Pretty and New Girl Names

Name Help is a series at Appellation Mountain. Every week, we discuss reader’s name questions, usually on Tuesdays and Fridays. We’re relying on thoughtful comments from the community to help expectant parents narrow down their name decisions. Thank you in advance for sharing your insight! To have your question considered, email appmtn (at) gmail. Looking for your own private #namehelp post? Order one here.

LOVE THIS STYLE, BUT MAKE IT RARE

Hailey writes:

For as long as I can remember, I have loved pretty names. Anastasia, Persephone, Lucinda. My style is long and romantic. Pretty much the opposite of my name!

When we first started talking about having kids, my favorite name was Eliana. But now we’re actually expecting our first, it’s a girl, and I feel like I hear Eliana everywhere. The fact that it’s now in the Top Ten proves that it’s not just me overthinking it.

Other names I used to like, but have also become very popular/too popular: Ariana, Liliana, Delilah.

My partner really wants there to be an obvious nickname. Also, he is very opposed to names that are strongly identified with anyone we know or with a fictional character. He vetoed Lorelai because of Gilmore Girls and Anastasia because of the movie, and we have a family member with a daughter named Lucie so Lucinda is off the list. Ophelia was on the list until the Taylor Swift song.

For me, I tend to not like names that feel sort of made-up. Like Kaliyah is very pretty, but I feel like it’s just a nice sound, not a name with history, meaning, etc.

So the name needs to be new, in the way that not everyone has heard of it or has an image of it, but not random, either.

Names we are considering:

• Annalisa – I like this a lot, but feel like maybe there’s something better out there
• Corina/Corinna/Karina – But can’t really settle on a spelling.
• Natalia – Just okay for me, don’t love Nat as a nickname
• Sylvia – Not my favorite, but my husband likes
• Viviana – love this name, my husband is kind of meh about it for no specific reason

Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.

FINDING MORE PRETTY AND NEW NAME POSSIBILITIES

Abby replies:

Congratulations on your new daughter!

Long and lovely is a good place to start. But you’re right! There’s Sophia and Isabella and Eliana in the Top Ten. Plus lots of names that sound right, like Amiyah, but don’t quite hit the mark in terms of meaning.

Ruling out any name with an obvious pop culture tie-in? That makes this even tougher!

But I do think there are two really strong contenders on your current list. Viviana is perfect – fun nickname, distinctive but not unknown, flowing and feminine.

I’m also wondering if Persephone if still on the table? I think it’s another great option, with possible nicknames like Persie and Sephie.

But let’s keep looking because it sounds like Viviana might not be quite right.

FRESH SUGGESTIONS

AURELIA

A name that literally means golden, Aurelia blends sounds from chart-toppers Aurora and Amelia, but is much less common.

DAHLIA

A lovely floral possibility with a mix of vintage appeal and current style. A solid 150-spots plus less common that Delilah, but similar in sound.

ELIORA

Eliora and Liora both come from a Hebrew phrase meaning “my light.” Adding the El- transforms it to “God is my light.” It’s very similar to Eliana, but not nearly as popular.

GENEVIEVE

Traditional French name that’s never quite caught on in the US, Genevieve shares the potential nickname Vivi, but also mixes in options like Gen and Gigi.

JUNIA

An ancient Roman option that’s seldom heard in the US, Junia shares sounds with fast-rising Juniper, as well as sparky retro nickname Junie.

MARIEL, MARIELLA, MARIELLE

Mariel and Mariella are recent additions to the US Top 1000; Marielle remains outside of the list. In any form, it’s an elaboration of Marie, vaguely French but also reminiscent of The Little Mermaid’s name. It still offers Ellie as a nickname option.

SERAPHINA

As lovely and elaborate as Persephone, with an appealing meaning: fiery.

THEODORA

The sounds of Theodora might be a tiny bit on the harsh side with all the TH and DOR, but it’s rich in nicknames – Thea, Teddy, Tess, Dory – and offers so much sophisticated style, too.

Overall, if Viviana and Persephone aren’t quite right, I’m most drawn to some form of Mariel/Mariella. Shorten it to Ellie or Mari or Mimi, and no form of the name is all that common.

Readers, over to you! Can you suggest some pretty and new girl names: feminine, elaborate, not too common?