Guilty Pleasure Names I Like
- Fox
Origin:
Animal nameDescription:
Fox is one animal name backed by a longish tradition, and then popularized via the lead character Fox Mulder on X Files. Fox is simple, sleek, and a little bit wild, and could make an interesting middle name.
- Ginevra
Origin:
Italian variation of Guinevere or JenniferMeaning:
"white shadow, white wave"Description:
This lovely alternative for the Jennifer-lover ranks among the most popular girls' names in Italy. At this point in the US, the legions of Jennifers born in the 1970s are starting to become grandmas, so Ginevra might make an apt honor name for granny Jen.
- Gwyneira
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"white snow"Description:
An unusual Gwyn name with a lovely meaning, this compound name pairs Gwyn with the name Eira, meaning "snow". A relatively modern creation, it remains very rare.
- Hannelore
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"grace + god is my light"Description:
A pretty and substantial German smoosh name, a combination of Hanne and Eleonore. Most popular in Germany from the 1930s to the 1950s. Former German Chancellors Helmut Kohl and Helmut Schmidt both had wives named Hannelore.
- Hawthorne
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"lives where hawthorn hedges grow"Description:
The great American novelist sets this above many other surnames (and nature names, for that matter), but it's still an imposing and adventurous choice. Do nicknames Hawk or Thorne make it more approachable? The timid should stick with Nathaniel.
- Hereswith
Origin:
Old EnglishMeaning:
"Strength of the army"Description:
Hereswith is a rare name that comes to us from the dark ages. She was a Northumbrian saint, whose more famous sister, Hilda, was the Abbess at Whitby and patron of the first English poet, Caedmon. The name has a soft, lispy sound that is more wearable than its spelling would suggest.
- Juniper
Origin:
Latin tree nameMeaning:
"young"Description:
Juniper is a fresh-feeling nature name -- it's a small evergreen shrub -- with lots of energy. A new favorite of fashionable parents, Juniper joins such other tree and shrub names as Hazel, Acacia, and Willow.
- Laurel
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"laurel tree"Description:
Laurel takes Laura back to its meaning in nature, resulting in a gentle, botanical option. Even more directly than Laura, Laurel relates back to the laurel wreath signifying success and peace in ancient Greece and Rome.
- Lavender
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"purple flower"Description:
Lavender lags far behind sweet-smelling purple-hued sister names Violet and Lila, but is starting to get some enthusiastic attention from cutting-edge namers along with other adventurous nature names like Clementine and Marigold.
- Macallister
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"son of Alasdair"Description:
Macallister as a first name is attracting new attention as the name chosen by Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer and venture capitalist Zack Bogue for their young son. Macallister is usually heard as a patronymic surname, meaning son of Alasdair or Alistair or any one of the spellings of the Scottish form of Alexander. Like all other names of this type, Macallister leads to the cute short form Mac.
- 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.
- Marigold
Origin:
Flower name, from EnglishMeaning:
"golden flower"Description:
Marigold, once found almost exclusively in English novels and aristocratic nurseries, is beginning to be talked about and considered here. It has a sweet, sunny, quirky feel. The marigold was the symbol of the Virgin Mary.
- Mercy
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"compassion"Description:
The quality of mercy makes this lovely Puritan virtue name a quiet favorite today. Although it was most popular in the late nineteenth century, Mercy is on its way to a comeback -- it rose 143 spots between 2012 and 2013, making it one of the year's fastest-rising names. Right now, it's still stylish and distinctive, a rare and wonderful combination.
- Meredith
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"great ruler"Description:
Meredith is a soft, gentle-sounding name with subtle Welsh roots. Although originally a boys’ name , Meredith is used mainly for girls now.
- Merritt
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"boundary gate"Description:
Merritt is an old-style surname name that could be seen as a positive virtue name. It was used in the late 19th and early 20th century for boys, reaching the Top 400 in 1899, and is notable today for being one of the names most evenly divided between boys and girls. Emmy winner Merritt Wever helped popularize it for girls.
- Miriam
Origin:
Hebrew or EgyptianMeaning:
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"Description:
The oldest-known form of Mary, serious and solemn Miriam has been a particular favorite of observant Jewish parents. But we can see it extending beyond that sphere into the next wave of Old Testament names post-Rachel, Rebecca, Sarah, Hannah, and Leah. Miriam is currently the Number 1 girls' name in Israel.
- Orlaith
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"golden princess"Description:
In early, pre-Norman Ireland, this name was borne by both a sister and a niece of high king Brian Boru. Now, the English form Orla is more commonly used.
- Penrose
Origin:
Cornish and Welsh place name and surnameMeaning:
"top of the heath"Description:
Penrose – an ancient locational surname derived from several villages in Cornwall, Wales, and the Welsh border country of England – might work as a first name, although the "Rose" syllable might lead the uninitiated to assume it's a female name. As a middle name, however, it would make for a surprising and distinguished choice. A male Penrose could be called Pen/Penn, Ross or Roe for short.
- Perpetua
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"perpetual"Description:
A 3rd century saint's name sometimes used in Catholic communities, and in Western European countries like Portugal and Italy.
- Providence
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"divine protection or care"Description:
A Puritanical virtue name and also a place name, belonging to the state capital of Rhode Island and several other towns and cities in the US.