The Names on This Site I Like

Ottavia

Italian, variation of Latin Octavia

"eight"

Softer and more romantic than Octavia, this is a name once used when it wasn't uncommon for families to have eight children. A possible substitute for the epidemically popular Olivia.

Perpetua

Latin

"perpetual"

A 3rd century saint's name sometimes used in Catholic communities, and in Western European countries like Portugal and Italy.

Vespera

Latin

"evening star"

Said to refer to either Jupiter or Venus, either of which would be preferable as a name.

Aggie

English, diminutive of Agatha and Agnes

Mauve-tinted nickname with vintage charm that could just follow in the footsteps of ABBIE. More prominent now as the nickname for the Texas A&M sports teams.

Bee

Animal name or English diminutive of Beatrice, Latin

"she who brings happiness"

We've seen Beatrice and Beatrix climb in popularity, along with traditional nickname Bea. And now there's Bee, giving it a buzzy nature world spin, plus a tie to popular late night TV''s Samantha…

Cathy

English diminutive of Catherine, Greek

"pure"

One of the most popular nicknames of the fifties and sixties — and who could forget the romantic heroine of "Wuthering Heights"? — now largely ignored in favor of Cate or Kate.

Dovie

Diminutive of Dove or Deborah, English, Hebrew

"dove; bee"

Dovie was a fairly popular nickname name a century or more ago, dropping off the Top 1000 in the 1940s only to be heading back uphill now. Given to around 30 girls in a recent year, Dovie has a way…

Fleur

French

"flower"

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…

Glynis

Welsh

"small glen, valley"

The feminine version of the common Welsh name Glyn became somewhat known in this country via the charming Welsh actress Glynis Johns. Variations include Glenys and Glynys. With other Welsh…

Hilda

German

"battle woman"

Short for Brunhilda, the operatic Valkyrie of Teutonic legend, Hilda still has not quite shaken off that image that image. Though with the resurgence of Matilda, she might just have a bit of a…

Isidora

Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian variation of Isadora, Greek

"gift of Isis"

The Isidora spelling, though equally legitimate, is about 90 percent less common than Isadora.

Kiri

Maori

"tree bark"

The name Kiri was made famous by New Zealand soprano Kiri Te Kanawa, whose original name was Claire. Cute but slight, Kiri is close to several other names from Kiriah to Keira to Kyra and its…

Marcellina

Latin

"warlike"

Marcellina is one feminine form of the names derived from the ancient Roman Marcellus. There was a Saint Marcellina who was a 4th century virgin and the only sister of Saint Ambrose.

Nessa

Scandinavian

"headlands, promontory"

Like its cousin Tessa, Nessa -- a shortening of Vanessa or Agnes or Anastasia among other possibilities -- is an attractive nickname that can stand on its own.

Ottilie

German, French

"prosperous in battle"

Ottilie is trending in the UK, where the pronounced T helps the name sound pretty and delicate, rather like Amelie and Elodie. Ottilie is less popular in the US, where many Americans pronounce it as…

Roisin

Irish

"little rose"

No, the pronunciation--ro-SHEEN--isn't immediately obvious to the non-Gaelic viewer, but the sound of this shiny Irish version of Rose is pretty enough to make it worth considering. Very popular in…

Shoshana

Hebrew

"lily"

This is a rare and lovely form of Susannah commonly heard in Israel. Shoshana Shapiro — nicknamed Shosh — is the character played by Zosia Mamet on the hit HBO series Girls — a fact that could give…

Thekla

Greek

"fame of God"

Deriving from the ancient Greek name, Theokleia, Thekla is a contracted form that appears in the New Testament. According to the Acts of Paul, Thekla (or Thecla) is a 1st century saint and the first…