Names That Mean Bright

The R in Joseph R. Biden Jr. stands for Robinette, the President's paternal grandmother's maiden name. In Medieval France, Robinette was used as a feminine given name derived from the male form Robinet and later became a matronymic surname via Robine.

Roberta has been one of the most successful feminization names, up at #64 in 1936. It's a name that's found all over children's lit, often nicknamed Bobbie or Robbie, though Bertie is another possibility. Notable bearers have included singers Roberta Flack and Roberta Peters--plus it's the birth name of Joni Mitchell.

Akiro is well used in Japan, the first name of famed director Kurosawa.

A Japanese name with lovely meanings.

A rare girls' name with cross-cultural appeal to burn, Avira might be a good option for parents interested in Ava but put off by its huge popularity.

It can be a challenge for a girl to wear a masculine long-standing classic like Robert. (However, James has done pretty well for itself). A very small number of baby girls named Robert are recorded every year, although it's hard to say how many are the result of clerical error.

Old Norman name last current in the 1930s, and firmly in our 'so far out it will always be out' category – despite its appearance as a Hogwarts student in Harry Potter. This is the full first name of P.G. Wodehouse's inimitable Bertie Wooster.

Vintage nickname for Roberta or Barbara, most famously borne by Roberta "Bobbie" in Edith Nesbit's classic The Railway Children.

Kids love Bob the Builder, but do they want to be Bob the Builder? Bob and Bobby have been out of style since the 1960s, but as vintage nickname-names -- Fred, Archie -- come back into vogue, Bob may tag along. Charlie Sheen used it for one of his twin sons.

Alberto is the Italian, Spanish and Portuguese variation of Albert and lends a more unusual and fashionable edge to this name which is still a grandpa name to many.

This popular Japanese name has many various meanings (bright, clear, autumn), depending on the combination of kanji used to spell it. The final element is the character ko, meaning "child", which features in many Japanese feminine names. Akiko is one of the best unique names for autumn babies.

A kind of old-fashioned nickname name that's enjoying some fresh life thanks to trendy brother Lane. Lainie is a more old-school spelling.

Lainie is a nickname for Elaine that has been in the public eye via Lainie Kazan (that was her full given name), who was a popular singer in the 1960s and 1970s (she was Barbra Streisand's understudy in "Funny Girl"), and then became a motherly character actress. We still find Lainie a bit flimsy for a full first name.

A medieval German saint's name which remained popular in Germany until the middle of the 20th century. It is still in relatively wide use in other European countries, including Poland and Hungary. With other Bert names – like Robert and Albert and even Gilbert – appealing to lovers of strong, traditional boy names with a slightly clunky charm, Norbert could be one of those so-out-it's-in choices that everyone knows, but almost no one is using.

Anglicized variant of Niamh.

Solas is a surname name in both Norwegian (as Solås) and Spanish (as Solás), but it was introduced as a first name via the video game franchise Dragon Age. In the series, Solas is an Elven mage whose name is derived from the Elven word for "pride".

A combination name that might be dismissed as a clown and cow name. The sounds are nevertheless pretty and the meaning is good - though spellings Claribel or Clarabel might help distance it from the cow association.

A common Vietnamese name heard evenly for boys and girls in the U.S. Sounds like tahn or tong, depending on what part of Vietnam you come from.

This jazzy old name could make a comeback, the way Josephine and Ella have. In England the name was popularized by Queen Victoria's daughter Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, after whom her governor general of Canada husband named the North American province. Jazz singer Alberta Hunter was a noted bearer.

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