User-created list
By nova_annie · Updated May 2023
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Greek
"sweet-smelling oil"
As with many grandmother-y names, this choice may be coming back into style. Myra was invented in the seventeenth century by a poet called Fulke Greville as a short form of Miranda--or perhaps an…
Diminutive of Gwendolen or Gwendolyn, Welsh
"white circle"
While Gwen may have originated as a short form of Gwendolen and Gwendolyn, these days it frequently stands on its own. Rocker Gwen Stefani has given it a shot of cool, and parents are choosing it as…
American, modern elaboration of Jane
It's far cooler to drop the first syllable and go for Elle.
English
"one who hunts"
This surname gained momentum in the 1990s, when it was particularly in vogue for males. However, it seems to be experiencing a surge for females—it was one of the fastest-rising names of 2013,…
Latinate form of Eleanor, meaning unknown
Eleanor is back, Nora is back, and, as predicted, Eleanora is back too. Having left the charts in the 1930s, this elaboration of Eleanor has returned and blends the elements of its two more popular…
Diminutive of Matilda
"battle-mighty"
A favorite in England and Wales where nicknames as given names are very much the norm, Tilly has the potential to catch on in the US, given its similarity to the popular Lily and Ellie and the rising…
Short form of Isabelle or French
"beautiful"
Belle has nothing but positive associations, from "belle of the ball" to "Southern belle" to the heroine of Disney's Beauty and the Beast . As if this weren't enough good things, Belle is also one of…
Diminutive of Jane, English
"God is gracious"
Will this old-fashioned nickname make a comeback, now that Jane has shed her "plain" image? Janie is cute and approachable, and would stand as well on the birth certificate as Josie and Jessie do…
French from Hebrew
"burning ones"
Seraphine is the Gallic version of the angelic name Seraphina. But while Seraphina has been rising rapidly since Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck chose it for their second daughter, Seraphine has been…
English word name
"month name"
What is so rare as a month named June? October – and November and December – are a lot rarer. Brisk and substantial, they're so much more memorable and modern than April or May. October got its name…
French variation of Jane
Has lost all trace of its French accent.
Janella is a feminine name of American origin, created as an elaboration of Jane or a blend of Jana and the popular -ella suffix. The name Jane derives from the Hebrew name Yochanan, meaning 'God is…
English word, Old English
"an inlet of the sea where the land curves inward; berry"
One of the most usable of the pleasant, newly adopted nature/water names (like Lake and Ocean), especially in middle position. It's gentle, slightly whimsical, but grounded by its similarity to May…
Latin
"lovable"
Amabel is an older name than Annabel and a lot more distinctive. Amabel was a very common name in the twelfth and thirteen centuries, then was revived during the nineteenth century British fad for…
