Animal Names for Girls

So airy, it's almost not there.

Dune is a haunting and evocative sandy-beach name, which also has sci-fi connections. Dune is a science fiction franchise that was launched by Frank Herbert's 1965 novel. Some interesting Dune character names include Alia, Leto, Siona, Bellonda,and Tamalane.

Annis and Anice are both antique variations of Agnes that have fallen out of use, perhaps because of pronunciation problems (ANN-is, or an-EES?)

The Hebrew, Biblical form of Eve. While English speakers will likely find the forms Ava or Eve easier in everyday life, Chava is a lovely variation for a family that speaks Hebrew or Yiddish - plus, English speakers could always learn.

Most will see this as a refreshing middle name possibility, but Bristol Palin baby daddy Levi Johnston used it as a first name for his new daughter, Breeze Beretta.

The famous home of Hamlet in Shakespeare's great play is based on an actual castle in northern Denmark, which guarded the narrow entryway to the Baltic Sea for centuries. (The Danish word for it is Helsingør.) Elsinore may claim a rightful place among the Danish names for girls, vaguely akin to Eleanor, with Elsie a natural nickname, though some may find it a little pretentious. But as a middle name for the lover of Shakespeare or Copenhagen? Golden.

This name has many different connotations, from Tarot cards to a species of butterfly. It is related to the English word arcane, which means esoteric, mysterious, enigmatic.

This name dates back to Arthurian legend, in which Angharad was the lover of Percival, one of the Knights of the Round Table, and was used more recently for the name of the favorite wife of the warlord in Mad Max: Fury Road. It was quite popular in the Middle Ages and is still heard in Wales, but we doubt that even the glamorous Rosie Huntington-Whiteley could propel it to wider popularity.

Alexandra is a name with many international variations, elaborations and short forms, and Alexandrine is one of the more unusual. Another, Alexandrina, was the first name of Queen Victoria.

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

For years there was only one Cher, and then along came the charming heroine of the movie "Clueless." The world now officially has enough Chers in it.

Brea is another spin on the increasingly-popular Bria, another entry in the stylish Mia-Leah-Gia sisterhood. While Bria is on the charts with an arrow toward the top, Brea is used more quietly, maybe because the spelling makes the pronunciation less clear. Is it bree-a or bray (answer: bree-a).

This international variation was publicized by Olympic skater Ekaterina Gordeeva.

Part-April, part-Felicity, but with the wonderfully whimsical feel of Serendipity. Apricity debuted in the US charts for the first time in 2022.

Less electric and melodramatic, more serene, than Electra. Isabella Rossellini's daughter (and Ingrid Bernman's granddaughter) is named Elettra Rossellini Wiedemann.

Elphaba was invented by Gregory Maguire for the protagonist of his novel Wicked, which became the long-running Broadway play. Elphaba is the name of the Wicked Witch of the West, unnamed in the Oz books, and is drawn from the initials of Oz creator L. Frank Baum.

Alcina is an operatic name, best-known as the name of the beautiful sorceress of the eponymous Handel opera drawn from the Orlando poems. Alcina and her sister Morgana live on an island where Alcina seduces every passing sailor but once their novelty wears off, changes them into plants, rocks, or animals. Alcina comes with modern-sounding short forms Alcie or Alsie, which feel more baby-ready now that names such as Elsie, Elsa, and Isla are becoming popular again.

Agata is an Agatha form widely used throughout Europe. And the hard t may be more appealing to your ear than the th sound.

Dua is one of those names that has been popularized in English speaking countries by a single celebrity: British-Albanian model-singer Dua Lipa. It's simple, modern, appealing, and may find a wider audience thanks to its attractive namesake.