Stars, Snow and Christmas!

Theodora is one of the most revival-worthy of the charmingly old-fashioned Victorian valentine names, softly evocative but still substantial, as is the reversed-syllable Dorothea.

As unlikely as it may seem, Theodore is a hot new hit name, vaulting into the Top 10 in 2021 for the first time ever and rising three more points last year to rank at Number 7.

Tindra is a new name in Sweden, used only since the 1980s, that has become enormously popular: It's in the Top 60 there. And while unknown in the US, Tindra certainly has possibilities as a substitute for the flagging Kendra.

Mystical and intriguing, this vintage name has an unexpectedly modern feel. Conjuring up imagery of glowing evening light, Twyla could appeal as as alternative to Lila, as a nature-inspired option, or for the grown-up fans of the Stephanie Meyer's vampire series, Twilight.

Twyla — also spelled Twila — has a number of possible origins. On one hand, it could be simply inspired by the word "twilight", connecting it to the time of evening when the sun is below the horizon. Alternatively, it could come from the word "twill", a type of textile weave that creates a sturdy fabric, or, it could be inspired by the French Étoile (said EH-TWAL), meaning "star".

Associated with choreographer Twyla Tharp, a waitress in the television series Schitt's Creek, and a Monster High character Twyla Boogeyman, Twyla was also used by Toni Morrison in her short story, Recitatif, which was reissued in 2022.

That difficult Ur- sound cancels out the feminine appeal of the rest of the name.

Effortlessly stylish, with plenty of sweetness and strength, Valentina feels like a fresh alternative to Valerie, Victoria, or Vanessa.

Said to refer to either Jupiter or Venus, either of which would be preferable as a name.

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.

Vivienne is an elaborated Gallic version of the name Vivian, chosen first by Rosie O'Donnell for her daughter and then catapulted to superstardom when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie used it for their twin daughter. An adult namesake is the British designer Vivienne Westwood. Rosie O'Donnell also has a daughter named Vivienne, known as Vivi.

If you discount the connection to the controversial Whittaker Chambers in the days of the Red Scare, Whittaker is a pleasant enough British surname with the preppyish nickname Whit.

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.

Wolf is a name with a split personality. It can be seen as one of the fierce animal names, like Fox and Bear and Puma, with a touch of the werewolf, or it can be viewed as a quieter, Wolf Blitzer kind of name, fairly common in German (where is pronounced Vulf) and Jewish families, sometimes as a short form of Wolfgang, or even Wolfram or Wolfhart.