User-created list
By sickwithsin · Updated May 2023
Across 4 pages
of 4
Welsh
"beautiful as a poem; crooked women"
A mythological Welsh name with an intriguing sound, Ceridwen appears in several Welsh legends, in which she is an an enchantress and the owner of the cauldron of poetic inspiration. She is also…
Dutch diminutive of Cornelius or Cornelis
"horn"
This diminutive of Cornelius (and Cornelis) has plenty of coolness and charm, along with a creative connection to Dutch artist Kees van Dongen. Popular in The Netherlands, it sounds similar to the…
Irish
"born of the sea"
Muirgen in Irish mythology was turned into a mermaid and then brought back to land after 300 years and transformed back into a woman -- which must have been quite a shock. Muirgen's original name was…
Greek
"yellow horse"
Xanthipe, also spelled Xanthippe, is the name of the wife of Socrates. Challenging for English speakers, it's also dramatic and alluring.
French nickname for Charles
"free man"
The way the French allude to Charlie Chaplin could make a charming name on its own, or a hip nickname alternate to Charlie or Chuck. It's also used in the Creole community.
Dutch, diminutive of Susanne
"lily"
Sanne is hugely popular in the Netherlands, but almost unknown here; which makes it an interesting prospect for the parent in search of an unusual name. Pronounced sah-na, Sanne is in keeping with…
"red-haired"
Ruadhan (sometimes spelt with a fada: Ruadhán) is a fashionable name in its native Ireland. Borne one of the Twelve Irish Apostles, it originated as a diminutive of Ruadh, meaning "red-haired". It…
Irish place-name
Eire was a mythological goddess who named Ireland after herself. Rarely used today, even in Eire.
Etruscan
"gift of God"
This intriguing name of an ancient Etruscan queen renowned for her prophetic powers was long associated with the prima ballerina Tanaquil LeClerq.
Variation of Eithne, Irish
"kernel"
Ethne is one of the many Irish Gaelic names whose spelling and pronunciation -- it's en-ya -- will prove endlessly confusing to English speakers.
French variation of Stephen, Greek
"garland, crown"
Appealingly gentle and romantic French classic--with a lot more charm than Steve.
Latin
"third"
Tertia—which is occasionally used in the UK, but rarely in the US, would make an unconventional but interesting possibility for the third child in a family. Terza and Terzo are lively Italian…
"grain or love"
Grainne is the Irish form of the name often Anglicized as Grania. It was the name of the ancient grain goddess and also of the fiancee of mythological hero Finn McCool and lover of Dermot, who was a…
Maori
"reflections on the water"
New Zealand writer Ngaio (born Edith Ngaio) Marsh is the best-known bearer of this Maori nature name, properly pronounced ng (like the end of sing) -EYE-oh. It is the name of a tree indigenous to New…
"youth"
The name of the Greek goddess of youth, daughter of Zeus and Hera, is rarely used today but may be ripe for revival considering the popularity of rhyming Phoebe. Sweet as Bebe but with the…
Italian, from Arabic
"warm wind"
A cool and breezy nature name with a stylish sound, used by Volkswagen for one of its cars.
"violet flower"
Iolanthe is known primarily through the 1882 Gilbert & Sullivan operetta of that name, in which the title character is a fairy. Iolanthe is a softer version of Yolanda, and is the kind of…
Polish, diminutive of Kordelja
"daughter of the sea"
Pretty in a polka-dancing way.
Gaelic
"life"
Pronounced BEH-ak, this Scottish name is also seen as Bethoc. In that form it was the mother of Duncan, the monarch slain by Macbeth in Shakespeare's play. In later years, it was sometimes Latinized…
German variation of Mary
"bitter"
Mary has hundreds of variations around the world, and this German form, pronounced Ma-RYE-keh, is virtually unknown in English-speaking lands. A possible alternative to Mariah?
