Cool Girl Names Beyond the Top 1000 (2015)
- Brighton
Origin:
English place-nameDescription:
Out-of-the-way place name (it's an antiquated holiday spot on England's south coast) that might make a brilliant choice. Actor/director Jon Favreau named his daughter Brighton Rose.
- Corrine
Origin:
Variation of Corinne, French from GreekMeaning:
"maiden"Description:
A spelling variant of Corinne, which ranked a little behind its sister spelling until the 1990s when it fell out of favor.
- Essie
Origin:
English diminutive of Esther, Persian, or Estelle, FrenchMeaning:
"star"Description:
Cute short form of Esther, now associated with the iconic nail polish brand.
- Marlena
Description:
Marlena is a feminine name with various European origins, primarily formed as a blend of 'Maria' and 'Elena' or 'Magdalena.' The name carries a romantic, elegant quality while maintaining strength. With Latin roots connected to the names Mary and Helen, Marlena suggests traditional feminine virtues like grace, nurturing, and inner beauty. Though never among the most popular names in the US, Marlena has maintained consistent usage since the mid-20th century, with periodic boosts from characters in literature and television. The name has a melodic quality with its flowing syllables, making it both sophisticated and accessible. Marlena offers the appeal of being recognizable without being overly common.
- Adela
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"noble"Description:
A vibrant variation of Adele, with a bit of extra flair from that "-a" ending. It could join the army of popular A girls' names, especially with its tie to the success of singer Adele.
- Kay
Origin:
English, diminutive of Katherine, GreekMeaning:
"pure"Description:
Kay, a cigarette-smoking, nightclubbing name of the 1930's, could be ready for a comeback along with cousins May/Mae and Ray/Rae.
- Cambria
Origin:
Place name, Latin from WelshMeaning:
"Wales"Description:
Most names that start with Cam- are on the upswing, so why not this obscure term for Wales as well as for a prehistoric time period.
- Avia
Origin:
Latin, HebrewMeaning:
"bird; God is my father"Description:
Avia is one of those multi-cultural, vowel-heavy girls' names so popular today, along with such choices as Ayla and Aya.
- Sparrow
Origin:
Nature nameMeaning:
"sparrow, a bird"Description:
With related choices such as Lark and Phoenix gaining popularity, why not Sparrow? Though it's usually thought of as a female name, Nicole Richie and Joel Madden chose it for their son.
- Terra
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"earth"Description:
A video-game import (Final Fantasy VI) for a character with green hair and a name that brings the outmoded Terry and Tara into the postmodern age.
- Tristan
Origin:
CelticMeaning:
"noise or sorrowful"Description:
Though Tristan was the male figure in the romantic legend and his name has become trendy for boys, it's used now for girls, too: About 15 percent of the baby Tristans are female. And about three times as many girls are named Tristan as are named Isolde, Tristan's mythical female counterpart. There are also feminizations of Tristan, such as Tristana and Tristine, but these are much more rare than the original.
- Arizona
Origin:
Place-name from Papago IndianMeaning:
"little springs"Description:
We usually think of place-names as a modern invention, but in fact Arizona ranked on the US Top 1000 from its inception in 1880 until 1911, when it vanished below the surface. It peaked at Number 510 in 1882, before Arizona became a state. One notorious vintage bearer: criminal "Ma" Barker, born Arizona Clark.
- Britton
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"from Britain"Description:
Britton, technically a spelling variation of Britain, is much more popular that the original place name for both boys and girls. There are about three baby girls named Britton for every four boys, making it a truly nonbinary choice.
- Adalia
Origin:
Hebrew, German, "God is my refuge; noble one"Meaning:
"God is my refuge; noble one"Description:
Distinctive, elegant, and luxurious, Adalia can be a variation of Adele, or a Hebrew name with a Biblical background. Although it is given exclusively to girls in the US, in the Bible it is masculine. The similar Adlai might be easier to wear for boys in English speaking countries, while Adalia fits in with Adeline, Amelia, and Dahlia.
- Ailey
- Gloriana
- Maylin
- Novalee
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