Latin Names for Girls

May rise along with other spiritually inclined names, but Americans might find it too close to Osama.

Primula is related to Primrose, the name and the flower, and would make a quirky yet charming (or is it charming yet quirky?) botanical name for a first daughter.

Dexter turned ultracool for a girl when Diane Keaton named her daughter Dexter Dean. Dexter is getting a new style gloss for both genders thanks to (unlikely) baby name role model, television's Dexter the genial serial killer.

Brimming over with a sense of good fortune. Could make a little girl feel very lucky.

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?"

Slightly weightier alternative to Maxine

Faunia is more often rendered as Fauna, who was a Roman goddess of fertility, women and healing. Faunia was the downtrodden yet loving heroine of Philip Roth's Human Stain. Faunia and Fauna have more gravitas than the doe-like Fawn.

Like Quentin, Quintin and Quintana, Quintia was once reserved for the fifth child in a family, but now would make an interesting choice for a child coming anywhere in the birth order.

Enshrined in the Latin and Catholic culture.

Domitilla is the name of the wife of the Roman emperor Vespasianus and the mother of the emperors Titus and Domitianus. There is a Santa Domitilla with catacombs in Rome named after her.

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).

Most distinctive of the Dominic-related girls' names.

A town in the San Fernando Valley: slightly better than Encino or Tarzana.

Modesty is a virtue name dating to Roman times, but never widely used, except for hot 1960s movie spoof heroine, Modesty Blaise, based on a comic strip.

Cesarina, like the French version Cesarine, is a feminine version of Caesar. Cesarina has two potential pronunciations: one with the Italian "che" sound, one with the anglo "sez" sound. This is among the more unusual Italian names for girls.

This name of the wife of Mark Antony (no, not Marc Anthony) in ancient Rome sounds a tad too anatomical for a modern girl.

This intriguing name of an ancient Etruscan queen renowned for her prophetic powers was long associated with the prima ballerina Tanaquil LeClerq.

Probably too evangelical for mass importation.

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.

Most often heard as an Italian surname, this might be an unusual yet musical option. While it's not among the traditional Italian names for girls, it can fill that role.