Names That Mean Feminine

Almost completely unknown in this country: an intriguing possibility.

Depending on how you say it, either a streamlined version of Deanna, or the namesake of a male Dean. But today, why not name her Dean.

Benedita is easy for an English speaker to pronounce yet sounds just uncommon enough to be intriguing. And with Benedict more in mainstream use, Benedita feels possible.

You might be able to make this work if you pronounce it the sophisticated French way: zhil-bare.

This alternative spelling of the classic Italian name Giovanna is used in small numbers, but with the sharp rise of diminutives Gia and Gianna, it feels right in line.

This feminization of Bastian really stems from Sebastian — a Latin name that came from the Greek Sebastos, meaning "honored" or "revered".