all of drew's liked names

Finella

Scottish variation of Finola

"white shoulder"

Finella and cousin Fenella, which are found most often in Scotland, would make pleasing imports.

Fia

Irish, Portuguese, Italian

"wild, weaver"

Fia may be most notable at this moment as the Anglicized version of the Irish Fiadh, one of the fastest-rising names in the Republic of Ireland. The meaning of Fia or Fiadh is sometimes given as…

Fianna

Irish

"band of warriors"

Fianna, a virtually unknown Irish name in the US, combines the best elements of Fiona and Brianna. In Irish and Scottish mythology, the Fianna were independent bands of warriors. It has ranked in…

Josefina

Hebrew, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish feminine form of Joseph, Hebrew

"Jehovah increases"

Sweet and bright international form of Josephine, used in many European countries with various pronunciations of the initial J. A notable bearer is Josefina "Joey" Guerrero, a Filipina spy during…

Grainne

Irish

"grain or love"

Grainne is the Irish form of the name often Anglicized as Grania. It was the name of the ancient grain goddess and also of the fiancee of mythological hero Finn McCool and lover of Dermot, who was a…

Gwenora

Cornish form of Guinevere, Welsh

"white shadow, white wave"

Gwenora teeters on the line between unique gem and modern invention. But it's not a smoosh name fashioned from Gwen and Nora but an old Cornish form of Guinevere, like its much more famous sister…

Hendrika

Hendrika is a feminine Dutch name derived from the masculine Hendrik (the Dutch form of Henry), meaning 'ruler of the home' or 'estate ruler.' This feminine adaptation features the suffix '-ika,' a…

Hera

Greek

"protectress"

She was queen of the Greek gods, both sister and wife to Zeus, but the name of her Roman counterpart Juno has become much more fashionable these days. That said, we think Hera has possibilities today…

Hero

Greek

"demi-god"

Despite the possibility of gender confusion, the Hero in Greek myth was a woman. Myleene Klass got that when she chose Hero for her daughter, and Sam Taylor-Wood and Aaron Johnson used it as their…

Hestia

Greek

"hearth, fireside"

Hestia is the name of the Greek goddess of the hearth, home and chastity. Though Hestia has been long dormant as a name, it's a possibility for the parent in search of a classic name with deep roots…

Idalia

Greek, Germanic

"behold the sun; work, labor"

A pretty, if unusual choice for a summer baby, particularly a girl with an ancestor named Ida. An epithet of the goddess Aphrodite, Idalia is derived from the Greek place name Idalion. It may also be…

Idony

English, Norse

"love again, renewal"

Idony is a Medieval variation of Idonea, itself an English form of Iðunn, the Norse goddess of spring and eternal youth. She was notable for carrying, keeping, and guarding the box of apples from…

Ilsy

Variation of Ilsa, German

"pledged to God"

Sweet and quirky nickname reminiscent of Elsie. In fact, they both ultimately derive from Elizabeth — Elsie through Elsa and Ilsy through Ilsa.

Inanna

Mesopotamian

"lady of heaven"

An ancient Mesopotamian goddess of love, war and justice, with a name that fits modern tastes. In recent years it has become a rare but steady fixture near the bottom of the charts, and feels full of…

Io

Greek mythology name

Io may be one of the slightest names in the book, but there aren't many two-letter names with as much substance as this Greek mythological example. Io, a name used for the largest moon of Jupiter,…

Iona

Scottish place-name

This name of a small island off the coast of Scotland is trending upwards along with other I names.

Eirene

Greek

"peace"

Eirene, modernized to Irene, was the Greek goddess of peace. Eirene or Irene was also the name of an early empress and several saints.

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…

Isidora

Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian variation of Isadora, Greek

"gift of Isis"

The Isidora spelling, though equally legitimate, is about 90 percent less common than Isadora.

Isotta

Isotta is a feminine Italian name, essentially the Italian form of Isolde or Iseult from Arthurian legend. The name derives from a Celtic origin, though its exact meaning remains disputed, with some…