C- Girls

Cora

Greek

"maiden"

Cora is a lovely, old-fashioned girls' that has been recently rejuvenated by its contemporary-feeling simplicity. In fact, Cora seemed headed straight for the top of the popularity list when the…

Colette

French, short form of Nicole, feminine variation of Nicholas, Greek

"people of victory"

Like the French author with whom the name is most closely associated, Colette is a chic and charming name, sharp, stylish, and feminine but without the frills of Nicolette. After disappearing from…

Cordelia

Latin; Celtic

"heart; daughter of the sea"

Cordelia is exactly the kind of old-fashioned, grown-up name for girls that many parents are seeking for their daughters today. The name of King Lear's one sympathetic daughter, Cordelia has both…

Coral

English word name

"a rock like substance formed by sea creatures; pinkish-red; gemstone"

A color name, a gemstone name, and an ocean-inspired choice, Coral has a lot going for it with its sharp C sounds yet sweet vintage feel. Unlike Scarlett or Violet, however, it is only quietly used…

Cypress

Botanical name

Lovely entry into the tree name genre, joining Juniper, Maple, and Willow. Nearly 200 babies were named Cypress in the US last year, about 40 percent of them female.

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:…

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…

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…

Cressida

Greek

"gold"

Cressida is a golden, mythological, and Shakespearean name, much better known in Britain than it is in the US. Given to just 11 American girls in a recent year — though still the highest number on…

Clemence

French feminine variation of Clement

"mild, merciful"

Calm, composed, and chic. Often seen with an accent in France, as Clémence.

Clove

English word name

"clove"

Clove is a spice name that is a tad more piquant than Saffron or Cinnamon. It might get more attention now as a member of The Hunger Games family of names.

Christabel

Latin and French

"fair Christian"

Though Isabel is a smash hit, Christabel still hasn't been fully embraced. It was originally popularized in England via the Coleridge poem Christabel ("whom her father loves so well") and was given…

Calantha

Greek

"lovely flower"

Another of the new Greek-accented Cal- names.

Capucine

French

"nasturtium"

Capucine was a chic French actress half a century ago and has been one of the most fashionable girl names in France in recent decades, ranking in France's Top 100. Capucine is also popular in…

Clemency

English feminine variation of Clement, Latin

"mild, merciful"

One of the rarest of virtue names, Clemency could come back along with the more familiar Puritan virtue names such as Hope and Faith. It has a rhythmic three-syllable sound, and offers a more…

Cloud

English word name

"water vapor in the atmosphere"

This kind of plainspoken nature name (think River and Sunshine) may still carry a whiff of the hippie, but this one has a nice, airy feel. It's slight similarity to Claude and Clyde helps to ground…