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Austen
Literary surname and shortened form of Augustine, Latin
"great, magnificent"
While Austin is a popular boys' name, this spelling, honoring novelist Jane, nudges the name toward gender-neutral, chosen last year for 67 baby boys and 57 girls.
Lux
Latin
"light"
This name of a character played by Kirsten Dunst in the movie Virgin Suicides , originally a novel by Jeffrey Eugenides, is gaining attention, also thanks to the heroine Lux, Lady of Luminosity in…
Grier
Scottish, spelling variation of Greer
"alert, watchful"
The spelling variation Greer may be much more popular, but this one might appeal to fans of Bryer and Brier. Given to 18 girls (and 8 boys) in the US in a recent year, Greer is used about five times…
Blyth
Blyth is a feminine name of Scottish and Old English origin, though it can occasionally be used for males as well. It derives from the Old English 'blithe,' meaning 'carefree,' 'cheerful,' or…
Brecken
Variation of Breccan; Irish
"freckled, speckled"
Brecken is a fresh, distinctively Irish alternative to similar-sounding (and much more popular) Beckett or Beckham. While Brecken is a spelling variation of the original Breccan, it's the most…
Auria
American variation of Aurelia or Aria, Latin
"the golden one or air"
Auria is a highly unusual choice with a pleasant aura. As cousin names Aurelia and Aurora become more prominent, Auria is getting some attention too. About 50 baby girls were called Auria in the US…
Nicola
German; English, from Greek
"people of victory"
Nicola, an elegant Latinate feminization of Nicholas, has long been standard issue for English girls but for some reason has never voyaged across the Atlantic, which we consider a pity, especially as…
Joss
Diminutive of Jocelyn, German
"member of the Gauts tribe"
Joss is more fashionable than Jocelyn or Josslyn. This is a short form that could be used independently, a la the singer Joss Stone. One of a troupe of adorable boyish nicknames newly fashionable for…
Ellia
English elaboration of Ella
"all, completely; fairy maiden"
Ellia is one of the newer entries in the extremely popular El group of names for girls, which includes Ella, Ellie, Elle and so on, as well as L-starting names such as Lillia. Nearly 100 baby girls…
Elan
Hebrew
"tree"
When given the French pronunciation (ay-LAN), has a great deal of esprit and élan.
Elea
Short form of Eleanor
A sweet, breezy short form of Eleanor, that happens to coincide with the name of an ancient Italian town. It is a popular choice in Switzerland, Finland, and France, though the spellings Eléa and…
Jago
Cornish variation of Jacob or James
"supplanter"
A dashing alternative to the popular James and Jacob, Jago is the jaunty Cornish form of the Biblical names. Occasionally (or historically) appearing as Jagoe, Jego, and Jaego, it may have been…
Alden
English
"old, wise friend"
This is one surname-name that may swing decidedly to the male side, thanks to highly-visible young actor Alden Ehrenreich.
Calla
Greek
"beautiful"
Calla is a botanical name that is much more distinctive than popular Lily or similar Callie. Rarely heard today, it did appear in the popularity lists in the last decades of the nineteenth century.…
Arria
Latin, thin"
The name of a woman who played a dramatic role in ancient Roman legend, it seems quite slight for modern use. Variation: ARIA
Carley
Variation of Carly, English
"free man"
Echo
Greek mythology name
"echo or sound"
Echo, the pretty, resonant name of a legendary nymph, was the heroine of Joss Whedon's sci-fi series Dollhouse . Nick Hexum, of the band 311, named his daughter Echo Love. In the Greek myth, Echo was…
Shoshanna
Spelling variation of Shoshana, Hebrew
"lily"
Shoshanna is a variation of one of the best-known original Hebrew baby names for girls , the original of Susanna. This is the spelling used by Shoshanna Lonstein, a designer who creates the Shoshanna…
Zosia
Variant of Sophia, Greek
"wisdom"
This unusual and alluring choice was used by David Mamet for his daughter, who is now grown and an actress on the hit show Girls .
Aziza
Arabic
"powerful and beloved"
Aziza is a zippy palindromic choice that is the female variation of Aziz and is found in several Middle Eastern and African languages and cultures. All in all, an attractive and interesting option; a…