Latin Names
- Alban
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"white, or, man from Alba"Description:
An ancient and highly unusual name; St. Alban -- sometimes also called Albinus or Aubin -- was an early martyr in Roman Britain. Using an alternate spelling, Alben Barkley was the 35th U.S. Vice-President, serving under Harry Truman. And Albin is popular in modern Sweden. But only the form Alban has the alternate meaning "from Alba".
- Marilla
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"shining sea"Description:
Marilla is a names that's familiar via its resemblance to Mary and variations, but also distinctive: It hasn't been on the Top 1000 since the 1800s and was given to only 27 baby girls last year.
- Octavian
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"eighth"Description:
With the rise of ancient Roman names, Octavian suddenly seem plausible again. A variation of Octavius and relative of the more modern Octavio, it's an equally attractive member of the trio.
- Vivien
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"life"Description:
Vivien (Scarlett O'Hara) Leigh was born Vivian. Some sources give Vivien as a relative of the Irish goddess name Bebinn and a literary name invented by Tennyson. Others say it's related to the Latin-based Viviana, meaning life. This spelling of the name is as legitimate as many others.
- Terry
Origin:
Diminutive of TerenceDescription:
One of the first breakaway unisex baby names, Terry, used independently since the days of Terry and the Pirates, is still used for boys though it's faded away for girls.
- Julianna
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"youthful or sky father"Description:
Together with Julian, the name Juliana/Julianna derives from Julius, a Roman family name. Its origin is shrouded in history, but possible roots include Latin iuvenis, meaning "youthfu"; Greek ioulos, meaning "downy-bearded"; or Jovis, a form of Jupiter, which means "sky father".
- Martina
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"warlike"Description:
Tennis-related name popular throughout Europe that's never caught fire here.
- Maxton
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"greatest"Description:
Maxton is a new member of the ever-expanding Max clan of baby names, hitting the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2011. It joins newfangled Maxon and stylish cousin Paxton. Still, we prefer the more classic Maxwell, Maxfield, Maximus, or just plain Max.
- Annora
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"honor"Description:
Annora is a noble name, a distinctive twist on its most essential form: Honor. Other variations to explore include Honora and Nora.
- Fauna
Origin:
RomanMeaning:
"young deer"Description:
Fauna is the Roman goddess of the earth as well as one of the fairies who protected Disney's "Sleeping Beauty".
- Laelia
Origin:
Latin family name and botanical nameDescription:
Upside: it has an interesting ancient look and feel, related to the Roman family name Laelius of uncertain meaning. There is also a type of orchid called the Laelia. Downside: possible confusion with all those Laylas, Lailas, etc. out there.
- Meliora
Origin:
Latin, CornishMeaning:
"better; honey"Description:
Unusual and lush Roman name adopted, improbably, by the Puritans.
- Domino
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"lord, master"Description:
One of those ultimate cool-girl names, played by Keira Knightley in a movie about a supermodel-turned-bounty hunter, but kids might associate it with the game. High profile British designer India Hicks used it for her daughter. As a girls' nameit's still very rare, used in 2015 in the US for only seven baby girls.
- Flossie
Origin:
Diminutive of FlorenceMeaning:
"flourishing, prosperous"Description:
Flossie was an extremely popular Florence nickname that was used independently in the early twentieth century, given to over five hundred girls per year a century ago. Flossie was one of the younger twins in the iconic children's book series The Bobbsey Twins, first published in 1904. Appealing, if a little cutesy--sweet as candy floss. A similar name is Florrie.
- Vespera
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"evening star"Description:
Said to refer to either Jupiter or Venus, either of which would be preferable as a name.
- Major
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"greater; or, a military rank"Description:
This bold choice soared in popularity from 2008 to 2013, and now seems to have plateaued. But watch out—the character Major Major Major Major in the classic absurdist novel Catch-22 had a terrible time.
- Jay
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"jaybird"Description:
One of the boys' names newly appropriated for girls -- either on its own, as a pet form of any J name, or as a singular middle name.
- Caledon
Origin:
Irish place-name from CaledoniaMeaning:
"hard or rocky land"Description:
Caledon, the name of the arrogant Billy Zane character in "Titanic," is an Irish place-name related to Caledonia, the Latin word for Scotland thought to be derived from the ancient Celtic word for "hard." Cal is a wonderful nickname, and Caledon an inventive way to get there.
- Corvina
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"like a raven"Description:
Corvina sounds too much like a car model.
- Terence
Origin:
Latin clan name of uncertain meaningDescription:
A name that seems to hail from the old Irish neighborhoods of Boston and New York, Terence actually dates back a lot further, to the time of a famous second-century poet, who started life as a North African enslaved man in the house of a Roman senator and it was also borne by several early saints.