Old Names

Calista Flockhart opened the door to a whole flock of graceful and unusual Greek names like this. Some others are Calantha, Calla, Carissa, and Cassia.

Spelled with either one 'l' or two, Calista came to the fore in 1997 when Calista Flockhart hit it big as Ally McBeal. Flockhart, who bears her mother's middle name, didn't just introduce a name, she introduced a whole sensibility. Pretty and delicate, Calista is definitely worthy of consideration, especially for parents with Greek roots.

The Spanish Camila, pronounced ka-MEE-la, is the fastest rising version of this ancient Roman name, but recent royal Camilla may have helped promote the British brand.

Candace, an ancient title of a dynasty of Ethiopian queens mentioned in the New Testament, is associated both with actress Candice Bergen and Sex and the City writer Candace Bushnell.

Candice is the spelling of this ancient name used by actress Candice Bergen. Candice is a form of Candace, an ancient title of a dynasty of Ethiopian queens mentioned in the New Testament.

Caroline is a perennial classic, one of the elite group of girls' names that's ALWAYS ranked among the Top 1000 and that's been in the Top 100 since 1994. Elegant yet strong, Caroline calls to mind the Kennedy Camelot years and Princess Caroline of Monaco.

Cecile is a fairly common French saint's name, scattered throughout classic French literature--in Les Liaisons Dangereuses, in Balzac's Cousin Pons, and Zola's Germinal.

Cedric was invented by Sir Walter Scott for the noble character of the hero's father in Ivanhoe, presumed to be an altered form of the Saxon name Cerdic. The name was later also given to Little Lord Fauntleroy, the long-haired, velvet-suited, and lace-collared boy hero of the Frances Hodgson Burnett book, who became an unwitting symbol of the pampered mama's boy.

Charlotte, the name of the young Princess of Cambridge, is the latest classic name to join Sophia, Emma, Olivia, and Isabella at the top of the popularity list. It is now among the most popular girl names in many English-speaking and European countries.

What's Cia short for? Cynthia or most any other C-name. Stylish in its sleek Mia-Nia minimalist feel, but may remind some of the Central Intelligence Agency.

This obscure antiquated name is finding new life thanks to The Witcher series, whose heroine is named Princess Cirilla, nickname Ciri. The feminine form of Cyril, Cirilla has now surpassed the original Cyrilla in usage, given to 40 baby girls in the US in 2021 vs. only 10 called Cyrilla. We eonder how many parents will call their daughters Ciri.

Pronounced klaus, this spelling of the name is associated in this country with the major Pop Art sculptor Swedish-born Claes Oldenburg, known for his colossal public sculptures of everyday objects such as lipsticks and binoculars, and the "Happenings" performance art of the 1960s. Variations include CLAUS, KLAUS, KLAES, and CLAAS.

Clement, the name of fourteen popes and several saints, has a pleasantly, positive, slightly antiquated feel, like the phrase "clement weather."

Too many Connors in your neighborhood? This name--spelled with one 'l' or two--is equally authentic and much more unusual.

A rare and refined name, which could make for a surprising route to cute nickname Connie.

First used during the Victorian craze for jewel names; it could rise again, along with Ruby and Pearl, though it doesn't have as much luster.