A Little Murdery - SSDGM

Catalina

Spanish variation of Catherine

"pure"

This name of a touristed island in sight of Los Angeles makes an attractive and newly stylish variation on the classic Catherine or overused Caitlin. Santa Catalina of Siena was, along with Saint…

Vera

Russian

"faith"

Vera was the height of fashion in 1910, then was for a long time difficult to picture embroidered on a baby blanket. Now, though, it has come back into style along with other old-fashioned simple…

Dahlia

Flower name, from Swedish surname

"Dahl's flower"

One of the flower names, used occasionally in Britain (where it's pronounced DAY-lee-a). It seems to have recovered from what was perceived as a slightly affected la-di-dah air. The flower was named…

Rosemary

Latin or English

"dew of the sea, or rosemary (herb)"

Despite appearances, Rosemary is not a "smoosh" name, not even a traditional one. The name derives from two Latin terms "Ros" meaning dew and Marinus meaning of the sea. The plant was termed dew of…

Raya

Hebrew, Yiddish, Russian, Arabic, English, Japanese, Malay

"friend; clear, pure; hero; fragrance; queen; night orchid; celebration"

More unusual alternative to Maya, Raya has risen in popularity due to the introduction of the newest Disney Princess from the 2021 film Raya and the Last Dragon . One of those truly multi-cultural…

Clementine

French feminine version of Clement, Latin

"mild, merciful"

Clementine is a Nameberry favorite that broke back into the US Top 1000 in 2014 after more than half a century off the list. A female variation of the more-unusual Clement, Clementine's meaning…

Cecelia

Latin

"blind"

Cecelia, with this spelling, got some recent attention as the name of Jim and Pam's baby on The Office -- and also the name of actress Jenna Fischer's newborn niece. A spelling variation of Cecilia…

Eileen

Anglicization of Eibhlín, Irish, German

"desired; or water, island"

The Gaelic Eileen was a mid-century darling that was on a long downward slide for decades. And then, in 2012, it took an unexpected pivot and has been inching upward in the US, perhaps inspired by…

Magdalena

Greek

"from Magdala"

Magdalena is a pretty name forever associated with the fallen-yet-redeemed Mary Magdalen; often heard in the Hispanic community. But forward thinking parents are reviving Magdalena along with…

Belle

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…

Sharon

Hebrew

"a plain"

This Old Testament place name was in the Top 10 fifty years ago, but now Sharon, along with sound-alike Karen, have fallen out of favor.

Lizzie

Diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew

"pledged to God"

Lizzie was commonly used as an independent name in the last half of the nineteenth century. Today Lizzie is still one of the most stylish short forms of Elizabeth, but few U.S. parents put it on the…

Lavinia

Latin, from ancient place name Lavinium

Lavinia is a charmingly prim and proper Victorian-sounding name which actually dates back to classical mythology, where it was the name of the wife of the Trojan hero Aeneas, who was considered the…

Reeva

Reeva is a feminine name with multiple potential origins. It may derive from the Sanskrit 'reva,' meaning 'flowing' or referring to the sacred Narmada River in India. Alternatively, it could be a…

Sakina

Arabic,, Hebrew

"peace, tranquility"

Sparky and bright but with a serene meaning, Sakina is a multicultural choice, quietly on the rise in the US. Derived from the Arabic Sakun or the Hebrew shekinah , it means "peace, tranquility" and…

Clarice

Medieval form of Clarita, a derivative of Clara

"bright, clear"

If you’re a fan of the annual animated Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, you’ll recognize the name of Rudolph’s beautiful doe sweetheart, pronounced cla-REES—uncomfortably close to the Silence of the…

Delphine

French from Greek

"of Delphi; womb"

Delphine is a sleek, chic French name with two nature associations — the dolphin and the delphinium, a bluebell-like flower, a well as a link to the ancient city of Delphi, which the Greeks believed…

Kitty

English, diminutive of Katherine

"pure"

This endearing nickname name is one Katherine pet form that predates all the Kathys and Katies, having been fairly common in the eighteenth century. With the current mini-craze for animal-related…