Family Names

Rachael

Variation of Rachel, Hebrew

"ewe"

This form of the Biblical Rachel is well-used despite its somewhat counter-intuitive spelling which can make English speakers think the name should be pronounced with a k sound, as in Raquel. The…

Misty

English

"mist"

The Play Misty for Me jokes will get old really fast.

Hailea

Hailea is a feminine name that appears to be a modern variant spelling of Hailey or Hayley. These names ultimately derive from Old English, meaning 'hay clearing' or 'hay meadow.' The spelling…

Ellen

English variation of Helen

"torch; shining light"

An medieval English form of Helen, the sensitive but clear-eyed Ellen has swung in and out of style for centuries, often alternating with the parent name. Ellen was the more common in medieval…

Dawn

English word name

"dawn, sunrise"

Associated with the first light of the day, and more figuratively with new beginnings and fresh starts, Dawn's heyday came in the 1960s and 70s in the US, Canada and the UK. It had been in the charts…

Kristina

Scandinavian variation of Christina

"annointed, a Christian"

This streamlined form of a pretty and feminine classic may not be as popular as it once was, but it's never out of style. A royal name best used now in its full glory rather than as nicknames Kris or…