10 Greek Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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Greek names are some of the most beautiful--though I might be biased: Sophia is Greek. Nevertheless, I do really like the list I've created today, so take a look, then tell me what you think.

Beta- Beta is the second letter of the Greek alphabet and a widely used tech term. She's synonymous with being second, making her perfect for child number two. Add a syllable and you get Beata--another pretty European name.

Circe- Circe is one of my most favorite C names (behind Clementine), and it's always surprised me that she's not used more often. She means "bird," which I think is just adorable.

Cybele- Cybele (that's SIB-el-ee, though I've also heard sib-EL-ee) is the best name for a strong, powerful, feminine woman, as she means "mother of all gods." She's the goddess of fertility, health, and nature--quite the trifecta for a baby girl.

Eleni- Much like the more familiar Elena, Eleni originally comes from the name Helen. She is quite popular in Greece, and I hope to see her catch on in the United States. With Elena poised to break the top 100, it's quite possible people will begin to look for alternatives--my pick is Eleni.

Evanthia- Evanthia is the Greek version of Evanthe, and she's absolutely stunning. It's difficult to find much information about her. You can seldom find her in a baby name book. Maybe she's meant for those who like a little bit of mystery in their lives.

Hero- I feel like I rave about Hero all the time. There's just something about her. She strikes me as a feminist name, i.e. Hero not Heroine, and girls can be heroes too! Catch my drift?

Lilika- While she might seem like a variation of Lily, Lilika actually stems from Evangelia. That doesn't mean that you can't use Lili as a nickname though, infact, that would be pretty cute.

Petra- There are plenty of ways to honor a Peter (some I've profiled lately), but Petra is one of my favorites. She's definitely a pan-European choice--Petra is most popular in the Czech Republic, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Sophronia- Sophia for brave namers. Sophie seems like the obvious nickname, though Phronsie and Frona are two more unique options. I'm very intrigued by Sophronia--anyone else feel the same way?

Theodosia- Theodosia is another name I've talked about before. She is a mouthful, but I actually think she is usable. In part due to her nicknames: the androgynous Theo or cutesy Dot.

Full Names for Dot

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You guys, is Dot not the most adorable name ever? I can't get enough of her, and she's inching her way up my favorites list. I love Dot by herself, but I know many of you think she needs to be a nickname. So, I have compiled a list of possible fuller forms. Let me know what you think!

Expected:
Dorothea- A very grand name. She's a bit of a style outlier for Americans, but Dot makes her more accessible.
Dorothy- I can't wait till Dorothy comes back into style. She has so many great nicknames, but Dot is forever my favorite.

Unique:
Dortha- A slightly frumpier form of Dorothy. She's not my cup of tea.
Theodora- She doesn't lend herself to Dot as easily as Dorothy does, but all the letters are there, so why not? There aren't many Theodoras running around, but I bet the ones that are answer to Theo rather than Dot.
Theodosia- I read a book series about a girl named Theodosia when I was in middle school, so I have a soft spot for this name. It's always fun to read books about kids with your name, so start your daughter off with a collection of the books.

Unheard of:
Domitilla- The obvious nickname for Domitilla is Dom or Domi, but Dot is so much cuter.
Peridot- If you've been reading here for a while, you will know that I love Peridot. Half of the reason why I love her is because she's the coolest way to get to Dot (the other half is because she's totally rad).