The name of the sainted mother of the Virgin Mary was among the top <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ names</a> for centuries, in both the original English Ann spelling and the French Anne. Both left the Top 100 around 1970 but Anne is still among the most <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/322/classic-baby-names-for-girls">classic names for girls</a>, although others are more likely to choose the original Hannah, the Anna variation, or even Annabel or Annabella.
Anne was on a long slide from the early 1980s until about 2010, when its popularity in the US stabilized around the middle of the Top 1000.
 Anne was the name of six queens of England, two of them wives of Henry VIII, as well as the name of the present Queen Elizabeth's only daughter plus French and Russian royalty. More recently, Mindy Kaling chose Anne for her second daughter.
 Anne has too many distinguished namesakes to enumerate--but among them are Anne Hathaway, (both Shakespeare's wife and the contemporary actress), Anne of Green Gables, Anne Bronte, Anne Frank, and Anne Morrow Lindbergh.

Anne

Blythe originated as a nickname for an upbeat person, coming from the Old English word bliðe, meaning "merry" or "cheerful." Today the homophone blithe shares the same meaning. Blythe was eventually adapted to a surname before it became a mostly feminine given name. 

 The title of the memorable Noel Coward play Blithe Spirit is taken from Shelley's poetic line, "Hail to thee, blithe Spirit". And Gilbert Blythe is the hero of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables series.

Blythe

Charlie derives, of course, from the classic name Charles which, in turn, comes from a German word meaning "free man." Charles became very popular in France during the Middle Ages due to the fame of Charles the Great, also known as Charlemagne. Charley is an alternate spelling.
 
Charlie is one of the friendliest names on the planet, and Good-time Charlie is back. More and more parents (of babies of both genders) these days are opting to put the friendly, genial Charlie on birth certificates. 
 
In fact, one of the most notable things about the name Charlie is that it is used almost equally for girls and boys -- given in the US last year to 2200 baby girls and 2100 baby boys. And the popularity of Charlotte and Charles mean there are even more Charlies of both sexes running around American playgrounds.
 
Charlie has dozens and dozens of pop cultural references, from Charlie Chaplin to Charlie McCarthy to "Charlie's Angels" to Charlie Parker to Charlie Sheen to Charlie Rose. 
 
Putting nicknames on the birth certificate is very much a growing trend. Current celebs who have chosen Charlie for their sons include Tiger Woods, Mimi Rogers, Soledad O'Brien and Sarah Chalke.

Charlie

This form of Charlotte, long obscure, is sure to grow in popularity along with the explosion of Charlotte. It's pretty and feminine and a nice spin on the more familiar version. In Germany, short form Lotta is popular.

Charlotta

In ancient Rome, Cornelia was considered the paragon of womanly virtue, making it a handsome name with an excellent pedigree. It's rare today, so if you want a name no one else is using, somewhat reminiscent of Amelia and the Shakespearean Cordelia, Cornelia should be on your list. Cornelia's short forms might include Cora, Nelia or Nell--anything but Corny.
 The name of the mother of famous second century Roman reformers, Cornelia emerged in England in the seventeenth century, probably brought in by Dutch immigrants. The painter Jan Vermeer had a daughter named Cornelia.
 Cornelia has not made a mark on the U.S. popularity list since 1965--so she's more than due for reconsideration. In the meantime, it's been associated with contemporary socialite Cornelia Guest, giving the name an elite image.

Cornelia

Diana, the tragic British princess, inspired many fashions, but strangely, not one for her name. For us, Diana is a gorgeous and still-underused choice.
 Diana is the Latin name for the Roman goddess associated with the moon, virginity, and hunting; she is the protector of wild animals, represented in myth as both beautiful and chaste.
 Two of her most prominent bearers today are singers Diana (born Diane) Ross and Krall. Fictional Dianas appear in All's Well That Ends Well, Jane Eyre, and Anne of Green Gables.
 Now that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have named their daughter Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, perhaps this name will finally attract more attention and greater use.

Diana

Dora is poised for a comeback, right behind Laura, Nora, Cora, and Flora. First-time parents who haven't watched cartoons in a couple of decades should be aware of the Dora the Explorer connection, which has its pluses and minuses. 
 Dora became popular during the Victorian era largely via Dora Spenlow, the "child-wife of Dickens's David Copperfield. Two noted real-life bearers were Dora Maar (born Henriette), a Picasso model and muse, and Dora Carrington, a British painter who was a member of the Bloomsbury Group. The name suffered a bit of a setback from being the title of the long-running comic strip, Dumb Dora.. 
 While Dora can stand on its own, it can also be short for Dorothea, Dorothy, or Theodora. Dory is a cute diminutive.

Dora

Esmé comes from the past participle of the Old French verb esmer, meaing "to esteem" or "to love." It can also be considered a derivative of the Spanish name Esmeralda, which means "emerald". 

 Esmé began life as a masculine name, as in its original bearer, Esmé Stewart,1st Duke of Lennox, and Esmée, with the same pronunciation, was the feminine form. Today both spellings are used as feminine given names, along with Anglicizations including Esmay and Esmae.

 
Esmé is a sweet, sophisticated and charming literary name, from J. D. Salinger's classic 1950 story For Esmé, With Love and Squalor. Esme is also one of the most stylish <a href="/list/434/Baby-Names-That-Mean-Love">baby names that mean love.</a>

 A current favorite among celebs, including Samantha Morton, Michael J. Fox and Katey Sagal, Esme got a lot of publicity via the character Esme Cullen, the vampire matriarch of the Olympic Coven in the Twilight Saga. Esme has long been more popular across the pond in the UK, where it currently makes the Top 50 baby girl names.

 The final accent indicates the pronunciation of ez-may, though in English you can just spell it Esme. Whatever the spelling, Esme is one of the fastest-rising <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/e">girl names starting with E</a>.

Esme

Considered ultra debonair in the silent-movie era, Gilbert then went through a nerdy phase, a la Gilbert Gottfried. Now though, like Albert and Alfred and Walter and Frank, it could be in for a style revival. 
 Gilbert has always been on the US popularity list, reaching as high as Number 90 in 1930. The Normans introduced Gilbert to England, where it was common during the Middle Ages; it was the name of a 12th century English saint.
 Gilberts have appeared in such books as Henry James's Portrait of a Lady, Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables, and Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, and on screen in The Incredibles and as embodied by the young Johnny Depp in What's Eating Gilbert Grape?. The most famous portrait painter of George Washington was Gilbert Stuart. 
 Nickname Gil could come back along with Hal, but even more appealing are Gib or Gibby.

Gilbert

It might be surprising to know that this name originated as a Scottish place and surname name, as in Washington Irving.  It became a popular choice for first-generation Jewish-American boys, such as best-selling authors Irving Stone and Irving Wallace, whose parents looked to surnames from the British Isles to confer a measure of assimilation and class. Irving Berlin changed his name from Israel; actor Ving Rhames streamlined and coolized it. Irving was a Top 100 name during World War I, and though we don't envision it reaching those heights again, we can see some hipster parents having their own little Ving.

Irving

James is one of the classic Anglo-Saxon names, a stalwart through the ages that is more popular—and yes, stylish—than ever today. It recently came out Number 1 in a poll of America's favorite boys' baby names, and is the most common male name, counting people of all ages, in the US.
 James, which reentered the Top 5 in 2016, is a current favorite among fashionable parents looking for a baby name that has both style and substance. Like Henry and Theodore, it manages to combine these two stellar qualities.
 
An English derivation of the Hebrew name Jacob, James is biblical (the name of two apostles in the New Testament), royal (kings of both England and Scotland), and presidential (with more U.S. Chief Executives -- six -- than any other name). The name James is also shared by countless great writers and entertainers.
 
There are fewer Jimmys, Jimbos or even Jamies these days; the most fashionable form of the name is James itself. Several stylish celebrities have chosen it in recent years for their sons, including Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, Liz Phair, Colin Farrell and Isaac Hanson. Brendan Fehr thought out of the box and named his daughter James, which has now become a fashionable middle names for baby girls..
 James has some interesting foreign variations: Diego and Jaime (Spanish), Jacques (French), Giacomo (Italian), Hamish (Scottish), Jaako (Finnish), Seamus (Irish), Jaap (Dutch) and Jago (Cornish).
 Along with being one of the most popular first names in the US, James is also one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/top-last-names-in-the-us">most common American last names </a>.

James

No, we don't consider Jane too plain. In fact, for a venerable and short one-syllable name, we think it packs a surprising amount of punch, as compared to the related Jean and Joan.
 A very old name, Jane has been around since Tudor times, in this country moving in and out of fashion. Jane was once so common that it became generic—as in Jane Doe and G.I. Jane—then spent a considerable time as the back end of such smooshes as Maryjane, Bettyjane, and Sarajane.
 We think it's time for a fresh look at Jane—and not only in the middle place. Just think of all the awesome Janes of the past, both real and fictive—from Austen to Addams to Eyre to Fonda. 
 Jimmy Kimmel recently named his baby girl Jane.

Jane

Josephine, with its large measure of class and character and a gently offbeat quality, has been on a gentle uphill climb in the US for over 30 years, now ranking in the Top 100. With an intriguing number of vivacious nicknames, from Jo to Josie to Fifi to Posy, Josephine is a Nameberry favorite.
 
Josephine is the feminine form of Joseph, a name ultimately derived from the Hebrew Yosef, meaning "Jehovah increases." In French it has an accent over the first E, which was omitted in the English, German, and Dutch translations of the name. Empress Joséphine du Beauharnais was born Marie-Josephe-Rose, but called Josephine by her husband, Napolean Bonaparte.
 
Josephine Baker (born Freda), the American-French singer, dancer, and civil rights activist, is a potential namesake.
 Some of the Josephines in literature and recent pop culture are known by their nicknames—the admirably headstrong Jo in Little Women, Joey Potter (played by Katie Holmes) in Dawson's Creek, and Josie of Josie and the Pussycats. In Some Like it Hot, Josephine was the nom de femme of Tony Curtis.
 Josephines have been the subjects of countless songs, performed by artists ranging from Fats Domino to Tori Amos to the Black Crowes.

Josephine

Josie is jaunty and friendly: among the most winning of all nickname names. She's been on the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">social security list</a> since records began being kept.
 Josie and the Pussycats , revolving around an all-girl pop band, has been a pop culture phenomenon for decades, in comic books in the sixties, a Saturday morning animated cartoon series in the seventies, and as a live action movie in 2001. In a recent romcom, Drew Barrymore's character mentions that she was named after that Josie.
 While Josie is the most stylish short form for Josephine, Jo, Feeny, and even Fifi are other possibilities.

Josie

Kenneth may have lost much of its luster now, but Kenneth has had its moments of glory. The first king of Scotland was Kenneth, and Sir Kenneth, a Christian crusader, was the hero of the Sir Walter Scott novel The Talisman.
 In this country, Kenneth was a Top 20 name from the 1920s through the 50s. And of course for many girls growing up, Ken was the name of Barbie's eternal boyfriend and ultimate dream date. Most recently, Kenneth Ellen (!) Parcell was the naive, perpetually smiling character on 30 Rock.
 There have been a number of musical Kenneth/Kennys--Kenny Chesney, Kenny Rogers, Kenny Loggins, and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmunds.

Kenneth

Lavender lags far behind sweet-smelling purple-hued sister names Violet and Lila, but is starting to get some enthusiastic attention from cutting-edge namers along with other adventurous nature names like Clementine and Marigold. 

 The flower's name derives from Latin lividus "bluish", influenced by lavō "wash" due to use of lavender in washing clothes. It has long been used in traditional medicine and in cooking for its sweet fragrance and soothing properties. But it also has a long history as a name, going back to the eighteenth century, when it was also used for boys. 

 Famous fictional namesakes include Lavender Brown, a witch character in the Harry Potter saga, and the eponymous heroine's best friend in Roald Dahl's Matilda.

Lavender

Marilla is a names that's familiar via its resemblance to Mary and variations, but also distinctive: It hasn't been on the Top 1000 since the 1800s and was given to only 27 baby girls last year. 
 
Delicate and sweet, Marilla might be seen as a Latinate form of Maria or a short form of the flower name Amaryllis. Marilla Cuthbert was a character in L. M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables.
 Not heard much since the 1880s, Marilla could make a distinctive alternative to Marissa.

Marilla

Marshall is an occupational surname, not having to do with anything military or martial, but stemming from the Norman French for someone caring for horses. It's been used as a first name since the nineteenth century and has been on the Social Security list since it started to publish its data in 1880.
 Marshall is the real name of rapper Eminem, and it got some attention during the heyday of communications maven Marshall McLuhan. Peyton Manning named his son Marshall, and Jason Segel played the character of Marshall Eriksen on How I Met Your Mother.

Marshall

Matthew was the third most popular boys' name in America throughout the 1980s and '90s, and is still one of the top <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/boys-names/m">boy names starting with M</a>. The New Testament Matthew is the epitome of the fashionable classic—safe and sturdy, yet with a more engaging personality than John or William.
 
Matthew is the English derivative of Matthaios, the Greek form of the Hebrew Mattiyahu, composed of mattan, meaning "gift" and yah, in reference to God. The biblical Matthew was the apostle who wrote the first Gospel in the New Testament. Mateo, Matthias, Teo, Matek, and Mattia are among the many names derived from Matthew.
 Matthew is so common by now, though, that parents have started to seek fresher choices, like Matthew-inspired variations Matthias and Mateo. 
 
The name suddenly became very popular in the U.S. in the 1960s, with Matts appearing on many Western (e.g., Gunsmoke's Marshall Matt Dillon) and other TV shows. Currently there are several prominent real-life Matthews and Matts, including Broderick, McConaughey, Lauer, Damon and Dillon. Celebs who have chosen international versions for their starbabies include Ricky Martin (Matteo), Benjamin Bratt (Matteo), Colin Firth (Mateo) and Will Ferrell (Mattias).

Matthew

Minerva is the long-neglected name of the Roman goddess of wisdom and invention, the arts and martial strength, one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/325/mythological-baby-names-for-girls">mythology names for girls</a> that might appeal to adventurous feminist parents. With Juno and Jupiter, she made the Capitoline triad, whose worship was at the very center of Roman religion.
 
Minerva Pott is a character in Dickens's novel Pickwick Papers. In Harry Potter, Minerva McGonagall is a Witch and Deputy Headmistress of Hogswarts, and in the Artemis Fowl books, Minerva Paradizo is equally intellectual. There's also a series of kids' mystery books centering around a Minerva Clark.
 
Minerva was a Top 500 name through the early 1920s, last appearing on the list in 1973. It's well liked on Nameberry though—currently at Number 417. Nickname Minnie fits right in with the other currently stylish vintage nickname names. Curiously, though, actress Minnie Driver was not born Minerva, but Amelia.

Minerva

Minnie was wildly popular at the turn of the last century — it was the fifth or sixth most popular name throughout the 1880s — but is completely obscure today. Blame Mickey's girlfriend. Regardless, it's possible that the up and coming trend toward old-fashioned nickname-names — think Maisie, Mamie, Millie — may give Minnie (all on its own, not as a short form of anything) a new moment in the sun. Minnie Driver (born Amelia) has given it some modern celeb cred. 
 There have been characters named Minnie in Dickens's Little Dorrit and Eugene O'Neill's Mourning Becomes Electra. Cab Calloway's "Minnie the Moocher" is a jazz classic.
 Minnie can really be short for just about any M name (and some non-M names as well, such as Wilhelmina), including Minerva, Mary, and Margaret.

Minnie

Morgan, once split evenly between the sexes, is a strong and attractive Welsh favorite, still a common <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys’ name</a> in Wales. Morgan is now more often a girls' name in the U.S. – about 2000 girls were given the name in one recent year, vs. 362 boys – though it's one of the most traditional unisex choices. Morgan was actually a Top 200 pick for boys in Victorian Britain!
 Distinguished actor Morgan Freeman is a worthy male namesake.

Morgan

Once a poetic Celtic name, that of the angel who governs the month of June, Muriel became the mom or grandma on TV sitcoms. She does have literary cred via Edinburgh-born author Muriel Spark, author of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and also appears as a character in Anne of Green Gables. Muriel was a Top 200 name from 1912 to 1933.

Muriel

Owen, a resonant Celtic name, has ranked among the Top 100 boys' names in the US for 20 years and is now at its highest point ever.
 
Why do so many parents love Owen? It's a classic with a genuine history, yet it's right in step with the modern trend for two-syllable, n-ending boys' names. Owen-like choices with less tradition behind them include Logan, Bowen, and Rowan.
 Owen is derived from two names—the Welsh Owain and the Celtic Eoghan. Each are connected to Eugene, which ultimately came from the Greek word eugenes, comprised of the elements eu, meaning good, and genes, "born." 
 
Owen became a Welsh patronymic surname during the Renaissance. The legendary St. Owen was a Benedictine monk who was a follower of St. Chad.
 
In Ireland, Owen may be spelled Eoin, as in Irish writer Eoin Colfer, and Eoghan. Other similar names include the Scottish Ewan or Euan and the French Ouen.
 
Owen's popularity now extends beyond English-speaking countries to France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Owen

To the thousands of girls who screamed the name of their favorite Beatle in the 1960s, the boys' name Paul had a thrillingly unique image, but to the rest of the world, then and now, it's a name that's so simple and yet so widely diffuse that it could belong to almost anyone. Paul is an ancient <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">name for boys</a> -- popular in Roman and medieval times -- that's not very fashionable now, which can work in its favor, scarcity balancing simplicity. 
 Paul also has a rich religious background: Saint Paul (originally called Saul but baptized Paul after his conversion) was a cofounder with Peter of the Christian church, and there have been six Pope Pauls.
 Paul also boasts a wide range of name-sharing heroes, from Revere to Newman, Cezanne to McCartney. Some creative foreign versions are Pablo (Spanish), Paolo (Itlaian), Pavel (Russian) and Paavo (Finnish).
 Paul's single syllable also make it one of the most popular traditional <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/673/middle-names">middle names</a>.

Paul

Despite her somewhat prissy, puritanical air, Priscilla has managed to stay widely used for well over a century -- it reached as high as Number 127 in 1940 -- appreciated for its delicacy and solid history.
 A New Testament name, it was Priscilla with whom the apostle Paul stayed while spreading the gospel in Corinth. It was common in the ancient Roman world and later was a favorite of the seventeenth century Puritans. Priscilla Mullins (Alden), remembered for her co-starring role in Longfellow's poem The Courtship of Miles Standish, making Priscilla one of the perfect <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/645/delicious-thanksgiving-names">Thanksgiving baby names</a>. There was also a sympathetic Priscilla in Hawthorne's The Blithedale Romance.
 The most conspicuous contemporary bearer of the name is Priscilla Presley, and it's what J. R. R. Tolkien named his only daughter.
 If you find the nickname Prissy too prissy, you could use the British-inflected Cilla.

Priscilla

Rachel was derived from the Hebrew word rāchēl, meaning "ewe." In the Old Testament, Rachel was the favorite wife of Jacob, and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. International variations include the Spanish Raquel and Israeli Rahel.
 
Delicacy, softness, and Old Testament importance made Rachel a top biblical choice from the seventies on. At a much earlier time Rachel was considered characteristically Jewish—it wasn't used as a Christian name until after the Reformation—but the fact that it has reached as high as the Top 10 in this country demonstrates that it has been fully embraced by parents of all backgrounds. While off its peak, Rachel is still one of the most popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/r">girls' names starting with R</a> as well as one of the most <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/322/classic-baby-names-for-girls">classic names for girls</a>.
 Rachel was a US First Lady name, via the wife of Andrew Jackson, and current prominent bearers include Rachels Weisz, Dratch, McAdams, Griffiths, Maddow, Roy, and Zoe. A major influence on the name was Jennifer Aniston's iconic character on Friends; other fictional Rachels were found in the Anne of Green Gables and Percy Jackson series, and on Glee.

Rachel

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. 
The name of a precious stone, Ruby was ultimately derived from the Latin ruber meaning “red”. Despite its sweet, shiny contemporary feel, Ruby has in fact been used as a given name since the 1500s, though it really took off in the Victorian era, alongside Pearl and Opal. 
Many cultures consider rubies to be the stone of kings, and the gem is surrounded by symbolism of wealth, power, life blood, success, and protection. It is also the birthstone for July, which could make it a discreet honor for a July-born relation or just right for a July-born baby. 
In the US, Ruby was a popular choice in the early 20th century, and it peaked at #22 in 1911. By the 1940s however, it was falling down the charts, and while it never left the Top 400, parents turned away from Ruby and to the likes of Judy, Crystal, Rebecca, and Robin instead. 
Then, in the mid-2000s, Ruby made big moves in the UK, leaping to #1 in 2007. Propelled upwards by the catchy song by The Kaiser Chiefs which was released the same year and influenced by celebs such as Tobey Maguire and Charlotte Church choosing it for their daughters, Ruby moved back into the US Top 100 in 2013. 
A truly musical name, Ruby has featured in hits by The Rolling Stones, Cat Stevens, and Kenny Rogers, while namesakes of the fictional and famous variety including Rue from “Euphoria”, Ruby from “Steven Universe”, and Ruby Rose of “Orange is the New Black”, have kept the name in the public eye. 
Given to more than 3000 babies in the US every year and continuing to climb the charts, Ruby is one of those <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/339/vintage-baby-names">vintage baby names</a> that feels totally modern and full of life. 
Love Ruby but want to beat the trends? You could try another vintage gem like Edith, Lula, Twila, Betsy, or Fern, or perhaps something with a similar sound, like Thisbe, Prue, Billie, or Rumi.

Ruby

Shirley Temple almost single-handedly lifted the gloom of the Great Depression, and in tribute (and perhaps wishing for a similarly curly-headed, dimpled darling of their own), thousands of parents of that generation gave their little girls her name. In 1935, Shirley was the second most popular girls' name in the country with more than 42,000 babies named Shirley.

 In an earlier time Shirley was used primarily for boys, but the tide turned with the publication of Charlotte Bronte's novel Shirley in 1849, the story of a character whose parents had selected the name for a boy child, then decided to use it anyway when he turned out to be a she.

 In addition to Shirley Temple, there have been Shirleys MacLaine and Jones and writer Shirley Jackson, as well as rocker Shirley Manson.

Shirley

The original but less common spelling of the ancient mythological name, now used mostly for fictional witches.   But the rise of the lovely Lady Sybil Crawley on television's Downton Abbey and the fall of the multiple personality Sybil, a self-confessed fake, may give Sibyl and Sybil more credibility as a name. 

Sibyl

Stella is a name with star quality and sparkle, that manages to sound both ethereal and earthy. Celestial but not otherworldly, it lands somewhere between the popular Ella and bold Seraphina. 
 
The name Stella was derived from stella, the Latin word for “star”. It was coined by the poet, Sir Philip Sidney who used it in his 1590 sonnet collection, Astrophel and Stella, which translates literally to “the star lover and his star.” 
 
While Astrophel has remained obscure, Stella came into common usage in the 1800s. Inspired perhaps by its similarity to Ella and Esther, and by its association with the Virgin Mary, from her Catholic title, Stella Maris, it was popular in the early decades of the 20th century.
 
After fading in the 70s, Stella is now back and brighter than ever. Following on the heels of Gabriella and Isabella, it ranks in the US Top 50 and is given to almost 5000 babies each year. With equally astronomical Luna now making the Top 10, Stella might rise even higher.
 
Stella holds international appeal too and has taken shining spots on the charts in Switzerland, Sweden, Australia, Italy, and France. 
 
The name Stella was famously bellowed by Marlon Brando in Tennessee William’s A Streetcar Named Desire, and it has proved a popular choice among celebrities, including Matt Damon, Ellen Pompeo, Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott, and Gena Lee Nolin. 
 
Designer and animal rights activist Stella McCartney is another notable namesake, as is Stella Adler, an influential acting teacher. 
 
If Stella is shining for you but it’s not quite the brightest star on your list, then you could consider its variants, the literary Estella, or the French Estelle. Alternatively, you might like another starry name, such as Astraea, Seren, or Izara, or something just equally celestial, like Elara, Celia, or Celeste.

Stella

In an epic poem, the personification of truth, beauty, and unity; this ancient name is popular in several European countries but less common in the US. The Oona spelling is slightly more popular but Una sleeker.

Walter was seen as a noble name in the Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Walter Scott era, but it then spent decades in baby name limbo. Now quite a few independent-minded parents are looking at it as a renewable, slightly quirky, classic, stronger and more distinctive than James or John, second only to William among the handsome classic <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/boys-names/w">boy baby names starting with W</a>.



 A favorite Norman name, Walter was extremely popular in medieval England, where it was pronounced "Water" and a common short form was Wat. In the US, Walter's heyday was from the 1870s through the 1940s. 



 The recent popularity of Breaking Bad has brought us Walter White, conferring on the name Walter a new kind of cool and prompting a fresh wave of popularity.Plus there are all those great Walters and Walts to consider, from Whitman to Disney to Cronkite to Mondale to Payton to Matthau. And then there's the ultimate fantasizer Walter Mitty, not to mention (Walter) Bruce Willis. Recently, actor Rainn Wilson named his son Walter.



 Short forms include Walt, Wally, and the antiquated Wat.

Walter

tgannon1423's list "Names From Anne of Green Gables" of 33 great name ideas: Anne - Walter!

Names From Anne of Green Gables

This is a list of baby names taken from the characters of the eight Anne of Green Gables books.