The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Behati

Afrikaans version of Beate or Beata

"blessed"

Namibian supermodel Behati Prinsloo, who has walked the runway for every designer from Prada to Versace to Vera Wang, has introduced us to this Afrikaans version of Beata and relative of Beatrice.…

Emme

Variation of Emmy, English diminutive of Emily and Emma

"work; universal"

Introduced by model Emme (born Melissa) and now a legitimate member of the Em-starting girls' name group, especially since it was chosen by Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony for their twin daughter.

Tiernan

Irish

"little lord"

An old Irish surname cousin of Tierney that makes an unusual and appealing Irish gender switch.

Rowena

Welsh

"white spear; famous friend; fame and joy"

A fabled storybook name via the heroine of Sir Walter Scott's novel Ivanhoe (1819), which featured a heroine called Rowena of Hargottstanstede, and also a Harry Potter name, as Rowena Ravenclaw,…

Evadne

Greek

"pleasing one"

In Greek mythology, Evadne was the daughter of Poseidon. Evadne also appears in literature (Mary Shelley's "The Last Man") and has a pop culture reference as the cousin of Wonder Woman. A more…

Brighton

English place-name

Out-of-the-way place name (it's an antiquated holiday spot on England's south coast) that might make a brilliant choice. Actor/director Jon Favreau named his daughter Brighton Rose.

Lovisa

Lovisa is a Scandinavian feminine name, particularly popular in Sweden, derived from Louise, which ultimately comes from the Germanic name Ludwig, meaning 'famous warrior' or 'renowned fighter.'…

Trudy

German

"spear of strength"

Innocent, sincere, and bright-eyed, and as outdated as its mother name, Gertrude.

Maybeth

Hybrid name

There's Mary Elizabeth, there's Mary Beth, there's Marybeth, and then there's Maybeth, a smoosh of two vintage short forms of Mary and Elizabeth that has a country twang and not much modern appeal.

Justice

English word name

"the quality of being just, impartial, or fair"

Justice is a fashionable word name, used for both girls and boys. Justice has the distinction of being a virtue name without the religious implications of Faith or Grace. It still feels more male…

Marzia

Italian

"of Mars"

A fresher, feistier Italian variant of Marcia.

Brittan

Brittan is a feminine name that appears to be a variant of Brittany, which originated as a regional name for the northwestern province of France. The name has Celtic roots and was popularized in…

Amity

Latin

"friendship"

Amity--what nicer gift to give your little girl than a name that signifies friendship and harmony? This virtue name is also more rhythmic and feminine than the single-syllable Hope, Faith, and Grace.…

Effie

English diminutive of Euphemia, Greek

"pleasant speech"

Effie is the old-fashioned short form for Euphemia. It shares a vintage charm with Hattie and Letty although is much rarer than either. Effie is a character in The Hunger Games and Sisterhood of the…

Gretchen

German, diminutive of Margarethe

"pearl"

Like Greta, Gretchen is a German Margaret diminutive that has become an American quasi-classic, though not much used today, having dropped off the list in 2009. She was at her high point in the…

Madigan

Irish

"little dog"

An unusual, energetic surname choice that would make a good Madison alternative. Madigan was a typical police detective series of the 1970s, starring Richard Widmark.

Tamsin

English, contracted form of Thomasina

"twin"

Tamsin is an offbeat name occasionally heard in Britain and just waiting to be discovered here. U.K. actress Tamsin Greig is a star of the show Episodes , Tamsin Olivier is the daughter of Joan…

Eleni

Greek variation of Helen

A common choice in Greece, Eleni is starting to rise in the US too thanks to its bouncy rhythm and cool -i ending. Also familiar in England and Wales, Eleni was chosen for 255 girls in the US in…

Camber

English from Latin

"curved inwards"

Part Cameron, part Amber, Camber may be a new name but it feels right for our times. As a word, camber means a slightly arched surface.