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Arie
Variation of Ariel and Ari
"lion of God"
This spelling variation of trending unisex Ari — both diminutives of Hebrew Ariel — means "lion of God".
Clarice
Medieval form of Clarita, a derivative of Clara
"bright, clear"
If you’re a fan of the annual animated Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, you’ll recognize the name of Rudolph’s beautiful doe sweetheart, pronounced cla-REES—uncomfortably close to the Silence of the…
Mahala
Hebrew and Arabic
"tender"
An interesting and rhythmic name often heard in the Native American community; in fact,in the Gold Rush era in California and Nevada, it was so common that it became a generic English term for a…
Dove
Nature name
"dove, a bird"
One of the new bird names, like Lark and Wren, this one's associated with the billing and cooing sounds of love. Soft and gentle, Dove also has the admirable association with peace. Dove was actually…
Elmina
Elmina is a feminine name with roots in several languages. From Germanic origins, it derives from elements meaning 'noble' and 'protector.' It may also be connected to the Spanish word 'el mina'…
Lulie
Short form of Lula or Louise, German and French
"renowned warrior"
One of the few Lu- names that you've probably never heard of, Lulie could prove a good alternative for Luna, Lucy, and Lula.
Ara
Armenian
"king"
Simple and yet distinctive, Ara is a mythological name of a famously handsome king. Although it originated as a boys' name, in the contemporary US, it's now much more commonly used for girls. Ara was…
Electa
American, Greek
"chosen, elected; amber"
An early American name inspired by the word spiritual word "elect" and by a passage in the New Testament in which the Christian Church is referred to as "The Elect Lady and Her Children". Used in the…
Erie
Erie is an uncommon feminine name with multiple potential origins. It may derive from the Erie Native American tribe and the Great Lake named after them, giving it a natural, geographical connection.…
Lanie
Lanie is a sweet, feminine name that originated as a diminutive form of names like Elaine, Alaine, or Melanie. With its roots in various European traditions, Lanie carries the meanings of its parent…
Mai
Japanese, French, Welsh, Vietnamese, Navajo
"dance; May; cherry blossom; coyote"
Cross-cultural winner.
Mercedes
Spanish
"gracious gifts, benefits"
Mercedes is one of the few names attached to luxury living that we can wholeheartedly recommend, it being a legitimate Spanish appellation stemming from one of the epithets given to the Virgin…
Sada
Hebrew variation of Sarah; also Japanese
"chaste"
The late actress Sada Thompson introduced this obscure but usable form.
Araminta
Literature, compound of Arabella and Aminta, Greek
"loveable; unyielding + defender; unfading"
Araminta is a poetic and enchanting eighteenth-century invention with plenty of elegance and a touch of old-fashioned clunkiness. It first appeared in William Congreve's 17th century comedy The Old…
Caddie
Diminutive of Caroline, French
"free man"
Trapped somewhere in the nether region between Haddie and Catie, with the added confusion of sounding like someone who works on a golf course. Caddie Woodlawn was a TV heroine of the Old West in the…
Celie
French variation of Cecilia
"blind"
Attractive, underused name made famous by the heroine of The Color Purple. Still, if you're going to go to Celie, why not go all the way to Celia or Cecelia? You can always use Celie for short.
Isa
Germanic, Persian, or diminutive of Isabel
"ice; strong-willed; pledged to God"
Isa is a name unto itself as both a Persian name meaning "strong-willed" and as Germanic one derived from the element is meaning "ice". It can also be a short form of Isabel, Isabella, Isadora,…
Isadora
Greek
"gift of Isis"
For a long time, Isadora has been overlooked in favor of Isabella, owing perhaps to its association with the tragic modern dancer, Isadora Duncan, or because parents would rather their daughter be a…
Jewel
Word name
Just like Flora is for botanicals, Jewel is the generic gemstone name, not used much since the early twentieth century, when it was seen as a symbol of how precious a daughter could be. The French…
Linna
Linna is a feminine name with Finnish and Swedish origins, derived from names like Karolina, Carolina, or Linda. It can also be a variant of the name Lina, which comes from names ending in '-lina'…