mostly obscure eclectic w european flair
- Teodora
Origin:
Italian, Spanish, Swedish, PolishMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
Teodora is an extremely attractive and international choice, with several equally attractive, user-friendly nicknames and a little more edge than the English form, Theodora. Appealing short forms might include Tea, Dora, or Dory.
- Thais
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"beloved, bandage"Description:
A paramour of Alexander the Great and the heroine of a Jules Massenet opera based on the life of a fourth century Egyptian saint, this name is nothing if not dramatic. Often spelled with a diaeresis or umlaut -- aka two dots -- over the letter i, Thais is a Top 100 girls' name in France and is also popular in Spain.
- Thalette
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"bringer of blossoms"Description:
An alternative form of Thallo, goddess of spring.
- Theodota
Origin:
Feminine variation of Theodotus, Latin from GreekMeaning:
"given to god"Description:
With Theodora showing signs of revival, this rare saints' name could be an appealing alternative.
- Theone
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"godly"Description:
A solid, if somewhat serious Greek name. Theoni and Theona are variants. This might be a possibility if you're looking for an unusual route to Thea.
- Thibault
Origin:
French from GermanMeaning:
"courageous people"Description:
Pronounced TEE-bow, this version, which is also a very common surname in France, has a lot more charm than the name it derives from — Theobald. A variant spelling is Thibaut.
- Toulouse
Origin:
French place-name and surnameDescription:
Creative choice, evoking the high-kicking can-can girls and other colorful figures in the works of Toulouse-Lautrec.
- Vale
Origin:
Geographical nameDescription:
Today Show anchor Savannah Guthrie put this name of a geographical feature on the baby name map when she chose it for her newborn daughter, Vale Guthrie Feldman. Vale might be considered part nature name, part place name: A vale is a kind of valley, often used in poetry. This truly unique choice doesn't even register on the US extended list of names given to five babies or more, but we expect Vale to register as parents are inspired by Guthrie and husband Mike Feldman's creative choice. More prosaicly, Vale might be a short form of Valerie or Valentina.
- Valor
Origin:
Word nameMeaning:
"courage and bravery"Description:
This modern virtue name gives a nod to ancient chivalry and could also work as an updated form of the classic Victor. A bold choice, but one that an increasing number of parents have been making in the last decade.
- Van
Origin:
DutchMeaning:
"of"Description:
Whether it's used as a short form or on its own, this jazzy midcentury name is poised for a comeback along with brothers Ray and Walt.
- Varda
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"rose, pink"Description:
Commonly heard in Israel, but here it could be an unusual way to honor Grandma Rose.
- Vera
Origin:
RussianMeaning:
"faith"Description:
Vera was the height of fashion in 1910, then was for a long time difficult to picture embroidered on a baby blanket. Now, though, it has come back into style along with other old-fashioned simple names such as Ada and Iris.
- Vero
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"true"Description:
The o ending and the positive meaning in many languages makes this a winner, and with the feminine Vera making a surprise return, and the new love for the letter 'V', this becomes a name that has definite possibilities.
- Vespertine
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"of the evening"
- Viridian
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"blue green color"Description:
Unusual and beautiful blue green color and name possibility, a la Cerulean.
- Yves
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"yew wood"Description:
On paper, with its stylish ties to fashion legend Yves Saint-Laurent (born Henri), Yves looks great, but the pronunciation--EVE-- could lead to gender confusion. German variation Ivo might be cooler and clear up the issue.
- Zelda
Origin:
Diminutive of GriseldaMeaning:
"gray fighting maid"Description:
Classified as an early beauty, Zelda has long and often been used as such for characters in books and films. Since 1986, Zelda has been a prime Nintendo name, as in the Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
- Zelie
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"noble"Description:
A cute, zippy French saint's name that's picking up in popularity there, and starting to in the US as well. Zélie originated as a short form of Azélie, thought to derive from Adelaide via the Occitan form Azalaïs. Saint Zélie was born Marie-Azélie.
- Zephyrine
Origin:
Feminine variation of Zephyr, GreekMeaning:
"west wind"Description:
Zephyr may not be a name often heard in the U.S., but its variations are used throughout Europe. Zephyrine, a cousin in sound and feel if not in fact to such lovely names as Severine and Seraphina, has distinctive possibilities.
- Zerline
Origin:
French variant of Zerlin and ZerlinaMeaning:
"beautiful dawn"Description:
Although a variant of the operatic Zerlina, Zerline has her own theatrical tale. She is the star character of the opera Fra Diavolo by Daniel Auber. Zerline, daughter of the innkeeper of Terracina, is in love with an impoverished soldier, Lorenzo, but her father wants her to marry the rich old Francesco. Various tragedies and events occur. In the end, Zerline is free to marry her beloved Lorenzo.