Latin Names

This elaboration of Vera makes an attractive and uncommon choice.

A vivacious Italian name; also a diminutive of Annunziata.

Cute as a nickname, slight as a first.

All but unheard of today, Floy was a popular Florence nickname used on its own in a century ago: it was Number 448 in 1914.

Probably too evangelical for mass importation.

Real name that sounds like a made-up combination of Dillon and Lillian.

More modern and alluring than Silver, Argenta is one of the few mineral/metal-related names.

Colombia is a South American country name, with a rhythmic sound and peaceful connotations. The Irish Colm, Scottish Callum, and Columba are all attractive relatives of Colombia (or Columbia, if you're thinking of the college).

Embodies both color and operatic style.

If you live in the city, you might call your urban baby Urbana; if you live in the suburbs--don't even think of Surbana.

The unusual hybrid Tuliana, which rhymes with Juliana, combines the Roman offshoot Tulia with the more familiar Ana, the Latinate form of Anna or Ann. Tulia comes from the Roman family name Tullius, best known as the middle name of the philosopher Cicero. While Tuliana is intriguing, any little Tuliana, upon introducing herself, will always be asked, "Juliana?"

Sebastiane is not a common feminization but may become more so as Sebastian achieves international popularity.

Delicate and obscure version of this many-faceted name.

Variation on the Delight-Delicia theme.

Semiramis/Semiramide was the most important Queen of Assyria, who conquered much of Asia. Semiramis restored ancient Babylon and protected it with a high brick wall that completely surrounded the city. Then she built several palaces in Persia, reigned much of Asia Minor effectively and conquered Libya and Ethiopia. The version Semiramide was used by Giacomo Rossini in his opera of the same name.

Sargent, as in Kennedy brother-in-law Shriver, is the more familiar and usable form of this name.

With the new fashion for occupational names, we may hear more of this one.

Dacia is an ancient place-name -- it was in Eastern Europe -- as lacy as Dacey, but more substantial.

One of the most pleasant and evocative of the hot new occupational names. Related name: Gardner, as in Ava.

Quirina is the feminine form of Quirinus, the name of the Sabine god of war. This is one mythological name that has not traveled to the modern world -- we've found no babies ever name Quirina or Quirinus in the US -- but with this newly-trendy class of names, anything is possible.