Luminous Names

The feminine form of Caelius, from caelum "skies, heavens".

Clarimond is related to the Occitan name Esclarmonde, and is probably the more wearable of the two variations.

Girlish, but has a nice feeling of uniqueness and unity.

This lovely, rhythmic Hindu nature name relates to the mythical Kalinda Mountains, from which a sacred river flows.

Colorful, yes, but also probably among the hippiest of hippie names. Holly Madison recently chose it for her little girl.

In its mid-20th century heyday, Deedee -- or Didi or Dede -- was not infrequently used as a name in its own right. It's a cute, or maybe cutesy, short form of names like Deanne.

This beautiful Breton saint's name peaked at #127 in France in 2006. It's still in the Top 500 there today, but remains almost unknown outside of France.

A strong and striking Urdu name found especially in Pakistan, with a wonderfully evocative meaning.

Though this name is used for both boys and girls in Israel, in the U.S. it sounds decidedly masculine, with Zohara the feminine form. Has a futuristic macho feel.

Lleucu is often considered the Welsh equivalent of Lucy, as it shares the same meaning of "light", and a similar sound. (Lwsi and Liwsi are the phonetic Welsh spellings of Lucy.) It's a statement choice even within Wales, and the spelling/pronunciation would make it extremely bold in other countries.

Chandra is the name of the Hindu moon goddess last groovy when incense and meditation were hot new concepts but a new possibility with the resurgence of astrology and other non-Western spiritual beliefs.

Lainie is a nickname for Elaine that has been in the public eye via Lainie Kazan (that was her full given name), who was a popular singer in the 1960s and 1970s (she was Barbra Streisand's understudy in "Funny Girl"), and then became a motherly character actress. We still find Lainie a bit flimsy for a full first name.

Liodor is the Leo and Theodore mash-up you didn't know you needed — with authentic Russian roots! It ultimately derives from the Greek name Heliodoros.

Kalindi is a lovely, rhythmic name refers to one of the seven sacred rivers of India.

A simple and seamlessly international choice with a joyful sound and beautiful meaning.

A sweet and lively name with two distinct derivations. It can be a short form of Sylvia or a variant spelling of its French form Sylvie, meaning "of the forest". Or, it can be a Norwegian and Swedish variant of Solveig, meaning "sun strength".

A celestial choice that's used both in Mexico and by Latinx Americans. The Hispanized form spelling Xitlali may be more familiar.

Variant of Hannelore

Names ending with O are popular, but this one is almost unheard-of. Faro has the advantages of being easy to spell and pronounce (unless it's confused with Pharaoh), and a bright meaning. Ultimately it comes from Pharos, the island where the great Lighthouse of Alexandria was built, and there's a district and city in Portugal called Faro. Be aware: it's also the name of a gambling card game, highly popular in the nineteenth century before poker took over.

A handsome and gentle sounding moon name which would work well across cultures.