Feminizations of Male Names

Although Thaddeus has long been used in this country, Thaddea is almost unknown and, with its air of mystery, could make a distinctive choice.

Sebastiane is not a common feminization but may become more so as Sebastian achieves international popularity.

The usual female form of Xavier, Xaviera, is given to only a handful of baby girls in the US each year, and the Xeveria variation is even rarer, not recorded at all.

Variation of Suhail.

An epithet of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi — the personification of fertility, prosperity, and wealth.

Awkward, dated feminization of Samuel we can't imagine anyone choosing over Samantha.

Nicandra is the name of a plant known as apple-of-peru and also shoo-fly plant. It's also the feminine form of Nicander, an ancient Greek poet, physician, and grammarian.

Stavra is the female version of the classic Greek name Stavros, sometimes erroneously anglified as Stephanie (which means crown) or Stella (star).

Sebastiana is not often heard in the US, but as Sebastian in all its forms becomes more popular, so might this feminine version.

This rare feminization of Christopher blends in the sounds of the popular Josephine and is certainly more unexpected than Christine or Christina. German artist Christophine Reinwald (sister of playwright Friedrich von Schiller) is one notable bearer, while writer Jean Rhys used the name for a character in her 1966 Jane Eyre retelling, Wide Sargasso Sea. In the Caribbean and the UK, Christophine is also the colloquial name for the chayote fruit, a type of gourd named as such in reference to Christopher Columbus.