Distant Relatives

Popular with the Puritans, this name of the shrewd and beautiful wife of King David and mother of King Solomon could be a bit of a load for a modern girl to carry.

Unusual biblical name that may be too close in sound to the feminine Mariah.

Long forgotten Old Testament name with modern potential.

A handful of baby girls are still named Carlene every year, but today other feminizations of Charles or Carl, from Carly to Charlotte, are much more popular.

The apostle Simon was called Cephas by Jesus because he was to be the rock upon which the Christian church was to be built. In most versions of the New Testament, Cephas is translated into Petros in Greek, Peter in English.

This Puritan virtue name may be unstylish, but it is also sympathetic and appealing in these largely uncomfortable times.

A traditional French male name that could, with American pronunciation, become an admirable word name.