Names That Mean White

Pretty and unusual, Livana may find a lot more fans as parents look for alternatives to Number 1 Olivia. Livana was used for only seven baby girls in the US last year.

Popular in India and among Indo-Americans, this name of the hero of a famous Hindu epic has an extremely pleasing sound.

Attractive ancient name borne by several saints but sullied by association with yeast infection.

Liliwen is a sweet, whimsical flower name used occasionally in Wales, and would make an interesting alternative to Lilian, and another way to Lily as a nickname.

This perky Irish nickname originated as a short form of Fintan, an ancient saint's name. The most notable bearer today is actress Finty Williams (born Tara Cressida Frances), daughter of Dame Judi Dench. According to Dench's biography, she and her husband initially believed they were expecting a boy and had selected the name Finn. However, upon discovering they had a daughter, they quickly embraced the name Finty.

This presidential name is in style limbo today - or, some might say, in the the sweet spot of familiar but little-used.

Despite the light, pretty sound of Bella for a girl, the boys' name Bela has dark and mysterious undertones, thanks to Dracula actor Bela Lugosi. Béla is also the first name of composer Bartók.

Mini names beginning with R are a trend to watch for both sexes. Recently, celebrities have been loving names like Ren, Rue, and Ro(w). The four-letter spelling, complete with a silent E, makes Rowe feel like a complete package despite its single syllable.

Azucena is the Spanish name for the Madonna lily, or white lily, derived from the Arabic words ‘abyad, "white", and zanbaq, "lily". White lilies are symbols of the Virgin Mary, which gives the flower its alternate name, Madonna lily.

Haitian-born rap superstar and humanitarian Wyclef ("Fugees") Jean has lent this name a powerful musical beat.

Finola, the readily accessible version of some of the more problematic Gaelic versions of the name, would make a welcome addition to the stockpot of Irish girls' names.

Olwyn is a popular Welsh name that might be an alternative to the more familiar Bronwen or Rhonwen -- though in Wales the female form is usually spelled -wen and the male one -wyn.

Olwen is a Welsh favorite, the name of a legendary princess in what is believed to have been the earliest Arthurian romance, and in fact one of the first recorded examples of Welsh prose.

Tanwyn is a modern Welsh name that can work for either sex depending on the spelling -- wyn is the traditional boys' spelling, while wen as in Tanwen is the girls' version.

Famous bearers include surfer Tanwyn Travers and the hero of a Victorian Welsh legend titled Envy Burns Itself.

A rare and beautiful member of the "Rose" family of names, Rosenwyn is a modern Cornish compound name meaning "white rose" or "fair rose". There is a popular Cornish folk song titled An Rosen Wyn, which may have inspired its use as a name.

Whitman, a namesake surname for poet Walt, would be much more suited to a boy, probably because of that "man" part. Whit or Witt makes an uplifting short form which can be used on its own.

More colorful than Blanche, but blanker than Bianca.

Kenyon is a very engaging British surname name, the middle y giving it a kind of southwestern canyonesque undertone.

An up-and-comer for girls, but still under-the-radar for boys. Alba feels like a possible crossover candidate, on the heels of Nova and Alva, and with the potential for rising nickname Albie.

This name is usually seen as a surname, but could be used as a first in the tradition of Cooper, Sawyer etc.