badass hipster dreamgirls

  1. Marina
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "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."
  2. Melanie
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "black, dark"
    • Description:

      Gone with the Wind inspired a generation of girls named Melanie, though it looks as though Scarlett will triumph in the end.
  3. Millie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Mildred or Millicent
    • Meaning:

      "gentle strength; strong in work"
    • Description:

      Millie is back. It's a Top 100 name throughout much of the English-speaking world, though not yet in the US. Millicent would be an appealing long form, but many people are using Millie all by its cute self -- so many, in fact, that it returned to the Top 500 in 2015 for the first time since World War 2 and continues to climb.
  4. Mina
    • Origin:

      Hindu equivalent of Pisces or diminutive of Wilhelmina, German
    • Meaning:

      "resolute protection"
    • Description:

      Most famous as a Dracula victim (where Mina is short for Wilhelmina), Mina is a name that can stand on its own or be a diminutive of any name ending in -mina, most usually Wilhelmina.
  5. Molly
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Mary, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "bitter"
    • Description:

      Molly is one of the original nickname names, ALWAYS ranking among the US Top 500 girl names since statistics began, in 1880. Molly peaked in 1991 only to rise just as high again in 2011, and though softening retains a good measure of popularity and charm.
  6. Neena
    • Orchid
      • Origin:

        From Greek
      • Meaning:

        "orchid flower"
      • Description:

        Orchid is a hothouse bloom that has not been plucked by many modern baby namers — yet. In the language of flowers, orchids symbolize love, beauty, and sophistication.
    • Peggy
      • Origin:

        Diminutive of Margaret, Greek
      • Meaning:

        "pearl"
      • Description:

        Just when we had written off Peggy as the eternal perky, pug-nosed prom-queen she projected from the 1920s into the fifties, along came Mad Men, with intriguing mid-century characters with names like Joan and Betty--and Peggy, causing a bit of a re-think. MM's proto-feminist Peggy Olson was followed by Amy Adams's strong Oscar-nominated Peggy Dodd character in The Master.
    • Polly
      • Origin:

        English variation of Molly
      • Description:

        An alternative to the no-longer-fresh Molly, the initial 'P' gives Polly a peppier sound, combining the cozy virtues of an old-timey name with the bounce of a barmaid.
    • Ramona
      • Origin:

        Spanish, feminine variation of Ramon
      • Meaning:

        "wise protector"
      • Description:

        Ramona is a sweet spot name – neither too trendy nor too eccentric. Kids will associate it with the clever Ramona Quimby character in the series of books by Beverly Cleary, also seen on TV. It was chosen by starcouple Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard for their little girl, who would be joined by sister Gloria.
    • Romilly
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "citizen of Rome"
      • Description:

        Originally a surname deriving from the Roman twin Romulus, this attractive name was introduced to the English-speaking world as a first name by painter Augustus John who used it for his son. Romilly John became Admiral of the Fleet in England.
    • Rosamund
      • Origin:

        German
      • Meaning:

        "horse protection"
      • Description:

        This lovely, quintessentially British appellation, also spelled Rosamond, is the name of a legendary twelfth-century beauty. Rare on these shores, it is more than worthy of importation.
    • Rozlyn
      • Ruby
        • Origin:

          Latin
        • Meaning:

          "deep red precious stone"
        • Description:

          Vibrant, sassy, and bubbly, Ruby is a vintage gem that hasn’t lost any of its sparkle. Currently popular in a number of English-speaking countries, Ruby is proof of the 100 Year Rule, trending again for the first time since its heyday in the 1910s.
      • Ruth
        • Origin:

          Hebrew
        • Meaning:

          "compassionate friend"
        • Description:

          Ruth, with its air of calm and compassion, was the third most popular name in the 1890s, remaining in the Top 10 through the 1920s. It's still in use today as some parents tiring of Rachel and Rebecca are giving Ruth a second thought. Some see such Old Testament girls’ names as Ruth and Esther rising on the heels of boy equivalents Abel and Moses.
      • Sylvia
        • Origin:

          Latin
        • Meaning:

          "from the forest"
        • Description:

          The musical, sylvan Sylvia seems poised to join former friends Frances and Beatrice and Dorothy back in the nursery.
      • Valen
        • Origin:

          Latin, feminine variation of Valentine; "strength, health"
        • Meaning:

          "strength, health"
        • Description:

          Variation of Valentina with the same pared-down appeal as Maren.
      • Veronika
        • Origin:

          Czech variation of Veronica
        • Description:

          This spelling adds a touch of the unusual to Veronica.
      • Wednesday
        • Origin:

          English
        • Meaning:

          "Woden's day"
        • Description:

          Name made famous by the macabre character Wednesday – middle name: Friday – Addams is taken from the name of the day dedicated to the Anglo-Saxon god Woden, who relates to Mercury. Cartoonist author Charles Addams was said to choose the name because "Wednesday's child is full of woe."
      • Zazie
        • Origin:

          French
        • Description:

          This jazzy French diminutive of Isabelle was first made famous by the title character of Raymond Queneau’s novel Zazie dans le métro, which was adapted into a film in 1960. It could also work as a nickname for Elizabeth or Susannah.