Читать книгу The Brilliant Book of Baby Names: What’s best, what’s hot and what’s not - Linda Rosenkrantz - Страница 46

Ada

Aida

Asher

Beatrice

Bliss

Blythe

Felicity

Felix

Hana

Hilary

Ilaria

Seeley

FATIMA. Arabic, ’captivating, a woman who abstains’. Thousands of Muslim girls are annually given this name of the daughter of Muhammad and one of the four perfect women according to the Koran—unlikely to cross cultures. Fateema, Fateemah, Fatia, Fatimah, Fatina, Fatma, Fatmah. International: Fatemeh (Persian).

FAUNA. Latin, ’the animals of a specific area’; Roman goddess of nature and animals. Fauna was one of the fairies who protected Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, but it’s still a bit too generic to be recommended as a baby name. Faune, Fauniel, Fauniella, Fawna.

FAUSTINE. Latin, feminine variation of FAUST. Although it means good luck, the association with the character who sold his soul to the devil is off-putting. Consider one of the other ’lucky’ names, like Felicity, instead. Fauste, Faustena, Faustia, Faustiana, Faustyna. International: Fausta (Italian), Faustina (Spanish).

FAVOR. Word name. This word has too many conflicting associations to make a satisfying name.

FAWN. Nature name, ’a young deer’. The doe-eyed Fawn, like other retrograde names such as Tawny and Taffy, does not, in our opinion, give a girl enough to live up to. Faan, Faandelia, Fahn, Fahndelia, Faina, Faun, Fauna, Faunia, Fawna, Fawndelia, Fawne, Fawnia, Fawniah, Fawne, Fawnya.

FAY, FAYE. French, ’fairy’; shortened form of FAITH. Napping quietly since the 1930s, Fay/Faye, like cousins May/Mae and Ray/Rae, has sat up and started rubbing her eyes, ready for a minicomeback, especially as a middle name. Fae, Fay, Fee, Fey, Fayette.

FEATHER. Word name. Though it was used for a character in a novel, Feather seems too light and fluttery for a real-life girl.

FEDERICA. Italian, feminine variation of FREDERICK. Latin version of one of those formerly stuffy female names—think Josephine and Eleanor—that feels fresh and elegant again.

FEDORA. Greek variation of THEODORA. Occasionally heard among the Mayfair and Belgravia set, but we’re afraid that in some places there would be too strong an association with the man’s felt hat. Fadora, Feodora, Fyodora.

FEE. Diminutive of FIONA. Too fiscal.

FELICE. Italian, ’lucky’. The Italians pronounce it fa-LEECH-ay; the Americanised version, feh-LEESE, now sounds dated and not very appealing.

FELICIA. Latin, ’lucky’; feminine variation of FELIX. A lacy, lucky name very popular in the Hispanic community a decade ago, less so now. Falecia, Faleece, Faleshia, Falicia, Falisha, Felecia, Felica, Felice, Feliciana, Felicidad, Felicie, Felicity, Felis, Felisa, Felise, Felisha, Feliss, Felita, Fellysse, Felyssia, Filicia, Filisha, Phalisha, Phelicia, Phylicia, Phyllicia, Phyllisha. International: Felicita, Felicitas, Felisa, Felixa, Feliz (Spanish).

FELICIDAD. Spanish, ’happiness’. Used exclusively in Latino families.

FELICITY. Latin, ’happy’. As accessible as Hope and Faith, but more feminine—and dare we say happier? Felecia, Felice, Feliciona, Felicitee, Felicitie, Felise, Felisha, Felita, Feliza, Filicia, Flick. International: Felicienne, Félicité (French), Felicita (Italian), Felice, Felicia, Felicidad, Felicita, Felisa, Felixa, Feliz (Spanish), Felicidade (Portuguese), Felicie (German), Fela, Felka (Polish).

FELIXA. (fay-LEEK-sah) Spanish, ’happy, lucky’. The futuristic consonant x sets this apart—for better and worse – from all the other Felices, Felicias and Felicitys. Felecia, Felia, Felica, Felicanna, Feliciania, Felicianna, Felicina, Felisa, Felixia, Felizia.

FENELLA. Celtic, ’white-shouldered one’. This engaging Scottish name, the heroine of a Sir Walter Scott novel, is, though scarcely heard elsewhere, much more user-friendly than some of the Irish versions. Fennella, Finella, Finola, Fionnuala, Fionola, Fynella.

FENNEL. Vegetable and herb name. Word name possibility carrying the scent of liquorice-like anise.

FEODORA. (fay-oh-DOR-a) Slavic variation of THEODORA. An interesting choice for the intrepid name giver, especially with its dynamic nickname, Feo (pronounced FAY-oh). Feo.

FERGIE. Diminutive of FERGUS. One Fergie was an aberration. But two women with that nickname—the duchess and the Black Eyed Pea – might make a trend.

FERN. Nature name. Of all the botanicals, Fern has never really moved from the conservatory into the nursery, despite the appealing girl character in the children’s classic Charlotte’s Web. Fearne, Ferna, Ferne.

FERNANDA. Spanish and Portuguese, feminine variation of FERDINAND. Very popular in the Latino community, with a lot more charm than its male counterpart. Anda, Annda, Ferdinanda, Ferdinande, Fern, Fernande, Fernandina, Fernandine, Nan, Nanda.

FERNANDE. French, feminine variation of FERDINAND. A dark-haired femme fatale choice.

FEY. Word name. For middle name purposes, could be thought of as a fey spelling of Fay. International: Feya (Hebrew).

FFLUR. (Fleer) Welsh, ’flower’. Why bother to invent a new name or spelling when there are intriguing oddities like this in existence? Also in the Welsh encyclopedia of names: Ffion, Ffiona and Ffraid, the Welsh form of Brigid.

FIA. Irish, diminutive of FIACHNA, ’raven’. A pleasantly light and distinctive possible alternative to Mia.

FIAMMETTA. Italian, ’little fiery one’. Derived from the Italian word for flame, this name has both femininity and fire. Fiamma.

FIANNA. Irish, ’fair’ or ’white’. This virtually unknown Irish name combines the best elements of Fiona and Brianna.

FIDELITY. Word name. An admirable virtue, yes, but as a name it tends to sound like a financial institution. Fedelia, Fedila, Fideila, Fidela, Fidele, Fidelia, Fidelina, Fidelita, Fidella, Fidylia.

FIFI. French, diminutive of JOSEPHINE. A perfect name—for a French poodle. Fifine.

FILIPA. Slavic variation of PHILIPPA. See PHILIPPA.

FILOMENA. Greek, ’lover of singing’; Spanish variation of PHILOMENA. See PHILOMENA. Filomela.

FINELLA. Irish variation of FINOLA. See FINOLA.

FINLEY. Irish, ’fair-haired hero’. This was a 100 per cent male name until recently. Can Finleigh be far behind? Finlay, Finlea, Finleah, Finlee, Finleigh, Finli, Finlie, Finly, Fynley, Fynlie, Fynly.

FINN. Irish, ’bright, fair’. The most enduringly popular hero of Irish myth was Finn McCool, whose name is one of the coolest ever. When used for the female protagonist of How to Make an American Quilt, it established its hipness for girls as well.

FINOLA. Irish, ’white shoulders’. This readily accessible version of some of the more problematic Gaelic versions would make a welcome addition to the stockpot of Irish girls’ names. Fennela, Finella, Finnguala, Finoula, Fionnala, Nola.

FIONA. Scottish, ’the fair one’. This late nineteenth-century Scottish invention is still being given to baby girls today. Also popular in the US since the 1954 musical Brigadoon had a character with the name. Fee, Ffion, Ffiona, Ffyona, Fina, Fione, Fionn, Fionna, Fiora, Fyona.

FIONNUALA. (fin-OO-lah) Irish Gaelic, ’white shoulders’. This lovely Gaelic name, very popular in the Emerald Isle, would pose obvious pronunciation problems elsewhere. Simplify to Finola or Fenella. Fenella, Finella, Finola, Fionnuala, Fionnualagh, Nola, Nuala.

FIORELLA. Italian, ’little flower’. Feminine, floral and rarely enough heard here to be exotic.

FLAIR. Word name. Beware: extremely high pressure, high-expectation name.

FLAME. Word name. Beware again: the kind of name used by women named Fran when engaging in endeavours they’d just as soon their parents weren’t aware of.

FLANNA. Irish, ’red-haired’. An uncommon name for a red- haired girl, not as familiar as its nickname, Flannery. Flana, Flanagh, Flannerey, Flannery.

FLANNERY. Irish, diminutive of FLANNA. Long before the vogue of using Irish surnames for girls names, writer Flannery O’Connor gave this one some visibility. It has a warm (flannelly) feel and the currently popular three-syllable ee-ending sound.

FLAVIA. Latin, ’golden, blond’; from ancient Roman family name FLAVIUS. An ancient Roman clan name, Flavia is one choice that’s unusual but historic. International: Flaviana, Flavie, Flaviere, Flavyere (French).

FLEUR. French, ’flower’. This generic, delicate flower name risks sounding a bit precious. Fleurette, Fleurine.

FLOR. Spanish, ’flower’. Attractive Spanish name heard in the film Spanglish. Roll that final r.

FLORA. Latin, ’flower’. The name of the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, who enjoyed eternal youth, is one of the gently old-fashioned flowery classics we think is due for a comeback. Fiora, Fiordenni, Fiore, Florella, Fiori, Flo, Floralia, Fiorella, Florelle, Florentia, Florentina, Florenza, Floressa, Floretta, Florette, Flori, Floria, Florianna, Florinda, Florrie. International: Floraigh (Gaelic), Fleur, Flore, Fleurette (French), Flor, Florida, Florinda, Florita, Floridita (Spanish), Florka (Hungarian).

FLORENCE. Latin, ’blooming, flowering,’ place name. Connection to the lovely Italian city got lost in Florence’s last flowering as a name—but the association to the place seems to be helping it stir back to style life. Flo, Florance, Florella, Florentina, Florentine, Florentyna, Florian, Florice,