Character und Baby Namez
- Hedy
Origin:
Diminutive of HedwigDescription:
Linked to one of the great screen beauties, but has never appealed much to Americans.
- Heidi
Origin:
Diminutive of Adelheid; GermanMeaning:
"noble, nobility"Description:
Heidi became known—and popular—via the 1880 eponymous children's classic by Swiss writer Johanna Spyri and, despite decades of American Heidis of all sizes, shapes, and personalities, the name seems permanently tethered to that spunky little girl on the Alpine mountaintop in the book and Shirley Temple movie.
- Helena
Origin:
Latinate form of Helen, GreekMeaning:
"torch; shining light"Description:
Helena is one of those classic names that just misses making the US Top 1000 girl names for its entire history, falling off for a single year in 1992. Since then it's been drifting lazily up the charts, and makes a perfect choice if you want a name that both fits in and stands out.
- Heloise
Origin:
French from GermanMeaning:
"healthy; wide"Description:
Heloise is an ancient name related to sleek, peppy classic Eloise. Both ultimately derive from the Germanic name Helewidis, which became Helewis in medieval England. In the twelfth century, the name was borne by the beloved of the French philosopher Pierre Abelard, who was considered to be one of the most learned women of the Middle Ages.
- Henrietta
Origin:
Feminine variation of HenryMeaning:
"estate ruler"Description:
Despite a return to such feminizations of male names as Josephine, Clementine, and Theodora, starchy Henrietta has not made it into that group. Still, if you look hard enough, you'll see that Henrietta has the same vintage charm.
- 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.
- Hesper
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"evening, evening star"Description:
Hesper is a feminine form of Hesperus, the name of the Greek mythological personification of the Evening Star. The Hesperides are daughters of nymphs of the evening. Hesper may be related to the name Vesper as well as Hespera and Hesperia.
- Hester
Origin:
Medieval variation of Esther, PersianMeaning:
"star"Description:
The disgraced heroine of The Scarlet Letter's name, after long neglect, just might have a chance at revival, following in the wake of sister-name Esther. We've characterized her elsewhere as an eccentric aristocrat, much more accepted in the U.K. than she has been here.
- Hetty
Origin:
Diminutive of Henrietta, EnglishMeaning:
"estate ruler"Description:
A classic short form of Henrietta, also seen as a nickname for Mehetabel.
- Hilda
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"battle woman"Description:
Short for Brunhilda, the operatic Valkyrie of Teutonic legend, Hilda still has not quite shaken off that image that image. Though with the resurgence of Matilda, she might just have a bit of a comeback.
- Hildi
- Honey
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
A term of endearment turned cute British celebrity baby name, used by actress Kate Winslet, chef Jamie Oliver, and TV presenter Fearne Cotton, among others. Honey was given to only 40 girls in the US in 2017, but it's relatively popular across the pond, where it ranks in the current Top 500 baby names for girls.
- Hudson
Origin:
English place-name and surnameMeaning:
"Hugh's son"Description:
Hudson has risen quickly up the charts over the past 30 years, getting a lot of its style value from New York's Hudson River. That makes it a nature name and a place name that's also got the fashion gloss of New York City.
- Ia
Origin:
CornishDescription:
This punchy little name, reminiscent of Latin Io, has a whimsical and beautiful fable behind it. According to legend, the Cornish saint Ia was an Irish princess who sailed across the sea to Cornwall on a leaf. She was martyred and buried at the spot where the church of St Ives (called Porth Ia - "St Ia’s cove" - in Cornish) now stands. EE-ah is the Cornish pronunciation, but EYE-ah is also accepted.
- Imogen
Origin:
CelticMeaning:
"maiden"Description:
Imogen has long been fashionable in England and is gaining favor in the US among stylish parents. Pronounced the British way — the initial i is short as in Kim, as is the final E as in Ken — Imogen is as pretty and classy as it is distinctive.
- Iona
Origin:
Scottish place-nameDescription:
This name of a small island off the coast of Scotland is trending upwards along with other I names.
- Isadora
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"gift of Isis"Description:
Why is Isabella megapopular while Isadora goes virtually ignored? Too close a tie with tragic modern dancer Isadora Duncan (born Angela Isadora), who was done in by her long flowing scarf, perhaps, or with fusty male version Isidore. But we think Isadora is well worth reevaluating as an Isabella alternative. Quirky couple singer Bjork and artist Matthew Barney did just that and named their daughter Isadora. Isidora would be an alternative, just as proper but not quite as charming spelling--the one used as the spelling of a fourth century saint's name.
- Isla
Origin:
Scottish place-name or SpanishMeaning:
"island"Description:
Isla is a hit name throughout the English-speaking world but hasn't found the same popularity in other western countries, perhaps because its spelling and pronunciation don't make sense for those whose native language is not English. Think island without the final two letters.
- Isolda
- Isolde
Origin:
Welsh, GermanMeaning:
"ice ruler"Description:
Now that Tristan has been rediscovered, maybe it's time for his fabled lover in the Arthurian romances and Wagnerian opera, a beautiful Irish princess, to be brought back into the light as well.