littlesharks's list of names

The way Wilhelm is pronounced anyway, so a pointless spelling variation.

Vincent is a name with a complex image. After being quietly used for centuries, it is suddenly seeming stylish, along wih other V names. Even the nickname Vince has been given a reprieve via actor Vince Vaughn and country singer Vince Gill. Vin Diesel was born with the more prosaic name Mark Vincent.

Violet is soft and sweet, yet with a vivacious edge. Today, Violet is the top flower name for girls, outranking Lily and Iris in the Top 100, and the second most popular color name for girls after Scarlett.

With Violet in vogue, this vibrant international variation has been on the rise since the 2010s. Vintage and floral like its more popular sister, Violetta has a slightly softer sound and a touch of extra flair. Given to 135 girls in a recent year, it also gets you to nicknames Etta, Vita, and Lettie.

The name of the greatest Roman poet and an early Irish saint who believed the earth was round, Virgil is heard most notably today as the name of designer Virgil Abloh of Off-White.

Virginia is a lovely place name starting with the fashionable V and having deep historical roots, yet, unlike some other other girls' classics, has been sorely neglected in recent years.

An appealing Italianate alternative.

The most famous Vlad was nicknamed "the Impaler." Enough said.

Vladimir is a cultured and deep-rooted Slavic name associated in this country with cultural figures including piano virtuoso Vladimir Horowitz and the author of Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov.

In Eastern Europe, more fashionable these days than Vladimir.

God of cattle, earth, and the underworld worshipped in Slavic areas. He is considered the opponent of the thunder god Perun, and is imagined as a dragon-like figure — resembling a cross between a bear and a snake that devours lifestock.

An alternative spelling to Vivian, a notable bearer being fashion editor, caricaturist, and screen writer Vyvyan Enid Donner, while another is Vyvyan Holland, son of Oscar Wilde and Constance Lloyd.

Variant of Walburga or Walpurgis. In German and Nordic folklore, Walpurgisnacht (St Walpurga's Night) is when witches and devils meet for revelry.

Wilhelmina might once have been condemned as a clunky relic best left in the past, but a steadily increasing number of parents are dusting it off for their 21st century babies. A reasonably popular choice in the 19th century, but out of favor by the 1950s, in the last decade, the number of babies called Wilhelmina has doubled, with 140 girls receiving the name in 2023.

An ancient tree that figures in literature from Shakespeare to Harry Potter and is believed to possess magical powers, Willow is a lovely name, as graceful as its inspiration.

Fresher, brisker and, yes, cooler than Summer or Autumn or Spring, Winter is now a full-fledged female choice, especially since Nicole Richie and Joel Madden used it for daughter Harlow's middle name, and Gretchen Mol picked it as her daughter's first, as did media mogul Sean Parker. Winter continues to be the preferred spelling and has risen in popularity significantly over the past few years.

A frilly southern-accented flower name yet to be planted on many birth certificates. In the language of flowers, the wisteria is a symbol of devotion. It is named for American horticulturalist John Caspar Wister.