Fun 'n Fresh but Familiar

Marnie

English

"of the sea"

A retro short form of Marina, dated to the era of the Hitchcock movie that made it famous, Marnie is beginning to feel fresh again — or rather, it is in the UK. Appearing in the Top 100 there in a…

Olene

Olene is a feminine name with Greek roots, possibly derived from Helen (meaning 'torch' or 'bright one') with the O- prefix. In some contexts, it may also relate to the name Arlene or serve as a…

Rosamond

German

"horse protection"

The kind of serious old-school name that sounds appealing again; perfect for the intrepid baby namer. More commonly spelled Rosamund but highly unusual these days in either version, with fewer than…

Shoshana

Hebrew

"lily"

This is a rare and lovely form of Susannah commonly heard in Israel. Shoshana Shapiro — nicknamed Shosh — is the character played by Zosia Mamet on the hit HBO series Girls — a fact that could give…

Julianne

Latin

"youthful or sky father"

This variation on the Julia theme has stayed in play due to the popularity of Julianne Moore, though it now sits at the bottom of the US Top 1000.