This feminine form of Abel is also a flower name and makes a distinctive alternative to the widely used Abigail.  There is a similar name, Adelia, that is beginning to be rediscovered thanks to the trend for all names Adel- related.

Abelia

Abyssinia is the ancient name of the Ethiopian Empire, no longer found on any map but with a possible future as a melodic girls' name in the ever-expanding place-name category. Among <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/192/african-names">African names</a> for girls, this one is undiscovered.

Abyssinia

Adalina

This female form of the ancient Latin Aelian has an appealing sound, though kids might have a hard time handling that initial "ae" spelling. Just remember that the "ae" is pronounced "ee" (think Aesop's fables).The Annals of Aeliana is a children's fantasy series by Ryan Watters. 

The meaning is uncertain but is thought to derive from the Greek helios, which means sun.

Aeliana

Aisling is currently a very popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/509/irish-names-for-girls">Irish name for girls</a>. Pronounced variously as ASH-ling, ASH-lin or ash-LEEN, it was part of the revival of authentic <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/168/irish-names">Irish names</a> in the twentieth century, and is now being sparingly used by U.S. parents in place of the dated Ashley--though often spelled phonetically as Ashlyn or Ashlynn.
 An aisling is a poetic genre that developed in late seventeenth century Ireland, a type of patriotic-romantic poetry in which Ireland is addressed as a beautiful woman.

Aisling

Alouette is a sweet Gallic twist in the stylish bird name genre made familiar via the charming French children's song, Alouette, gentile alouette.

Alouette

Anike is an attractive name with ties to several cultures, both African and Scandinavian. The African pronunciation emphasizes the second syllable while the Nordic one emphasizes the first. While there will be inevitable confusion over pronunciation, either form is "correct".

Anika

Araminta is an enchanting eighteenth-century invention familiar in Britain and just beginning to be discovered here. It was used in 1693 by William Congreve in his comedy The Old Bachelor, and in 1705 by the versatile Sir John Vanbrugh, architect of Blenheim Palace as well as a playwright, for his comedy The Confederacy.
 In the Enid Bagnold novel National Velvet, Araminta is the name of the central character's mother.

Araminta

This name of the Cretan goddess of fertility is most popular now as the more melodic Ariana, but Ariadne has possibilities of its own. It first entered the US Top 1000 in 2014. The renewed interest in the name falls in line with the revival of other mythological names like Apollo and Athena. The trendy nickname Ari doesn't hurt either.
 In Greek mythology, she was the daughter of Minus who gave Theseus the thread by which he escaped from the labyrinth. After being deserted by him, she married Dionysus, the god of fertility, wine and drama

Ariadne

A pretty, dainty name for one of the little characters in the children's book series The Borrowers. It was the basis for a later Studio Ghible animated film, The Secret World of Arrietty. While the connection to Harriet is tenuous, you might want to consider Arrietty as an honorific for an ancestral Harriet, Harry, or even Henry or Henrietta.

Arrietty

Aurelia is an ancient Roman name that's become a surprise hit in the contemporary world. A top favorite on Nameberry, it reentered the US Top 1000 in 2014 after a 70-year absence and continues to climb.
 
Aurelia is the female form of the Latin name Aurelius, an ancient Roman surname. Aurelius is derived from the Latin word aureus, meaning "golden," which was also the name of a gold coin used in Ancient Rome. Aurelius was a cognomen, a third name in Roman culture that often referenced a personal characteristic or trait, likely used for someone with golden hair.
 
The Roman classic Aurelius, from which Aurelia derives, was very common in the Roman Empire and is currently experiencing a resurgence in the US—it re-entered the Top 1000 list in 2012 after a 61-year hiatus. 
 
The name of several minor early saints, Aurelia's sound and feel can be credited for it being on the rise again. Aurora and Oriana are Aurelia cousins you might also want to consider. 
 
Aurelia was the name of the mothers of Julius Caesar, the writer Sylvia Plath, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, who, in her honor, made it one of his daughter Christina's <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/673/middle-names">middle names</a>.

Aurelia

Aviana is a name that's kinda like the megapopular Ava, and kinda like the popular Ariana, and not quite as widely appealing as either of them.  But it's on everyone's scope now as the choice of actress Amy Adams for her new daughter -- ironic as she was quoted as saying she wanted a "normal" name. Turns out that Adams was born in Aviano, Italy, explaining the mystery. The first syllable of the name can be pronounced ah, ay, or (most commonly) to rhyme with have.

Aviana

Artemia

In the USA, Blair is gaining momentum, rising quickly for the last 10 years and likely to continue to climb. In England and Wales, where Blair has political connotations – calling to mind former prime minister Tony Blair – it is much less common, although it is in use for boys in its native Scotland.

 Blair has a chic and tailored feel in line with other trending gender-neutral one-syllable girl names like Sloane, Quinn, Sage, and Reese. A notable pop culture namesake in recent years is Leighton Meester's upper-crusty character in Gossip Girls.

 Blair was first popularized as a girl's name in the 80s, cracking the Top 500 for a few years before falling off again. Blair re-entered the charts in 2011 and has been rising since. Blair has a longer history as a boy's name, with consistent use as early as the 1800s, and the name stayed on the charts until the mid 90s.

Blair

This name of a touristed island in sight of Los Angeles makes an attractive and newly stylish variation on the classic Catherine or overused Caitlin. 
 Santa Catalina of Siena was, along with Saint Francis, one of the two patron saints of Italy and was a respected spiritual writer of the Church. Catalina de Aragón y Castilla is the original Spanish name of the first wife of Henry VIII, known to history as Catherine of Aragon. In a completely different vein, Catalina Aruca was a character on the sitcom My Name is Earl.

Catalina

Celestine is a pretty, crystalline extension (actually a diminutive) of Celeste that would make a choice that is both delicate and strong. It is also a popular name in France.
 Celestine was the name of painter Edgar Degas's Creole mother. Some people might associate it with the 1993 spiritual novel "The Celestine Prophecy."
 Celestina is another attractive version.

Celestine

Crimson could be a possible competitor for Scarlett's success, though it's lacking that Johansson charm.
 
Crimson tends to be disproportionately popular in Alabama — the University of Alabama's athletic teams are called Crimson Tide.

Crimson

Camillé

Former Miss Universe and former Mrs. Marc Anthony, Dayanara Torres has made a more lasting success of her name. 

Dayanara

Dehlia

This old Scottish form of Helen has had quite a history, going from appearing as one of the shining heroines of the Arthurian legends, the princess who fell in love with Sir Lancelot and became the mother of Sir Galahad, referred to as 'Elaine the fair' and 'Elaine the lovable', to being the name of the most famous of New York's celebrity restaurants, to being the archetypal New York neurotic on Seinfeld.
 Elaine is a homophone for French Helene, just one of many names that a was imported to Scotland during the centuries that Scotland and France had a mutual enemy in England.
 Elaine entered the Top 100 in the early 1920s, and remained there for close to forty years, peaking at Number 42. Now, after a long slump, we see signs of a possible rise along with all the other El-names. For parents looking for a more unusual name, try Yvaine.

Elaine

Elena is at its most popular point ever in the US, thanks to its cross-cultural appeal and the overall popularity of El- names. It's more international than Ellen or Eleanor, but still accessible.
 A pan-European version of Helen, Elena has roots in Spanish, Italian, Slavic, and Romanian, among other languages. Helen, the name from which it derives, came from the Greek word helene, meaning "torch." Alternate spellings include Elaina, Ellena, and Alena.
 
Elena may be trending, but she's also a solid classic as well as an international favorite. Elena ranks highly in France, Italy, Germany, and Spain along with a host of other countries. 
A worthy namesake is Elena Kagan, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, the fourth female to hold that position. Pseudonymous Italian writer Elena Ferrante, author of the Neapolitan Novels, is another famous Elena. 
 
A fictional bearer is Elena Gilbert, protagonist of The Vampire Diaries. and Elena Lincoln is a character in Fifty Shades of Grey. Elena of Avalor is a princess featured in the Disney Junior show of that name. 
 
Read more about Elena and other <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/disney-princess-names">Disney Princess Names</a> in our featured blog.

Elena

Eliora is a melodic name ripe with vowel sounds. 

Eliora

Endellion is the name of an early saint who was a daughter of King Brychan and goddaughter of King Arthur whose life is commemorated by the Cornish village of St. Endellion. This intriguing ancient name was brought into modern usage by British Prime Minister David Cameron, who used it as one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/673/middle-names">middle names</a> for his fourth child, a baby girl.
 
The Latinized form of the name is Endelienta.

Endellion

Esme is a sophisticated, distinctive, and charming J. D. Salinger name, from his classic 1950 story 'For Esme, With Love and Squalor'.Related to the French Aimee, which means beloved, and to the concept of esteem, it was originally a male name exported from France to Scotland via a member of the royal family.
A current favorite among celebs, including Samantha Morton, Michael J. Fox and Katey Sagal. Esme got a lot of publicity via the character Esme Cullen, the vampire matriarch of the Olympic Coven in the Twilight Saga.
 The final accent indicates the pronunciation of ez-may, though in English you can just spell it Esme.

Esmé

Though it doesn't have historic roots--it was created by L. Frank Baum for a Princess character in his book Ozma of Oz--Evella could fit well into the Eve-Eva-Evelyn group now coming back into favor.

Evella

Like Ashley before it, on-trend Everly has been followed by a range of spelling variants, and among them, Everleigh is the most popular. 
Opinions are divided as to whether the “-leigh” ending makes the name more distinctive, contemporary, and stand-out, or whether it just looks clunky and more complicated, but enough parents prefer that it has joined Everly in the US Top 100. 
Given to nearly 3000 girls every year, Everleigh derives from an Old English place name, meaning “wild boar in a woodland clearing.” 
Actor Cam Gigandet, who starred in “The O.C.” and “Reckless” was ahead of the trend when he used Eveleigh for his daughter in 2009, but it took Channing Tatum naming his daughter Everly in 2013 for Everleigh to gain any real traction. 
Following in Everly’s footsteps, it did climb the charts, and its popularity was perhaps boosted by the YouTubers, the LaBrants, and their daughter Everleigh. 
Rising up the charts in Canada and the UK, Everleigh is now a familiar and well-established spelling option for the name. 
Though it is only just in the Top 100 and nowhere near as popular as Olivia or Emma, it is worth remembering that when all the Everly variations are put together, it starts to feel more like a Top 20 name, in line with Harper or Sofia. 
So if you do love Everleigh but were aiming to be a bit more unique by choosing this spelling, you could consider the alternatives: Elowen, Waverly, Leighton, Oakley, Haven, or Keeley.

Everleigh

Edaline

Evangalie

This yellow harbinger spring bloom was named for Scottish botanist William Forsyth, and is even more unusual than such species as Acacia and Azalea.

Forsythia

Freya has long been popular in the U.K. but has only taken off in the US in the last decade, along with the entire category of mythological names. Derived from the Old Norse name Freyja, meaning "Lady, noble woman", Freya is the name of the Norse goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. 
 Freya has been one of the fastest-rising names of the past few years and is even more popular in England and Wales. We predict that along with the original Nordic spelling Freyja, Freya will continue its meteoric rise in the coming years.
 Freya can be considered a feminization of Frey or Freyr, the name of the goddess’s brother.
 .There is a Joseph Conrad novel titled Freya of the Seven Isles. A noted bearer was the explorer and writer Freya Stark.

Freya

One Greek mythological name -- she was the goddess of order -- not yet embraced by American parents.

Harmonia

If Melody and Lyric are on your style sheet, the peaceful Harmony, popularized by Buffy the Vampire Slayer, should be too. 

Girls names starting with the "Har" sound like Harper, Harley, and Harlow have been trending in recent years. This musical choice fits right in, and it is no wonder that Harmony has been in the Top 200 since 2014.

Harmony

Harriet has long been considered a stylish, upscale name in England, but it's still waiting to be revived in the US—though some parents seeking a solid, serious semi-classic are beginning to consider it. 
 Distinguished namesakes include Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of the influential Uncle Tom's Cabin; Harriet Tubman (born Araminta), the famed abolitionist; and in pop culture, Harriet Hilliard Nelson, of Ozzie & Harriet TV fame. Many will associate it with the protagonist of the childhood classic Harriet the Spy. Harriet has appeared in other books ranging from Jane Austen's Emma to Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. 
 Harriet, a Top 100 name at the turn of the last century, hasn't appeared on the list since 1970. On the other hand, it is currently Number 61 in England and Wales.
 Cutesy nicknames for Harriet include Hattie, Hetty, and Hatsy. A related idea: Henrietta.

Harriet

Made famous by actress Idina Menzel, of "Rent" and "Wicked" fame. 

Idina

Ivory was last popular a hundred years ago. In 2013, it finally began to regain some momentum in the female rankings, reentering the Top 1000.
 A word of caution, however—people may associate this name with illegal poaching of elephants and the ivory trade. Or, more prosaically, the popular brand of soap.

Ivory

Perhaps to honor an ancestral Abraham, but presents a confusing image. 

Ivria

Laverna was the Roman goddess of thievery, cheating, and the underworld. The original meaning of her name in unknown, however, there are several theories. One such theory states that Laverna is related to the Latin word for theif, laterniō, while another connects the name to levare, meaning "to lift," as in shoplifting. In the case of the latter, Laverna would mean "goddess of gain".

Laverna

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.
Leonora has the distinction of being three major opera characters, including the heroines of Beethoven's Fidelio and Verdi's Il Trovatore. It was also the name of two characters played by Elizabeth Taylor--in Secret Ceremony and Reflections in a Golden Eye.
Leonora Carrington was a notorious British-born surrealist artist and writer who lived most of her life in Mexico.
Related names include Leonore, Lenora and Lenore, subject of a famous Edgar Allan Poe poem.

Leonora

Lucia is a lush, rich Latinate equivalent of Lucy, popular in Spain and throughout Latin America and also a cross-cultural favorite. You might be surprised to know that Lucia has ALWAYS ranked among the Top 1000 girl names in the US, though she's really taken off only since the turn of this century.
 
Derived from lux, the Latin word for light. Lucia is considered to be the feminine form of Lucius. Due to its connection to light, Lucia was traditionally given to babies born as daylight was breaking.
 
A variety of references include Santa Lucia, a fourth century martyr who was revered in the Middle Ages and the Caribbean island named for her, and the tragic opera Lucia di Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti.
 
Lucia has for several years ranked as the Number 1 name in Spain. It was chosen for their daughters by James Joyce, Mira Sorvino, Giovanni Ribisi, Mel Gibson, and Sasha Alexander and Eduardo Pointi, among others.

Lucia

Though it sounds like a variation of the Irish Maeve, Maeva actually hails from Tahiti, and is currently enjoying a wave of popularity in France, where it ranks in the Top 100, possibly via popular French folk singer and actress Maeva Meline.

Maeva

Mariposa is a rare, romantic choice with an intriguing meaning. 

Uncommon but not unknown, Mariposa is an elegant entrant in the nature names category. And it comes with the adorable nicknames Mari or Posie.

Mariposa

Frenchified name rarely used in France. And perhaps even more rarely used in the US -- there were NO baby girls given the name on the official records of 2021.

Minette

Mirella

Well-established Irish and Scottish name that has never really caught on across the pond. Remembered by an older generation as the beautiful red-haired ballerina in the film The Red Shoes, Moira Shearer.

Moira

Noelle is the feminine variation of Noël, a masculine given name derived from the French word for "Christmas." As a word, Noël originated as a variant of nael, which evolved from the Latin natalis, meaning "birth." Noelle and Noel have traditionally been given to children born around Christmastime, particularly in the Middle ages.
 
Feminissima, with a French gloss. Noelle and her usually-male counterpart Noel can make perfect <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/577/names-for-december-babies">names for December babies</a> and of course are also traditional <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/412/christmas-baby-names">names for Christmas babies</a>. For extra French flair, add the diaeresis over the first E to get Noëlle.

Noelle

Novalie

Octavia began as the Latin, then Victorian name for an eighth child. While there aren't many eighth children anymore, this ancient Roman name has real possibilities as a substitute for the overused Olivia; recommended for its combination of classical and musical overtones. It was chosen for his daughter by Kevin Sorbo. 
 Octavia has a rich history and literary pedigree. Commonly used in the Roman Imperial family, one first century BC Octavia was the daughter of Claudius, sister of the Emperor Augustus and the second, pre-Cleopatra, wife of Mark Antony (she appears in Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra), while another ancient Octavia was the teenage wife of Nero. The British civic reformer Octavia Hill actually was an eighth daughter.
 The name came into the spotlight recently via Octavia Spencer, who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her strong performance in The Help. And Octavia is part of Cinna's prep team for Katniss Everdeen during the 74th and 75th Hunger Games.
 Octavia is also a First Daughter name as the child of President Zachary Taylor.

Octavia

Floral, elegant, and bold, Ophelia re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2015 after more than 50 years off the charts. It has risen more than 700 spots since then and shows no signs of slowing down. Now in the US Top 300, could Ophelia one day become the next Olivia or Amelia?
 
It's certainly catching up in the UK, where, as of 2022, it's in the Top 100 and given to nearly 600 baby girls. Less likely to be heard as 'I feel ya', as it is pronounced with four syllables in the UK, Ophelia makes an arty but approachable choice. 
 Derived from the Ancient Greek word "opheleia", which means "help", Ophelia was used first by the poet Sannazaro in his 15th century poem "Arcadia". It was then popularized by Shakespeare's Hamlet in the 1600s and again in the 19th century by John Millais' painting. 
 
Other namesakes include the gutsy Ophelia in Harriet Beecher Stowe's 1852 Uncle Tom's Cabin, which seems to have had some influence on baby namers at the time, and more recently, the song "Ophelia" by The Lumineers.
 Among the actresses who have played modern non-Shakespearean Ophelias are Jamie Lee Curtis in "Trading Places" and Blake Lively in "Savages". The heroine of the film Pan's Labyrinth uses the Spanish spelling, Ofelia, while a popular YA novel, Ophelia After All by Racquel Marie sticks with the Shakespearean one.
 Actress Patricia Neal and author Roald Dahl named one of their now grown daughters Ophelia, and more recently musician Dave Grohl named his baby girl Ophelia Saint.
 
A hugely popular name on Nameberry and now out in the 'real world' too, you may hear this Shakespearean gem more often in the coming years. So, if you love Ophelia but want to beat the trends, you could try Cressida, Olympia, Cordelia, or Cerelia.

Ophelia

Oriana is a dashing medieval name, with a meaning similar to Aurora. At this point, though, Oriana is much more unusual than Aurora and makes a unique choice if you're searching for <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/316/baby-names-that-mean-new-beginnings?all=1">names that mean new beginnings</a> or dawn. Strong and evocative, Oriana also has an admirable literary resume. In medieval tales, she was the beloved of the knight Amadis, she appears in at least three seventeenth century plays, and there is an early Tennyson poem called The Ballad of Oriana. Oriana was also sometimes used to refer to Queen Elizabeth I. Oriana Fallaci was a feminist Italian journalist who interviewed many world leaders in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s.

Oriana

Swinging London songbird Petula Clark claims that this name was her father's invention; in any case it hasn't seen much copycat usage. 

Petula

Quintessence

Could be seen as extravagantly ecstatic for a baby name, though feel free to rhapsodize about your little girl, whatever her name.

Rhapsody

As sweet-smelling as Rose but with an international flavour, Rosa is one of the most classic Portuguese, Spanish and <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/166/italian-names">Italian names</a>, which is also favored by upper-class Brits, having an ample measure of vintage charm. Rosa has been on the popularity charts for every year that's been counted, especially popular from the 1880s through the beginning of the twentieth century. 
 The name of a thirteenth century saint, Rosa has several other notable namesakes. In literature, she was a character in David Copperfield. Rosa Parks is a Civil Rights icon, Rosa (born Marie-Rosalie) Bonheur was a noted nineteenth century French artist, Rosa Ponselle an American operatic soprano and Rosa Luxemburg a left-wing activist. In the modern world there have been several Rosas in video games, including Final Fantasy IV.

Rosa

Seraphina is one of the most-searched name on Nameberry, destined for even greater popularity. The highest-ranking angels, the six-winged seraphim, inspired the lovely name Seraphina. The name was first was brought into the contemporary spotlight when chosen by high-profile parents Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck for their second daughter, following the influential choice of Violet for their first. Shockingly, however, it was not until 2023 that Seraphina cracked the US Top 1000. Today's parents finally seem to be recognizing this name as a fresh and distinctive alternative to popular Sophia.
 Latinate version Serafina is also getting some attention; the name is enjoying a style revival thanks to the current taste for strong, old-fashioned, yet elaborately <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">feminine names</a>.
 A variation, Seraphita, is the eponymous heroine of a Balzac novel.
 For now, Seraphina remains a beautiful, distinctive choice. Other name ideas if you like Seraphina: Raphaela, Angelica, Serena, and Sabrina.

Seraphina

Shontae

Theona

Creative name largely associated with choreographer Twyla Tharp, it also has a pleasant tie to the word twilight. 

Twila

changelic's list "Names for the Extraordinary Princess" of 58 great name ideas: Abelia - Twila!

Names for the Extraordinary Princess

Princess names are to be beautiful, elegant and regal. Not necessarily boring and overused. Here is is a list of a few, unusual names for Princesses and Royal Ladies of all kinds.