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C Names
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Catriona
Scottish form of Katherine, Greek
"pure"
This Katherine variation, used through Ireland and Scotland, is pronounced like Katrina. The name became popular after the Crusaders brought home stories about the colorful fourth century martyr,…
Ceres
Roman
"nourishment"
Little known name of the goddess of the harvest — her name literally means nourishment, and is the origin of the word cereal. A possibility for the parent seeking something original, but with the…
Cerise
French
"cherry"
Infinitely preferable to the tease-inspiring English version of the word.
Charlize
Afrikaans feminization of Charles, French
"free man"
Charlize is a name that owes its very life to a star: elegant blond South African actress Charlize Theron. She was named after her father, whose name was Charles. Charlize jumped onto the popularity…
Christa
Short form of Christina
Fading since the 1970s -- but still a lovely name.
Circe
Greek
"bird, hawk"
In Greek myth, Circe, daughter of Helios, the sun, was a sorceress living on the island of Aeaea (or Aiaia) who could turn men into animals with her magic wand, which is just what she did to…
Claudia
Feminine variation of Claude
"lame; enclosure"
Claudia is a classic name with ancient Roman roots. Never truly in or truly out, Claudia feels like a strong, modern choice that hits the sweet spot between too popular and too unusual.. Claudia was…
Cleopatra
Greek
"glory of the father"
A royal name in ancient Egypt that's never quite made it to the modern world, though nickname Cleo is widely used. Other now-extinct Cleopatra diminutives, including Cleora and Cleola, achieved some…
Clio
Greek
"glory"
Clio is the name of the ancient Greek mythological muse of history and heroic poetry, one that is rich with modern charm and would make an intriguing choice, especially thanks to its dynamic…
Concetta
Italian
"pure"
A name that relates to Concepcion and the Virgin Mary, but feels a good deal more secular.
Coralie
French from Latin
"coral"
Coralie is a French name not often heard here, though she's gaining some recognition via Neil Gaiman's similar sounding spooky and lovely children's book, Coraline . Other literary appearances:…
Coretta
English, elaborated form of Cora
Famous as the name of the widow of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Corinna
Greek
"maiden"
Delicate and gentle old-fashioned name, the kind found in early English poetry. While Corinna and the original Green Korinna are technically diminutives of the ancient Kore, now the popular Cora,…
Corinthia
Cosette
French literary nickname
"little thing"
Cosette is best known as the heroine of Les Miserables . In the Victor Hugo novel, Cosette was the nickname given to the girl named Euphrasie by her mother. Although Hugo invented the name, some…
Cosima
Italian feminine variation of Cosmo, Greek
"order, beauty, universe"
Cosima, the kind of elegant and unusual name the British upper classes love to use for their daughters, is given to a handful of baby girls in the US after being chosen by two high-profile celebs in…
Cristina
Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, and Romanian variation of Christina, Greek
"a Christian"
Cristina is one case where the streamlined version feels more alluring. Cristina is found more often than Christina in many European countries and cultures, including Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking…
Caprice
French from Italian
"impulsive change of mind; lively music"
Caprice is a word name with an appealing sound and a light-hearted meaning that may well put parents off. While it was given to just 10 girls in a recent year, the name did have a moment back in the…
Colina
Spanish
"hill"
The Spanish word for hill certainly has name-like qualities and could make a fresh new Spanish nature name.
Coralena
Coralena is a delicate feminine name that appears to be an elaboration of Coral, which derives from the precious marine organism and the reddish-pink color it produces. This longer form adds a…