Cat Names That Mean Lucky

Curiously appealing, in a hoop-skirted, wasp-waisted way, Ottoline has recently entered the realm of modern possibility, especially since Sienna Miller chose it as the middle name of her daughter Marlowe.

Rarely heard outside of Wales, Arianwen is one of many pretty wen-ending names prominent in ancient Welsh legend.

A name with several distinguished namesakes: the wife of ancient Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, a famous Italian opera singer, and two Catholic saints--making it both substantial and unusual.

Odette's evil Swan Lake twin -- gives the name a sinuous, sensuous appeal.

Felix is rising in the chart for boys, and its feminine variations are sure to follow. The best knows these days, thanks to the TV character, is Felicity, but there's also Felicia and Felice. Like Lucia, Felice is a name with different pronunciations depending on where it's used. The Italians pronounce it fa-LEECH-ay, but the Americanized version is feh-LEESE.

Attractive translation of Beatrice, popular with Hispanic parents. Beatriz is currently a Top 10 girl name in Portugal.

Also spelled Madog, which was the name of an early Welshman, Madog ap Owain Gwynedd, reputed to have been the first European to discover North America in 1155. Maddox, the name of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's oldest child, is a stronger and more familiar choice.

To those unfamiliar with it, Makari might have the sound, feel, and look of a modern inventions, similar to Amari, Jakari, or Makai. It is however a Russian name, derived from the Greek Makarios. Borne by two 14th-century Orthodox Russian saints, Makari can also be transcribed as Makariy or Makary.

A Japanese name with lovely meanings.

Onni is the Number 1 boy's name in Finland yet largely unknown in the English-speaking world. Its uplifting meaning makes it a plausible possibility if you want to honor your Nordic heritage.

A traditional Nordic name, Helga was extremely popular throughout Scandinavia in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In Germany, it was a Top 10 pick from 1924 to 1943. And it still ranks in the Icelandic Top 50 today.

These days, it's thought of less as the name of the great general and more as the first name of Lecter the fictional cannibal. Either association is too heavy for a child to bear.

The African name Ayan was first seen on the US Top 1000 for boys in 2014. It's both simple and distinctive, a winning combination.

Kamran is one of the most easily-translated boys' names from a Middle Eastern to a Western culture, sounding nearly identical to the stylish English name Cameron. While it is not an Islamic name, Muslims are allowed to use it because its meaning is felicitous.

Softer than Benedict, less popular than Benjamin, and bolder than Bennett, Puerto Rican actor Benicio Del Toro introduced this name to the American mainstream in the early 2000s, before which the name was hardly use. Popular in Argentina, Benicio debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2016, when it was the third-fastest-rising boys' name, and while it hasn't skyrocketed then, it remains comfortably in the charts.

Meera Bai, also spelled Mirabai, was a great female Hindu mystical poet whose works are popular throughout India. She was a fifteenth-sixteenth century Indian princess who devoted her life to writing paeans of devotion to the god Krishna.

The story of Meera was the basis of an eponymous Indian historical drama television series in 2009. It's also gotten a boost from HBO's Game of Thrones, in which Meera Reed is a tough, wise character who cares for the disabled seer Bran Stark once he flees Winterfell.

A popular American name in previous centuries in honor of famed Harvard President, Charles Chauncy. This name is burdened by an incredibly pompous sound and best left in the past.

Because the legendary Faust sold his soul to the devil, few parents would choose this for a child, although Fausto is commonly heard in Italy and Spain.

A bright and bouncy micro name, far rarer than Mia or Gia.

Namibian supermodel Behati Prinsloo, who has walked the runway for every designer from Prada to Versace to Vera Wang, has introduced us to this Afrikaans version of Beate or Beatrice, a rhythmic twist on an international favorite.