Much more upscale and modern for a girl than a boy.

Embroidered lace hankie of a name, used in a Thomas Hardy novel. That literary cred lends some gravitas.

This is one of the most vibrant and feminine of the names meaning life, and it's sure to gain more attention as the whole sisterhood of Viv- names rise.

Place-name waiting to be discovered.

Ten years ago we would have advised people to steer clear of this name (and maybe choose the similar sounding Walter instead); but with the rise of other Nordic and Eastern European names like Viggo and Casimir, maybe its time to re-thing Valdemar. It's a big name, but with enough penache, it could be pulled off. Valdemar was introduced to Scandinavia in the 12th Century by a Danish king named for his Ukrainian grandfather, and is currently in the Danish Top 20.

The name of prize-winning American architect Robert Venturi would make a somewhat awkward first.

This striking name has a lot going for it: it's a self-confident Spanish surname, it identifies one of the most brilliant stars in the sky, and it has a musical reference to singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega.

Unusual and beautiful blue green color and name possibility, a la Cerulean.

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.

Substituting the V for the W sounds almost comedic to the American ear.

The most famous Vlad was nicknamed "the Impaler." Enough said.

Volcano name for an active, bubbly child -- but be careful -- volcanoes do erupt.

Name with aristrocratic overtones.

Though this one would be sure to inspire confusion, Ven- names can be an intriguing alternative to the Ben- group.