Cities in "Invisible Cities" by Italo Calvino

Leonia

Latin

"lioness"

Leonia is one of the rarest of the feminizations of Leo and brothers that have lion-related meanings and are growing in popularity throughout the Western World. Leona is the most popular of the group…

Thekla

Greek

"fame of God"

Deriving from the ancient Greek name, Theokleia, Thekla is a contracted form that appears in the New Testament. According to the Acts of Paul, Thekla (or Thecla) is a 1st century saint and the first…

Olinda

Literature, Spanish, place name

"wild fig tree"

Used in a medieval Spanish tale as the name of a Norwegian princess, Olinda is also a place in both Brazil and Australia and the name of a species of moth. Olinda could be related to the Greek word…

Raissa

Raissa is a feminine name with roots in several cultures. In Russian, it derives from the Greek name 'Raisa' meaning 'relaxed' or 'easygoing.' It also has Arabic origins where it means 'leader' or…