ORIGINAL Baby Names

Sapphira

Greek variation of Sapphire, Hebrew jewel name

"sapphire"

Sapphira is a lovely name which unfortunately has an unsavory Biblical history. The New Testament Sapphira was killed by God for lying about a tax payment. There's a Willa Cather novel called…

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…

Soley

Icelandic nature name, variation of Sólja, Faroese

"buttercup"

Sóley is the Icelandic word for the buttercup flower, derived from the words meaning "sun" and "island." It is also used on the Faroe Islands as a short form of Sólja.

Sorrel

Botanical name and French

"reddish brown"

A fragrant herbal and color name that could make a sensitive, distinctive choice.

Spence

Spence as a feminine name represents an uncommon gender crossover from what is traditionally a masculine name. Originally a surname derived from Middle English 'spens,' meaning 'pantry' or 'larder,'…

Theona

Theona is a feminine name with Greek origins, generally considered a feminine variation of Theon, which means 'godly' or 'divine.' The name carries elegant ancient connections while maintaining a…

Valencia

Spanish

"brave, strong"

This lovely orange-scented Spanish place-name would make an inventive namesake for an Aunt Valerie. Last on the popularity list in 1994, Valencia reached a high of Number 633 in 1969-70. The…

Valina

Valina is a feminine name with a delicate, melodic quality. It may have developed as a diminutive form of names containing the 'Val' element, such as Valentina or Valerie, which derive from the Latin…

Verbena

Latin

"sacred foliage"

This name of a showy, lemony plant makes an unusual entry into the name garden.

Wanda

Slavic or German

"shepherdess; wanderer"

Rarely heard, and when it is, usually attached to a witch. Historically, though, Wanda was a legendary eighth century queen of Poland, and in literature it is the central character of Ouida's…

Calpurnia

Latin "chalice; cup"

"chalice; cup"

Calpurnia is a name with a massive history. As the third and final wife of Julius Caesar, Calpurnia has been forever depicted in literature (Shakespeare) and film ( Cleopatra ; Rome ) as a modest and…