Traveling Lite Baby Names

Olaf, though sainted and regal in Norway, is slightly oafish here. It is one of those names that has become completely familiar in the U.S. without ever becoming assimilated. Now that he's a comical character in Disney's Frozen, he might get some more attention.

Ada and Ida soundalike that has two wonderful potential meanings. A famous bearer is American model and actress Ayda Field.

Idra is one of the less obvious botanical names. In ancient times, a fig tree was a symbol of learning, peace, and prosperity.

High profile supermodel/entrepreneur Tyra Banks has put this name in the spotlight, endowing it with her confident, superattractive image.

Elif is the Turkish form of Alif, the name of the first letter of the Arabic alphabet. Actor Natalie Portman gave another spelling to her son, Aleph.

Ezra is a Biblical name that is being rediscovered, which means its variation Ezri can't be far behind. Ezri is one of the up-and-coming unisex names starting with E, with the gender divide surprisingly running five to one in favor of girls.

In old Norse mythology Lifa/Liva is one of only two people that are destined to survive Ragnarok (Nordic armageddon) and will therefore be the parents of a new race of man.

Musical association with Igor Stravinsky, but also Dr. Frankenstein's right-hand man.

Liza's heyday was the mid-1970s, following on the heels of super-popular sister Lisa. But thanks to the fact that it never became superpopular, Liza remains a name not especially tied to one generation or style.

Paz, currently represented by actresses Paz Vega and Paz de la Huerts, would make a sparkling middle name choice. It originated as a title of the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Peace, and is one of the names that mean peace, derived from the Latin word "pax".

Edin is a variant on the name Edwin from the Isle of Man. It may get confused as a misspelling of Eden in the US, but the pronunciation is different..

Festive name of the wife of Salvador Dali. In Spanish, Gala comes from the Roman name Galla, a feminine form of Gallus meaning "rooster" or "a person from Gaul".

A possibility for parents seeking a Hebrew name with an English-language sound.

Common form of Emma found in the Baltic and Slavic states.

Iyla, now a Top 1000 girls' name in the US, resembles many other popular names, from the Top 100 Isla to the Turkish Ayla, with which it shares a moonlit meaning.

The protagonist of Toni Morrison's novel, the simple-yet-sensual Sula relates to the Old Testament Shulamit. Alternatively, it might be a short form of Ursula.

Because of its meaning, a symbolic name given to boys born on TuB'Shevat, the New Year of the Trees, or Arbor Day.