Exotic, Sultry Names for Girls

Because of its meaning, this is a symbolic name given to girls born on Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights.

Also an Israeli place-name, this is an unusual, feminine choice.

Has a pleasantly fizzy, effervescent feeling.

An interesting name associated with the elegant American-born Queen Noor of Jordan. Noor is very popular among modern Muslim parents around the world and is beginning to cross over, perhaps because of its simplicity and its resemblance to the stylish Western Nora. It appeared in the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2015.

Nyala is a secret nature name with a fashionable animal meaning. Nyala might be an appropriate name for a baby girl born under the sign of Capricorn, which is symbolized by the goat, or in the Chinese Year of the Goat -- though the last one was 2015 and we won't have another until 2027. Although the nee beginning is most frequently cited as the correct pronunciation, the name can -- and often will -- be pronounced with the first syllable rhyming with my and sigh.

Feminine form of Ophir, a Biblical place name famed for its riches.

Striking and glamorous, though perhaps just plain Zara is intriguing enough.

A name rich in Hindu tradition as the alternate name for the Goddess Lakshmi, the embodiment of beauty and charm; currently borne, appropriately, by model-actress-writer Padma Lakshmi.

Funny how one letter can turn a name from ordinary to special. Parisa is so much more distinctive than either Marisa or Paris.

Interesting on paper, though most people would confuse it with the word peruse.

The name Persia derives from Avestan Parsa, the name of the Indo-European nomadic people who migrated into southern Iran in about 1000 BCE. Persis or Persea, the feminine form of Perseus, feel more namelike.

Twist on the attractive and underused biblical name Keturah.

Has a sound as lovely as its meaning.

Shy but sultry.

An appealing East African possibility.

A possible alternative to the better-known Shoshona.

This is a soft and strong Arabic and Persian name commonly heard in the Middle East.

Shiny cousin of Samara with an intriguing meaning. Increasingly associated with the charming Samira Wiley, a perennial scene-stealer on "Orange is the New Black" and "The Handmaid's Tale."