Aida is a melodic name largely associated with the title character of the 1871 Verdi opera, an enslaved Ethiopian princess who dies to save her people. In the past, her name was rarely heard outside the Latino community, but in the current time of love for all A-starting girls' names, this could very well change.
 Aida did have a period of some U.S. popularity; in 1954, it reached as high as Number 663, but fell off the list in 1976. Aida Turturro played Tony Soprano's sister in The Sopranos.

 Arabic families often pronounce it with two syllables — as EYE-dah — rather than three.

Aida

Powerful and pretty, Aliyah is popular a name with two different origins. 
It can be a feminine form of the Arabic name Ali, meaning "sublime, high" or "exalted." With a number of spelling variations, including Aleah, Aliya, and the most familiar to English-speakers, Aaliyah, it is a name with widespread usage, throughout the Middle East and in the US. 
It can also be derived from the Hebrew word "alah", meaning "to rise" or "to ascend," and refers to the migration of Jews to Israel. 
Popularised by the singer Aaliyah, Aliyah too has seen increased usage following her death in 2001. It now sits just outside the US Top 200.

Aliyah

Amalia is a widely cross-cultural name, heard from Italy to Romania, Germany to Scandinavia. The current heir to the Dutch throne is Princess Catharina-Amalia of Orange. It can be pronounced ah-MAH-lee-a or ah-mah-LEE-a. 
</br.
Like Amelia and Emilia, this name is likely to continue to climb. Frequently in the US Top 1000 in the early twentieth century, it spent nearly eighty years off the list until rejoining in 2011.
 Amalia's popularity was spread in eighteenth century Europe due to the fame of Anna Amalia, a Duchess who was a great patron of the arts.
 Amalia would make a lovely and more distinctive alternative to Amelia. Another spelling variation is Amalya.

Amalia

Though perhaps not as currently stylish as Ruby, Jade, or Pearl, Amber has a colorful history (remember the notorious Forever Amber heroine?). Unfortunately, it does come with the "Amber Alert" connotation for modern parents (and their children).

Amber

The name of the mother of the prophet Muhammad is well used among Muslims everywhere.

Amina

Angel is one of those names that has a very different trajectory for girls and boys. As a female name, it was most popular in the US from the 1970s until the turn of this century, almost breaking into the Top 100 at its peak in 2001 but then beginning a long slide down the list.
This may be partly because other forms of Angel -- Angela, Angie, Angelica, Angelina -- have dropped from favor too. Or it may be because of the crossover popularity of Angel for boys, partially inspired by Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
As a boys' name, Angel entered the Top 100 in 1997 and remains there today.
Spice Girl Melanie Brown named her daughter Angel Iris.

Angel

This Indian name meaning gift or offering feels familiar via sound-alikes Angela or Angelina, and made a brief appearance on the U.S. Top 1000. Anjali is a pretty route to a name that's at once easy to understand and uncommon.

Anjali

A lively, affectionate Russian pet name that is never given as a full name in its homeland, but has found some popularity in upper-crusty British society. It's also a surprising cultural crossover name due to its resemblance to the Indian name Anushka. British-Indian musician and composer Anoushka Shankar, daughter of Ravi, is a famous bearer.

Anoushka

Anya is a Russian variation of Anna, which came from the Hebrew name Hannah. Anya is the form found most frequently in Russia, Poland, and other East European countries, while Anja is the spelling usually preferred in Germany Norway, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and The Netherlands. In the Hungarian language, Anya also means mother.
 
It is often used as a character name with a bit of foreign flair. Aside from its authentic use in Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard, Anya has appeared as Audrey Hepburn's name in Roman Holiday, on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and as the latest Spider-Girl, who is also known as Arana. In literature, Anya Seton is the pen name of Ann Seton, author of such best-selling mid-century historical novels as Dragonwyck.

Anya

This name of the Cretan goddess of fertility is most popular now as the more melodic Ariana, but Ariadne has possibilities of its own. It first entered the US Top 1000 in 2014. The renewed interest in the name falls in line with the revival of other mythological names like Apollo and Athena. The trendy nickname Ari doesn't hurt either.
 In Greek mythology, she was the daughter of Minus who gave Theseus the thread by which he escaped from the labyrinth. After being deserted by him, she married Dionysus, the god of fertility, wine and drama

Ariadne

Asha is an Indian name that comes from the Sanskrit word for hope or desire, but it is also a Swahili name derived from Aisha, meaning life. Since the ascendance of Ashley through the 1980s and 90s, all baby names Ash-related have been used in the U.S. for both girls and boys, from Ashlyn to Ashby, Ashton to Asher. Despite its separate roots, Asha is part of this group.
 
Asha is finding new life through its Game of Thrones connections. Disney has announced an upcoming film titled Wish, which will feature a heroine named Asha who may likely be the next Disney Princess.
 
Read more about Asha and other <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/disney-princess-names">Disney Princess Names</a> in our featured blog.

Asha

Aviva is vivacious and memorable, a fresh spin on the Vivian and Vivienne names that have been getting more popular since Angelina and Brad chose one for their twin daughter. Another A-beginning palindrome name: Aziza. 

Aviva

Aya, barely more than a breath, is an international favorite, with origins in several languages and cultures. Popular throughout Europe, It debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2012.
 In the entertainment industry, Aya has two international bearers: Aya Korem, an Israeli singer-songwriter, and Aya Liu, a Taiwanese actress. And actress Hilary Swank named her twin daughter Aya (and her son Ohm).
 
Aya is also a Danish name (a creative spelling of Aja) and is a highly popular choice there.
 In Arabic, Aya meaning "sign, evidence" or "verse" and is a popular name in the Muslim community.

AZARA

Aziza is a zippy palindromic choice that is the female variation of Aziz and is found in several Middle Eastern and African languages and cultures. All in all, an attractive and interesting option; a Turkish variation is Azize.
<p<>In African mythology, the Azizi are a supernatural race of forest dwellers who give practical and spiritual advice.
 Aziz is the male version, as represented by Aziz Ansari, one of the stars of Parks and Recreation.

Aziza

Beatrice is back. Stored in the attic for almost a century, the lovely Beatrice with its long literary (Shakespeare, Dante) and royal history is being looked at with fresh eyes by parents seeking a classic name with character and lots of upbeat nicknames, like Bea and Bee. 
 
Beatrice has some competition with more flavorful Beatrix and Beatriz these days. Beatrice is far more popular in the UK., ranking in the Top 100, while in the US Beatrice sits in a sweet spot in the middle of the Top 1000.

Beatrice is derived from Beatrix, a Latin name meaning "she who brings happiness." In the earliest sources it is also recorded as Viatrix, meaning "voyager", so there is some weight in both meanings.
 
Beatrice was the name of Queen Victoria's youngest child. And in Dante's epic poem The Divine Comedy, Beatrice is his guide through Paradise and is idealized as the embodiment of the spirit of love. In Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, Beatrice is the witty, high-spirited heroine. Other variants of the name include the French Béatrice and the Spanish and Portuguese Beatriz.
 
Nickname Bea actually stood alone on the popularity lists for four years at the beginning of the twentieth century — and it could happen again. Bea is sleek and modern, while Trixie sounds vintage and sassy — though if you favor Trixie, you may want to consider the Beatrix version of the name, which is reminiscent of watercolorist and children's author Beatrix Potter and has that surprising -x ending. Beatrice, on the other hand, feels gentler and more classic.
 
The Duke and Duchess of York, aka Fergie and Prince Andrew, thrust Beatrice back into the public eye when they chose it for their older daughter in 1988. The name can be pronounced with two syllables, BEE- or BEH-tris; with three, as in BEE- or BAY-ah-tris; or, as the Italians say it, with a magisterial four, bay-ah-TREE-chay.
 
Other names that mean happiness: Felicity and Hilary, either of which would make a good twin or sister name for Beatrice. Beatrice is also among the relatively rare <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/b">girl names starting with B</a> that has a lot of current style value.

Beatrice

Calista Flockhart may have made her variation of this beautiful Greek name familiar to modern Americans, but the even-edgier x version was the name of an earlier feminist heroine: a character in Kate Chopin's The Storm.

Calixta

Celeste is a softly pretty and somewhat quaint name with heavenly overtones, which kids might associate with Queen Celeste of Babar's elephant kingdom. She's a light and lovely choice that's finally getting noticed.
 Celeste has been in the Top 1000 every year since 1880. Best known modern Celeste is Oscar-winning actress Celeste Holm.
 If you want a more unusual variation, consider Celestine, Celestia -- or even Celestial.

Celeste

Chiara is a lovely and romantic Italian name that's familiar but not widely used here: a real winner. You might consider Chiara instead of Claire, Clara, Cara, or even Keira.
 Santa Chiara, Aglicized as St. Clare, was a follower of Saint Francis of Assisi.
 Two members of European cinema royalty, Catherine Deneuve and Marcello Mastroianni, named their now grown daughter Chiara.
 Chiara currently ranks Number 8 in Italy, and is also well used in Switzerland, Germany and Austria.

Chiara

First used during the Victorian craze for jewel names; it could rise again, along with Ruby and Pearl, though it doesn't have as much luster. 

Coral

The beguiling Darya is the name of a character in Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. As a Russian name, it's a spelling variation of Daria, while in Iran, it's a girl's name that means "the sea".

Darya

Melodic and lively, Delilah has cut itself (mostly) free from its treacherous past to become a contemporary favorite. 
Though some people are naturally still put off by the deceptive Biblical figure, a large number of parents have been tempted by Delilah’s charms, meaning it now ranks in the Top 100 in the US, the UK, and Australia. 
Delilah is a Hebrew name, meaning “weak and languishing”, or, more appealingly, “delicate.” In the Old Testament, Delilah was the lover of Samson, but she betrayed him by cutting off the source of his strength – his hair – before handing him over to his enemies. 
Despite this negative namesake, Delilah has been occasionally used in the English-speaking world since the 1600’s when it was revived by the Puritans. 
It danced in and out of the charts during the 20th century, but by the mid 2000’s, it began to make significant gains. By 2018, it was in the Top 100, where it’s continued to rise ever since. 
With its alluring cadence, Delilah has been a hit in the music world. Camille Saint-Saens composed an opera based on the Biblical story in the 1880’s, while Tom Jones saw success in the 60’s with his song “Delilah.” 
Other artists who have sung about her include Queen, Chuck Berry, Sufjan Stevens, and Florence and the Machine, though it was after the release of the Plain White T’s song, “Hey there Delilah” that the name really jumped up the charts in 2007. 
Actors Harry Hamlin and Lisa Rinna were well ahead of the trend when they named their daughter Delilah back in 1998, and since then, it’s been a sparkling choice for celebrities. Kimberly Stewart, Benicio del Toro, Laurence Fishburne, Gina Torres, and Keira Knightley are among those who’ve selected Delilah for their daughters. 
Given to nearly 4000 babies every year, Delilah is still on the rise, while its international form, Dalila, remains popular in Italy and Bosnia and Herzegovina. 
If the sparkly, energetic sounds of Delilah do appeal to you, but the popularity or associations don’t sit right, then you could consider Tallulah, Keziah, Alaia, Azura, Talitha, or Fifer.

Delilah

Maybe it's because she shares that winning -elle sound with Isabel and Bella, but Estelle is no longer seen as a muumuu-wearing canasta player of a certain age (think George Costanza's mother on Seinfeld or Joey Tribbiani's talent agent in Friends). This could be in part thanks to the young Royal Couple of Sweden, who chose it for their firstborn daughter, or the single-named British R&B singer. It reentered the US Top 1000 in 2012 after a nearly fifty-year absence.
 Latin version Estella, introduced in Great Expectations, also has energy and charm, while Estrella is another stylish member of this star-related club. Ali Landry has a daughter named Estela. Este and Estee are also in the wind.

Estelle

Instead of the more obvious Aqua, Turquoise, or Blue, consider this offbeat Arabic name, brought into the American name pool by actress Fairuza Balk (named by her father for the color of her eyes). Since turquoise is the birthstone for December, Fairuza is one of the perfect <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/577/names-for-december-babies">names for December babies</a>.

Fairuza

Farida is a Muslim name more distinctive than the Americanized Farah/Farrah. 

Farida

Francesca is a lighter and much more feminine choice than the classic Frances, and one that is increasingly popular with upscale parents. 
 Francesca made an appearance in Dante's Inferno and then, centuries later, in the best-selling novel The Bridges of Madison County, played on screen by Meryl Streep and co-starring Clint Eastwood, who went on to name his daughter Francesca. Other dads of Francescas include Martin Scorsese, Erik Estrada, Jason Bateman and (stepdad) Ringo Starr.
 Francesca is also having a big renaissance in Italy, its country of origin.

Francesca

Name that makes a strong philosophical statement -- but might ironically be a lot for a child to carry.

Freedom

This is a Muslim female name particularly popular in Somalia and North Africa.

Habiba

A term of endearment turned cute British celebrity baby name, used by actress Kate Winslet, chef Jamie Oliver, and TV presenter Fearne Cotton, among others. Honey was given to only 40 girls in the US in 2017, but it's relatively popular across the pond, where it ranks in the current Top 500 baby names for girls.

Honey

Another strong Arabic name, related to Iman. Imani one is popular throughout the Muslim world but especially East Africa. It was chosen for her daughter by actress Jasmine Guy. 

Imani

Euphonious and long stylish in England, India was one of the fastest-rising names on the 2013 list, after jumping 240 spots back into the Top 1000.
 
Gorgeous as it may be, the usage of India as a name has distinctly imperial roots, making it a loaded (and ill-advised) choice for someone without Indian heritage.
 
India was a character in Gone with the Wind, the sister of Ashley Wilkes, and more recently was picked for the daughters of singer Sarah McLachlan, actress Heather Thomas, and Avenger Chris Hemsworth.
 
India Hicks is a high-profile ex-model with ties to the royal family, and the mother of a girl called Domino. Singer India.Arie was born India Arie — without the period.

India

Indigo is one of the most appealing and evocative of the new generation of color names. Color names have joined flower and jewel names -- in a big way -- and Indigo, a deep blue-purple dye from plants native to India, is particularly striking for both girls and boys. Indigo is the name of a character in the Ntozake Shange novel Sassafrass, Cypress & Indigo, and was used for his daughter by Lou Diamond Phillips.
 Some cultural references: The Indigo Girls are a folk duo, 'Mood Indigo' is a classic Duke Ellington jazz composition, and there is a 1970's New Age theory that Indigo children possess special, sometimes supernatural abilities.

Indigo

This form of Agnes, Ines has always been popular since the true story of the thwarted lovers Queen Ines of Castro and King Peter of Portugal. This has to be one of the most heartbreaking and bloody true romances in history!

Prince Peter fell in love with the beautiful and lovely Ines, but their relationship was forbidden by his father King Afonso. Peter (who had been married) became a widow and planned to marry Ines, but this too was disallowed. When Peter followed her into exile, Afonso ordered Ines to be murdered in front of her own child. Distraught, Peter hunted her murderers down and ripped the hearts out of their bodies, claiming they did not have any hearts. When he later came to the throne, Peter made Ines his queen, exhumed her body and made the court vow allegiance to her.

Ines recently achieved new prominence in the US as the name of the second daughter of actors Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds.

Inez is the Spanish spelling.

Ines

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.
 Before the rise of the political group, Isis was best known as the name of the supreme Egyptian goddess of the moon, sky, magic, motherhood and fertility, revived by feminists and others willing to cross into arcane territory. And with the mini-craze for names that start with Is- -- Isabella, Isla -- it was not so surprising that Isis was joining the I crowd.
 The ancient Isis, wife of Osiris (who happened to be her brother), was worshiped beyond Egypt into the Greco-Roman world. According to myth, the Nile river floods every year because of Isis's tears of sorrow for the death of Osiris.
 In popular culture, Isis has been a character on Stargate and Battleship Galactica, an opera, the title of a Bob Dylan song and the name of several rock bands.
 The Isis is the name given to part of the River Thames.

Isis

This name of a Buddhist goddess, a possible alternative to the trendy Maya, was chosen for their daughter by Laura Dern and Ben Harper. Jaya is simple yet unusual, a winning combination, and one of the out-of-the-box <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/433/goddess-baby-names">goddess names</a> as well as one of the most easily translated <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/539/hindi-names-for-girls">Hindi names for girls</a>.

Jaya

JAYANA

KAIMANA

Cute name but be warned: Kali is the Hindu goddess of destruction, the fierce side of the goddess Devi. 

But many parents don't know or don't care about Kali's dark side and see the name simply as a respelling of Callie. It might also be a short form of such names as the Greek Kalista, the Arabic Kalila, or the Indian Kalinda.

Kali

Kiana (or more appropriately, Quiana) is the original polyester name, now falling fast out of favor.
 Kiana Brown is an American singer-songwriter and actress, currently appearing on the MTV series Scream.

Kiana

Popularized in the 1940s by Lana (born Judy) Turner, today Lana is synonymous with American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey. Although it has been rising steadily since the early 2000s, Lana still sits in the popularity "sweet spot" – familiar, but not overused. Simple, sleek and seamlessly international, it makes a great choice.

Lana

LAYAL

Lotus is one of the most languorous of the flower names, with intriguing significance in both Buddhism and Hinduism, symbolizing purity, grace and spiritual growth — not to mention a familiar yoga position.
 In ancient Greece, the lotus was a legendary plant, whose fruit was eaten by the mythical lotus eaters, causing them to go into a state of hypnotic forgetfulness.
 Lotus Flower is a Chinese character in the 1931 Pulitzer Prize-winning Pearl S. Buck novel, The Good Earth.
Rain Pryor, daughter of comedian Richard, named her daughter Lotus Marie.

Lotus

Love makes an endearing middle name, as in Jennifer Love Hewitt. However, more parents are considering Love as a first name — enough for it to enter the charts for the first time in 2022 as one of the fastest-rising names of the year. Other love-related alternatives include Juliet, Valentina, and Amor.

Love

Marigold, once found almost exclusively in English novels and aristocratic nurseries, is beginning to be talked about and considered here. It has a sweet, sunny, quirky feel. The marigold was the symbol of the Virgin Mary.

 Marigold appears in several children's book titles, such as Magic for Marigold, Once Upon a Marigold and Marigold in Godmother's House, and in the adult Quartet in Autumn by Barbara Pym. On the TV show 1600 Penn, Marigold was the President's young daughter. 

 The name got a big boost from its use in the period drama Downton Abbey, in which it belongs to a sweet little girl – which no doubt helped to endear parents to the name! It has risen dramatically since then, and recently entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2022. We expect Marigold to be one to look out for as parents are looking for unique botanical names now that the previously offbeat Magnolia and Juniper are feeling less fresh.

Marigold

Maya, which has an almost mystical image, has been steadily climbing in popularity in the US and the English-speaking world, along with a range of other countries, including France, Germany, Israel, and Brazil. It's ranked in the US Top 100 since the turn of this century, but has never risen to the top of the list, which you may consider a good thing.
 
In addition to being the name of a Central American culture, Maya was the legendary Greek mother of Hermes by Zeus, and means "illusion" in Sanskrit and Eastern Pantheism. It can also be spelled Maia, though both names have so many possible origins and meanings that not all of them are related. 
 </brTo the Romans, Maia/Maya was the incarnation of the earth mother and goddess of spring, after whom they named the month of May.
 Famed author Maya Angelou was born Marguerite; Maya was coined by her brother saying "mya sister." Its best known current bearers include performer Maya Rudolph and architect Maya Lin. 
Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke's actress daughter is Maya Ray. British designer Phoebe Philo also has a Maya, named for Angelou, as does Israeli actress Gal Gadot.

Maya

Nura

Nuri might be a nickname for the place name Nuria, popular in Spain and Portugal as a honorific for the Virgin Mary. Nuri is also a usually-masculine name heard in the Middle East, but to the Western ear it might work for girls or boys.

Nuri

NURIHAN

Ocean is a nature name that comes right out and states its meaning and association. Full of power and depth, Ocean is one of the fastest-rising baby names for both girls and boys, making the US Top 1000 for both genders in 2021. Oceane, the version that's trendy in France, was used for only 11 baby girls in the US in the same year.

Ocean-lovers who want to be less obvious can choose such subtler <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/641/names-that-mean-ocean">names that mean ocean</a> as Jennifer or Marissa, but coming right out and using Ocean is a perfectly valid way to go.

Ocean

OSTARA

Sophisticated, stylish feminine form of Pascal especially appropriate for girls born around Easter or Passover. 

Pascale

Pearl, like Ruby, has begun to be polished up for a new generation of fashionable children after a century of jewelry box storage. The birthstone for the month of June, Pearl could also make a fresher middle name alternative to the overused Rose. Cool couple Maya Rudolph and Paul Thomas Anderson named their daughter Pearl Minnie, followed by Jack Osbourne, and several celebs have put it in the middle spot, as in Busy Philipps's Cricket Pearl, Jake Owen's Olive Pearl and Caleb Followill's Dixie Pearl .
After being a Top 25 name in the late nineteenth century, Pearl went into a long slide, but is showing signs of a strong comeback -- it reentered the Top 1000 in 2010.
 In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, Pearl is the illegitimate daughter of Hester Prynne, who gives her the name because she is 'her mother's only treasure.'
 Pearl was also the alter ego name of Janis Joplin, tied to singer Pearl Bailey, and---hmm--the birth name of western writer Zane Gray.
 Variations are PERLE and PERLA.

Pearl

This name of a tragic figure in Greek mythology, the daughter of King Minos, sister of Ariadne and wife of Theseus, has a mysterious and intriguing appeal, and would make a dramatic choice.

 Phaedra has been a persistent theme in literature, both ancient and modern. There have been plays by Euripedes, Racine, Unamuno, and O'Neill, novels, poetry, operas and film--as recently as the 2011 Immortals starring Freida Pinto.
 One celebrity pulled a gender switch when she named her son Phaedra Bloom Forever.

Phaedra

Phoenix is a New Age name symbolizing rebirth and immortality. It's also a place name, a color name, a mythological name, AND an animal name, combining several of today's hottest trends in one appealing package.

Phoenix is also a fairly evenly-balance gender neutral baby names, given last year to about 1000 baby girls and 1300 baby boys. Scary Spice chose Phoenix for her daughter, and Paris Hilton used it for her son.

Phoenix

RAFIQA

The name of the wife of Alexander the Great, more attractive than the better-known Roxanne. Roxana was first used in the English-speaking world in the 1600s and was popularized by Daniel Defoe's novel Roxana, published in 1724. An underused and attractive possibility and perfect if you're searching for <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/316/baby-names-that-mean-new-beginnings?all=1">names that mean new beginnings</a>.

Roxana

RUBIANCA

RUHI

RUQAYYAH

SHAFIQA

Shakti is the female equivalent of the god Shiva in Hinduism.  A sacred name sometimes used in a secular way.

Shakti

SHANKARI

This Hindi word which is used in prayer is one of the prime <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/411/baby-names-that-mean-peace">names that mean peace</a>, always a nice message to impart to a child. Nick Nolte used it for his daughter.

Shanti

SHIRINE

Among the first wave of word names used in the hippie era, it actually is a legitimate girl's name with a lot of luster. 

Silver

Sky may be a bit hippie-ish, but it's bright and sunny nonetheless. Sky rejoined the Top 1000 in 2013 after spending many years off the list. Sky was the choice of magician David Copperfield for his daughter, born in 2010. 

Soraya is a Persian name made famous in the Western world by the one-time empress of Iran, who settled in Europe, primarily in France. Soraya is derived from Thurayya, the Arabic name of the Pleiades, a group of stars in the constellation Taurus.

Soraya

SUMAYA

Sunshine was seen as a quintessential hippie name of the 70s, reaching as high as Number 536 in 1975. Now such names are making a bit of a retro comeback, seen, for example, as a character on Glee.

Sunshine

Tala is a super multicultural name with roots in many diverse languages and cultures. In Northern Europe, especially in Scandinavia, it is a diminutive derived from Adelheid "noble", long used as a standalone name.

 In Tagalog mythology, Tala is the goddess of the morning and evening star, the eldest child of the sun god Arao and the moon goddess Buan. According to legend, Arao decided to destroy their star children, but Buan hid them behind clouds. Arao discovered Buan’s deception and has been trying to take revenge ever since, which explains the phenomenon of solar eclipses.

 In Polynesian languages, including Samoan and Hawaiian, Tala means "story, tale" – and it is also the name of the Samoan currency, a corruption of the word "dollar".

 In Persian and Farsi, the name Tala means "gold", and it is also the name of the turmeric tree or spice in Arabic.

Tala

This hauntingly euphonious Choctaw name has re-entered the public domain, as memories of the outrageous actress Tallulah Bankhead have faded. For years, Tallulah was a name associated only with Bankhead, named for her paternal grandmother who was named after the Georgia town of Tallulah Falls.
 A modern hipster favorite, Tallulah had been chosen for their daughters by Philip Seymour Hoffman, Patrick Dempsey, Damian Dash, Rachel Roy and Sara Rue. The name was trail-blazed by Demi Moore and Bruce Willis for their now grown daughter. 
 When spelled Talulla or Talullah, it is also a traditional Irish name that was borne by two saints.

Tallulah is among the Feminine Feminist names is one of our hottest <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/baby-name-trends-2024">baby name trends</a> of 2024.

Tallulah

TYGER

The multicultural Yara is also the name of a beautiful green-skinned Brazilian goddess and might make a more unusual spin on Mara or Sara. Yara Greyjoy is the name of a strong female character in HBO's Game of Thrones, sister to the troubled Theon. In George R.R. Martin's books, this same character is named Asha; the show's producers changed it to avoid confusion with similar-sounding Osha.

Yara

Any of the Y forms, which also include Yasmeen, Yasmin, and Yasmina, make this name more unusual and distinctive.

Yasmine

ZAINAB

Zayna is a simplified spelling of Zaynab, the name of the eldest daughter of Muhammad, and also the feminine version of Zayn. Zaina is a widely-used spelling variation. Zainabu is another form of the name, also found in Swahili.

Zayna

blue_monkey's list "For a girl with Egyptian, Indian & Welsh heritage - my shortlist" of 76 great name ideas: Aida - Zayna!