baby names

  1. Aloisa
    • Origin:

      German variation of Louisa
    • Meaning:

      "renowned warrior"
    • Description:

      Obscure form of an old-fashioned favorite that's poised to make a comeback. This version, which owes as much to Alison as to Louisa, has a stylish A beginning and a multi-syllabic feminine grace.
  2. Anaelle
    • Origin:

      Breton form of Anna
    • Meaning:

      "grace"
    • Description:

      Also spelled Anael, this offers a new spin on an old standard. Or even a couple of old standards, if you count Annabelle.
  3. Arabella
    • Origin:

      Latin, Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "yielding to prayer; lovable"
    • Description:

      Arabella, lovely and elegant, has long been well used in Britain and finally made it onto the American list in 2005. A Top 50 choice in the UK, in the US in remains in the Top 300, given to around 1300 babies each year.
  4. Arabella-Scarlet
    • Biddie
      • Origin:

        Diminutive of Bridget, Irish
      • Meaning:

        "strength, exalted one"
      • Description:

        Vintage short form of Bridget, very rarely still heard in Irish Catholic communities.
    • Cosette
      • Origin:

        French literary nickname
      • Meaning:

        "little thing"
      • Description:

        Cosette is best known as the heroine of Les Miserables. In the Victor Hugo novel, Cosette was the nickname given to the girl named Euphrasie by her mother. Although Hugo invented the name, some etymologists believe it's a spin on Colette, originally a female short form of Nicolas.
    • Dahlia
      • Origin:

        Flower name, from Swedish surname
      • Meaning:

        "Dahl's flower"
      • Description:

        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 in honor of the pioneering Swedish botanist Andreas Dahl, which means dale.
    • Destin
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "destiny"
      • Description:

        Synthesized name in the Justin/Dustin mold, but has an unpleasant similarity to the diaper rash ointment called Desitin.
    • Estelle
      • Origin:

        French
      • Meaning:

        "star"
      • Description:

        Maybe it's because she shares that winning -elle sound with Isabel and Bella, but Estelle is no longer seen as a muumuu-wearing canasta player of a certain age (think George Costanza's mother on Seinfeld or Joey Tribbiani's talent agent in Friends). This could be in part thanks to the young Royal Couple of Sweden, who chose it for their firstborn daughter, or the single-named British R&B singer. It reentered the US Top 1000 in 2012 after a nearly fifty-year absence.
    • Fleur
      • Origin:

        French
      • Meaning:

        "flower"
      • Description:

        Fleur is a generic, delicate flower name that emigrated into the English-speaking world when John Galsworthy bestowed it on one of the Forsytes in his celebrated saga. More recently, there was Fleur Delacour, a French witch and the Beauxbatons champion for the Triwizard Tournament in Harry Potter.
    • Freya
      • Origin:

        Norse
      • Meaning:

        "a noble woman"
      • Description:

        Freya has long been popular in the U.K. but has only taken off in the US in the last decade, along with the entire category of mythological names. Derived from the Old Norse name Freyja, meaning "Lady, noble woman", Freya is the name of the Norse goddess of love, beauty, and fertility.
    • Kenna
      • Origin:

        Scottish, feminine form of Kenneth
      • Description:

        Kenna is the Scottish version of Kendra, both of which are feminine versions of Kenneth. Used in the TV show Reign for one of the supporting characters.
    • Lark
      • Origin:

        English bird name
      • Description:

        Lark is getting some new and well-deserved attention as a post-Robin and Raven bird name. Although it was first recorded as a name in the 1830's, it has never appeared on the Social Security list.
    • Larkin
      • Origin:

        Irish
      • Meaning:

        "rough, fierce"
      • Description:

        The additional syllable makes Lark a masculine surname name, borne by poet Philip Larkin.
    • Magnolia
      • Origin:

        Flower name, from French surname
      • Meaning:

        "Magnol's flower"
      • Description:

        Magnolia, a sweet-smelling Southern belle of a name made famous via the iconic Edna Ferber novel and musical Showboat, is one of the latest wave of botanical names, along with unexpected blossoms Azalea and Zinnia. It is named for French botanist Pierre Magnol.
    • Morgana
      • Origin:

        Female version of Morgan, Welsh
      • Meaning:

        "sea-circle"
      • Description:

        Since Morgan is used as--or more--frequently for girls as for boys, this feminization has fallen by the wayside. It drew some brief attention via the pop singer Morgana King.

        The similar Morgiana appears in Tales from the Thousand and One Nights.

    • Nola
      • Origin:

        Gaelic
      • Meaning:

        "white shoulder"
      • Description:

        Nola, a name with a sleek, enigmatic quality, was used for the much-pursued heroine of Spike Lee's 1986 breakout film, She's Gotta Have It, and again by Woody Allen in Match Point. It's a short form of the traditional Irish name Fionnuala. Nola reentered the US Top 1000 in 2008, for the first time in 50 years.
    • Olive
      • Origin:

        English, from Latin, nature name
      • Meaning:

        "olive tree"
      • Description:

        Though greatly overshadowed by the trendy Olivia, Olive has a quiet, subtle appeal of its own -- and is now enjoying a remarkable comeback. Olive is one of only four girl names starting with O on the US Top 1000. Cool couple Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen chose it for their daughter, reviving the name to stylishness, and now Drew Barrymore has a little Olive too, as has country singer Jake Owen.
    • Oliver
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "olive tree or elf army"
      • Description:

        Oliver is an international star, ranking near the top of the charts in the US and throughout the English-speaking world, along with a host of European and Latin American countries, from Norway to Chile, Slovenia to Switzerland.
    • Ophelie
      • Origin:

        French variation of Ophelia
      • Meaning:

        "help"
      • Description:

        Though this name properly takes an accent over the first e, most Americans would probably have trouble pronouncing it with French elan.