Girls

Liesl

German diminutive of Elizabeth

"pledged to God"

Sweet but sleek, and distinctive, Liesl is an old German nickname-name for Elisabeth. It might have once seemed inextricably tied to to its country of origin, but now, like Elsa, Enzo, Saoirse,…

Danae

Greek

An intriguing mythological name whose one challenge might be pronunciation questions. In Greek myth, Danae, a goddess of music and poetry, was the mother of Perseus by Zeus, who appeared to her in…

Tzipora

Hebrew

"bird"

An important biblical name, being the wife of Moses in Exodus. Has a number of spelling variations, including Tziporah, Zipora(h), Zippora(h), Tzipor and Tzipori. The Yiddish forms are Tzeitl and…

Briallen

Welsh

"primrose"

Unusual floral name which would be perfect for a spring baby girl, if you can pronounce the Welsh double L correctly. It's a tricky sound for non-native Welsh speakers, kind of halfway between an H…

Lenore

German variation of Leonora, Italian derivative of Eleonora, meaning unknown

A "modernization" of Leonora that has suddenly come back on the radar along with the many other Leo names--both male and female. With literary cred via a famous eponymous poem by Edgar Allan Poe (and…

Snow

English word name

There's definitely a cold front of names for winter babies moving in, with Summer, Spring and Autumn giving way to Winter--plus North, January, Frost--and Snow. This name feels brisk, fresh, pure,…

Tatiana

Russian, from Latin family name Tatius, meaning unknown

Classic yet spritely, Tatiana has long been familiar and popular in Russia and Eastern Europe, though it wasn't until the 80s that it caught on in the English-speaking world. With short forms Tiana,…

Cressida

Greek

"gold"

Cressida is a golden, mythological, and Shakespearean name, much better known in Britain than it is in the US. Given to just 11 American girls in a recent year — though still the highest number on…

Petra

Greek

"rock, stone"

A strong Greek name with pan-European charm, Petra is a relatively recent feminization of Peter, though it relates back to an incredible ancient city in Jordan that was rediscovered in the early…

Penrose

Cornish and Welsh place name and surname

"top of the heath"

Penrose – an ancient place-name and surname derived from several villages in Cornwall, Wales, and the Welsh border country of England – would make for an even more unexpected alternative to quirky…

Moira

Irish, variation of Mary

"bitter; beloved; drop of the sea"

Well-established Irish and Scottish name that has never really caught on across the pond. Remembered by an older generation as the beautiful red-haired ballerina in the film The Red Shoes , Moira…

September

English word name

"month name"

Parents are beginning to turn away from springtime months like April and June and are moving toward the cooler and crisper three-syllable September, October, November, and December.

Una

Latin, Irish, or Old Norse

"one; lamb; happy"

In an epic poem, the personification of truth, beauty, and unity; this ancient name is popular in several European countries but less common in the US. The Oona spelling is slightly more popular but…

Ameline

Variation of Emmeline

A variation on Emmeline, Ameline has not experienced nearly the same level of success in the US, though it was given to five girls in 2015. Whereas Emmeline lends itself to trendy nicknames Emme and…

Ingrid

Norse

"fair; Ing is beautiful"

The luminous Ingrid Bergman's appeal was strong enough to lend universal charisma to this classic Scandinavian name, which has been somewhat neglected in the US. Even today, a child named Ingrid…

Aza

Arabic

"powerful"

Aza is an excellent Arabic choice: elegant and simple. Too simple for you? Consider Aziza.

Ripley

English

"strip of clearing in the woods"

With its surname-style, literary feel, and similarity in sound to Finley, Juniper, Pippa, Riley, and Presley, Ripley is an unexpected choice that was given to more than 200 girls in each recent year.…