Female names - L-Z

The sort of oh-so-French name that's falling out of favor now.

Since Morgan is used as--or more--frequently for girls as for boys, this feminization has fallen by the wayside. It drew some brief attention via the pop singer Morgana King.

The similar Morgiana appears in Tales from the Thousand and One Nights.

Morwenna is an ancient Cornish name now being revived in Wales, deriving from a Celtic word meaning "maiden", although the Mor- syllable means that it's often associated with the sea. It's been heard in the British series Doc Martin and Poldark. Morwenna Banks is a British actress.

Sultry name given added interest by that double 'a'.

Pretty and feminine Muslim name popular in Egypt.

Nahla is a lovely name chosen by Halle Berry for her daughter. Not to be confused with the Disneyfied Nala.

Multicultural option, equally intriguing as, but more unusual than, Maia.

This was the old name for ancient Armenia, land of canyons.

Najah is unexpected yet easy to understand and pronounce for English speakers, a plus if you want a name that's both unusual and accessible. Other forms of the name include Najat and the Azerbaijani Nicat.

Pretty and feminine Arabic name.

Evocative of tranquil island escapes. One of several Hawaiian (and pseudo-Hawaiian) names ending in "-ani" that's soaring in popularity, Nalani made its debut on the US Top 1000 in 2016.

A popular name among the Basques--in some areas its meaning is "tranquil, peaceful"--this would make a highly original and attractive choice here.

Associated with a spring festival, this name is used by both Muslims and Christians.

Traditionally given to girls born on the September birth date of the Virgin Mary.

Nayara or Naiara is a Basque name for a Spanish city where the Virgin Mary appeared in medieval times, now a popular girls' name throughout Spain.

An enchanting ancient Greek name belonging to the Greek goddess who was created from a cloud by Zeus and so became goddess of the clouds and mother of the centaurs. The name Nephele is not widely known but as among modern parents become used to Phoebe, Penelope, and Persephone, it may become one of the ancient Greek goddess names that's back in the mix.

Like its cousin Tessa, Nessa -- a shortening of Vanessa or Agnes or Anastasia among other possibilities -- is an attractive nickname that can stand on its own.

Niamh, derived from the Old Irish Niam, is an ancient Irish name that was originally a term for a goddess. In Irish myth, one who bore it was Niamh of the Golden Hair, daughter of the sea god, who falls in love with Finn's son Oisin and takes him to the Land of Promise, where they stayed for three hundred years. Niamh can be Anglicized as Neve, Nieve, or Neave.

Nina is as multiethnic as you can get: Nina is a common nickname name in Spain and Russia, a Babylonian goddess of the oceans, and an Incan goddess of fire. Here and now, it's a stylish possibility that's been underused. "Weird Al" Yankovic chose this decidedly nonweird name for his daughter.

The mythological queen whose perpetual weeping for her slain children turned her into a stone has always cast a pall over this name. Still, when other names with less-than-savory associations -- Delilah, Ophelia, Persephone -- are becoming popular, parents might want to consider this one of the more unusual mythology names for girls.