The Secret (1876) William-Adolphe Bouguereau
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Greek
Meaning: “Divine law.”
Pronunciation: (AW-suh)
Detail: Goddess of rumor
Ossa
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Monthly Archives: January 2010
Raphaela
Classical Beauty by John William Godward
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “God has heald.”
Pronunciation: (rah-fahy-EL-ah)
Nicknames: Raphy, Rafaly, Rapha, Ella
Benvolio
A Special Moment by Emile Munier
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Italian
Meaning: “Affectionate; benevolent.”
Pronunciation: (ben-VOH-lee-oh); (ben-VOL-yo)
Nicknames: Ben, Volo
Detail: In Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” Benvolio is Romeo’s cousin and close friend
Geir
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Icelandic
Meaning: “Spear.”
Pronunciation: (GEY-r)
Emuna
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “Faithful.”
Pronunciation: (eh-moo-nah)
Nicknames: Emmy, Muna, Moon
Maddox
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Welsh
Meaning: “Good; Generous.”
Pronunciation: (MA-dahks)
Nicknames: Mad, Mado, Max
Detail: In the Lord of the Rings, Madoc Brandybuck is a hobbit.
Variations:
- Maddock
- Maddox
- Madoc
Rozanica
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Slavic
Meaning: “Mother; heritage; destiny.”
Nicknames: Ro, Rose, Zani, Nica, Rozzy
Detail: A goddess of winter
Lowenna
Three Spirits Filled with Joy by Warwick Goble
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Cornish
Meaning: “Joy.”
Pronunciation: (loh-WEN-ah)
Nicknames: Lo, Loa, Enna
Sinope
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Greek
Meaning: “Daughter of Ares.”
Pronunciation: (sih-NOH-pee)
Nicknames: Sini, Sope, Pepper, Poppy
Detail: A natural satellite of the planet Jupiter.
Sinope is the name of five different rivers in Greece and Turkey and in Greek mythology the goddess of those rivers.
Sven
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Norse
Meaning: “Boy.”
Suri
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Hebrew Meaning: “Princess.”
Origin: Indian Meaning: “Sun.”
Origin: Persian Meaning: “Rose.”
Pronunciation: (SOO-ree)
Alula
Dolce Far Niente (Sweet Nothings) by John William Godward
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Arabic      Meaning: “First born.”
Origin: Latin         Meaning: “Winged one.”
Origin: Chamorro Meaning: “Hasten.”
Pronuniation: (ah-LOO-lah)
Nicknames: Lula
Detail: Alula is a star in Ursa Major
Hansel
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “God’s grace.”
Pronunciation: (HAHN-sel)
Nicknames: Hans
Detail:  Hansel is a character of the German fairy tale “Hänsel und Gretel.”
“Hansel… so hot right now… Hansel.” – Mugatu (Zoolander)
Gretel
Soup (1865) William-Adolphe Bouguereau
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Greek
Meaning: “Pearl.”
Nicknames: Greta, Gret, Gretty, Grey
Detail: Â Â In the Brother Grimm’s fairytale, Gretel and her brother Hansel are captured by a witch after stumbling across her gingerbread house in the forest. The witch intends to eat the children but they trick her and are able to make their escape.
Petronella
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Greek
Meaning: “Rock.”
Pronunciation: (pet-roh-NELL-ah)
Nicknames:Â Petra, Nella, True, Ronnie
Athelstan
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Germanic
Meaning: “Noble stone.”
Pronunciation: (a-THUHL-stan) Athelstan
Nicknames: Atho, Athan, Stan
Detail: Athelstan was the first king of England.
Character in Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe.
Ramira
A Priestess II by John William Godward
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Spanish
Meaning: “Judicious.”
Nicknames: Rami
Rabastan
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Arabic
Meaning: “Serpent’s head.”
Pronunciation: (ra-BAS-tan)
Detail: Â In world of the Harry Potter he is a Death Eater
Rabastan is related to Rastaban, an Arabic phrase meaning “the serpent’s head”— a name of Beta Draconis, one of the stars in the constellation Draco.
Razili
The Tease (1901) by John William Godward
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Aramaic
Meaning: “The Lord’s secret.”
Pronunciation: (RA-zih-lee)
Nicknames: Raz, Razi, Zili, Raspberry
Detail: Could be a fun and exotic twist on Rosalie
Rodolphus
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Old English
Meaning: “Wolf counsel.”
Nicknames: Rod, Roddo
Detail: In world of the Harry Potter Rodolphus is a Death Eater.
A variation of the name Ralph.
The Character of Names 