1. Ailis:  The Gaelic version of Alice has a bit more spark than the original – and no associations with white rabbits or red queens.  It’s pronounced both AY lis and AY lish; parents favoring the latter sound sometimes spell the name Ailish, but it’s not required.  Ailis does not appear in the US Top 1000 for 2007.
2. Briar: When paired with Rose, this name screams fairytale princess, as in Sleeping Beauty.  But match it up with any other middle name, and this is an appealing botanical choice that’s quite rare.  While occasionally bestowed on boys – Briareus is a giant in Greek myth – the well-known princess link puts it solidly in the girls’ camp. Briar does not appear in the US Top 1000.
3. Carys: Despite being chosen by Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas for their daughter, this Welsh name meaning loved has not caught on in the US.  It has the great “ys” ending shared by so many feminine Welsh names – Dilys, Glynis – but the familiar “Car” at the top makes it very accessible for an American child.  We’ve also met a Karris, but you know how we feel about creative respellings.  Carys is unranked in the US.
4. Daphne:  There’s something a trifle delicate about Daphne – perhaps because in myth, she was a  nymph pursued by Apollo until the gods took mercy and mojo’d her into a laurel tree.  But the name itself has a sort of jazzy, vibrant swing to it.  Think of Django Reinhart’s sprightly guitar piece by the same name.  Last year, Daphne ranked #585 in the US.
5. Elspeth:  A contracted form of Elizabeth used in Scotland, it’s just different enough from the original to stand alone as a given name – though she may still find herself explaining that it’s not Elizabeth, Lizbeth or Elsbeth.  The virtue of this two-syllable choice is that while it can generate a nickname or two, it doesn’t beg for one.  Elspeth is currently unranked in the US.
6. Esmé:  It’s a simple name with a complicated past.  Esmé is French, but was first used in Scotland, probably among French-speaking Normans.  And yes, it was first used for boys, but ever since JD Salinger’s short story For Esme With Love and Squalor appeared in the The New Yorker in 1950, this appealing choice has been bestowed exclusively on girls.  Not that are currently that many Esmés out there – the name remains unranked in the US.
7. Esther: She might be your great-grandmother, or favorite great aunt.  Esther was once as frequently heard as Sarah or Nicole.  Today, however, it’s among the more daring of the Granny Chic names to work her way back up the popularity charts, embraced by parents who love Hannah’s simplicity, but want something less common.  A Persian name probably meaning “star,” Esther appears in the Old Testament, making her a triple threat – a throwback with a nature vibe and a Biblical backstory – and still frills-free.  As of 2007, Esther stands at #280.
8. Ever:  This is a tricky one, but we feel it has promise.  Eimhear is an old Gaelic name found in myth.  Her name is usually pronounced AYV er.  Modern usage tends to favor the spelling Emer, and the pronunciation AIM er.  When Milla Jovovich chose Ever for her daughter to honor fiance Paul WS Anderson’s Celtic roots, she opened the door for mere mortals to choose this part-noun name, part-Irish import for our daughters.  Ever remains unranked in the US, but with names like Destiny and Journey increasingly common, it’s not quite as outlandish as first glance suggests.
9. Haven: Like Ever, this is another name ripped from the pages of the dictionary – but unlike Ever, there’s very little precedence for its use as a given name.  Less overtly religious than Heaven or even Eden, Haven manages to be both frills-free and spiritual at once.  Quite the feat!  As of 2007, Haven ranked #580.
10. Hazel:  She’s Esther’s twin sister.  Wait, she’s actually starbaby Phinneas’ twin sister.  When Julia Roberts chose the name for her daughter, she cemented Hazel’s place on the Granny Chic list.  But by then the name was already back in the Top 1000 and climbing.  Today it stands at #361.  While flower names for girls are often lacy, even prim, tree names manage to have a strength and frills-free simplicity.
11. Honor: Virtue names are, almost by definition, simple and straightforward.  But while Grace, Hope and Faith tend to be gentle, even conventionally feminine ideals, Honor seems like a far more complex and challenging concept.  But unlike Amity, Verity or Clarity, there’s no need to know Latin to instantly grasp the ideal this name conveys.  Honor was unranked as of 2007, but with Jessica Alba choosing it for her starbaby, that may not be the case for long.
12. Ingrid:  The harsh “ing” and “gr” sounds in this Scandinavian name kept it out of favor in recent years.  But it’s also a royal name in Sweden, Denmark and Norway and an old Hollywood choice.  Casablanca, anyone?   Today we think Ingrid makes for a strong, distinctive choice for a daughter.  The name ranked #626 in 2007.
13. Iris:  While flower power names are rarely frills-free, Iris sounds smart and independent.  Some of this is due to the influence of writer and philosopher Iris Murdoch.  But it’s also an unusual sound that reminds us of vision and color.  As of 2007, Iris ranked #316.
14. Ivy:  Yes, there’s Poison Ivy.  We’ll grant you that this name comes with a built-in put-down, and that might put some parents off.  But we think that Ivy would fit right in with Iris and Hazel.  We have met a male Ivy, but it was just a clever nickname – he was born Frederick Smith IV.  As of 2007, Ivy ranked #301 in the US.
15. Juno: The movie about teenage pregnancy put this one in the spotlight.  But Juno is a mythological name with a long history of use, and an appealing, buoyant feel.  The “o” ending is lively without sacrificing femininity – after all, in the Roman Pantheon, Juno was Queen.  The name is not currently in the US Top 1000.
16. Luna:  This name is big in Belgium, and a character called Luna features prominently in the Harry Potter series.  Like Juno, she’s a Roman goddess, associated with the moon.  This name was sometimes used through the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but is only now enjoying a revival.  We like Luna’s quirky charm, nature reference and the fact that it manages to end-in-a without being in any way dainty or delicate.  The name ranked #451 in 2007.
17. Lyric:  Another noun name that is sometimes bestowed on boys, Lyric strikes us as one of the best of the music-themed choices for girls.  The name is feminine but far from fussy.  It’s also gaining in popularity, but still ranked a mere #551 last year.
18. Maren:  While Mary and Marie are spare-but-feminine choices, if you want to really give your daughter a tailored appellation, we suggest this German and Danish choice.  Beyond the connection to Mary, it also conjures the sea, giving it a nature twist.  As of last year, Maren ranked #967.  The alternate spelling Marin makes the link to the ocean more explicit, but also confuses the pronunciation.  Is it MAH ren or mahr ANH?  We prefer the first pronunciation, and the “e” spelling, but both fit the definition of frills-free. 
19. Margo/Margot: Margaret has been worn by queens and saints, but we think Margo has more frills-free spirit, with or without the final “t.”  Our only spelling request is that parents refrain from using Margaux – unless, of course, you expect your daughter to develop multiple-personality syndrome.  Like Juno, the “o” ending is lively, but this name makes for a slightly more traditional choice.  While Margo is unranked in the US, Margaret is 173, so there are doubtless some Margos out there. 
20. Olive:  Olivia is the chart-topping choice, while the humble Olive barely makes in into the Top 1000, squeaking in at #999.  Since actors Isla Fisher and Sasha Baron Cohen chose this frills-free appellation for their daughter in 2007, she may emerge from obscurity.
21. Romy: A short form derived from Rosemary, Rosemarie or maybe the emerging Romilly, we think Romy could stand on her own.  As of 2007, Romy is unranked; Rosemary came in at #720. 
22. Sarai:  Sara and Sarah are long-established classics with the parent-pleasing meaning “princess,” but Sarai is the Old Testament original.  With the unusual ending – it’s pronounced sah RYE – this name stands out while still sounding feminine.  As of 2007, Sarai ranked #399.
23. Tamar: An Old Testament name that means “palm tree,” it’s unranked in the US.  Tamar has a certain shimmering strength, and shares the “r” ending with other frills-free choices for girls like Piper and Harper.  Just don’t call her Tammy.
24. Tamsin: We’ve always loved Tamsin, a contracted form of the clunky Thomasina.  While like Tamar, it could be shortened to Tammy, we think it’s more appealing sans nickname.  It’s not in the UK Top 100, though you’re more likely to hear it across the Atlantic than in the US, where it does not appear in the Top 1000.
25. Willow: Nature names often manage to be feminine and lively at once.  Willow ranked #430 in 2007, bolstered by Will and Jada Pinkett Smith’s use of the moniker for their daughter, now an actor in her own right.  The similar Meadow, as in Soprano, is a bit less common, ranking #764.  If Margo feels too conventional and Hazel too old school, Willow might be the right choice – a relatively new name with a fresh sound and natural charm.

It’s a rich category, and as we (finally) prepare to hit publish, we realize that some very likely candidates have been excluded from this list.  

Assuming we publish a second edition, which names have we overlooked?