Strong, non-frilly girl names?

Sun Jun 24, 2012 10:24 am

Alba always jumps to mind as a feminine name without frills. Iris fits in, too, even though it's a flower name so it's kind of inherently frilly, it just doesn't sound like it.
Going through my long list, these fit too, I think:
Bébinn
Amparo
Dagny (kind of cutesy, though)
Eider
Frances
June
Leonor
Mar
Tamsin

Lu-
Seraphine, Eulalia & Edmund, Marius

Sun Jun 24, 2012 4:56 pm

Carys was my first thought... I like Bronte, too.

Some others that come to mind:

Maren
Afton
Eden
Claire

*BRIANA LEIGH*
Proud aunt to *Jason*
Puppy mommy to *Holly Golightly* & *Huckleberry Finn*

Sun Jun 24, 2012 6:10 pm

Bronwyn... a GP of mine.
Ardis... I like this as a double fn: Ardis-Ann, Ardis-Eve
Arden... Love Arden Rose

Maria, aka Ree: Mom to James, Aaron, Evan & Jeannie

Sun Jun 24, 2012 6:34 pm

Seren comes to mind right away -- also Leonor, Helen, Arwen, and maybe Thea?

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~ Jocelyn

Faves: Everett, Julius, Rowan // Esther, Kerensa, Sabine
GPs: Søren, Iker, Léo, Teagan // Giosetta, Zsófia, Evgeniya

Mon Jun 25, 2012 12:40 am

couldn't a feminine name be just as strong?

I agree that a name can be feminine and strong, but I would even say it can be frilly and strong. I think of Isabella as a strong sort of person. Scarlett? I think of Scarlett O'Hara, who may want to be belle of the ball but is perfectly able to haul the man she shot out to his grave as well. So, I think a name can be feminine and strong and even frilly.

But, names that convey strength, are not male names, but are not frilly:

Bridget (it means power)
Eleanor
Ann
Ruth
Frances
Miriam
Dorothy
Abigail
Veronica
Gertrude (not everyone likes this, but I do)
Katherine (to me it's not frilly, though still very feminine)
Elizabeth
Louise
Naomi
Phyllis
Erin
Harriet
Judith
Margot
Margaret
Kristen

Names others might think of as frilly but I also think of a very strong woman with this name

Amelia
Victoria (I've just never known a weak-willed Victoria or Vicky or Tori)
Claire (maybe because I grew up on the Cosby show)
Jessica
Francesca
Natasha
Christine
Danielle

There's a name blog I read with a couple of interesting posts on this subject:

http://appellationmountain.net/2011/12/01/fetching-names-the-hermiones-part-i/

http://appellationmountain.net/2012/01/13/fetching-names-the-hermiones-part-ii/

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my nephews: Alec, Jackson, Elijah, Hayden, Eric, Atreus, Nicholas, Isaac, Samuel
my niece: Rubie

Mon Jun 25, 2012 3:35 am

I'm liking this list!

I think my favourite name of this description (at least, in my mind) is Darcy. It is one I like for both sexes. As far as I am aware, it is legit for both sexes, too.

Others include...

Maren
Margaux (maybe seen as frilly by some? I don't view it that way)
Olive
Bridget
Tess/a
Claudia
Greta
Astrid
Arwen
Brenna
Cora

Mon Jun 25, 2012 10:31 am

Astrid and Ruby.... those are names that kick ass, with grace and a smile.

Mon Jun 25, 2012 4:44 pm

hummmm.... I'm thinking....

Bridget
Destiny
Saffron
Kirsten
Sasha
Piper
Tamsin

Mon Jun 25, 2012 4:55 pm

I definitely see Carys fitting in there.

Eden
Kaia
Elise
Thalia
Chloe
Fiona
Layla
Brynn

_____________________________________________

Dani - Name Lover, TV Addict & Current Workaholic.

Current Faves: Eden &Tristan...

Angel baby 05.04.13

Tue Jun 26, 2012 9:49 am

Also, Veda!

Tue Jun 26, 2012 8:23 pm

Neat post. And I totally agree - a name can be both strong and feminine! One of my biggest peeves with unisex names or actually down-right boy names (in my opinion) is that they give girls the wrong idea. Basically, you are telling them that they need a man's name to be successful and strong. I reckon' some people might not pick a boyish name for these reasons, but if it is for these reasons ...SHAME!

I think some of these are based off of the sounds of the names, an association/image I get, or a mixture of both.

Francesca
Iva
Scarlett
Ada
Maude
Willa
Eliza
Cordelia
Penelope
Calliope
Helena
Junia
Rosamund
Theodora
Thora

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Tue Jun 26, 2012 10:02 pm

Astrid and Ruby.... those are names that kick ass, with grace and a smile.

That description makes me think of a girl I know, named Vesta - another interesting one.

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~ Jocelyn

Faves: Everett, Julius, Rowan // Esther, Kerensa, Sabine
GPs: Søren, Iker, Léo, Teagan // Giosetta, Zsófia, Evgeniya