Not My Favorites
- Agnes
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"pure, virginal"Description:
Agnes is the Latin variation of the name Hagne, which itself derived from the Greek word hagnos, meaning "chaste." In medieval times, St. Agnes was a very popular saint, leading to its popularity as a girl's name. Agnes Grey is the title of one of the two novels written by Anne Brontë.
- Ahshlee
Description:
Ahshlee is an uncommon feminine name that represents a highly creative phonetic spelling of Ashley. While the traditional Ashley derives from Old English words meaning 'ash tree clearing,' Ahshlee emerged much more recently as part of late 20th century American naming trends that favored unique spellings of familiar names. This distinctive variation maintains the familiar pronunciation of Ashley while creating a visually striking alternative. Ahshlee remains extremely rare, not appearing in most popularity rankings. The unconventional spelling reflects parents' desire to give their child a familiar-sounding name with an individualized twist. Despite its rarity, most people would recognize the pronunciation due to its phonetic relationship with the widely popular Ashley, which was among the top girls' names in the 1980s and 1990s.
- Clarissa
Origin:
Elaboration of ClaraMeaning:
"bright, clear"Description:
Clarissa, the daintier version of Claire, has a long literary history of its own, having been featured in the novels of Samuel Richardson, Charles Dickens, and Virginia Woolf—Clarissa was the title character of Mrs. Dalloway—not to mention the 1990s teen sitcom, Clarissa Explains it All.
- Fifi
Origin:
French diminutive of Josephine, HebrewMeaning:
"Jehovah increases"Description:
Fifi is a perfect name -- for a French poodle. But Fifi may seem more child-friendly as names like Coco and Lulu rise. Fifi in its fluffiness also balances the seriousness of such full names as Josephine or Federica.
- Jack
Origin:
English, diminutive of JohnMeaning:
"God is gracious"Description:
Jack may have fallen from its Number 1 place in England, but in the US it's as popular as it was at its height in the 1920s and 1930s. A durable, cheery, everyman form of John, Jack ranks as one of the most popular boy names starting with J.
- Kate
Origin:
English, diminutive of KatherineMeaning:
"pure"Description:
Kate, in the headlines via Catherine Middleton aka the Princess of Wales, has been as pervasive as Kathy was in the 1950s and 1960s, both as a nickname for Katherine and Kaitlyn and as a strong, classic stand-alone name.
- Tara
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"rocky hill"Description:
Despite a rich history in Irish myth preceding its plantation appearance in Gone with the Wind, widespread use in the seventies caused Tara to lose its Irish accent.
- Zayn