This attractive and unique Scottish form of Alice can also be found in the spelling Aileas. Like Alice, it ultimately derives from the Germanic name Adalheidis. Spelt with the fada, Ailís, it's Irish and pronounced with a longer final vowel: AY-leesh.

Ailis

Althea is a poetic, almost ethereal name found in Greek myth and pastoral poetry, associated in modern times with the great tennis player Althea Gibson, the first African-American to win at Wimbledon. 
 
Althea appears in Greek mythology as the mother of the hero Meleager and was revived by the seventeenth-century poet Richard Lovelace as a poetic pseudonym for his beloved.
 
These days, parents would also appreciate the short form Thea.
 
Althea is the most common girl name in the Philippines.

Althea

This variation of Ariel, with the extra-feminine suffix, has been on the rise in recent years and has now surpassed the original. The similarity to the name of the Little Mermaid gives Ariella a princessy flair. 

Ariella entered the charts in 2008, and has now risen into the Top 200. The cute nickname Ari is on trend as seen with the popularity of Ariana and Arianna, as are any girl names ending in "-ella", making Ariella a natural hit. Arabella is another name with the best of both of these trends. 

Ariella

The goddess name Aurora has consistently been on the US popularity list since the nineteenth century, but has really taken off in the past 30 years. Aurora also enjoys remarkable international popularity, ranking in the Top 100 throughout the English-speaking world as well as in Italy, Spain, Norway, Switzerland, and several other European and Latin American countries.
 
Aurora is the name of the Roman goddess of sunrise, whose tears turned into the morning dew. She was said to renew herself by traveling from East to West across the sky, announcing the arrival of the sun each dawn. Aurora is also associated with the scientific term for the Northern Lights, Aurora Borealis.
 The radiant Aurora, also the name of Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, would be sure to make any little girl feel like a princess. Aurora Leigh is the name of an epic poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Aurora Greenway was the moving Shirley MacLaine character in Terms of Endearment.
 An Aurora nickname possibility with a totally different feel: Rory. Read more about Aurora and other <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/disney-princess-names">Disney Princess Names</a> in our featured blog.

Aurora

Fairy-tale memories of Sleeping Beauty inspire some parents—such as Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christensen—to call their daughters Briar Rose. But Briar plus a different middle name might work even better. It's one of the newly popular nature-word names, charting in the US for the first time in 2015 for both genders.
 While there are about four girls named Briar to every three boys, the name is on the rise for both genders. It could make for an interesting choice to honor a Brian.

Briar

Celtic goddess of poetry, though less-than-poetic name. 

Ceridwen

Dorothea is a flowing and romantic Victorian-sounding name which was popular in the early decades of the twentieth century, but has been off the charts since 1970. Definitely on the brink of a revival!
 Dorothea has had a long literary tradition, including as a clever, beautiful character in Don Quixote and the idealistic heroine of George Eliot's Middlemarch.
 Worthy namesakes include Dorothea Dix, nineteenth century activist for the mentally ill and Civil War nurse, and the influential documentary photographer Dorothea Lange, known for her moving portraits taken during the Great Depression.
 Appealing nickname possibilities include Dorrie, Doro, Dodie, Dot, Dottie and Thea.

Dorothea

Long popular in Scotland, this attractive name is strictly-speaking the Gaelic version of Eleanor, but is also often considered part of the Helen family of names. After the Normans introduced it into the British Isles, it was transformed into Aileen or Evelyn. It has rarely been heard in the US, but it is slowly starting to be used here too.

Eilidh

A beautiful modern Cornish nature name that is rapidly picking up steam in the States: even spawning variant spellings like Elowyn and Elowynn. In its native region, it wasn't widely used as a name before the twentieth century, when the Cornish language was revived. A (currently) unique member of the fashionble El- family of names, it has a pleasant, evocative sound.

The traditional Cornish pronunciation is with stress on the middle syllable: eh-LOW-en. But most English speakers seem to pronounce it with first-syllable stress, perhaps on the example of more familiar names like Eleanor and Elodie.

Elowen

Romantic and mysterious, Eluned's beauty and intelligence were legendary in Welsh legend; she was the handmaiden of the Lady of the Fountain in a Welsh Arthurian romance, who had a magic ring that made the wearer invisible. Pronunciation is usually similar in emphasis to Eleanor, but with ned instead of nor at the end. However, it's sometimes also pronounced el-LIN-ed or even shortened to Luned, the sounce of Lynette, in Tennyson's Gareth and Lynette.

Eluned

Elva is the anglicized version of Ailbhe, growing more popular in Ireland. 

Elva

The doe-eyed Fawn is as gentle and soft as the baby deer it represents. And much like that baby deer, it carries with it the potential of new life. Fawn was featured at the bottom of the Top 1000 throughout the '60s and '70s — around the same time that Bambi came into play. But unlike Bambi, Fawn maintains relevance in the 21st century, thanks to its warmth and ties to the natural world. We would love to meet more baby girls named Fawn.
 
Fawn would work as update to the now-dated Dawn, and is one of our favorite <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/479/middle-names-for-girls">middle names for girls</a>.

Fawn

Felix is rising in the chart for boys, and its feminine variations are sure to follow. The best knows these days, thanks to the TV character, is Felicity, but there's also Felicia and Felice.

Like Lucia, Felice is a name with different pronunciations depending on where it's used. The Italians pronounce it fa-LEECH-ay, but the Americanized version is feh-LEESE. 

Felice

Grizelda is a famous folklore figure, noted for her patience and obedience. Her story has been told by Petrarch, Chaucer, Boccaccio and set to music by Scarlatti, Vivaldi and Massenet. In the most famous telling of her story, Grizelda's husband tests her fidelity and obedience three times. Once at the birth of her daughter, whom he asks Grizelda to give up to be put to death. Grizelda agrees. Her husband asks the same of their second child, a son. Again, Grizelda agrees. Finally, her husband renounces her to marry another. Uncomplainingly, Grizelda leaves. Eventually her husband reveals that he was testing her, and surprises her by showing her her alive and well children and taking her back in. Grizelda is Anglicized as Grisell or Grizell. Zelda makes an attractive nickname option.

Grizelda

Guinevere was the name of the beautiful but ill-fated queen of Camelot, for so many years eclipsed by its modern Cornish form Jennifer. Today, Guinevere could be a cool possibility for adventurous parents intrigued by this richly evocative and romantic choice.
 Guinevere shares the attractive short form Gwyn with Gwyneth. Other cousin ideas: Gwendolen, Genevieve, Jenna, or Gwen.

Guinevere

This Celtic saint's name is the most offbeat Jen name of all. 

Jenifry

Juniper is a fresh-feeling nature name -- it's a small evergreen shrub -- with lots of energy. A new favorite of fashionable parents, Juniper joins such other tree and shrub names as Hazel, Acacia, and Willow. 
 
Juniper has an interesting variety of associations -- it's mentioned in the Old Testament, was used in Renaissance paintings to represent chastity, has berries used to flavor gin, and Juniper is the Saint of Comedy. A male St. Juniper was a follower of St. Francis of Assisi. 
 Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny author Margaret Wise Brown sometimes used the pen name of Juniper Sage. And in the Junie P. Jones kids' books, Junie's full name is Juniper Beatrice. There also have been Junipers is cartoon series (The Life and Times of Juniper Lee) and comic strips as well.
 
The name got something of a hippieish vibe via the 1969 hit Donovan song, 'Jennifer Juniper.'
 
Juniper entered the U.S. Top 1000 for the first time in 2011 and has risen to the Top 150.

Juniper

Lark is getting some new and well-deserved attention as a post-Robin and Raven bird name. Although it was first recorded as a name in the 1830's, it has never appeared on the Social Security list.
 'The Lark' was used as a nickname for Cosette in Les Miserables; Lark Voorhees was a star of Saved by the Bell, and Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany used Lark as the middle name of their daughter Agnes.
 
The expression "happy as a lark" gives this songbird name a cheery image, as well as a 'lark' being a synonym for a merry time..
 Larkin is a pretty extension, as is Skylark, which is rich in cultural associations: there's the Percy Bysshe Shelley ode To a Skylark and the jazz classic Skylark written by Johnny Mercer and Hoagy Carmichael..

Lark

Laurel takes Laura back to its meaning in nature, resulting in a gentle, botanical option. Even more directly than Laura, Laurel relates back to the laurel wreath signifying success and peace in ancient Rome.
 Sweet Laurel has been the unlikely name of two DC Comics superheroes—Laurel Kent and Laurel Gand, aka Andromeda.
 Laurel received its highest ranking in 1956, when it reached Number 241. It may be due for a resurgence, thanks to the trend for <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/l">girls' names starting with L</a>. Beware though, that it has the likelihood of being mistaken for Laura and Lauren.

Laurel

Lynwen

Melisende, the mellifluous name of a 12th century queen of Jerusalem, gave rise to the more modern (but less lovely) Millicent.  Other old forms include Melisent, Malasintha, and the French Melisande, a fairy tale heroine.

Melisende

Since Morgan is used as--or more--frequently for girls as for boys, this feminization has fallen by the wayside. It drew some brief attention via the pop singer Morgana King. 
The similar Morgiana appears in Tales from the Thousand and One Nights.

Morgana

Morwenna is an ancient Cornish name now being revived in Wales, deriving from a Celtic word meaning "maiden", although the Mor- syllable means that it's often associated with the sea. It's been heard in the British series Doc Martin and Poldark. Morwenna Banks is a British actress.

Morwenna

If you love Dixie, Trixie and Pixie, this name of a mermaid-like sprite in German folklore may be for you.  It might also make an update for Nicki.

Nixie

Has a medieval, slightly fusty but romantic feel. 

Ormanda

The delicate and haunting Welsh Rhonwen is still a rarity in the U.S., where her English version Rowena is better known, but would be a lovely choice for any parent in search of a name that was both unusual and traditional, classically feminine yet strong.
 Though <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/168/irish-names">Irish names</a> have long been popular in America, <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/172/welsh-names">Welsh names</a> are just beginning to be noticed and we see them as a wave of the future. In medieval Welsh poetry, Rhonwen is called "the Mother of the English Nation," and Rhonwen Baganes was a heroine of Welsh folklore. A soft and gentle name, Rhonwen's meaning -- slender and fair -- evokes the image of a lovely, light-haired girl. Other appealing 'wen' choices include Aelwen, Arianwen, Branwen, Bronwen. Gwendolen, Olwen and Tanwen. Just don't be tempted to change the 'wen' to 'wyn', which would transform it into a male name.

Rhonwen

Most modern parents would probably prefer the cooler Rowan. 

Roanna

Stylish, gentle, and rustic at the same time, Rowan is a name that falls into various categories. Unisex and cool, mystical and woodsy, with the feel of both Rose and Riley, Rowan is a fresh but familiar choice.
 
The name has multiple origins, possibly deriving from the Irish Ruadhán, meaning “little redhead”, or from the names Rowena and Rhonwen, meaning “famous friend” and “white spear.” 
Alternatively, it might be taken from the rowan tree, a red-berried tree whose name derives from Old Norse and means “to redden.” In folklore and mythology, rowan trees are seen as a symbol of protection and of life, used to ward off evil. 
Rowan was an obscure name in the US before Brooke Shields chose it for her daughter in 2003. The name entered the US Top 1000 the same year and it’s been climbing in popularity ever since. Now, over 1000 girls are called Rowan every year, meaning for every 3 boys named Rowan, there’s 1 girl. 
Notable namesakes include the actress and activist, Rowan Blanchard, and Rowan Ellis, an author and Youtuber who makes video essays. In fiction, Rowan Mayfair is a powerful witch in Anne Rice’s novel The Witching Hour and Rowan Love is the quirky and creative older sister in Karen McCombie’s Ally’s World series.

Rowan

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, founder of one of the Hogwarts houses.. Rowena has some old-fashioned charm, though most modern parents seem to prefer Rowen. Pronunciation, however, is NOT like Rowen with an a at the end, but with a long e and an emphasis on the middle syllable.. She was on the popularity list until 1963, several years in the Top 500.

Rowena

Theadora

A more substantial but less-popular feminization of Tristan, the originally-male mythological name now used for girls as well as boys.

Tristana

This unusual name found in Scottish poetry would make a distinctive Gaelic pick. 

Vevina

Sweet, modern descriptive name, but perhaps a little too cute for its own good. 

Winsome

Wren, a lilting songbird name, could be the next Robin. Wren entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2012 and is among the new wave of popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/501/english-names-for-girls">English names for girls</a>.
 Wren makes a particularly pleasing middle name choice, as does her newly discovered cousin Lark. But it's more popular as a middle name than you might think, the quirkier cousin of Rose.
 This petite bird was regarded in Ireland as the "magician of the birds" and the Druids considered it a bird of prophecy. Thanks to an early fable, it has also been known as King of the Birds.
 For architects there's the link to the great Sir Christopher Wren, the celebrated eighteenth century designer of London's St. Paul's Cathedral.

Wren

Yarrow is a flowering herb that grows wild in Europe and North America, and has long been used in several Native American and European cultures as a healing plant. Named for the mythical god Achille, Yarrow is a symbol of enduring love.

As a baby name, Yarrow is highly unusual, given to no babies in the US in the most recent year counted.

Yarrow

Variation of Isolde, the name of a great Celtic heroine. The mononymous French singer Yseult is the most notable bearer today.

Yseult

A mix of Yvonne and Elaine, Yvaine was first noticed in the Neil Gaiman fantasy novel and then movie Stardust, in which Claire Danes played the 'fallen star' Yvaine. This In all its forms, one of the most classic <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/472/scottish-names-for-girls">Scottish names for girls</a> is now attracting namer attention--just as that other Gaiman-inspired name, Coraline, did. Yvaine has a definite romantic, medieval charm. A small segment of namers are definitely taking notice.
 The name probably derives from the Arthurian male name Yvain, one of the Knights of the Round Table

Yvaine

Peaking in the 1950s, Yvonne has now dropped out of the Top 1000 in 2003 and doesn't look set to return soon, although its rare Y initial might endear it to some. Yvaine, from Neil Gaiman's Stardust, has more modern appeal.

Yvonne

Anninyn's list "Fairytale Names for girls" of 38 great name ideas: Ailis - Yvonne!

Fairytale Names for girls

Names that belong in a proper, old-fashioned fairytale, where the brave young woman tries and succeeds against impossible tasks. Names for girls you think might need magic on their side...