Names That Mean White or Fair

Elvi is one of those elusive names that fit in yet stand out. It's similar to currently trendy girl names such as Ellie and Evie but maintains distinction.

New Presidential name, if you're ready to move beyond Lincoln and Jefferson. At the turn of the last century, during the original McKinley's heyday, as a first name it almost reached the Top 100.

Kenyon is a very engaging British surname name, the middle y giving it a kind of southwestern canyonesque undertone.

This name is usually seen as a surname, but could be used as a first in the tradition of Cooper, Sawyer etc.

An unusual floral -wen name which was the name of an 1878 opera by Welsh composer Joseph Parry.

A little bit Isla, a little bit Elowen. Also the Kentucky-based heroine of a 2018 novel by Gwen Kaelin.

Related to Frida but with a softer sound, this name is Old Norse for "fair, beautiful"

Zuleika is a high-wire act of a name that might appeal to the intrepid baby namer, Like most 'Z'-starting girls' names, it projects a cool, strong aura, as exemplified by the character in Max Beerbohm's satirical 1910 novel, Zuleika Dobson, a heroine so gorgeous that the entire student body of Oxford University committed collective suicide at the sight of her.

Albin is a modern form of the ancient Roman Albinus or Albus, meaning white or bright. There was a Saint Albinus who was also known as Aubin. In the contemporary world, Albin is popular in Sweden and ripe for export as a simple, unusual name with deep history.

Bleuenn is a name virtually unknown in the English-speaking world but trendy in its native France. Bleuenn's origins are in Brittany, in the north of France, and it's related to the Welsh Blodwen. Other spellings include Bleuen and Bleunwenn. This might give the perfect twist to a color name that feels too slight.

An offbeat way to get to Gwen.

The male name Elwyn is used regularly in Wales, but its feminine form Elwen (also spelled Aelwen) slightly less so. Elsewhere, this name is little-known but very appealing, with straightforward spelling and a fantasy-like sound. A male Cornish and Breton saint also bears the name.

Talwyn is a contemporary Cornish word name that can be pronounced with the emphasis on either syllable. With its fashionable -wyn ending, Talwyn could easily be used on an American-born baby.

Originally a nickname for Viking invaders, it gained fresh impetus in the 18th century when James Macpherson made Fingal the central character in his Ossianic poems. An offbeat addition to the Fin- family of names.

The name of a French city famous for its fine lace. Another association: Chantilly cream – a sweetened whipped cream apparently invented there in the 17th century by a chef at the Château de Chantilly. The town probably takes is name from the Gallo-Roman personal name Cantilius, derived from a word for "white".

Traditional though not overly popular Welsh option, which may have something of a fantasy vibe elsewhere in the world.

The final a adds a lot of style.

Long before the current place-name craze, a pair of the more daring pop singers of the Age of Aquarius picked this name for their daughters. Jefferson Airplane's Grace Slick used the conventional spelling, the Mamas and the Papas's Michelle Phillips went further afield with Chynna (of the group Wilson Phillips).