European Girl Names
- Doutzen
Origin:
Dutch, meaning unknownDescription:
Dutch supermodel Doutzen (pronounced doubt-son) Kroes has introduced us to a name from the Netherlands that might have a hard time in an American classroom and is nowhere near as glamorous as its bearer.
- Madelief
Origin:
Dutch, '"daisy"Meaning:
"daisy"Description:
Madelief is an uncommon name but not unheard of in the Netherlands, where 123 girls were called Madelief in one recent year. With its soft sounds and similarities to all those "Madeleine" type names as well as names ending in "eef/eev" sounds (Aoife, Eve, Genevieve), Madelief has potential in English-speaking countries to be a fresh and pleasant change from Daisy, Margaret and Madeleine.
- Jimena
Origin:
Variation of Ximena, SpanishMeaning:
"son"Description:
Widespread popularity in the Latino community has propelled this name up the charts in the US. Ximena is the more popular version, given to about three times as many baby girls as Jimena, maybe because of that edgy initial X.
- Ronja
Origin:
Swedish literary nameDescription:
Pippi Longstocking author Astrid Lindgren invented the name Ronja for her book Ronja, the Robber's Daughter. She was inspired by the lake Juronjaure, located in Norrbotten, Sweden.
- Mar
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"sea"Description:
The Spanish and Portuguese word for "sea" is a Top 100 name in Spain. In America, it's sometimes used as a nickname for names like Martina and Marina, but it could also plausibly stand on its own.
- Victoire
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"victory"Description:
Adds French flair to Victoria, though many Americans would find pronunciation a challenge.
- Mignon
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"delicate, dainty"Description:
Charming French endearment, first used as a name by Goethe, that now makes an appealing choice -- though the proper feminine form is Mignonne. Note, though, that this is not actually used as a name in France, where Manon would be the closest choice.
- Rafaella
Origin:
Italian variation of Raphaela, HebrewMeaning:
"God has healed"Description:
Oh, the many spellings of Rafaella. Those with Fs and double-Ls denote Italian origins, while an F and a single L is Spanish and Portuguese. The original Hebrew form is Raphaela.
- Feline
Origin:
Feminine form of Felinus, LatinMeaning:
"cat-like"Description:
This Top 100 girls' name in The Netherlands is unlikely to translate to the U.S., where it would undoubtedly pronounced fee-line and mistaken for the adjective that means cat-like. While the name Feline -- and Felina and Felinus -- do have the same root, the considerably more charming pronunciation in modern-day Europe is fee-LEEN-ah. Some websites mistakenly relate it to Felix and give its meaning as happy or fortunate.
- Gisele
Description:
The French variation of Giselle was made famous by the spectacular Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen.
- Triana
Origin:
Spanish place nameDescription:
Triana is a Top 50 girls' name in Spain largely unknown and unused in the US: Only 10 baby girls in the US were given the name in 2017. Also a surname, Triana is the name of a distinctive neighborhood of Seville that's known for being home to artists, flamenco dancers, and bullfighters. Its name comes from the Roman emperor Trajan, which means "three rivers". Some sources list Triana as a short form of Katherine, a variation of Trina, and you can use it that way to honor an ancestral Katherine.
- Fenne
Origin:
Variation of Fenna, Dutch and FrisianMeaning:
"peace"Description:
Fenne and its phonetic version Fenna are vintage names enjoying a resurgence in The Netherlands, where both make the girls' Top 100.
- Lise
Origin:
Diminutive of Elisabeth, HebrewMeaning:
"pledged to God"Description:
Lise is most often found in the U.S. as the second half of the hybrid name Annalise. Canadian journalist Lyse Doucet bears a pretty alternative spelling, pronounced LEESE.
- Candela
Origin:
SpanishMeaning:
"Candlemas"Description:
Diminutive of Candelaria, a name derived from candle and given in honor of the festival of Candlemas, which marks the presentation of Christ in the temple and the purification of the Virgin Mother.
- Nerea
Origin:
BasqueMeaning:
"mine"Description:
A variation of the name Nere, both choices are distinctive and accessible. In the Top 20 in Spain.
- Romane
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"a Roman"Description:
The feminine version of the newly-stylish Roman -- and the longer form of the also-newly-stylish Romy -- would make a girls' choice that achieves that near-impossible balance of being both original and fashionable. This variation is far superior to Romaine, which is too lettuce-y.
- Saar
Origin:
Dutch variation of Sarah, HebrewMeaning:
"princess"Description:
Saar is a very popular girls' name in The Netherlands, where it's an abbreviated form of Sarah. The Dutch feminine Saar, pronounced sahr, is distinct from the Hebrew place-name Saar used for boys in Israel.
- Hedda
Origin:
Scandinavian, diminutive of HedvigDescription:
Hedda is a card-carrying member of the league of older, slightly bohemian urban names like Nedda, Andra, and Petra; also linked to Ibsen heroine Hedda Gabler, as well as being the basis of cruel joke names like Hedda Hare.
- Ainhoa
Origin:
Basque place nameDescription:
Name of the French town where a vision of the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared, this name, virtually unknown elsewhere, is in the Spanish Top 100.
- Melisandre
Origin:
French variation of Millicent, GermanMeaning:
"strong in work"Description:
The romantic fairy tale-like name has come to modern attention via the beautiful but terrifying sorceress in Game of Thrones. The character may look as lovely as her name sounds, but it's hard to imagine a parent familiar with the book wanting to use the name for their child. Two alternate directions: Millicent or Melisande.