Old-fashioned nickname with sweet turn-of-the-last-century charm that's become a favorite among the popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/a">girl names starting with A</a> of today. In fact, with all spellings of Adeline/Adalynn taken together firmly in the Top 10, and Adelaide and Addison also high in the charts, Addie is one of the most frequently-heard short forms around. But no matter how popular (or pandemic) it gets, Addie is undeniably one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/508/cute-baby-names-for-girls">cutest names for baby girls</a>. Little girls might like the fact that it's the name, though spelled Addy, of an American Girl series doll.

Addie

Brianna's popularity in the US came later than father name Brian's, peaking in the 1990s, two decades after Brian's Top 10 reign of the 1970s.

But Brianna is more popular than Brian now, along with sister name Briana even taking a slight upward turn recently. That fresh sheen might be credited to Brienne of Tarth, a warrior-heroine of Game of Thrones.

Though it sounds like it might be a modern invention, the name actually appeared as far back as the sixteenth century in Edmund Spenser's poem The Faerie Queen. And Brian goes back a lot further, to Irish high king Brian Boru's reign around the year 1000.

Brianna

Cassia is related to the cassia tree, which has yellow flowers and produces a spice that can be a substitute for cinnamon. Keziah, the name of Job’s daughter in the Old Testament, derives from the name of the plant as well. Cassia also has ties to the Ancient Roman name Cassius, an Ancient Roman family name meaning "hollow." 
 
Cassia is one of the rare names that's truly unusual yet has a stylish feel. Cassia has the added attraction of the sweet smell of cinnamon, thanks to its botanical associations. We predict Cassia will become much more popular along with her brother names Cassian and Cassius. 
 
Keziah, the Biblical equivalent, is also due for rediscovery, while Kassia is the Greek spelling that ties the name to Saint Kassiani, a feminist heroine.

Cassia

Chara is the name of a star in a constellation that represents hunting dogs, recently named as one of the most likely to host extraterrestrial life.  Also, Chara is a variation of both Sarah and Charlotte.

Chara

Ciara is very popular in Ireland, more familiar here as the Anglicized Kiera or Keira. The uninitiated will tend to pronounce Ciara as the Italian Chiara, a form of Claire—kee-AHR-a or even see-AHR-a, like the American singer-songwriter Ciara. In the US, Ciara peaked in 2005, when it was the Number 150 name; it's since fallen down to Number 882.

Ciara

Greek nature goddess name that has a pleasing femininity. Damia is one of the more unusual <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/433/goddess-baby-names">goddess names</a> newly fashionable for contemporary baby girls.

Damia

As the song says, "Dinah, is there anyone finer?" Dinah is a charming, underused Old Testament name with a rich literary and musical resume.

 In the Old Testament, Dinah was the beautiful daughter of Jacob and Leah. While some conflate the Biblical Dinah with the Biblical Adinah, they are in fact different figures in the Old Testament.

 Dinah is the heroine of the best-selling Anita Diamant novel The Red Tent. In the George Eliot novel Adam Bede, Dinah Morris is a young preacher who marries the hero. And in the classic film The Philadelphia Story, Dinah is the heroine's sassy kid sister. Dinah also appears in Alice in Wonderland as the name of Alice’s kitten. 

 One important thing to note is that "Aunt Dinah" has been used as a racial stereotype, from the character of the cook in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The term has also appeared in several songs. 

 The name Dinah was adopted by two great singers: Dinah Washington (born Ruth) and Dinah Shore (born Frances).

Dinah

Eachna is the name of an Irish goddess renowned for her beauty, brains and stylishness; in early legend, a Connacht princess named Eachna was deemed to be one of the loveliest and cleverest women int he world. 
Eachna is pronounced ahk-na, so despite its nice namesake story, it would provide a pronunciation challenge outside the Irish culture.

Eachna

Edith was a hugely popular name a hundred years ago that's being revived among stylish parents in Stockholm and London. It's currently beginning to gain traction in the US among those with a taste for old-fashioned names with a soft but strong image. 
 The name of two American First Ladies, Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt and Mrs. Woodrow Wilson, as well as that of several early English queens, Edith is one of the oldest surviving Anglo-Saxon names. Widely used in nineteenth century novels, Edith was chosen by Louisa May Alcott for the heroine of her first novel The Inheritance, written when she was seventeen.
 Edith Wharton makes a fine literary namesake, with other noted bearers including poet Edith Sitwell, iconic Hollywood movie designer Edith Head, and for francophiles, there is the reference to Edith Piaf. With the rise of so many other E-starting names from Ella to Evelyn, and the adorable short form Edie, we predict that Edith will soon sound more like a cute toddler than a dated granny, especially with the Despicable Me character and the emergence of one of the most interesting characters on Downton Abbey, Lady Edith Crawley.

Edith

Edna is one of those names that, until what it seemed like a few minutes ago, felt so terminally frumpy that no one could imagine a parent choosing it for an innocent modern baby girl. But with the great upswing in names honoring ancestral family members, several of them being other four-letter, e-ending names, we wouldn't be so sure.
 Edna, which means delight, is a semi-biblical name--in the Apocrypha she is seen as a loving mother-- and was enormously popular in this country in the late nineteenth century, reaching as high as Number 11. It also relates to Eden--another, more contemporary sounding, option.
 Three literary bearers of the name are Edna St. Vincent Millay, Edna Ferber and Edna O'Brien, and to some the name might be identified with the campy character, Dame Edna Everage.

Edna

Slimmed down spelling is well-established and makes an old name more modern, for better and worse.  Katie Couric spells her Elinor's name this way.

Elinor

Eos -- that's pronounced with a short e like eros without the r -- is the Greek Titan of the dawn. Any ancient name with a sleek modern feel has definite revival possibilities. Eos could be an inventive way to honor grandma Dawn. 
 
Eos is also a Welsh bird name that is occasionally given to girls in Wales — pleasingly the nightingale, so this name covers both morning and night.

A simple, unusual word name with an evocative meaning, Ever feels similar enough to Eva, Evelyn, and Everly that it shifts easily into name territory. Actor Robert Carradine was ahead of the trends when he named his now grown-up actress daughter Ever back in the 70s, while more recently, it was used by both Milla Jovovich and Owain Yeoman. 
 
A unisex name, currently used slightly more often for boys, Ever is on the rise across the board. Given to around 125 girls and 200 boys in 2023, Ever is a whimsical name that's grounded by its familiar, name-y sounds, and its ties to the Hebrew name Eber and to the Germanic Eberhard, the source of Everett.

Ever

Freya has long been popular in the U.K. but has only taken off in the US in the last decade, along with the entire category of mythological names. Derived from the Old Norse name Freyja, meaning "Lady, noble woman", Freya is the name of the Norse goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. 
 Freya has been one of the fastest-rising names of the past few years and is even more popular in England and Wales. We predict that along with the original Nordic spelling Freyja, Freya will continue its meteoric rise in the coming years.
 Freya can be considered a feminization of Frey or Freyr, the name of the goddess’s brother.
 .There is a Joseph Conrad novel titled Freya of the Seven Isles. A noted bearer was the explorer and writer Freya Stark.

Freya

Idony was the Norse goddess of spring and eternal youth, and variants of her obscure name could come under consideration with the rest of the fashionable I pack. 

Idony

Indigo is one of the most appealing and evocative of the new generation of color names. Color names have joined flower and jewel names -- in a big way -- and Indigo, a deep blue-purple dye from plants native to India, is particularly striking for both girls and boys. Indigo is the name of a character in the Ntozake Shange novel Sassafrass, Cypress & Indigo, and was used for his daughter by Lou Diamond Phillips.
 Some cultural references: The Indigo Girls are a folk duo, 'Mood Indigo' is a classic Duke Ellington jazz composition, and there is a 1970's New Age theory that Indigo children possess special, sometimes supernatural abilities.

Indigo

This unusual Greek flower and color name has gained considerable recent attention via actress Ione Skye, who is the daughter of sixties folksinger Donovan.
 Ione was one of the fifty sea nymphs — Nereids — in ancient Greek mythology.
 Parents attracted to newer I-names like Isla might want to consider the distinctive Ione. The English pronunciation usually starts with the long I, while in the Latin languages such as Italian it starts with the long E sound.

Ione

No, we don't consider Jane too plain. In fact, for a venerable and short one-syllable name, we think it packs a surprising amount of punch, as compared to the related Jean and Joan.
 A very old name, Jane has been around since Tudor times, in this country moving in and out of fashion. Jane was once so common that it became generic—as in Jane Doe and G.I. Jane—then spent a considerable time as the back end of such smooshes as Maryjane, Bettyjane, and Sarajane.
 We think it's time for a fresh look at Jane—and not only in the middle place. Just think of all the awesome Janes of the past, both real and fictive—from Austen to Addams to Eyre to Fonda. 
 Jimmy Kimmel recently named his baby girl Jane.

Jane

Laetitia adds a layer of ancient patina to the more prosaic LETITIA.

Laetitia

Often heard in India, this is the name of the Hindu goddess of abundance, beauty, and prosperity, the embodiment of grace and charm --lucky omens indeed. The goddess Lakshmi is worshiped daily in Hindu homes, and has festivals held in her honor.
 Lakshmi Singh is an NPR newscaster. Surnamed Padma Lakshmi is a Top Chef host.

Lakshmi

Lark is getting some new and well-deserved attention as a post-Robin and Raven bird name. Although it was first recorded as a name in the 1830's, it has never appeared on the Social Security list.
 'The Lark' was used as a nickname for Cosette in Les Miserables; Lark Voorhees was a star of Saved by the Bell, and Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany used Lark as the middle name of their daughter Agnes.
 
The expression "happy as a lark" gives this songbird name a cheery image, as well as a 'lark' being a synonym for a merry time..
 Larkin is a pretty extension, as is Skylark, which is rich in cultural associations: there's the Percy Bysshe Shelley ode To a Skylark and the jazz classic Skylark written by Johnny Mercer and Hoagy Carmichael..

Lark

A lovely musical name (remember the old Eric Clapton-Derek & the Dominos song?), Layla's seen a significant surge in popularity, partly partly all names with a double L are stylish, and partly because all the forms of the name push it into the Top 15 for girls.

Layla is the most popular spelling of the name, as well as the one with the most phonetic spelling. Other popular forms are, in order, Leila, Laila, Laela, Laelah, Laylah, Leyla, Lejla, and Leighla.Leila, Laila, Leyla, Laylah, Leilah, Lailah, Leylah

If you're concerned about the name's popularity, you might consider that there are many other names that are similar. There's Leilani, for instance, along with Leah and Leia and Lily and new favorite Lyra.
Layla is derived from the Semitic element layl, meaning "night." It has roots in the Arabic, Hebrew, and Persian languages. In the Arabic story Qays and Layla, Layla is the subject of the poet’s unrequited love. 
 The spelling Laila is represented by boxer Laila Ali.

Layla

One of those names like Pamela, Vanessa and Wendy, Lorna was invented for a particular literary character--the protagonist of the 1869 novel Lorna Doone by R. D. Blackmore--and then perpetuated as the name of a shortbread cookie. 
The author claimed to have based it on the Scottish place-name, Lorn. In baby name limbo for quite some time, it was chosen by Judy Garland for her younger daughter, Lorna Luft. Lorna Simpson is an important contemporary American artist. 
While not strictly from Scotland, many consider Lorna to be one of the most tradtional <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/472/scottish-names-for-girls">Scottish names for girls</a>

Lorna

The name of the Roman goddess of the moon, Luna is derived straight from the Latin word for moon, luna. Luna may be the name most likely to surprise someone from an older generation by its Top 10 status in the US and its widespread international popularity.
Often ranked as Number 1 on Nameberry's internal charts, the strong but shimmery Luna is among the Top 100 names for baby girls in a wide range of countries around the world, from France to Italy to Germany, Scandinavia to Slovenia to Spain. It's simple, easy to spell and pronounce, and remarkably diverse.
 And it's also got deeper roots than you might imagine. It was somewhat popular in the US as a baby name around the turn of the 20th century, reaching a high of Number 403 way back in 1881.

Luna's popularity is undoubtedly influenced by the Harry Potter character Luna Lovegood and several high-profile celebrity babies, notably the oldest daughter of Chrissy Teigen and John Legend. 
 Along with its celebrity connections, Luna's popularity is partially driven by its standing as a mythological name. Luna’s divine complement is Sol, the god of the Sun. In Roman art, Luna is often depicted driving a chariot.
 
Luna makes another appearance as the endearing oddball Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter series, who was central enough to the story to have Harry give his daughter Luna as a middle name, and as the True Blood teacher-shapeshifter character, Luna Garza. 
 
Along with Chrissy Teigen and John Legend, other celebrities who named their daughters Luna include Penelope Cruz and Javier Barden as well as Constance Marie. Joely Fisher and Ellen Pompeo have used it as a middle. Uma Thurman and Arpad Busson use Luna as the nickname they call daughter Rosalind Arusha Arkadina Altalune Florence.
 
Luna is also among the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names/dogs">most popular dog names</a>.

Luna

This name of a character played by Kirsten Dunst in the movie Virgin Suicides, originally a novel by Jeffrey Eugenides, is gaining attention, also thanks to the heroine Lux, Lady of Luminosity in the League of Legends games. Luz is the Spanish version.

Marian's (and sister spelling Marion's) image has gone through a sea change of late, recalling less middle-aged matron and more Robin Hood's romantic Maid Marian. Some influences: the SJ Parker-M. Broderick twin daughter Marion and the glamorous French actress Marion Cotillard.
 Marian was a Top 100 name from 1912 through 1934.
 Marian Anderson was a great African-American contralto singer and Marion (born Marian) Ross was the mom on Happy Days. And – trivia tidbit – Marion Tweedy was the maiden name of Molly Bloom in James Joyce's Ulysses.
At one time Marian was considered the female form and Marion the male – John Wayne was born Marion.
 The meaning of Marie 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).

Marian

With the success of all names Max, from Max itself to Maxwell to Maxfield to Maximilian, it's just possible that Maxine could be lured away from her mah-jongg game at the clubhouse and into the nursery. She's already been chosen by hip musician Nick Hexum for his daughter, sister to Echo.
 Maxine was a Top 100 name from 1915 to 1930, attached to such celebs at the time as actress Maxine Elliott and one of the singing Andrews Sisters, and now to Congresswoman Maxine Waters and Chinese-born writer Maxine Hong Kingston. Reentered the US Top 1000 after a two decade absence in 2016.

Maxine

Minerva is the long-neglected name of the Roman goddess of wisdom and invention, the arts and martial strength, one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/325/mythological-baby-names-for-girls">mythology names for girls</a> that might appeal to adventurous feminist parents. With Juno and Jupiter, she made the Capitoline triad, whose worship was at the very center of Roman religion.
 
Minerva Pott is a character in Dickens's novel Pickwick Papers. In Harry Potter, Minerva McGonagall is a Witch and Deputy Headmistress of Hogswarts, and in the Artemis Fowl books, Minerva Paradizo is equally intellectual. There's also a series of kids' mystery books centering around a Minerva Clark.
 
Minerva was a Top 500 name through the early 1920s, last appearing on the list in 1973. It's well liked on Nameberry though—currently at Number 417. Nickname Minnie fits right in with the other currently stylish vintage nickname names. Curiously, though, actress Minnie Driver was not born Minerva, but Amelia.

Minerva

Mirabel is one of those names that's not on the Top 1000 but ought to be, and undoubtedly will be soon following the release of Disney's 2021 Encanto. Mirabel is the film's quirky and highly relatable heroine. Mirabel had a significant rise in 2022, going from 34 births in 2021 to 153 births in 2022. Read more about Mirabel and other <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/disney-princess-names">Disney Princess Names</a> in our featured blog.

 Along with Maribel, Annabel, Rosabel and the like, Mirabel is a more unusual and elegant alternative to the popular Isabel. Spelled Mirabelle, it is also the name of a delicate French plum variety.
 
Mirabel and the Italian form Mirabella were both quite common in the later Middle Ages, and Mirabel is scattered throughout early English poetry. Mirabel has a nice pair of nickname options: Mira and Belle.

Mirabel

Miranda, a shimmeringly lovely, poetic name that was invented by Shakespeare for the beautiful and admirable young heroine of his play, The Tempest, is still a recommended choice even though its popularity peaked in the 1990's, partially as an antidote to Amanda. But while Amanda now sounds dated, Miranda retains a good measure of its charm.
 Miranda made a big impression in Sex and the City and The Devil Wore Prada and was also a Harry Potter character--Miranda Goshawk, author of a Book of Spells. She was a Bond Girl in Die Another Day.
 Attractive real life Mirandas currently on the scene include actress Cosgrove, singer Lambert and model Kerr.

Miranda

Niamh, derived from the Old Irish Niam, is an ancient Irish name that was originally a term for a goddess. In Irish myth, one who bore it was Niamh of the Golden Hair, daughter of the sea god, who falls in love with Finn's son Oisin and takes him to the Land of Promise, where they stayed for three hundred years. Niamh can be Anglicized as Neve, Nieve, or Neave.

Niamh is particularly popular choice in Northern Ireland, Ireland, Scotland and England and Wales. Niamh Cusack is part of the acting family that also includes Sinead (wife of Jeremy Irons), Sorcha and Padraig. Americans have recently become better acquainted with Niamh via the heroine of Christina Baker Kline's bestselling novel Orphan Train.
Here, the Anglicized Neve would undoubtedly prove simpler, if less intriguing. Actress Neve Campbell pronounces her name (a family name) "NEV", and Neve is the daughter of Conan O'Brien.

Niamh

Nola, a name with a sleek, enigmatic quality, was used for the much-pursued heroine of Spike Lee's 1986 breakout film, She's Gotta Have It, and again by Woody Allen in Match Point. It's a short form of the traditional Irish name Fionnuala. Nola reentered the US Top 1000 in 2008, for the first time in 50 years.
 
Nola is also a place name of an Italian town, associated by ecclesiastical tradition with the invention of church bells, leading some to give that as the meaning of the name. 
 Speaking of the map, Nola could also come from New Orleans, Louisiana, for which NOLA is a frequent acronym. This association lends the name a potentially Southern feel.

Nola

Odette is the good swan in Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake, a role for which Natalie Portman won an Oscar ---and it would make a particularly soigne, sophisticated yet upbeat choice, unlike some of the more dated other 'ette'-ending names. 
 Odette de Crecy, is the flamboyant wife of Charles Swann in Proust's A la Recherche du Temps Perdu. 
 The name became publicized during World War II via the courageous French Resistance heroine Odette Brailly, who risked her life to supply information to the Allies, was captured by the Germans, and wrote her story which was retold in an eponymous film.
 Actor Mark Ruffalo chose Odette for his daughter. 
 Variant Odetta is associated with the folksinger who was one of the first to go by a single name.
 Odile, who is Odette's evil Swan Lake twin, gives her name a sinuous, sensuous appeal.

Odette

Oona is a name made famous by Eugene O'Neill's daughter, who became Charlie Chaplin's wife. One of the original Oona's granddaughters was named after her, and is now an actress famous in her own right for playing Talisa of Volantis in HBO's "Game of Thrones." The double-o beginning gives their name a lot of oomph.
 In Irish legend, Una/Oona was a daughter of a king of Lochlainn. The name was very popular in Ireland in the Middle Ages, and is currently seeing a comeback--also spelled Oonagh.

Oona

Floral, elegant, and bold, Ophelia re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2015 after more than 50 years off the charts. It has risen more than 700 spots since then and shows no signs of slowing down. Now in the US Top 300, could Ophelia one day become the next Olivia or Amelia?
 
It's certainly catching up in the UK, where, as of 2022, it's in the Top 100 and given to nearly 600 baby girls. Less likely to be heard as 'I feel ya', as it is pronounced with four syllables in the UK, Ophelia makes an arty but approachable choice. 
 Derived from the Ancient Greek word "opheleia", which means "help", Ophelia was used first by the poet Sannazaro in his 15th century poem "Arcadia". It was then popularized by Shakespeare's Hamlet in the 1600s and again in the 19th century by John Millais' painting. 
 
Other namesakes include the gutsy Ophelia in Harriet Beecher Stowe's 1852 Uncle Tom's Cabin, which seems to have had some influence on baby namers at the time, and more recently, the song "Ophelia" by The Lumineers.
 Among the actresses who have played modern non-Shakespearean Ophelias are Jamie Lee Curtis in "Trading Places" and Blake Lively in "Savages". The heroine of the film Pan's Labyrinth uses the Spanish spelling, Ofelia, while a popular YA novel, Ophelia After All by Racquel Marie sticks with the Shakespearean one.
 Actress Patricia Neal and author Roald Dahl named one of their now grown daughters Ophelia, and more recently musician Dave Grohl named his baby girl Ophelia Saint.
 
A hugely popular name on Nameberry and now out in the 'real world' too, you may hear this Shakespearean gem more often in the coming years. So, if you love Ophelia but want to beat the trends, you could try Cressida, Olympia, Cordelia, or Cerelia.

Ophelia

Oriana is a dashing medieval name, with a meaning similar to Aurora. At this point, though, Oriana is much more unusual than Aurora and makes a unique choice 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> or dawn. Strong and evocative, Oriana also has an admirable literary resume. In medieval tales, she was the beloved of the knight Amadis, she appears in at least three seventeenth century plays, and there is an early Tennyson poem called The Ballad of Oriana. Oriana was also sometimes used to refer to Queen Elizabeth I. Oriana Fallaci was a feminist Italian journalist who interviewed many world leaders in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s.

Oriana

Orla is an Irish name closely associated with the high king Brian Boru, as it was the name of his sister, daughter and niece. It was very popular in the Middle Ages – the fourth most popular name in twelfth century Ireland – and has become popular again in Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales today. In Irish, the name is commonly spelled Orlaith or Orlagh.
 There is a student at Hogwarts School named Orla Quirke in the Harry Potterbooks.

Orla

For a name related to a Scottish town, a patterned Indian fabric, and a country singer named Brad, Paisley has seen remarkable success. After appearing, seemingly out of nowhere, it is now an American favorite. 
Deriving from a Scottish surname and town near Glasglow, Paisley means “church” or “cemetery.” It has been given to a tiny handful of girls each year since the 1960s, but it wasn’t until the late 2000s that it had any significant usage. 
 
Then, between 2010 and 2015, the number of girls named Paisley quadrupled, and it entered the US Top 50. 
 
So what did make Paisley so popular? Perhaps parents drew inspiration from the American country singer, Brad Paisley, who’s dueted with Dolly. Maybe the 2009 appearance of ‘Peppermint Paisley’ on the controversial TV show “Toddlers and Tiaras” turned some heads?
 
Or perhaps it simply emerged as a fresh spin on both Ashley and Paige, the once popular choices that were falling rapidly out of style?
 
However it made its way to the charts, Paisley remains in the US Top 100 and is given to over 4000 girls each year. Athlete Jennie Finch, The Guns ‘n’ Roses musician Richard Fortus, and the actress Gabrielle Anwar are among those who have chosen Paisley for their daughters. 
 
Nameberry users tend not to share this love of Paisley and it ranks outside the <a href=“https://nameberry.com/popular-names/nameberry/girls/allNameberry Top 1000”> Nameberry Top 1000.</a> For more ‘Berry-style’ choices, you could try Maisie, Daisy, Astrid, Romy, Blair or Marlowe.

Paisley

Pandora has occasionally been used by the British gentry (for girls with brothers who might be called Peregrine) and is now starting to be heard in the US too: It was given to 34 baby girls last year. 
 Down side: Pandora was the mythological first woman on earth whose curiosity caused her to lift a forbidden box and inadvertently unleash all the evils of the world. But perhaps she's paid the price long enough--Pandora is riding the wave of mythological names used for babies after centuries of being confined to legend.
 Pandora is the eponymous title character of an Anne Rice vampire novel, and appears in the Adrian Mole books. There was a Pandora character on Skins, who was adorably called Panda.

Pandora

This name of a tragic figure in Greek mythology, the daughter of King Minos, sister of Ariadne and wife of Theseus, has a mysterious and intriguing appeal, and would make a dramatic choice.

 Phaedra has been a persistent theme in literature, both ancient and modern. There have been plays by Euripedes, Racine, Unamuno, and O'Neill, novels, poetry, operas and film--as recently as the 2011 Immortals starring Freida Pinto.
 One celebrity pulled a gender switch when she named her son Phaedra Bloom Forever.

Phaedra

Most of the notable Rivers have been male, but this nature name certainly flows as well for a girl. The name River is still rising for both genders, with about 3500 baby boys receiving the name last year vs. 1900 baby girls.

Kelly Clarkson's choice of River for her newborn daughter further raised the profile of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">name for girls</a>. Baseball great Derek Jeter and Hannah Davis used the same name as Clarkson for their daughter born in 2021, River Rose.

River

Stylish, gentle, and rustic at the same time, Rowan is a name that falls into various categories. Unisex and cool, mystical and woodsy, with the feel of both Rose and Riley, Rowan is a fresh but familiar choice.
 
The name has multiple origins, possibly deriving from the Irish Ruadhán, meaning “little redhead”, or from the names Rowena and Rhonwen, meaning “famous friend” and “white spear.” 
Alternatively, it might be taken from the rowan tree, a red-berried tree whose name derives from Old Norse and means “to redden.” In folklore and mythology, rowan trees are seen as a symbol of protection and of life, used to ward off evil. 
Rowan was an obscure name in the US before Brooke Shields chose it for her daughter in 2003. The name entered the US Top 1000 the same year and it’s been climbing in popularity ever since. Now, over 1000 girls are called Rowan every year, versus about 4000 baby boys. 
Notable namesakes include the actress and activist, Rowan Blanchard, and Rowan Ellis, an author and Youtuber who makes video essays. In fiction, Rowan Mayfair is a powerful witch in Anne Rice’s novel The Witching Hour and Rowan Love is the quirky and creative older sister in Karen McCombie’s Ally’s World series.

Rowan

Shirley Temple almost single-handedly lifted the gloom of the Great Depression, and in tribute (and perhaps wishing for a similarly curly-headed, dimpled darling of their own), thousands of parents of that generation gave their little girls her name. In 1935, Shirley was the second most popular girls' name in the country with more than 42,000 babies named Shirley.

 In an earlier time Shirley was used primarily for boys, but the tide turned with the publication of Charlotte Bronte's novel Shirley in 1849, the story of a character whose parents had selected the name for a boy child, then decided to use it anyway when he turned out to be a she.

 In addition to Shirley Temple, there have been Shirleys MacLaine and Jones and writer Shirley Jackson, as well as rocker Shirley Manson.

Shirley

Tamsin is an offbeat name occasionally heard in Britain and just waiting to be discovered here. U.K. actress Tamsin Greig is a star of the show Episodes, Tamsin Olivier is the daughter of Joan Plowright and Sir Laurence Olivier..
 Tamsyn is the alternative medieval Cornish spelling. Other spellings are represented by actresses Tamzin Outhwaite and Tamzin Merchant, and by writer Tamasin Day-Lewis, sister of Daniel.
 Tamsin is a 1999 fantasy novel by Peter Beagle.

Tamsin

It is popularly claimed that the name Wendy was invented by Sir James Barrie in 1904 for the big sister character in his play Peter Pan, which was followed by the classic novel in 1911. Barrie supposedly took it from the nickname "fwendy-wendy", that he was called by a young girl acquaintance. 

 Although the character of Wendy Darling undoubtedly popularized the name across the English-speaking world – peaking in the Top 10 in several countries in the 1950s and 60s – it did actually appear rarely before that. It was likely derived from the Welsh name Gwendolen and its variants.

 Wendy's heyday was once upon a time, but it's starting to undergo a style revolution. With other bouncy and peppy retro nicknames, like Sadie and Edie, rising, Wendy could be part of the next wave.

Wendy

An ancient tree that figures in literature from Shakespeare to Harry Potter and is believed to possess magical powers, Willow is a lovely name, as graceful as its inspiration.
 Willow's use as a given name derives directly from the willow tree, whose name was derived from the Old English word welig, meaning "willow." Willow trees are associated with grace and elegance, which gave way to the adjective "willowy." Other names with meanings related to willows include Arava, Willoughby, Dozier, Wellesley, Selby, and Salton.
 
This elegant and charming nature name has been chosen for their daughters by Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, Michelle Monaghan and Pink. It's been a fast riser in recent years, climbing along with other Will names Willa, William and Will, having taken off here a year after the character of Willow was introduced on Buffy the Vampire Slayer in 1997.
 
Willow is also popular in other English-speaking countries: Australia and the UK, Canada, Ireland, and Scotland.
 
The name has transcended its one-time hippie aura to move into the realm of reappraised and appreciated <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/329/nature-baby-names">nature names</a>. The willow is believed by the Romani to possess the ability to heal the sick and rejuvenate the aged.
 
Pink was quoted as saying her choice was influenced by a willow tree she grew up near, and that it is the most flexible tree that nothing can break—no wind, no elements, it can bend and withstand anything.

Willow

Zoe is one of those surprising names that has been on the Top 1000 nearly every year since 1880, but it's only since the turn of this century that it's ranked in the Top 100. 
 
Despite its popularity in several spellings -- Zoey ranks nearly as highly -- Zoe still manages to sound distinctive. Credit the initial Z, the sleek simplicity, the not-silent final e, and the name's compelling. meaning: life.
 
The history of Zoe begins in the third century when the Alexandrian Jews translated Eve, which means 'life,' to the Greek equivalent Zoe. Zoe was in use as far back as the Roman classical period, and was popular with the early Christians, who bestowed it with hopes of eternal life, but it didn't migrate to the English-speaking world until the mid-nineteenth century.
 
Zoe Washbourne was a strong warrior in the sci-fi show Firefly, Zoe Hart the leading female character on Hart of Dixie, Zoe Barnes a journalist on House of Cards, and kids might recognize Zoe from Sesame Street.
 Zoe is currently hot around the world, popular in countries from Scotland to Spain, France to New Zealand.
 Zoe has spawned a number of variant spellings, including Zoey, Zoie, and Zooey. Zoey has been embraced by TV scripters--she has been seen on the Nickelodeon show Zoey 101, The West Wing and How I Met Your Mother. Zoie ranked in the Top 1000 for 20 years but has just dropped out. 
 Wide-eyed actress Zooey Deschanel, whose first name is pronounced the same as Zoe, was named after Zooey Glass, the male protagonist of the J. D. Salinger novella Franny and Zooey.

ALookingGlass's list "Interesting..." of 47 great name ideas: Addie - Zoe!

Interesting...

Names I like or find interesting but would probably not use.