Unusual Female Names From My Genealogy E-I

Elena

Spanish, Italian, German, Greek variation of Helen

"bright, shining light"

Elena is at its most popular point ever in the US, thanks to its cross-cultural appeal and the overall popularity of El- names. It's more international than Ellen or Eleanor, but still accessible. A…

Emmeline

Old French form of archaic German Amal

"work"

Emmeline is an Emma relative and Emily cousin that is destined for greater use in the wake of the megapopularity of those two names. A recommended Nameberry fave, Emmeline hopped onto the US Top 1000…

Ela

Turkish

"terebinth tree"

A sweet, simple mini-name that fits into many cultures. The only drawback is the potential for confusion with Ella, Ayla, and other similar names.

Effie

English diminutive of Euphemia, Greek

"pleasant speech"

Effie is the old-fashioned short form for Euphemia. It shares a vintage charm with Hattie and Letty although is much rarer than either. Effie is a character in The Hunger Games and Sisterhood of the…

Gisele

The French variation of Giselle was made famous by the spectacular Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen.

Elicia

Elicia is a feminine name with Latin origins, functioning as a variant of Alicia or Elisha. The name ultimately derives from the Germanic Adelaide, meaning 'noble type' or 'noble kind.' With its…

Isolde

Welsh, German

"ice ruler"

Sleek, sharp, and soulful, Isolde is the German form of Iseult, the fabled lover of Tristan in the Arthurian romances. First appearing in the 12th-century, the name was fairly popular in the form of…

Elsbeth

German variation of Elizabeth, Hebrew

"pledged to God"

Although they could be easily confused, Elsbeth is a fairly unusual contracted German version of Elizabeth, while cousin Elspeth hails from Scotland. With its 'beth' ending, Elsbeth feels closer to…

Gracia

Spanish variation of Grace

Although Gracia is the literal Spanish translation of Grace and is used as the Grace equivalent in Spanish-speaking countries, where it's pronounced grah-see-ah or grah-thee-ah, it's also a long-time…

Isabeau

French variation of Isabel

"pledged to God"

With Isabel getting so popular, parents are searching for new varieties of the name, and Isabeau is one that makes a lovely French twist. Isabeau of Bavaria was the wife of King Charles VI of…

Elfrida

English

"elf power"

The name of the mother of Aethelred the Unready was once common among the Anglo-Saxon nobility, and was briefly revived during the 19th century, only to be lost once again to history. However, with…

Ermengard

Ermengard is a strong feminine name with deep Germanic roots dating back to medieval Europe. Composed of the elements 'ermen' meaning 'whole' or 'universal' and 'gard' meaning 'enclosure' or…