wonderful girl names

A favorite in England and Wales where nicknames as given names are very much the norm, Tilly has the potential to catch on in the US, given its similarity to the popular Lily and Ellie and the rising stars Millie, Billie, Kallie, and Nellie.

Lively modern Hebrew name with a positive meaning.

Innocent, sincere, and bright-eyed, and as outdated as its mother name, Gertrude.

Tulia, rhyming with Julia, is one of several offshoots of the noble Roman family name Tullius, best known as the middle name of the philospher Cicero. Another option is Tullia with a short u. This whole clan of names is relatively unknown but may be rediscovered thanks to the fashion for ancient Roman names.

The unusual hybrid Tuliana, which rhymes with Juliana, combines the Roman offshoot Tulia with the more familiar Ana, the Latinate form of Anna or Ann. Tulia comes from the Roman family name Tullius, best known as the middle name of the philosopher Cicero. While Tuliana is intriguing, any little Tuliana, upon introducing herself, will always be asked, "Juliana?"

The unusual and intriguing Tullia has been used since Roman times and may appeal to parents who like Tallulah, Julia, and Lillia but want something that's very rarely heard.

Used in Italy and Spain, but in non-Latin countries could be confused with Valencia.

An ancient Roman name rarely heard in modern times, though the related VARINA appears in Slavic families.

Velma likely originated as a phonetic spelling of the German name Wilma, itself derived from Wilhelmina. Velma Dinkley is a smart, if nerdy, character in Scooby Doo.

Verena is pleasant but old-fashioned. Whether that's the outdated kind of old-fashioned or the so-out-it's-in-again kind is your call.

More often spelled VERENA, this name is attached to a third century Swiss saint. But the "virtue" name VERITY, is more appealing and comes more directly to the point.

Verna may mean "springtime," but May or Spring is fresher.

Said to refer to either Jupiter or Venus, either of which would be preferable as a name.

Vital and vivacious, Vita is stirring back to life along with many of her V-themed sisters -- Vivian, Vivica -- and is becoming a new celebrity baby favorite.

Rarely heard, and when it is, usually attached to a witch. Historically, though, Wanda was a legendary eighth century queen of Poland, and in literature it is the central character of Ouida's eponymous novel Wanda. A musical namesake is the great Polish harpsichordist Wanda Landowska.

Xaviera is one of the most intriguing and rarest female forms of a male name. Only a handful of baby girls are named Xaviera in the US each year, compared with nearly 3500 baby boys named Xavier.

Derived from Persian zarin "golden", Zarina is a strong and sparkling name used in multiple languages, including Kazakh, Urdu and Malay. It was the name of an ancient Scythian queen, and also sounds very close to the Russian tsarina or czarina – the pre-revolutionary term for an empress of Russia.

Zuri migrated, at least to American sensibilities, to the feminine side when an Ohio zoo used it for a female giraffe. For either gender, Zuri is an attractive name with the usual Z-initial zest.