Angelica is by far the choicest form of the angelic names -- more delicate than Angelina, more feminine than Angel, more modern than Angela. But though Angelica is so lacy and poetic, it lags behind the bolder Angelina (probably for obvious reasons).
 Angelica was introduced to England from Italy in the seventeenth cenury, and is heard in early poetry and plays, including Romeo and Juliet. Angelica Schuyler, played by Renee Elise Goldsberry, is one of the most appealing characters in Broadway sensation Hamilton.
 Anjelica is a variant spelling, as in Anjelica Huston.

Angelica

This name of the Cretan goddess of fertility is most popular now as the more melodic Ariana, but Ariadne has possibilities of its own. It first entered the US Top 1000 in 2014. The renewed interest in the name falls in line with the revival of other mythological names like Apollo and Athena. The trendy nickname Ari doesn't hurt either.
 In Greek mythology, she was the daughter of Minus who gave Theseus the thread by which he escaped from the labyrinth. After being deserted by him, she married Dionysus, the god of fertility, wine and drama

Ariadne

Alycone

Beatrix has a solid history of its own apart from Beatrice, with that final x adding a playful, animated note to the name's imposing history and stately vibe.
 
In the earliest sources it is recorded as Viatrix, meaning "voyager". Possibly the spelling was deliberately changed to resemble the Latin word beatus, "blessed" and now both meanings are part of Beatrix's rich history.
 
It has been largely associated with Beatrix (born Helen) Potter, creator of Peter Rabbit, and with Beatrix who was Queen of The Netherlands from 1980 until her abdication in 2013.
 Actress Jodie Sweetin has a daughter called Beatrix, and designer Kate Spade chose it for her daughter Frances's middle name. The main character in Quentin Tarantino's movie Kill Bill was Beatrix Kiddo, played by Uma Thurman. 
 
With cute nicknames Bea and Trixie, Beatrix is most popular in the UK, where it ranks in the Top 200. On the rise since 2001, its accelerated popularity in the 2010s could have been influenced by the character Beatrix 'Trixie' Franklin from the popular period drama, Call the Midwife.
 
Across the pond in the US, it appeared briefly in the Top 1000 in 2019, but it has been trending downwards since then. Given to around 160 girls each year, it could be an unexpected but familiar choice in the States.

Beatrix

Bonnie is an adorable nickname name, heading back up the popularity list after a 50-year nap. A Top 100 girls' name throughout the rest of the English-speaking world, Americans are later to jump on the Bonnie bandwagon but now it's trending here too.
 
Bonnie is a word the Scots really do use for pretty, thus the root of this name, from the French bonne. Along with Betty and Bea, Bonnie, is one of the vintage <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/b">girls' names starting with B</a>that are back in.
 Gone With the Wind gave Bonnie a big push when Scarlett and Rhett used it for their daughter. Her full name was Eugenie Victoria, but the pet name came from the fact that she had "eyes as blue as the bonnie blue flag." 
 Bonnie's last moment in the limelight came in the late sixties with the film Bonnie and Clyde, about outlaw Bonnie Parker. Now after a long decline, it's finally showing new signs of life, perhaps thanks to the Bonnies in The Vampire Diaries and The Hunger Games, as well as a new miniseries about the 1930s-era bandits.

Bonnie

Bridget is the Anglicized form of Brigid, an Irish-Gaelic name that was derived from the word brígh, which means "strength." 
Bridget is the name of the most famous female saint of Ireland, who became the patroness of her country, as well as patron saint of scholars, poets and healers. Because of her sanctity, the name did not come into common use in Ireland until the seventeenth century, after which it became wildly popular. Bridget eventually came to be used as a pejorative name for an Irishwoman; Irish maids in the early 20th century US were derogatorily called "the Bridgets."
 
One of the earliest <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/509/irish-names-for-girls">Irish names for girls</a> to immigrate to the USA, Bridget, the most familiar form of the name of the Celtic goddess of wisdom, is still used by traditionalists but also carries some modern spark and a great meaning. Bridget is one of the exclusive group of <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/96/girl-names-that-mean-brave-or-powerful">girl names that mean strong, brave, or powerful</a>.
 
According to Irish myth, there were three sister goddesses named Brigid: the goddess of poetry, the goddess of healing, and the goddess of agriculture.
Most prominent Bridgets today are actresses Fonda and Moynahan, op artist Bridget Riley, and the fictional hapless Bridget Jones—she and her diary the protagonist of four books, three movies, and even a musical.
 
Irish variants include Brighid, Brigid (as in the devious character in The Maltese Falcon), Bridie, Biddy, Brid and Bedelia.

Bridget

Catherine is one of the oldest and most consistently well-used <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ names</a>, with endless variations and nicknames. The Catherine form feels more gently old-fashioned and feminine than the more popular K versions. Most stylish nickname for Catherine right now: Kate...or Cate, a la Blanchett. 
 
While the popularity of the Catherine form has been waning in favor of Katherine with a K, we think that might turn around since Catherine Middleton, who reportedly hates the name Kate and never uses it, became the wife of Prince William and put a modern, stylish gloss on her already classy name.
 The Catherine spelling was a Top 100 name until the millennium; it reached as high as Number 18 in the 19-teens.
 Catherine has been well used throughout history for saints (one of whom, Catherine of Alexandria is the patron saint of philosophers, students, craftsmen, nurses,and librarians), queens, and commoners alike.
 Catherine has also been associated with some of the great romantic heroines of literature, including Heathcliff's love in Wuthering Heights and the passionate nurse Catherine Barkley in Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms.
 And if your're wondering why all those interchangeable C's and K's, it's because when the name was introduced into Anglo-Saxon Britain, Catherine was spelled with a C because the letter K did not yet exist in the English alphabet.
 Parents may also want to consider one of the attractive foreign variations, such as Caterina.

Catherine

Charlotte, the name of the young Princess of Cambridge, is the latest classic name to join Sophia, Emma, Olivia, and Isabella at the top of the popularity list. It is now among the most popular girl names in many English-speaking and European countries.
 
The feminine form of Charles, Charlotte derived from Charlot, a French diminutive of Charles meaning "little Charles" and the name of Charlemagne’s son in French literature and legend. The name was popularized by England's Queen Charlotte Sophia, wife of King George III.
 
Queen Charlotte was the mother of fifteen children and a patron of Mozart and Bach. She and George ruled England in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century during the French and American revolutions.
 
Charlotte is an elegant royal name, with a host of widely varied role models, from Charlotte Brontë to the spidery protagonist of E. B. White's Charlotte's Web to the more recent Charlotte York, aka the prissy one, of Sex and the City. Charlotte is appealing to a wide range of parents because it sounds feminine yet grownup, sophisticated yet lush. 
 
Charlotte is a pop culture staple—it was Scarlett Johansson's character in Lost in Translation and has been featured on TV shows like Lost and Revenge. The band Good Charlotte was named for a children's book with that title. An all-around winner of a name, Charlotte has been chosen by Chelsea Clinton, Dylan McDermott, Colin Hanks, and Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr.
 In addition to Charlie, Lottie makes a cute nickname.

Charlotte

Christopher derived from the Greek Christophoros, which is composed of the elements Christos, referring to Christ, and phero, meaning "to bear." 
 
The name was originally used figuratively, to represent the bearing of Christ in one’s heart. Later it became used to honor Saint Christopher, a third century martyr who became the protective saint of travelers, reflecting the legend of Christopher being the giant who carried the Christ Child over a river.
 
Christopher is an evergreen classic that dropped from Top 25 status in 2013, in spite of its appealingly strong, sincere, straightforward image, combined with a softer, more modern sound than, say, Robert or Richard.
 
The name appeals to a wide range of parents, and has been chosen by several celebrities, including Sean "Diddy" Combs.
 
The almost ubiquitous American nickname is Chris, but a more recent one is Topher, and there are British variations that might add a more individual spin to the name—Kit, Kip and Christy. Two Christophers known to every schoolchild: Christopher Columbus and Christopher Robin.

Christopher

Crispin

Deborah has suffered from the fact that in the mid-twentieth century there were so many Debbies on the block that the beauty and meaning of the original name got lost. Deborah may no longer be among the most popular <a href"https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/d">girl names starting with D</a>, but now this lovely name of an Old Testament prophetess suddenly sounds fresher than overused Sarah, Rachel, and Rebecca. 
 The biblical Deborah was a poet, judge, and heroic prophet who first predicted that the Israelites would win their freedom from the tyrannical Canaanites, then led a successful revolt that helped accomplish it, celebrating the victory in a famous song of triumph.
 Deborah was the second most <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular name</a> in the US in 1955, remaining in the Top 10 from 1950 to 1962. The streamlined version, Debra, was hot on its tail, replacing it at Number 2 a year later.
 Some notable bearers have been Revolutionary War heroine Deborah Sampson Gannett, actress Deborah Kerr, modern operatic soprano Deborah Voight, Deborah (Blondie) Harry, and Debbie (born Mary Frances) Reynolds.
 The original form Devorah is another possibility.

Deborah

Cooler than April, May, or June, but also a tad icy. December gets its name from the number ten as the old Roman calendar only had ten months, and as now, December was the last.


December

Eleanor's straightforward feminine image combined with its royal medieval history is striking just the right note for parents in search of a girls' name that combines substance and style.
 
Big plus: Eleanor is a serious name, with two nicknames—Ellie and Nell/Nellie—that are seriously endearing. Nell is more distinctive, but Ellie is undeniably one of today's top <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/508/cute-baby-names-for-girls">cute girl names</a>.
 While some think Eleanor is a variation of Helen via Ellen, it actually derives from the Provencal name Aliénor, of highly-debated meaning. It may come from the Germanic name Adenorde, meaning "ancient north" or "noble north". Another theory is that it derives from the Latin phrase alia Aenor, meaning "other Aenor," used to distinguish some original Eleanor, who was named after her mother Aenor. Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine brought it from France to England in the twelfth century. Other spellings include Elinor and Eleanore.
 
Diane Lane has an Eleanor, and Katie Couric has an Elinor, using the variant spelling. (Jane Austen used both versions—Eleanor in Northanger Abbey and Elinor in Sense and Sensibility.)
 
A notable namesake is First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Two other English queens bore the name: the wives of Henry III and Edward I. Eleanor Shellstrop was the protagonist of television show The Good Place.
 
Eleanora and Leonora are pretty, more feminine variations. Ellen and Lenore are shorter forms.

Eleanor

Elizabeth is one of the most popular girls' names of all time, the female equivalent of James or William. Yet Elizabeth has so much going for it—rich history, broad appeal, and timeless style—that no matter how many little girls are named Lizzie, Eliza, and Beth, you can still make Elizabeth your own. 
 
Elizabeth is derived from the Hebrew name Elisheva, formed by the components ’el, meaning "God," and shava’, "oath." In the Bible, Elizabeth was the mother of John the Baptist, and two of England's most notable queens have been Elizabeth I and II. Another memorable bearer was Elizabeth Taylor—who hated to be called Liz.
 
Elizabeth nicknames on the table today include Libby, Bess, Tibby, and even the so-antiquated-it's-cool Betty. Also in play is the fashionable Eliza along with Lilibet, Queen Elizabeth's childhood nickname more recently used by Prince Harry and wife Meghan for their daughter, Lilibet Diana. 
 
Author and publishing magnate Zibby Owens introduced her zippy Elizabeth nickname to the ever-lengthening list of variations.
 
There has been only one year since 1880 that Elizabeth slipped one place below the Top 25, and that was in 1945—when Betty was Number 11. Today, it holds fast as one of the most classic and usable <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/e">girl names starting with E</a>.
 The Elisabeth spelling, found in several cultures, is represented by such notables as Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, Elisabeth Shue, Elisabeth Moss, and Elisabeth Hasselbeck. 
Elisabeth is nicknamed Bethsy in Buddenbrooks, Bep in The Diary of Anne Frank, and Betsy in Wolverine.

Elizabeth

Romantic and mysterious, Eluned's beauty and intelligence were legendary in Welsh legend; she was the handmaiden of the Lady of the Fountain in a Welsh Arthurian romance, who had a magic ring that made the wearer invisible. Pronunciation is usually similar in emphasis to Eleanor, but with ned instead of nor at the end. However, it's sometimes also pronounced el-LIN-ed or even shortened to Luned, the sounce of Lynette, in Tennyson's Gareth and Lynette.

Eluned

Felicity is as accessible a virtue name as Hope and Faith, but much more feminine -- and dare we say, happier. The hit TV show did a lot to soften and modernize the once buttoned-up image of Felicity, and it got further notice as the red-haired Colonial doll, Felicity Merriman, in the American Girl series. A current bearer is actress Felicity Huffman.
 Two nicknames for Felicity: Flick and Fee. Other forms include Felicia and Felice.

Felicity

Genevieve is derived from the Germanic medieval name Genovefa, or Kenowefa, which consists of the elements kuni, meaning "kin", and wefa, meaning "woman." The medieval saint Genevieve, patroness of Paris, defended the city against Attila the Hun through her rational thinking, courage and prayer. 
 
Genevieve is a perfect choice for anyone who wants to retain the gen sound but is tired of all the overused Jen names. It is both dainty and substantial and can be pronounced either GEN-uh-veev or the French zhahn-vee-EV. 
 
Genevieve is undergoing a real revival—it's currently enjoying its highest popularity ranking since the 1930s.

Genevieve

Despite a return to such feminizations of male names as Josephine, Clementine, and Theodora, starchy Henrietta has not made it into that group. Still, if you look hard enough, you'll see that Henrietta has the same vintage charm. 
 The name arrived in England in 1625 via King Charles I's wife, the French princess Henriette Marie, who became known as Henrietta Maria. Her daughter shared her name but was known as Minette.
 It has been prominent recently through the bestselling book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, the story of the poor black woman whose cells became one of the most important tools in medical research. Henrietta Szold was a U.S. Zionist leader and founder of the Hadassah Women's Organization. 
 Henrietta has a number of charming vintage nicknames, including Etta, Hetty and Hattie.

Henrietta

Imogen has long been fashionable in England and is gaining favor in the US among stylish parents. Pronounced the British way — the initial i is short as in Kim, as is the final E as in Ken — Imogen is as pretty and classy as it is distinctive.
 
Though never in the American Top 1000, Imogen may be more popular in your hip neighborhood than that statistic would suggest. A contemporary classic in England and Wales, Imogen has ranked in the Top 100 ever since detailed naming records began in 1996. It's also a Nameberry favorite, consistently among the Top 100 most viewed girl names on our site.
 
The story goes that Imogen originated as a Shakespearean printer's misspelling of the traditional Celtic name Innogen, used by him for a character in one of his last plays, Cymbeline. The Innogen of legend, who Shakespeare’s character was based on, was the wife of Brutus of Troy, the first king of Britain. Earlier versions of her name, including Ennoguent, Innoguend, and Innoguent, were found in Brittany from the 9th-11th centuries. They are probably derived from the Gaelic word inghean, meaning "daughter" or "maiden," and possibly have a connection to the Proto-Celtic word for "white," from which the suffixes -gwyn and -gwen evolved.
 
Even if Shakespeare did happen upon Imogen by accident, he wasn't the first person to use the name. The Latin name Imogenis, meaning "lowest-born," existed centuries before Shakespeare, and was first recorded in the 13th century.
 Imogen gained attention in recent times through its link to Grammy-winning musician Imogen Heap. Other pluses: Imogen has the wonderful namesake photographer Imogen Cunningham and also a meaning that can't be topped. Immy is the cute diminutive; in the book and movie Fried Green Tomatoes, the character Imogene's nickname was Idgie.

Imogen

The mostly Americanized version of Geoffrey was a trendy mid-century hit, with nickname Jeff the epitome of cool. Jeffrey entered the pop list in 1934 and was a Top 20 name from the mid-fifties to 1978.
 There are lots of Jeffrey/Jeff namesakes to reference--Actors Jeff Bridges and Jeff Daniels, writers Jeffrey Archer and Jeffrey Eugenides and race car driver Jeff Gordon.

Jeffrey

Josephine, with its large measure of class and character and a gently offbeat quality, has been on a gentle uphill climb in the US for over 30 years, now ranking in the Top 100. With an intriguing number of vivacious nicknames, from Jo to Josie to Fifi to Posy, Josephine is a Nameberry favorite.
 
Josephine is the feminine form of Joseph, a name ultimately derived from the Hebrew Yosef, meaning "Jehovah increases." In French it has an accent over the first E, which was omitted in the English, German, and Dutch translations of the name. Empress Joséphine du Beauharnais was born Marie-Josephe-Rose, but called Josephine by her husband, Napolean Bonaparte.
 
Josephine Baker (born Freda), the American-French singer, dancer, and civil rights activist, is a potential namesake.
 Some of the Josephines in literature and recent pop culture are known by their nicknames—the admirably headstrong Jo in Little Women, Joey Potter (played by Katie Holmes) in Dawson's Creek, and Josie of Josie and the Pussycats. In Some Like it Hot, Josephine was the nom de femme of Tony Curtis.
 Josephines have been the subjects of countless songs, performed by artists ranging from Fats Domino to Tori Amos to the Black Crowes.

Josephine

One of the most romantic names, the lovely and stylish Juliet seems finally to have shaken off her limiting link to Romeo. In Shakespeare's play, it was Juliet who said "What's in a name?" 
 

 Juliet originated in the Middle Ages as a diminutive form of Julian, then a predominantly female name. It ultimately derives from Julius, a Roman family name. Its origin is shrouded in history, but possible roots include Latin iuvenis, meaning "youthfu"; Greek ioulos, meaning "downy-bearded"; or Jovis, a form of Jupiter, which means "sky father".
 
French version Juliette, pronounced the same by most English speakers though the French emphasize the last syllable, was more popular than Juliet for the first time in 2015. Both names have taken over for Jennifer and Jessica as fashionable <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/j">girls' names starting with J</a>.
 Juliet Burke was a character on Lost and Juliet Sharp on Gossip Girl. Juliet Low was the founder of the American Girl Scouts.
 Other ideas to consider: the original Julia, still lovely; Juliana; or even Jules.

Juliet

Jean Louise

Lavinia is a charmingly prim and proper Victorian-sounding name which actually dates back to classical mythology, where it was the name of the wife of the Trojan hero Aeneas, who was considered the mother of the Roman people.
 Later literary bearers include the protagonist's daughter in Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus (which has the line "She is Lavinia, therefore must be lov'd"), the heroine of G.B. Shaw's Androcles and the Lion, and characters in David Copperfield, Henry James' Washington Square, and the contemporary The Hunger Games and Downton Abbey--and Lavinia was also used by Thackeray, T. S. Eliot, and by Ursula Le Guin for an eponymous novel.
 Trivia tidbit: Lavinia was Ava Gardner's middle name.
With its vintage nickname Vinnie, Lavinia might well appeal to parents who favor lavender-tinged names like Amelia and Matilda and Maude.

Lavinia

Lillemor

As a highly popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ name</a> in all Spanish-speaking countries, this saintly Latin variation of Mary retains a timeless beauty. Through the centuries, Maria remains one of the most widely-used <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/m">girl names starting with M</a>.
 This widespread name understandably has produced notable namesakes in almost every field – opera's Maria Callas (born Sophia Cecelia), tennis's Sharapova, education's Montessori, ad infinitum. And she's been celebrated in song as well, from Ave Maria to the eponymous song in West Side Story to "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?" in The Sound of Music. 
While the usual English pronunciation these days is the same as it is in non-English-speaking countries – mah-REE-ah – the British used to pronounce it mah-RYE-ah, like Mariah Carey.

 Maria ultimately dervies from the Hebrew name Maryam/Mariam. The original meaning of Maryam is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

Maria

A happy medium between the weighty Maximilian and the laid-back Max, Maxwell is one of the most classic and attractive <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/428/scottish-baby-names">Scottish names</a>. Early influences on the name's revival include Maxwell Smart of the television show, and then movie, Get Smart, and the Beatles song about Maxwell's Silver Hammer.
 Lance Armstrong chose it for his son, but there was a sharp and unexpected gender switch when both Jessica Simpson and Lindsay Sloane both chose it for their daughters. Still, in the US baby boy Maxwells outnumber baby girls 50 to 1.

Maxwell

Michelle is the feminine form of Michel, the French variation of Michael. Michael was derived from the Hebrew name Mihka’el, meaning "who is like God." The alternate spelling Michele, with one "L," was the original version of the name. Michelle appeared as a later Anglicization in the 20th century.
 
Onetime superstar name (Number 4 in the seventies) that's now in steep decline, having dropped out of the Top 100. Former First Lady Michelle Obama keeps it in the spotlight. Today's feminine form of Michael is more likely to be some form of Michaela...or Makayla.

Michelle

Other kids might see a teasible connection to mortician or mortuary. Mortimer is an English family name used a few generations ago as an Anglicization of Moses; it was Walt Disney's original choice for the name of his mouse, until his wife talked him out of it.

Mortimer

The menu of usable month names seems to expand every, well, month, with such choices as November, October, and January joining more established names like April, May, June and August. Logical November nicknames include Nova, Novi, or Ember, making this a natural (if adventurous) choice for a baby girl. November is also, obviously, one of the perfect <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/605/names-for-november-babies">names for November babies</a>.

November

Orlando, the ornate Italianate twist on the dated Roland, with a literary heritage stretching back to Shakespeare and before, has appealing book-ended o's, and is open to combination with almost any last name, a la British actor, Orlando Bloom.
 Orlando has an impressive literary résumé, including the poem "Orlando Furioso,", Handel's opera "Orlando", Shakespeare's As You Like It and Virginia Woolf's gender-bending novel. Most recently, Orlando was a character in The Wire.
 Orlando Bloom's name was inspired by that of the sixteenth century composer, Orlando Gibbons. It is also the first name of several outstanding athletes--including Orlandos Woolridge, Cabrera and Cepeda, and is, of course, a place name, home of Disney World in Florida.

Orlando

Oscar is one of the most stylish Old Man Names of our era. While it's softened slightly in popularity over the past 20 years, that may be considered a very good thing.
 
In the nineties and the aughties, Oscar looked to be one of the grandpa names heading straight for the top of the charts, ala Elijah or Theodore. But instead of rising into the Top 100, Oscar has settled into that comfortable place between being too far in or out.
 
Oscar has Irish and Norse roots—Norse Oscar comes from the Old English Osgar, a variation of the Old Norse name Ásgeirr. The Irish form was derived from the Gaelic elements os, meaning "deer," and car, "loving." In Irish legend, Oscar was one of the mightiest warriors of his generation, the son of Ossian and the grandson of Finn Mac Cumhaill (MacCool).
 
Oscar also has remarkable international versatility. In addition to being a top name in Sweden, where it has royal connection, Oscar ranks high on popularity lists in all the English-speaking countries as well as in France, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, and other European and Latin American countries.
 
Actors Hugh Jackman and Gillian Anderson chose Oscar for their sons.Famous Oscars include Wilde (whose given name was Fingal), Isaac, Madison, Hammerstein, Peterson, de la Renta, the Academy Award, and the Grouch.

Oscar

October

Penelope is an unlikely 21st century baby name success story. Off the Top 1000 for 25 years, Penelope jumped back on in 2001 and has been heading uphill ever since, propelled by the trend for mythological names, Spanish actress Penelope Cruz, and some high-profile celebrity babies. 
 
In Greek mythology, Penelope was the wife of Odysseus in Homer’s Odyssey. It has two possible origin stories—Penelope was either derived from the Greek pēnē, meaning "thread of a bobbin", or from penelops, a type of duck. Mythological Penelope was cared for by a duck as an infant, and later was known for fending off would-be suitors by pretending to weave a garment.
 
Penelope's status as a Kardashian baby name -- Kourtney's daughter Penelope was born in 2012 -- brought the ancient name to widespread attention. The most popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/p">girls' name starting with P</a>, Penelope was also picked for their girls by Tina Fey, by Anna Chlumsky, and by Natalie and Taylor Hanson, of the group Hanson. 
 Penelope has several British novelists as namesakes—Penelopes Fitzgerald, Mortimer, Gilliatt, and Lively. And yes, she's also a Harry Potter character: Penelope "Penny" is a student at Hogwarts.
 A perennial Nameberry favorite, Penelope can be shortened to the traditional Penny or -- Berry style -- the fresher Nell or Poppy.

Penelope

Rebecca is a name representing beauty in the Bible, an Old Testament classic that reached the heights of revived popularity in the seventies but is still a well-used choice. It derives from the Hebrew name Rivkah, from the verb ribbqah, meaning "noose." The biblical Rebecca was the wife of Isaac and the mother of Esau and Jacob. Rebekah was a common spelling of the name in the Bible. 
 The Becca short form is more stylish now than homespun Becky. Nickname Becky is a staple in such classics as A Little Princess, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and Vanity Fair, while the full form features in the eponymous Daphne du Maurier novel, in Ivanhoe, and in Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.
 
Rebecca remains one of the top <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/r">girls' names starting with R</a>.

Rebecca

It wasn't so long ago that Romeo was considered as outre for an American baby as Casanova or Cupid. But that really changed when David and Victoria Beckham chose it for their second son in 2002, a path followed by Jon Bon Jovi.
 Romeo was not invented by the Bard, but was taken from his source material for the play.
Some sources say it descends from that of Romulus, one of the twin sons of Mars.

Romeo

Despite appearances, Rosemary is not a "smoosh" name, not even a traditional one. The name derives from two Latin terms "Ros" meaning ‘dew’ and "Marinus" "meaning "of the sea". The plant was termed ‘dew of the sea’ due to its salty texture and its ability to thrive in coastal climes. Only after the Middle Ages did the English names of Rose and Mary become interchanged with the name Rosmarinus and give us the modern name we use today.
 In ancient legend, Rosemary was draped around Aphrodite when she rose from the sea. It was regarded then as beneficial in strengthening the memory and became a symbol for faithful lovers. In Hamlet, Ophelia says "There's Rosemary, that's for remembrance; pray, love, remember."
 The name was long associated with George Clooney's aunt, the great pop singer Rosemary; less pleasant associations are with the 1967 movie Rosemary's Baby.
 A common variation is Rosemarie; many parents are now looking to the stand-alone nickname Romy.

Rosemary

The name of the wife of Alexander the Great, more attractive than the better-known Roxanne. Roxana was first used in the English-speaking world in the 1600s and was popularized by Daniel Defoe's novel Roxana, published in 1724. An underused and attractive possibility and perfect if you're searching for <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/316/baby-names-that-mean-new-beginnings?all=1">names that mean new beginnings</a>.

Roxana

The Scarlet spelling makes it less a name, less Gone With The Wind and Scarlett Johansson, and more the bright red color that inspired it in the first place.

Scarlet

Parents are beginning to turn away from springtime months like April and June and are moving toward the cooler and crisper three-syllable September, October, November, and December. 

September

Septimus is one of the more dashing of the birth-order Latin number names that were revived by the Victorians. So even if you don't anticipate son number 7, you might be bold enough to consider this relic, certainly preferable to sixth-son name Sextus.
 Septimus was popularized by the Roman Emperor Septimus Severus, a patron of arts and letters. There was a Septimus in Wilkie Collins's The Moonstone, in Dickens's The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and in Trollope's Barchester novels. Probably it is most familiar to modern readers as one of the principal characters in Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway, and as Harry Potter wizard, Septimus Weasley. There is also Septimus Heap, a series of bestselling fantasy novels by Angie Sage.

Septimus

Serena, a name used since Roman times, was given fresh life by tennis star Williams, and then again with the leading character on Gossip Girl, Serena van der Woodsen. There have also been Serenas on soap operas and other shows from Bewitched to Law & Order.
 And pre-TV, there was the damsel in Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queen and Serena Merle in Henry James's The Portrait of a Lady.

Serena

Sophia, which was the Number 1 girls' name in the US from 2011 to 2013, is among the top girl names in the Western World, with a sensuous sound and high-minded meaning. A real winner, Sophia reached the top of the charts without losing any—okay, much—of its sophisticated beauty. 
 
Derived from sophia, the Greek word for wisdom, the name was first famous via St. Sophia, venerated in the Greek Orthodox church—St. Sophia was the mother of three daughters named Faith, Hope and Love. It was first used in England in the seventeenth century and was the name of George I's both mother and wife.
 
Like its sister baby girl names Isabella and Olivia, Sophia has gained widespread favor by appealing to a broad range of parents: Intellectuals who like it for its meaning and those attracted to its femininity, parents who want a classic name and those looking for a name with Latin roots—the Sofia spelling is also popular. Sophie is the French version of the name, more popular than Sophia in some parts of the world. Legend Sophia Loren was originally Sofia.
 
Sophia has been an author favorite from the days of early novelists like Henry Fielding (Tom Jones) and Jane Austen (Persuasion) to the TV scriptwriters of today (The Walking Dead, Orange is the New Black).
 
Sophia's only downside is its huge popularity; it's actually even more popular than it appears, because alternate spelling Sofia falls in the Top 20 on the US popularity chart. Alternative baby names you might want to consider: Sophie, Seraphina, Susannah, Zofia.

Sophia

Susannah is by far the most stylish form of the classic name now that Susan and Suzanne have retired. Susannah has biblical and musical pedigrees, is impervious to trends, and has an irresistible, flowing rhythm. It can be spelled just as properly with or without the final 'h.'
 Susannah is one of the loveliest names that, surprisingly, is not in the Top 1000—and hasn't been since 1978—though we expect that to change as soon as the memory of too many older Susans and Susies fades.
 Susannah and Susanna seem to have traded place over time as the dominant version. How do they differ? The h-less version feels a bit more streamlined and modern, and might refer more directly to an ancestor named Ann or Anna, while Susannah seems more old-school Biblical and self-contained.
 
In the Apocrypha, Susannah is the beautiful and devout wife of Joachim, falsely accused of unfaithfulness by the elders.
 William Shakespeare named one of his daughters Susanna.
 A European short form that's become popular is Sanna/Sanne. The Hebrew Shoshana has played a prominent role on the TV show Girls. Zuzu is an adorable nickname from the classic Christmas fiilm, It's a Wonderful Life.

Susannah

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.

Friendly nickname Theo may be responsible for some of that, though there are plenty of baby boys given Theo as their full name too. Add their numbers together along with those for Mateo and Teo, and they hands-down become the Number 1 boys' name.

Theodore and Mateo are far from interchangeable names, for sure, and some Theodores are called Teddy....or Theodore. But we predict an overwhelming number of little boys called Theo or Teo on American playgrounds over the coming years.

Theodore is a derivative of the Latin Theodorus, a variation of the Greek name Theodōros. The components are from the Greek words theos, meaning "God," and dōron, meaning "gift," giving Theodore the meaning "God-given" or "gift of God." Names with similar origins include Theodora, Dorothy, and Dorothea.
 
When Theodore Roosevelt took office in 1901, the name Theodore was in the Top 40 <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boy names</a>, with Teds and Teddys everywhere. After some damaging stereotypes—the chubby Chipmunk Theodore and Beaver Cleaver's real name—Theodore went into a decline, from which it has definitely made a recovery, thanks in part to the popular and likable nickname Theo.
 Theodore has been the choice of several celebrities, including Ivanka Trump, Bryce Dallas Howard, Natascha McElhone, and Ali Larter, not to mention being the fictional son of Christian and Ana in Fifty Shades of Grey.
 The name has a distinguished history. In addition to being presidential, it was borne by novelist Dreiser, poet Roethke, and French painter Gericault, and it was the first name (spelled Theodor) of Dr. Seuss.
 Among the well-known Teds, baseball's Williams and musician Nugent were born Theodore, but Ted Turner was christened Robert, and Ted Kennedy and Ted Danson were originally Edward.
 The beloved character Laurie in Little Women was named Theodore Laurence.

Theodore

Bold and distinctive, Yolanda is a floral name that doesn't sound frilly or delicate. Ultimately deriving from the Greek words ioles meaning "violet" and anthos meaning "flower", it appears in a variety of forms internationally, including Jolanda, Jolanta, Iolanthe, Iolanta, Iolanda, and Jolana.
 
While some may associate Yolanda with Quentin Tarantino's crime movie, Pulp Fiction or with reality TV personality, Yolanda Hadid, Yolanda has also been borne by several members of European royalty, and by activist Yolanda King, gospel singer Yolanda Adams, and presenter Yolanda Vega.

Yolanda

Remember Zuzu, the adorable little girl you watch every Christmas in "It's a Wonderful Life"?  Here's a direct path to that nickname, a lot more zesty than the more familiar Susannah.

Zuzanna

Zajac

kitchi1's list "Names with Unexpected Nicknames" of 48 great name ideas: Angelica - Zajac!

Names with Unexpected Nicknames

Names with nicknames that aren't that common