Names I like

Calista Flockhart spotlighted this lovely Greek name that has a long future in the English-speaking world. Kallista is another spelling; Calixta and Calixto are related.

With the rise of ancient Roman names, Octavian suddenly seem plausible again. A variation of Octavius and relative of the more modern Octavio, it's an equally attractive member of the trio.

This surname name popularized for girls by TV's Murphy Brown back in the 80's and 90's still has some breezy energy. Almost 400 baby girls were named Murphy in 2021, versus just over 200 baby boys, making the name solidly gender neutral.

The two X's may be a challenge for even the most intrepid baby namer. Xerxes was the name of two early kings of Persia and the Handel opera Serse or Xerxes is loosely based on Xerxes I.

This evocative green nature name, heard much more frequently as a surname, is associated with playwright Moss Hart (born Robert), who co-wrote (with George S. Kaufman) such enduring Broadway comedies as The Man Who Came to Dinner and You Can't Take it With You.

Since Morgan is used as--or more--frequently for girls as for boys, this feminization has fallen by the wayside. It drew some brief attention via the pop singer Morgana King.

The similar Morgiana appears in Tales from the Thousand and One Nights.

Thisbe, the name of a beautiful but tragic lover in mythology, is lively and cute -- in a slightly thistly, prickly way. Ovid retold the story of Thisbe and Pyramus, young lovers in ancient Babylon kept apart by family rivalry, which was the inspiration for Romeo and Juliet. A modern bearer of the name is writer Thisbe Nissen.

In Sarah Dessen's novel Along for the Ride, the baby daughter is named Thisby, nn Isby.

This spelling adds a little more femininity to the neutral Lee. Leigh and sister Lee were quite popular in the 1960s and 1970s among the first cool wave of unisex names for girls, but now have vanished from the Top 1000. The Biblical Leah is preferred.

The dynamic personality and paintings of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo have inspired growing numbers of parents to resurrect this form of the name. It does much better in certain European countries, especially in Denmark and Norway. The Frieda and Freida spellings were more popular in the US until the middle of the 20th century.

An evocative word name, conjuring up images of the beautiful low land between hills and mountains, and the streams and rivers that often run through them, Valley has the advantage of also sounding totally name-y. Reminiscent of Ally, Valerie, Valentina, Tally, and Callie, it is a rising choice in the US, more than doubling in popularity in recent years.

The next Destiny? Kismet seems like it might be fated for increased use.

Alethea, the name of the Greek goddess of truth, came into fashion in England in the 16th century, in tandem with the virtue names. Alethea may find new favor now as one of the goddess names stylish for baby girls.

Isis has gone from magical, feminist name on the rise to the forbidden list because of the extremist terror group called ISIS, an acronym for Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Unsurprisingly, Isis was one of the fastest-falling names in 2014, dropping 130 ranks to reach #706. Interestingly, however, since 2020, it has begun to see increased use again, and 2023 saw it given to 151 girls.

Sharp and spiky with international potential, as a feminine name, Nikita has its roots in Hindi, Marathi, and ultimately Sanskrit. It comes from niketa, meaning "home, habitation", and may also be spelled as Nikitha.

Eudora is the name of five minor goddesses of Greek mythology and a major goddess (in the person of Pulitzer Prize-winning Eudora Welty) of modern American literature. Eudora is pleasant and euphoneous and a possibility for rejuvenation.

Hestia is the name of the Greek goddess of the hearth, home and chastity. Though Hestia has been long dormant as a name, it's a possibility for the parent in search of a classic name with deep roots that's also unusual. It's one of the Greek goddess namesthat's both familiar and distinctive.

Down-home nickname name once associated with the friendly dragon on kids' TV. As Oliver rises, we may well hear more Ollies.

The origins of Senara, the name of a Cornish saint who is patron of the village of Zennor, are not so straightforward. Some say she was the same person as Azenor, a legendary Breton princess whose mother-in-law cast her out to sea in a trunk. Other stories say she was a mermaid turned Christian.

Daniella, Daniela, and Danielle were among the hottest names for twenty years, but now, though still popular, they can no longer be considered stylish options, lagging behind the newer Ella, Stella, Bella, Gabriella, and Isabella.

For as long as we all shall live, Harry Potter's sneering nemesis.