Names That Mean Name

Able takes this name in the direction of the word denoting someone capable and handle, and that is not a bad way to go.

Helisent was used in the medieval days and has royal antecedents found in both France and Germany. Information on its origins is sketchy, but some say it's related to Elise or Helen or Heloise, or that it derives from a Visigothic name meaning "temple path". Variants include Elisende, Elisenda, Elysant, Elysande, Elissent and Elisent.

An ancient city in Assyria, where Jonah was sent to spread the word of God.

Elphaba was invented by Gregory Maguire for the protagonist of his novel Wicked, which became the long-running Broadway play and then a movie. Elphaba is the name of the Wicked Witch of the West, unnamed in the Oz books, and is drawn from the initials of Oz creator L. Frank Baum.

Zaynab, from the Arabic word for beauty and the name of a flowering tree, was the name of a granddaughter, daughter and two wives of the Prophet Muhammed. Related names include the simplified forms Zaina and Zayna and the Swahili-inflected Zainabu, along with possibly Zenobia, a name related to the Greek mythological god Zeus. Zaynab is one of the most popular Muslim girls' names around the world.

Although this month name was used only for girls in a recent year, there's no reason it can't work for both genders. For a holiday baby, more original than Noel and more universal than Christmas.

Scilla are little woodland flowers in a beautiful bright blue color. Scilla can also be a short form of Priscilla, from Prisca "ancient".

Did you really mean to name your child Channel, as in the body of water? Like, you know, the English Channel? Or were you going for the last name of the French designer Chanel, with a soft "sh" sound at the beginning and the emphasis on the last syllable? If so, we recommend sticking with the Chanel spelling.

Musical choice that might work great in the middle. Alternative in all its forms, Fife and sister name Fifer are Scottish names for girls that can make a new twist on Piper.

Obsolete Swanhild gives way to oh-so-modern Swan, joining the flock of newly fashionable bird names such as Wren and Lark. In France, the Swann spelling is fashionable for both sexes. But Swan carries an image of grace, though perhaps also a bit of languor. It's a lovely and original name, right for our times.

A sharp and interesting Kurdish name derived from the name of a river and mountain in the region.

A popular name in India, several famous Indian women carry this sweet sounding name.

Easter has been used as a name for several hundred years, as part of the day-naming tradition; now, this rarely heard holiday celebration name would make a novel choice for a springtime baby. Background:The early Anglo-Saxon monk and scholar Bede took the name of a goddess--Eostre-- whose feast was celebrated at the vernal equinox and gave it to the Christian festival of the resurrection of Christ.

Heron fits in with the modern nature names that are so stylish at the moment, but it also has history as the name of a Greek inventor and Egyptian saint. Both were male, but Heron's image as a word name makes it accessible for girls as well.

Ode could be part of the extended Otto/Otis family, or it might be a literary term, referring to an elaborate lyric poem.

In the US this is likely to conjure zebras, lions and elephants on the Serengeti, but its original meaning "journey" broadens its wearability. Safari is a name common in Africa for babies born while their parents were on a journey.

A green-skinned superhero from the Marvel universe, played by Vanessa Marshall and Zoe Saldana, among others.

Also a city near Tel Aviv, Hadar is a name found primarily in Israel. There is also a citrus fruit associated with the holiday of Sukkat the Torah calls the "hadar fruit".

We've adopted Plum, Cherry, and even Apple as baby names, so why not Persimmon? It lends itself to the charming nicknames Percy or Persy.