Female Historic Names

Aveline

French from German

"desired; or island, water"

Aveline is a name that's long been an obscure cousin of more widely-used choices, but may come into its own riding the tail of the megapopular Ava, which may derive from the same root. Although…

Beatrix

Latin

"she who brings happiness; blessed"

Beatrix has a solid history of its own apart from Beatrice, with that final x adding a playful, animated note to the name's imposing history and stately vibe. In the earliest sources it is recorded…

Benedicta

Latin

"blessed"

Saintly, and a Mother Superior to boot.

Bertha

German

"bright, glorious"

Ever since Allied soldiers in World War I dubbed the enormous German cannon "Big Bertha", this name hasn't worked for a sweet little baby girl. But this was not always so. Hard as it might be to…

Bethia

Hebrew

"daughter of Jehovah"

Long forgotten Old Testament name with modern potential.

Bethoc

Gaelic

"life"

see BEATHAG

Blanche

French

"white"

Blanche, which originated as a nickname for a pale blonde and then became associated with the notion of purity, was in style a century ago, ranking in the double digits until 1920. She then had to…

Catharina

Catharina is a feminine name with deep European roots, particularly common in Germanic, Scandinavian, and Dutch-speaking regions. It derives from the Greek name Aikaterine, later Latinized to…

Catherina

Catherina is a variant spelling of Katherine, one of history's most enduring feminine names. Derived from the Greek name Aikaterine, its meaning has been debated, with connections to the Greek…

Cecily

Feminine variation of Cecil

"blind"

Cecily is as dainty as a lace handkerchief. Cecily has a wide assortment of namesakes. One Cecily was the mother of King Richard III, whose beauty gained her the title "the Rose of Raby," Cecily…