My favorite girl names.

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.

Aquilina

Feminine variation of Aquilo, Latin

"eagle"

A lot of parents claim to want a name that's different, but if you really do, Aquilina, modern-feeling but based on an ancient favorite, would be one good choice.

Artemisia

Greek, variation of Artemis

You might think Artemisia is the feminine form of the name, but in fact the original Artemis is feminine too, the name of the Greek mythological goddess of the moon. Artemisia Gentileschi was an…

Asteria

Greek

"star"

Asteria is an Anglicized spelling of the Greek Astraea or Astraia, the goddess of justice and innocence. She became the constellation Virgo, so all forms of this name would be especially appropriate…

Astraea

Greek

"of the stars"

Astraea —also found as Astraia — is the Greek goddess of justice and innocence who left earth to become the constellation Virgo after she grew unhappy with the state of humanity. She was prophesised…

Calanthe

English from Greek

"Christmas orchid"

If you love Calliope and Callista, you'll love Calanthe, which combines the trendiness of the Greek 'cal' names with the equally fashionable "the" ending (like Xanthe and Evanthe) and a connection to…

Camellia

English flower name from Czech surname

"Kamel's flower"

Camellia is a rare flower name with distinct roots related to the Camille/Camila group and has varied associations to the moon, water, wealth, and perfection. It could be thought of as a floral…

Cassiopeia

Greek mythology name

"cassia juice"

Cassiopeia, the name of a mythological mother who became a stellar constellation, is challenging but intriguing, and has all those softening Cass nicknames available. And with all names Cass-related…

Celestina

Italian and Spanish variation of Celeste

"heavenly"

We are hearing more of such heavenly names as Celeste and Celia, which opens the door to the range of lovely variations rarely heard before. Celestina is one of them, though given the more accessible…

Crescentia

Latin, German

"to grow"

Derived from the Latin Crescentius and Crescens, Crescentia is a bold, strong but elaborate name borne by a 4th century saint and also the heroine of a 12th century German romance. Also spelled…

Delphina

Latin from Greek

"of Delphi; womb"

Delphina is another form of the sleek French Delphine, rising in popularity. The Blessed Delphina was a Provencal nun.

Ferelith

Scottish

"true sovereignty"

Ferelith is an unusual yet deeply-rooted Scottish girl's name, also found in ancient Ireland and drawn from the Gaelic Forbhlaith or Forbflaith. While it went through a period of dormancy after the…

Fiammetta

Italian

"little fiery one"

Fiammetta, from the Italian word for flame, has both femininity and fire. Fiammetta could make a good alternative to more conventional Italian girls' names like Giovanna. Fiammetta has some romantic,…

Floriana

Floriana is a feminine name with Latin roots, derived from 'flor' meaning 'flower.' It's essentially an elaborated form of Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers and spring. The name has been…

Galatea

Greek

"she who is milk-white"

This name's meaning derives from the material from which the mythical sculptor Pygmalion chiselled his ideal woman - she was carved from ivory. Pygmalion fell in love with his creation and Aphrodite,…

Hermione

Feminine version of Hermes, Greek

"messenger, earthly"

Hermione's costarring role in Harry Potter has made this previously ignored, once stodgy name suddenly viable. Hermione could really take off once today's children start having kids of their own. In…

Isolde

Welsh, German

"ice ruler"

Sleek, sharp, and soulful, Isolde is the German form of Iseult, the fabled lover of Tristan in the Arthurian romances. First appearing in the 12th-century, the name was fairly popular in the form of…

Katherina

Latin variation of Katherine, Greek

"pure"

Variation of Katherine.

Kestrel

English, bird name

A kestrel is a bird of prey. It has good potential as a strong girls' name, similar to Falcon for boys.

Laelia

Latin family name and botanical name

Upside: it has an interesting ancient look and feel, related to the Roman family name Laelius of uncertain meaning. There is also a type of orchid called the Laelia. Downside: possible confusion with…