Emma Alternatives Part Three

Used by the Puritans but off the US charts completely since the mid-1990s, Eartha is best known today as the name of American singer Eartha Kitt, as well as of the philanthropist and humanitarian Eartha M. M. White.

Ebba, the feminine version of Eberhard and also a form of an old English name, is in the Swedish Top 10 but virtually unknown in the US. However, with the rise of Emma, Ella, Ada, and similar simple-yet-traditional names, Ebba may enjoy more widespread popularity.

An medieval English diminutive of Edith, which could make an unusual addition to simple vintage revivals like Eva, Ada and Ida. In Turkish, it means "well mannered".

This Old Norse girl name has a lovely meaning and a familiar yet distinctive sound.

Edna is one of those names that, until what it seemed like a few minutes ago, felt so terminally frumpy that no one could imagine a parent choosing it for an innocent modern baby girl. But with the great upswing in names honoring ancestral family members, several of them being other four-letter, e-ending names, we wouldn't be so sure.

Eigra is a name with a great mythological and literary past - it is the Welsh version of Igraine/Ygraine, who was the mother of King Arthur.

Eila is a Hebrew name heard in Israel, due for wider consideration thanks to sound-alike sister Isla, as in actress Fisher. Either way you spell it, the name is simpler than it looks: Pronunciation is I, as in the letter, followed by la.

This Welsh nature name that can be pronounced exactly like the male Ira. Or, to avoid confusion, you could just name her Snow.

Indian film producer Ekta Kapoor is one notable bearer of this name. Just beware that some in the West may at first mis-hear this as Hector - not a reason to not use this meaningful name.

The site of Napoleon's exile became the great-great-aunt in the purple hat.

While we still can't see Hilda coming back any time soon, it's conceivable that this Italian version could ride the coattails of Ella, Elena and Ellery to broader popularity.

Olga variant without the Russian spirit.

Much more manageable than the full form of the name. Possible international alternative to Ella.

Ella is a sweet, simple name that owes much of its current popularity to the popularity of other names, from Emma to Bella to Emily to Ellie.

Historically a diminutive of Wilhelmina, Elma's parent name and soundalike sisters are slowly stirring back to life as the trend for vintage baby names continues. With Alma on the rise in the US, Thelma chic in France, and Selma hot in Scandinavia, Elma could be in with a shot at a revival – especially given the popularity of Emma and Ella. But Muppet Elmo and Looney Tune Elmer Fudd may cast a long shadow.

Lost in limbo for decades and decades, Elsa now stands a good chance of following along in the progression from Emma to Ella to Etta, thanks to the ice queen heroine who "Let It Go" in the wildly popular Disney movie Frozen. The name shot all the up to Number 286 (its highest ranking since the 1890s) in the year after the release of the movie, though it's now dropped back down the list in the US.