relizabeth's list "A Names for Girls" of 4 great name ideas: Amabel - Ashlie!

A Names for Girls

Amabel is an older name than Annabel and a lot more distinctive. Amabel was a very common name in the twelfth and thirteen centuries, then was revived during the nineteenth century British fad for medieval names.
 In a short story by H.H. Munro, about Amabel, the vicar's daughter, it is said "Her name was the vicar's one extravagance."
 Amabel's shortened form Mabel overtook the mama name early on.

Amabel

aramathea

Araminta is a poetic and enchanting eighteenth-century invention with plenty of elegance and a touch of old-fashioned clunkiness. It first appeared in William Congreve's 17th century comedy The Old Bachelor and then again in 1705 when it was used by architect and playwright Sir John Vanbrugh in his play The Confederacy.
 
There are several theories on where Araminta came from, one possibility being that it is a compound name, blending Arabella with Aminta. Arabella is considered a variant of Anabella or derived from the Latin orabilis and means "loveable" or "unyielding". Aminta is itself a literary invention, meaning "defender". Together then, they form a strong name, connected to love and strength.
 
An alternative suggestion is that it was developed from the plant name Amaranth, meaning "unfading" from the Greek amarantos. Poet Richard Lovelace had used to altered form Aramantha forty years before Araminta appeared on stage and could have been the inspiration.
 
Other theories suggest that Araminta is: a form of Aminata, itself a variant of the Arabic Amina, meaning "safe and secure" or "trustful"; inspired by the Greek element anthos meaning "flower"; or a spin on the Germanic Arminius, meaning "whole, universal" or army man".
 
Moving away from the tangled etymology, Araminta was notably the birth name of abolitionist, Harriet Tubman. It is also borne by photographer Araminta de Clermont, and by actress Araminta "Minta" Durfee.
 
More familiar in Britain than the US, but rare there too, it has however proved popular in fiction. In the Enid Bagnold novel National Velvet, Araminta is the name of the central character's mother, while Araminta Lee is a character in Kevin Kwan's Crazy Rich Asians.It had also appeared in the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn and in Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi.
 
Just 11 girls were named Araminta in 2024 in the US.

Araminta

Ashlie is a feminine name representing a variant spelling of Ashley, which originated as an Old English surname meaning 'ash tree clearing' or 'meadow of ash trees.' This alternative spelling gained popularity in the United States during the 1980s and 1990s when Ashley ranked among the top girls' names. The 'ie' ending gives Ashlie a softer, more distinctly feminine feel compared to the original 'ey' ending. While less common than Ashley, Ashlie offers the same familiar sound with a slightly more unique presentation. The name has a contemporary American quality while maintaining its English woodland heritage. Though its peak popularity has passed, Ashlie remains recognizable without being overly common.