User-created list
By Finuneby · Updated May 2023
Across 8 pages
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Italian and Dutch diminutive of Maria
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
Lilting and nearly unknown here, with the currently popular ella ending, makes a good Marissa alternative. The meaning of Maria is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots…
Latin
"violet"
Viola has plenty of positive elements going for it: the rhythm of the musical instrument, the association with the flower, the trending 'Vi' beginning and its leading role in Shakespeare's Twelfth…
Italian and Spanish variation of Seraphina
"ardent"
Serafina is a name so lovely it's worthy of an angel. But the more stylish spelling today is Seraphina.
Italian
"light, clear"
Chiara is a lovely and romantic Italian name that's familiar but not widely used here: a real winner. You might consider Chiara instead of Claire, Clara, Cara, or even Keira. Santa Chiara, Aglicized…
Feminization of Carl, German, Carlo, Italian, and Carlos, Spanish
"free man"
While Charlotte and Caroline are considered stylish and classic members of the Charles family, this Germanic form peaked in the US at Number 76 in 1965. It fell out of favor in the 2010s, but recent…
Elaboration of Clara
"bright, clear"
Clarissa, the daintier version of Claire, has a long literary history of its own, having been featured in the novels of Samuel Richardson, Charles Dickens, and Virginia Woolf—Clarissa was the title…
Hebrew, Slavic or Irish
"pearl of wisdom; gift; or oak tree"
Though Dara was an (extremely wise) male figure in the Bible, this name feels mostly feminine to modern Americans. The Irish Gaelic version, Darragh, is well-used in contemporary times for boys.…
Italian variation of Julia
"youthful"
An Italian version of an English classic beginning to be adopted by cutting-edge American parents, including Entourage 's Debi Mazar.
Italian, Russian and Hungarian variation of Violet, English
"purple"
With Violet in vogue, this vibrant international variation has been on the rise since the 2010s. Vintage and floral like its more popular sister, Violetta has a slightly softer sound and a touch of…
Greek
"bearer of good news"
Why is Evangeline so popular -- close to Number 200 in the US -- while Evangelina hasn't charted in the Top 1000 since the early 1950s? The stardom of Evangeline Lilly has something to do with the…
"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…
"from Antium"
Antonia is stronger than most feminized boys’ names , reflecting the pioneer spirit of Willa Cather's classic novel My Antonia . Antonia is hovering near the bottom of the US popularity list, which…
Spanish variation of Lorraine
"from the province of Lorraine"
A feminine name heard most often in the Hispanic community. Surprisingly, Lorena was on the US Top 1000 list of girls' names for an impressive 130 years, from 1880 until falling off in 2011. We do…
Latin, Italian, Irish, Spanish, and Portuguese
"dear; friend; face"
Cara is a simple, sweet, Italian endearment that enjoyed its greatest popularity from the 1970s through the 1990s, reaching a high of Number 189 in 1977. Despite the rising celebrity of English…
Variation of Annabel or English compound name, Anna + Bella
"loving or grace + beautiful"
Annabella is one of a constellation of names that include Anabella, Annabelle, Annabel, Anabel, Annabelle, and Annabell -- all lovely names that have suffered from their association with the…
Diminutive of Eleanor, or Hebrew and Greek
"light"
Somewhat dated Hebrew name that appears more modern when spelled Liora.
"warlike"
A feminine form of Martin, this strong and zestful sounding name is popular in Argentina, Chile, Spain, and Italy, where it ranks in the Top 30. Also familiar in Czechia, the UK, Slovakia, and…
Arabic; Italian; Lithuanian
"returning visitor; happy; echo"
Aida is a melodic name largely associated with the title character of the 1871 Verdi opera, an enslaved Ethiopian princess who dies to save her people. In the past, her name was rarely heard outside…
"jade"
Popular in its native Italy, Giada has been quietly and stylishly used in English-speaking countries for several years now. Television cook Giada De Laurentiis made this a possibility — then…
Variant of Evelina, or variant of Eva + Lina
"desired, water or island; to breathe, to live + tender, pretty"
Ev- names from Evangeline to Everleigh to Eve are currently in style and Evalina is another one that has been gaining attention in recent years. It could be considered a slightly less dainty form of…
