White Snow And Icy Names

An up-and-comer for girls, but still under-the-radar for boys. Alba feels like a possible crossover candidate, on the heels of Nova and Alva, and with the potential for rising nickname Albie.

Alba is quietly making a behind-the-scenes comeback, perhaps thanks to actress turned baby-product mogul Jessica Alba. Last on the Top 1000 a century ago, the name was given to nearly 200 baby girls in the US last year. Alba might be tomorrow's successor to Ava and Ella. In Spain, Alba ranks among the Top 20 girls' names. Alba is the name of a character in The Time Traveler's Wife.

An ancient and highly unusual name; St. Alban -- sometimes also called Albinus or Aubin -- was an early martyr in Roman Britain. Using an alternate spelling, Alben Barkley was the 35th U.S. Vice-President, serving under Harry Truman. And Albin is popular in modern Sweden. But only the form Alban has the alternate meaning "from Alba".

A Southern place name — found in North Carolina and Virginia — borne by early enslaved people in the US. It came over from England, where Albemarle was a variation of the French county name Aumale, from the Latin Alba Marla, "white marl." Marl is a type of soil.

More often spelled ALBAN, Alben is an ancient and highly unusual name. Alben Barkley was Harry Truman's vice president.

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.

The original male name Alban is a lot sleeker and more usable.

The ancient name Albus has modern currency as the first name of the headmaster of Harry Potter's Hogwarts, more formally known as Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Can Albus work if you're missing the long white beard and the magic wand? Maybe, though it might be a heavy mantle for a Muggle child to wear.

While the male Alva or Alvah relates directly to the minor Biblical character, the female version is more likely an Anglicized form of the Irish name Ailbhe. Best known as Thomas Edison's middle name, Alva has true unisex roots.

Although it resembles Alvie, Alvi has separate origins. It comes from the Latin name Albin, meaning "white," while Alvie is derived from Alvin, meaning "noble friend."

An unusual but beautifully simple name, possibly a variation on Aelwen, that belongs to a river in north-east Wales. It may appeal if you like similar names like Arwen, Anwen and Olwen.

Like Alwen, but with an extra feminine frill.

Similar to Andrew, but with a refreshingly different origin and meaning.

This airy Welsh name, which has only been in use since the early 20th century, is formed of the intensifying prefix an- plus eira ("snow"), making it a wintry nature name.

Part-April, part-Felicity, but with the wonderfully whimsical feel of Serendipity. Apricity debuted in the US charts for the first time in 2022.

Frosty nickname.

Snowy short form.

A unisex name from the snowy north.

Rarely heard outside of Wales, Arianwen is one of many pretty wen-ending names prominent in ancient Welsh legend.