User-created list
Alternatives to Celeste
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Aurelia
Latin
"the golden one"
Aurelia is an ancient Roman name that's become a surprise hit in the contemporary world. A top favorite on Nameberry, it reentered the US Top 1000 in 2014 after a 70-year absence and continues to…
Elowyn
Spelling variation of Elowen, Cornish
"elm"
The -en ending is the authentically female one and the traditional Cornish spelling, but more and more Americans are turning to the y as a feminizing element in the final syllable of this name. As…
Octavia
Latin
"eighth"
Octavia began as the Latin, then Victorian name for an eighth child. While there aren't many eighth children anymore, this ancient Roman name has real possibilities as a substitute for the overused…
Colette
French, short form of Nicole, feminine variation of Nicholas, Greek
"people of victory"
Like the French author with whom the name is most closely associated, Colette is a chic and charming name, sharp, stylish, and feminine but without the frills of Nicolette. After disappearing from…
Lorelai
Spelling variation of Lorelei, German
"alluring, temptress"
Lorelai is the spelling used for the character played by Lauren Graham on The Gilmore Girls , as well as her daughter, who preferred the nickname Rory. The television show reintroduced this name to a…
Gwendolyn
Variation of Gwendolen, Welsh
"white ring"
One spelling variation that's more popular than the original, this somewhat old-fashioned name might be in honor of poet Gwendolyn Brooks, the first African-American to win a Pulitzer prize for…
Astrid
Scandinavian
"divinely beautiful"
Astrid has been a Scandinavian royal name since the tenth century, and many people associated it with the Swedish author of the Pippi Longstocking stories, Astrid Lindgren. Astrid is derived from the…
Marceline
Feminization of Marcel, French
"little warrior"
Balancing femininity, vintage charm, and fantasy nerdiness, Marceline is one to watch. Marceline the Vampire Queen from the 2010-2018 animated TV series Adventure Time brought her elaborate French…
Lyra
Greek
"lyre"
Lyra is a name with ancient and celestial roots that's found new popularity thanks to its starring role in Philip Pullman's book series, His Dark Materials and its subsequent movie and TV adaptions.…
Calliope
Greek mythology
"beautiful voice"
Melodic and beautiful but with a touch of sass, Calliope is the name of the muse of epic poetry — and perhaps less glamorously, the musical instrument on the merry-go-round. Bold and creative, it…
Clementine
French feminine version of Clement, Latin
"mild, merciful"
Clementine is a Nameberry favorite that broke back into the US Top 1000 in 2014 after more than half a century off the list. A female variation of the more-unusual Clement, Clementine's meaning…
Felicity
Latin
"good fortune, happy"
Felicity is as accessible a virtue name as Hope and Faith, but much more feminine -- and dare we say, happier. The hit TV show did a lot to soften and modernize the once buttoned-up image of…
Estella
Latinate form of Estelle
"star"
Estella is a pretty Latin name, most notably associated with the character in Dickens's Great Expectations , adopted and raised to reek Miss Haversham's revenge on men. With the popularity of Stella,…
Estelle
French
"star"
Maybe it's because she shares that winning -elle sound with Isabel and Bella, but Estelle is no longer seen as a muumuu-wearing canasta player of a certain age (think George Costanza's mother on…
Seraphina
Hebrew
"ardent; fiery"
Seraphina is one of the most-searched name on Nameberry, destined for even greater popularity. The highest-ranking angels, the six-winged seraphim, inspired the lovely name Seraphina. The name was…
Selene
Greek
"moon"
While the Latin Selena is more familiar in the US these days, the sleek, Greek original has plenty to offer. Borne by the Greek Goddess of the moon, she is the sister of Helios the sun god. A recent…
Cassandra
Greek
"shining or excelling man"
The name of the tragic mythological Trojan princess who was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo, but was condemned never to be believed, Cassandra has been used for striking characters in movies and…
Persephone
Greek
"bringer of destruction"
Magical and earthy, sophisticated but off-beat, Persephone appears as the daughter of Zeus by Demeter in Greek mythology. After she was kidnapped by Hades to be Queen of the Underworld, it was…
Araceli
Spanish
"altar of the sky"
Once-obscure Spanish name inching back up into the US Top 1000 girl names after a short break. Araceli Segarra is a noted mountain climber.
Soleil
French
"sun"
An attractive French word name known here via former child TV star Soleil Moon Frye, aka Punky Brewster. It started to be lightly used in the U.S. in the 1920s and is now attracting some attention as…