerable popularity in the United States during the 1970s, reaching its peak usage in 1977. The name has a soft, melodic quality while remaining straightforward to pronounce and spell. Often pronounced 'SHAN-uh,' this accessible name offers the nickname option 'Shan.' Though less common for babies today, Shanna retains a classic, unpretentious charm that bridges multiple cultural traditions.

Peppy cheerleader name of the 1960s and 70s that's sure to evoke the Four Seasons song of that name.