classic and unusual character names for Women

Solstice graduated from word to official first name when author Lionel Shriver used it for a character in her novel Big Brother. But of course, there were people named Solstice before: 16 baby girls were given the name in the US in 2021 (and it is occasionally used for boys too).

Common in Scandinavia, this name has rarely come to our shores. The name of the heroine in Ibsen's Peer Gynt, Solveig is currently a widely-used name in Norway. Pronounced authentically, with a silent 'g', it becomes much more appealing.

The original Sophonisba was a Carthaginian noblewoman who was alive at the time of the Second Punic War, who became a legend for drinking lethal poison rather than be humiliated by Carthage's Roman conquerors. She's been the subject of countless literary works throughout history.

A name some people first encountered in the old children's book series The Five Little Peppers, in which Sophronia, the youngest of the Peppers is nicknamed Phronsie.`It was also used by Dickens in two of his novels: The Old Curiosity Shop and Our Mutual Friend.

A charming addition to the ever-growing crop of virtue names.

Stavra is the female version of the classic Greek name Stavros, sometimes erroneously anglified as Stephanie (which means crown) or Stella (star).

One African name that's virtually unknown in the western world, but sounds both soft and strong.

You can call your daughter Sugar, but only as a term of endearment. Her real name has to be something, almost anything, else.

Sunniva was an Irish-born saint who fled to Norway, where she hid in an island cave with her followers and eventually died. After miracles were reported on the island, the cave was excavated and Sunniva's intact body was found. Sunniva is the patron saint of Western Norway. Her name would make a fascinating and unusual choice for a modern baby girl, and if her story is a bit grim, you can take refuge in the upbeat nickname Sunny or Sunni.

Sunshine was seen as a quintessential hippie name of the 70s, reaching as high as Number 536 in 1975. Now such names are making a bit of a retro comeback, seen, for example, as a character on Glee.

Form of Swanhild, borne by the heroine of the ballet Coppélia. The -a ending certainly gives this ancient name a lighter, more balletic feel.

Form of Swanhild, borne by the heroine of the ballet Coppélia. The -a ending certainly gives this ancient name a lighter, more balletic feel.

A few boys have adopted fabrics like Denim and Suede; here's a singular one for the girls, with a distinctively silky sheen.