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The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
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Dagnie
Dagnie is a feminine name with Scandinavian roots, likely derived from the Old Norse 'dagr' meaning 'day.' It may be considered a feminine variation of names like Dagne or Dagny, which combine 'dagr'…
Alouetta
Variation of Alouette, French
"lark"
An elaboration of the French word name, Alouette, this form may reflect the Quebec French pronunciation of the bird name, as heard in the children's song.
Ara
Armenian
"king"
Simple and yet distinctive, Ara is a mythological name of a famously handsome king. Although it originated as a boys' name, in the contemporary US, it's now much more commonly used for girls. Ara was…
Eliot
Variation of Elliot, English diminutive of Elias
"Yahweh is God"
Eliot is the sleekest spelling of the original, very occasionally used for girls, perhaps to honor novelist George Eliot.
Havilah
Biblical place-name
"to dance"
Though there are a few (male) people named Havilah in the Bible, it's also a Biblical place-name that can work as an original choice for modern girls.
Luisianna
Variation of Louisiana, place-name
The Luisianna spelling both Latinizes the state name Louisiana and makes it feel like a combination of Luis and Anna. Improvement? We think not.
Albany
Scottish place name
Not yet on the place-name map, this name has Shakespearean ties via the Duke Of Albany character in King Lear .
Calloway
English from Latin
"pebbly place"
Calloway is one of those irresistibly jaunty, animated three-syllable surnames, like Sullivan, Rafferty and Finnegan — but this one has the added attraction of jazzy ties to the immortal "Dean of…
Aveline
French from German
"desired; or island, water"
Aveline is a name that's long been an obscure cousin of more widely-used choices, but may come into its own riding the tail of the megapopular Ava, which may derive from the same root. Although…
Saskia
Dutch
"Saxon"
From the first time we saw the name Saskia attached to a portrait of Rembrandt's wife (her full name was Saakje van Uylenburgh, but she was always called Saskia), we have found it utterly charming…
Thorin
Norse and Scandinavian
"thunder or brave and daring"
Some sources give Thorin as a variation of the thunder god name Thor, equivalent to Thoren, while others says it comes from the verb að þora, meaning "to dare." This is a dwarf's name that first…
Ward
English occupational name
"guard, watchman"
Until recently Ward was, like Wally, a Cleaver name, but today's parents are seeing it as a cooler nickname for Edward than Eddie, and are also beginning to use it on its own.
Calla
Greek
"beautiful"
Calla is a botanical name that is much more distinctive than popular Lily or similar Callie. Rarely heard today, it did appear in the popularity lists in the last decades of the nineteenth century.…
Kadie
Kadie is a feminine name with multiple potential origins. It may be a diminutive of Katherine (meaning 'pure'), a variant of Katie, or derived from the name Cadence (referring to rhythm or flow).…
Annalie
Nordic, German
"grace"
Melodious and unusual form of a name with an uncountable number of variations. Many will understand it as the more down-to-earth Annalee.
Siddalee
Siddalee is a distinctive feminine name that gained notice through Rebecca Wells' novel 'Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood' and its film adaptation. The literary character Siddalee Walker helped…
Tully
Irish, Scottish
"flood; quiet; hill"
Tully is an Irish surname just waiting to be adapted as a first. Cute and lively, and reminiscent of Tilly or Tali, it's got a long history and a range of possible meanings, depending on which root…
Parisa
Iranian, Persian
"like a fairy"
Funny how one letter can turn a name from ordinary to special. Parisa is so much more distinctive than either Marisa or Paris, with its sparkly meaning. It ultimately comes from the Persian word parī…
Nori
Japanese, English short form or Eleanor, Leonora, Nora, Honora, or North, form of Nor or Nuri, Arabic, Turkish
"ceremonial rites, doctrine, seaweed; unknown, honor, north; my light"
Nori is one of those names with several origins that would have no trouble assimilating into a variety of cultures. It might also be associated with the dried seaweed used to wrap sushi or with the…
Verity
Latin
"truth"
If you love Puritan virtue names and want to move beyond Hope and Faith and Grace, this is a wonderful choice, both for its meaning and its sound. A rare find here, though occasionally heard in…