German Names

This is a rarely heard feminization of the rarely heard Roland.

A bird name that could be thought of as an animated spin on Garrett.

Along with the more common Silke, a diminutive used in Germany for Cecilia and Celia. Both Silke and Zilke are unknown yet usable German names for girls.

We think the more spelling, Lorelei, works better.

As dated as the old Pat Boone song.

Germans spell Stephanie with an f though the i ending is not traditional. Lady Gaga dropped the Stefani and No Doubt's Gwen sports is as a surname. Despite the celebrity connections, we say if you want to name your daughter Stephanie, name her Stephanie.

The meaning is kind of silly, but the name might make a distinctive update of Janet.

Where's Walda? Out of the running.

A name with two strong literary associations, one overwhelmingly negative -- Lolita's pedophilic narrator Humbert Humbert -- and one positive, in the preferable European version: Italian author Umberto Eco.