Favorite girl names

Minnie was wildly popular at the turn of the last century — it was the fifth or sixth most popular name throughout the 1880s — but is completely obscure in the US today. Blame Mickey's girlfriend. Regardless, it's possible that the up and coming trend toward old-fashioned nickname-names — think Maisie, Mamie, Millie — may give Minnie (all on its own, not as a short form of anything) a new moment in the sun.

Best known as the beautiful heroine to whom Cyrano de Bergerac says, "Your name is like a golden bell".

Once a Top 100 name, this Spanish diminutive of Ana still retains some of her Latin flair. A notable namesake is noted attorney Anita Hill, another is the great jazz singer Anita O'Day. Plus there's Disney cred via the lead human character in 101 Dalmatians.

Lumina is a radiant feminine name derived from the Latin word 'lumen,' meaning 'light.' This elegant name carries connotations of brightness, illumination, and enlightenment across various cultures.

Serafina is a name so lovely it's worthy of an angel. But the more stylish spelling today is Seraphina.

Aurelie is the delicate French variation of Aurelia, one of the most improbable popular names of recent years. Both versions of the name are lovely, but it might be difficult to insist that Americans pronounce Aurelie the attractive French way rather than like plain old orally.

This early Welsh saint's name is unusual and lovely, waiting to be discovered. Saint Arianell was a member of the Welsh royal family who was possessed by a spirit which was exorcised by Saint Dyfrig, who became Arianell's spiritual teacher.

Evokes 1960s brotherly close harmony. The Red Hot Chili Peppers' Anthony Kiedis named his son Everly Bear, and it is also an explosively popular choice for girls. We predict that all the "Ever" names will be one of the defining trends of the 2010s-20s.

Anora is a phonetic respelling of Honora, a longer form of the virtue name Honor. It also might qualify as a trendy Fast Fashion name, a composition of euphonious syllables without any specific provenance.

Unusual yet accessible Hawaiian choice. The Noel beginning makes it a possible name for baby girls born at Christmas.

This is a more spunky and Nordic looking variant of Erica, but the k also makes the connection to the beautiful flower less apparent.

Veronica seems poised to rise again, along with many other V names, and with it may follow this more romantic French version.

This feminine name — simply "angel" imported into Māori phonology — is fresher than Angela and less Hollywood than Angelina.

While this has a distinguished male namesake -- astronomer Edmund Halley and his comet -- it still strays too close to the superpopular feminine Hailey family to work for some parents for a boy. Fewer than five baby boys were given the name last year, but that could change as formerly-female names become more acceptable for boys.