Latin Names for Girls

Variant of Hortensia, an unusual floral name and the name of a secondary character in Roald Dahl's Matilda.

Ovidia is the unusual feminine form of the ancient Roman Ovidius, most famous as the name of the exiled 1st century Roman poet Ovid. Modern male form Ovidio is known in Spain and Portugal. Ovida is another variation.

Has the fusty charm of recently excavated ancient Roman male names like Augustus and Magnus, which might just appeal to the fearless baby namer.

Carita may feel like an endearing nickname but it's a name in its own right, used throughout Scandinavia in this form and as Karita, Caritas, and Karitas as a variation on Charity.

Aromatic but also problematic.

Seems to cry out for another syllable.

There are several better Cal- names that don't simply echo a male form.

Clorinda is a romantic name invented by a sixteenth-century poet, but has a synthetic sound today.

A place name relating to the tropical palm tree.

Tertia—which is occasionally used in the UK, but rarely in the US, would make an unconventional but interesting possibility for the third child in a family. Terza and Terzo are lively Italian female and male variations.

A feminine form of Rufus, which has potential in the current trend for ancient Roman names.

Pleasingly quaint and dainty New Testament possibility; the nickname Dru modernizes it.

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

Rising boys' name could cross the gender line.

Cyrille is a unisex French name, and its association with the suddenly suave Cyril has turned from a liability into an advantage.

Name that's virtually unknown here but has a lovely meaning and a simple sound and spelling.

This ancient feminine form is the kind of name your child will grow into...at least by her fiftieth birthday.

Not as common as brother Sergio, but still quite frequently heard in the Hispanic community, as in Bolivian singer Sergia Llanos.

The daintiest and most accessible of the many Q names for a fifth child, now used for girls situated anywhere in the birth order.

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.