Latin Names

Viva la baby with this life-affirming name, one of the appealing group of girl names that mean life.! Singer Rufus Wainwright chose it for his baby daughter, perhaps in celebration of a new life entering the world the year after he lost his mother Kate McGarrigle. The baby's middle name is Katherine.

Corin is a Shakespearean male name that could easily be adapted for a girl, making a strong update for Corinne or Karen.

Widely used in the Hispanic community, as is the shorter Isai. While the original Isaiah and cousin Isaac are much more popular, Isaias commanded attention as the name of a storm in the summer of 2020.

Lucienne is a soft and ultra-sophisticated French-accented option in the Lucy family, one that could provide a fresh alternative to such fatigued Gallic choices as Danielle and Michelle.

The Irish boys' name Colum, rarely heard in the U. S., makes an interesting alternative to Colin.

Quade is a confident, contemporary-sounding name that would fit right in with classmates Cade, Zade, Slade and Jade, boasting the quirky Q-beginning.

Woodsy name referring to the Roman tree god Silvanus.

The unusual and intriguing Tullia has been used since Roman times and may appeal to parents who like Tallulah, Julia, and Lillia but want something that's very rarely heard.

Seneca was both a Roman philosopher-statesman and is a Native American Iroquois tribe. Occasionally used for both girls and boys, Seneca is now a Hunger Games character.

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.

The Latin names for girls Florentina may be the most feminissima and flowery of the 'Flor" names. Another option would be Fiorentina, though you can also downshift to Flora or Florence.

Auriel is a Roman name that was revived during the nineteenth-century craze for unique names. Could make an interesting substitution for the popular Aurora or Ariel.

Sounds like a fictional rank of royalty.

Cesar is the sleeker version of Caesar, as in emperor Julius, used in the US most frequently by Hispanic parents who put the emphasis on the second syllable. With ancient Roman names back in vogue, Cesar might become more popular.

Altalune is an invention used by Uma Thurman and Arpad Busson as one of several middle names for their daughter. It's evocative Latin meaning roughly translates to "over the moon." Celebrity baby Altalune will be called the more familiar Luna for short.

Despite its modern sound, Blaise has plenty of history as a given name (for boys), from a Christian martyr to Arthurian legends. Today Blaise feels like the cool and edgy Blaze with a French accent.

A Latin clan name that may rise again along with other things Roman.

Very rarely used, could provide a distinctive alternative to Lydia.

Hillary is a lovely name that, for the moment at least, is tightly bound to an individual with a strong image: Hillary Clinton. Whatever your feelings about Mrs. Clinton, her fame now dominates the name, making it feel less baby-ready than it deserves to be. Hillary as a name has so much going for it: the popular, rhythmic three-syllable structure, the fact that it's strong but light, proper but jaunty, with an irresistible meaning -- having the same root as hilarious. The Italian Ilaria may be one way to make the name fresh.

Marine is an extremely popular and fashionable name in France that's virtually unknown here — and is ready to set sail. Marine feels more contemporary than Marina and less hippie-esque than Oceane, another popular name for girls in France.