My Top 10 Girls' Names for 2009
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- Scarlett
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"scarlet, red"Description:
Scarlett Johansson is doing more for this sparky southern name than Scarlett O'Hara ever did. Since the turn of the 21st century, Scarlett has gone from an obscure literary name to one of the most popular girls' names starting with S, right after longtime favorites Sophia and Sofia.
- Lorelei
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"alluring, temptress"Description:
The lovely Lorelei, a name from old German legend, was a beautiful Rhine River seductress whose haunting voice led sailors to hazardous rocks that would cause them to be shipwrecked. And this siren image clung to the name for ages.
- Cosette
Origin:
French literary nicknameMeaning:
"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.
- Tatiana
Origin:
Russian, from Latin family name Tatius, meaning unknownDescription:
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, Tati, and Tanya, it is a versatile choice that has nevertheless seen a decline in use in recent year.
- Lyric
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"of the lyre; songlike; a personal, emotive poem"Description:
Associated with poetry, pop music, and the Greek lyre, Lyric has a light and zippy sound to it and joins the likes of Melody, Harmony, Cadence, and Aria as musical names that have become baby names. A unisex name, it is currently three times more popular for girls in the US where it sits in the Top 600. It has declined in use since its 2014 peak, but was still given to around 560 girls in a recent year.
- Fantine
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"infant"Description:
Fantine is a rarely heard French name except as a character in the Victor Hugo novel Les Misérables.
- Svetlana
Origin:
RussianMeaning:
"star"Description:
Popular Russian name, familiar here via author Svetlana Stalin, the dictator's daughter.
- Musetta
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"little muse"Description:
A musette is both a dance and an antique instrument, but the name is most associated with the classic opera La Bohème.
- Pollyanna
Origin:
English compound name, Polly + AnnaMeaning:
"beloved + grace"Description:
Has become a byword in English for an overly optimistic person, thanks to the eponymous children's book heroine. Polly is an antiquated short form of Mary.
- Karenina