Fine Ladies
- Eugenia
Origin:
Feminine variation of Eugene, GreekMeaning:
"wellborn, noble"Description:
Eugenia, a name scarcely used at all since the 1980's, is another that flourished a century ago and could be due for a revival.
- Eulalia
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"sweetly speaking"Description:
Eulalia is a melodious name with a southern drawl, thanks to those lilting double Ls.
- Euphemia
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"fair speech"Description:
Ancient martyr's name that, though not especially appealing, might still be mildly possible, especially for Anglophiles. It was widely used in early Scotland, but was overtaken by its nickname, Effie.
- Fiammetta
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"little fiery one"Description:
Fiammetta, from the Italian word for flame, has both femininity and fire. Fiammetta could make a good alternative to more conventional Italian girls' names like Giovanna.
- Forsythia
Origin:
Flower name, from English surnameMeaning:
"Forsyth's flower"Description:
This yellow harbinger spring bloom was named for Scottish botanist William Forsyth, and is even more unusual than such species as Acacia and Azalea.
- Gratiana
- Ianthe
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"purple flower"Description:
Like Violet, Lavender and Lilac, Ianthe is a purple flower name. Chosen by the poet Shelley for his daughter, Ianthe has a poetic, romantic, almost ethereal quality. In the ancient myth, she was the daughter of Oceanus, supreme ruler of the sea, and also a Cretan woman so beautiful that when she died the Gods made purple flowers grow around her grave.
- Laetitia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"gladness, happiness"Description:
Laetitia adds a layer of ancient patina to the more prosaic LETITIA.
- Lavinia
Origin:
Latin, from ancient place name LaviniumDescription:
Lavinia is a charmingly prim and proper Victorian-sounding name which actually dates back to classical mythology, where it was the name of the wife of the Trojan hero Aeneas, who was considered the mother of the Roman people.
- Leonora
Origin:
Italian diminutive of Eleonora or Eleanor, meaning unknownDescription:
Its mellifluous sound makes Leonora--which has a rich history and a tie to the popular Leo names-- a keen possibility for revival. Though it's been hiding below the Top 1000 since the 1940s, Leonora is being rediscovered by stylish parents in the US and Europe.
- Lovisa
- Lucasta
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"pure light"Description:
Lucasta was invented by seventeenth century poet Richard Lovelace for a collection of poems dedicated to a lover named Lucy, and is familiar through the Eugene O'Neill play and film Anna Lucasta. Lucasta is a distinctive, rarely used choice and a logical extension of the Luke/Luc/Luca names.
- Lucida
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"lucid, clear"Description:
Pretty, delicate and crystal clear, with the readymade nickname of Lucy.
- Lucretia
Origin:
Latin, female form of Lucretius, meaning unknownDescription:
A pretty and plausible Latin name that's gotten a bad rap through the years via a link to Lucrezia Borgia, who, though long considered a demon poisoner, was actually a patron of learning and the arts.
- Marina
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"from the sea"Description:
This pretty sea-born name was used to dramatic effect by Shakespeare in his play Pericles for the virtuous princess who says she is "Call'd Marina, for I was born at sea."
- Mirabella
Origin:
Italian variation of MirabelleMeaning:
"wonderful"Description:
The short-lived magazine edited by former Vogue chief Grace Mirabella put this beautiful name off-limits for a while, but now it's perfectly fit to join the fashionable Bella pantheon. More distinctive than Isabella.
- Pelagia
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"the sea"Description:
The name of several early saints, including one, Pelagia the Penitent, a beautiful and licentious dancing girl who repented, then, disguised as a man, spent the rest of her life living alone in a cave on the Mount of Olives. Because of her early vocation, she is the patron saint of actresses.
- Philippa
Origin:
Greek, feminine variation of PhilipMeaning:
"lover of horses"Description:
Philippa is a prime example of a boy's name adapted for girls that was common as crumpets in Cornwall, but rarely heard stateside. That was before the advent of royal sister-in-law Philippa Middleton, who goes by the lively nickname Pippa.
- Philomela
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"lover of songs"Description:
Philomela, the name of a mythological Athenian princess who was transformed into a nightingale, is rarely heard outside the Greek community. The mellifluous Philomela might make a more distinctive and prettier update for Pamela or Phyllis. Philomela may also be a good choice for a music-lover's daughter. Try Pippa or Millie for short.
- Phyllida
Origin:
Greek variation of PhyllisMeaning:
"green bough"Description:
Phyllida, a "Masterpiece Theatre"-style appellation, seems far fresher and more unusual than Phyllis. It's green-related meaning makes it one of the prime names that mean new beginnings.