Up my sleeve

Ferelith is an unusual yet deeply-rooted Scottish girl's name, also found in ancient Ireland and drawn from the Gaelic Forbhlaith or Forbflaith. While it went through a period of dormancy after the Middle Ages, there are some modern women named Ferelith, including actress Ferelith Young and Princess of Denmark Anne Ferelith Fenella Bowes-Lyon.

Eudora is the name of five minor goddesses of Greek mythology and a major goddess (in the person of Pulitzer Prize-winning Eudora Welty) of modern American literature. Eudora is pleasant and euphoneous and a possibility for rejuvenation.

Asteria is an Anglicized spelling of the Greek Astraea or Astraia, the goddess of justice and innocence. She became the constellation Virgo, so all forms of this name would be especially appropriate for a child born in late August or early September.

Vladimir is a cultured and deep-rooted Slavic name associated in this country with cultural figures including piano virtuoso Vladimir Horowitz and the author of Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov.

You might think Artemisia is the feminine form of the name, but in fact the original Artemis is feminine too, the name of the Greek mythological goddess of the moon. Artemisia Gentileschi was an esteemed Italian Baroque painter, unusual in an era when not many women were acknowledged. Artemisia is also a genus of plants which include sagebrush and tarragon.

In Greek mythology, Evadne was the daughter of Poseidon. Evadne also appears in literature (Mary Shelley's "The Last Man") and has a pop culture reference as the cousin of Wonder Woman. A more unusual alternative to other Greek "-ee" names like Ariadne, Daphne and Penelope. The trendy "Ev" sound makes this a lovely choice in a world of Evelyns, Evangelines and Everlys.

This old-time fairy tale name is rarely heard in the modern English-speaking world, but it's so, well, mellifluous, that it would make a lovely choice for a twenty-first century girl--a romanticized tribute to an Aunt Melissa or Melanie.

When scientists do research on the effects of an unpopular name, we're afraid that Mildred is one of the examples they cite, often in tandem with Bertha and Gertrude. But with cute nickname Millie on the rise, anything's possible.

A punchy modern Cornish name derived from a place name, which is of disputed origin. It is sometimes said to derive from a rare Welsh name, Maeldaf, plus dinas, the Cornish for "fort". Another theory is that it comes from Cornish ty "house" plus malsai "eel" – likely a reference to Cornwall's fishing trade.

With a long and noble history -- Cyprian was one of the great Christian Latin writers -- this could make a highly unusual but meaningful choice.

Mathilde is even more popular in France than Matilda, a hipster favorite thanks to Michelle Williams and Heath Ledger, is here. And the French pronunciation, while confusing to English speakers, makes it softer and prettier than the version we're more familiar with. It's also very popular in Denmark and Noway, pronounced closer to the English variant.

Is Merrin a real name or a melodic invention? Singer Bo Bice brought this merry name to the public's attention when he chose it for his daughter, but most reliable baby name sources don't list it. But there is a Cornish saint's name Merryn, thought to be a variation of the Irish names for girls Mirin and Mirren, and so we're going to call Merrin another twist on that ancient group of names.

This variant of Helen is used across Europe, in France, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, and it's native Hungary. Reminiscent of Elena, Leona, Ilaria, Fiona and Lola, it nevertheless remains a rarity in the US.

Giacomo is a primo member of the Giovanni-Gino-Giancarlo-Giacomo gruppo of Italian names that are beginning to be adopted by American parents. Singer/creative baby namer Sting chose it for his son.

Strong and unusual Scandinavian name, but with two possible pitfalls: people might mis-hear it as Aspen, or associate it with sports network ESPN. Variants include Esper and Esben.

Melusine was a figure from early European folklore, associated with the water. Her legends are especially connected with the northern and western areas of France, as well as the Low Countries. She is also connected with the French Lusignan royal house which claimed to be descended from Melusine. This name makes a good choice for people looking for a feminine mythological name but want to steer clear of Greek and Arthurian mythology.

Popular in the 1930s in France, this is a diminutive of Lucy (or Lucie).

Euro-cool. Heard more in Scotland than in England or the US, Ludovic Lesly is a character in the Sir Walter Scott novel Quentin Durward and Sir Ludovic Kennedy was a noted Scottish broadcaster and writer. Cute nickname: Ludo.

The great philosopher's name is commonly used in Greek families, and is one that could work for daring, philosophical American ones. With user friendly nicknames such as Ari, Aris, Artie, and Ris, Aristotle is a ambitious choice, associated with morality, ethics, literature, and psychology.

This Olde World name with a large measure of European style makes an offbeat possibility for the bold baby namer in search of interesting Italian names for girls. Currently very popular in its native Italy, Ludovica is an unusual path to all the great Lu nicknames, like Lulu and Lula.