Cities in "Invisible Cities" by Italo Calvino

Olivia

Latin

"olive tree"

Olivia, a lovely Shakespearean name with an admirable balance of strength and femininity, is one of the top girls' names around the world. 2025 marked its 7th consecutive year in the #1 spot in the…

Chloe

Greek

"young green shoot"

Chloe is a pretty springtime name symbolizing new growth. Though slightly off its peak in the Top 10 in 2010, Chloe still ranks in the Top 20 and is solidly a modern classic. Along with the US, Chloe…

Zoe

Greek

"life"

Zoe is one of those surprising names that has been on the Top 1000 nearly every year since 1880, but it's only since the turn of this century that it's ranked in the Top 100. Despite its popularity…

Cecilia

Feminine form of Cecil, Latin

"blind"

Cecilia is a lovely classic name deservedly enjoying a new turn in the sun. Always among the Top 500 girls' names in the US, Cecilia is now at its highest point ever. Cecilia is a feminine form of…

Anastasia

Greek, feminine variation of Anastasios

"resurrection"

Anastasia is the feminine form on Anastasius, a Greek name derived from the word anastasis , meaning "resurrection." It was a common name among early Christians, who often gave it to daughters born…

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…

Esmeralda

Spanish and Portuguese

"emerald"

Esmeralda came into use as an applied use of the Spanish word for emerald, esmeralda . In the 1831 Victor Hugo novel Notre-Dame de Paris , also known as The Hunchback of Notre-Dame , the heroine was…

Irene

Greek

"peace"

Serene Irene, the name of the Greek goddess of peace and one of the most familiar Greek goddess names , was hugely popular in ancient Rome and again in the United States a hundred years ago. One of…

Theodora

Femeninization of Theodore, Greek

"gift of God"

Theodora is one of the most revival-worthy of the charmingly old-fashioned Victorian valentine names, softly evocative but still substantial, as is the reversed-syllable Dorothea. The name Theodora…

Zora

Serbo-Croatian

"dawn"

Zora is a meaningful literary heroine name honoring Zora Neale Hurston, an important black writer and leader of the Harlem Renaissance. Spelled Zorah, it is a biblical place name, and is also the…

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.

Dorothea

Greek

"gift of God"

Dorothea is a romantic Victorian-sounding name that blends elegance, gravitas and a hint of clunkiness too. Popular in the early decades of the twentieth century, it has been off the charts since…

Zaira

Irish literary creation

Would make a truly original alternative to the overused Sarah.

Tamara

Hebrew

"date palm tree"

Adding a final a to Tamar lends it a more sensual Slavic tone, making it a more popular choice than the original.

Isaura

Greek place-name

The name of an ancient country located in South Asia Minor, perfect for someone looking for a rare and feminine name with history.

Fedora

Greek variation of Theodora

Fedora is occasionally heard among the British Mayfair and Belgravia set, but we're afraid that in this country there would be too strong an association with the man's felt hat.