User-created list
By helenwhite · Updated January 2024
Across 34 pages
of 34
English word name
Lace is a delicate feminine name derived from the English word for the ornate fabric made from intricately looped threads. As a given name, it emerged primarily in the late 20th century when word…
Spanish
"splendid brightness"
Leocadia marries a mix of sounds: the strength of a lion, with a rhythmic Latin ending. St. Leocadia was an early martyred Spanish saint, and "La Leocadia" is a famous Goya painting of Leocadia…
Italian, feminine variation of Ludovic
"famous in war"
This Olde World name with a large measure of European style makes an offbeat possibility for the bold baby namer in search of interesting Italian names for girls . Currently very popular in its…
Maruca is a feminine name with Latin and Romanian origins, functioning as an affectionate diminutive of Maria. The name carries all the warmth and spiritual significance of Maria, which derives from…
Diminutive of Margaret, Greek
"pearl"
Meg, perennially one of the Little Women, is a Margaret short form that manages to be neither quite in nor quite out of style. Meg is sleeker and more sophisticated than Maggie, more contemporary…
Mapuche, Chilean
"golden flower"
A melodic and glowing name, derived from Mapuche, the language of the Indigenous people of central Chile, Millaray means "golden flower". It ranked in the Chilean Top 100 in the 2010s and remains a…
English diminutive of Aminta and Araminta, Greek
"defender"
Minty isn't a fresh word name — it's an old-fashioned nickname for Araminta, the romantic smoosh name coined by playwright William Congreve in 1693.
Greek
"daffodil"
This Greek flower and mythological choice doesn't make it into the pantheon of possibilities because of its association with narcissism. But narcissa is December's flower of the month, so Narcissa…
Nature name
Ten times as many boys are named Oak as girls: about 50 boys last year to five girls. Of course, nature names don't have any traditional gender identification the way names like John and Mary do, so…
Odelyn is a feminine name with possible Germanic roots, likely derived from names containing the element 'odel' meaning 'homeland' or 'inheritance.' It may also be considered a modern feminine…
Oleana is a lyrical feminine name with possible Slavic or Greek origins. It may be a variant of Elena/Helena (meaning 'bright, shining light') or could relate to Oleander, a flowering plant name. In…
Latin
"to excite, to stir the mind"
A pretty, feminissima name, more distinctive than Cynthia. George Bernard Shaw used it for a character in his play The Apple Cart, about which it is said 'Orinthia is a name full of magic for me.'
Animal name
"bamboo eater"
Panda, welcome to the baby name menagerie! Panda is an adorable animal name (after an adorable animal) that is sure to be both very rare and very cute. In Skins there was a character called Panda,…
English flower name from French
"thought"
Pansy is an early floral name that lost credibility when it became a derogatory slang term for gay people. Better these days: Posy or Poppy.
Diminutive of Pavel or Praskovya, Russian
"small, humble; preparation"
Sweet and soft but outdoorsy too, Pasha could make an interesting alternative to Sasha. Typically used as a diminutive for Russian male names like Pavel, it has also been used for the feminine name…
English fruit name
Unlike the other fruit names that are just coming onto the baby name menu, Peaches is an old-timey nickname previously reserved for spangled showgirls, and now would be considered an outrageous --…
Peg is a nostalgic turn-of-the-last-century nickname, sociable but slight. Like near-identical twin Peggy, Peg is in mothballs.
Tibetan
"lotus flower"
Pema is related to the more familiar Hindu name Padma and means lotus flower. This delightful name was given to only 14 girls in the USA last year, so it's guaranteed to be a unique choice. Pema is…
"flower"
Penthia might not be the most charming flower name, but as the lovely Penelope ascends, and the lovely Cynthia fades away, a compromise may be in order.
