Wednesday, October 3, 2018

Dactylic Names (girls)

I feel like there's a good joke in there about pterosaurs, or maybe fingers, but my brain's not being witty enough today. :p

A dactyl is a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables, like Cassidy or Madelyn. Most American names are trochaic (two-syllable, stressed followed by unstressed, e.g. Hannah, Zoe), so iambic names (two syllable, unstressed followed by stressed; e.g. Marie, Noelle) are kind of the go-to for "nicely flowing" middles (boys' and girls' lists here).
But, dactylic names can also work well, especially if the first name is iambic.

Dactylic girls' names in the US tend to fall into one of three categories: OE/Germanic, Anglicizations from French/Latin, and surnames; so I will be particularly looking for names from different origins. :)
Also to cut down on what will already be a long list, I'm leaving out "familiar" names (that is, names that have appeared in the US Top 250 or so).

  • Abilene (AB-il-een, [Anglicized] Hebrew)--poss. "meadow"
  • Adelie (AD-el-ee, English)--from French, form of Adele. Also spelled Adalie
  • Aelia (EYE-lee-ah, Latin; EE-lee-ah, Anglicized)--prob. from Greek, "sun". Modern forms include Èlia (EH-lee-ah, Catalan) and Elia (EH-lee-ah, Spanish).
  • Águeda (AH-geh-dah, Spanish, Portuguese)--form of Agatha. Other forms include Ágota (AG-oh-taw, Hungarian), Agata (AH-gah-tah, Italian), and Agathe (AG-ah-thee, [anglicized] Greek). 
  • Amabel (AH-mah-bel, [archaic] English)--older form of Mabel
  • Amelie (AH-mel-ee, English)--from French, form of Amelia.  
  • Amethyst (AM-eh-thist, English)
  • Amity (AM-it-ee, English)
  • Annegret (AHN-neh-gret, German)--contraction of Anna Margaret
  • Annika (AHN-nik-ah, AN-nik-ah, English; AHN-nik-ah, Scandinavian, German)--form of Anna. Also spelled Anika
  • Annelie (AHN-nah-lee, German)--short form of Anneliese, a contraction of Anna Elisabeth. Scandinavian spelling is Anneli
  • Annalise (AN-neh-lees, English)--form of German/Scandinavian Anneliese. Also spelled Annelise
  • Anthea (AN-thee-ah, English)--from ancient Greek, "flower"
  • Aravis (EHR-ah-vis, [literary] English)
  • Artemis (AR-tem-is, Greek [mythology])
  • Avalon (AV-ah-lahn, English)
  • Aveline (AV-el-een, AV-eh-lin, English)--from French, a form of Evelyn
  • Avonlea (AV-un-lee, [literary] English)
  • Beatrix (BEE-ah-triks, English; BEH-ah-triks, Dutch, German)
  • Betony (BET-ah-nee, English)
  • Bricia (BREE-see-ah, Spanish)--feminine of Bricius/Bryce. Other forms include Brícia (BREE-see-ah, Portuguese) and Brizia (BREETS-ee-ah, Italian). 
  • Bryony (BRYE-on-ee, English)--also spelled Briony
  • Cassia (KAHS-see-ah, Latin)
  • Cecily (SES-il-ee, English)
  • Celandine (SEL-an-deen, SEL-an-dine, English)
  • Celestine (SEL-es-teen, SEL-es-tine, English)
  • Charmian (CHAR-mee-an, SHAR-mee-an, English)--from ancient Greek, "joy". Another form is Charmion (KAR-mee-on, CHAR-mee-on). 
  • Chastity (CHAS-tih-tee, English)
  • Chione (KYE-on-ee, Greek [mythology])--"snow"
  • Christabel (KRIS-tah-bel, English)--also spelled Christabelle or Christobel
  • Claribel (KLEHR-ih-bel, English)--also spelled Clarabelle
  • Clarity (KLEHR-ih-tee, English)
  • Cloelia (KLOY-lee-ah, Latin; KLEE-lee-ah, Anglicized)--modern forms include Clelia (KLEH-lee-ah, Italian) and Clélia (KLEH-lee-ah, Portuguese). 
  • Clemency (KLEM-en-see, English)--"mercy"
  • Clementine (KLEM-en-tine, KLEM-en-teen, English)
  • Corabelle (KOR-ah-bel, English)--also spelled Corabel.
  • Coralie (KOR-ah-lee, English)
  • Coraline (KOR-ah-line, English)
  • Cordia (KOR-dee-ah, Latin)--poss. "late-born", "heart", or "cord". A modern form is Cordula (KOR-doo-lah, German). 
  • Cosima (KOH-zee-mah, Italian, German)
  • Cressida (KRES-sid-ah, [literary] English)--from ancient Greek, "golden"
  • Cybele (SIB-el-ee, Greek [mythology])--from Hellenized Phrygian, poss. "stone, mountain"
  • Dajana (DAH-yah-nah, Serbian, Croatian)--form of Diana. Another form is Dijana (DEE-yah-nah). 
  • Damaris (DAM-ah-ris, [Biblical] Greek)
  • Danaë (DAN-ah-ee, Greek [mythology])--other forms include Danae (DAH-nah-ay, German, Italian), Dânae (DAN-ah-ay, Portuguese), Dànae (DAH-nah-ay, Catalan), and Dánae (DAH-nah-ay, Spanish). 
  • Daria (DAH-ree-ah, DAR-ee-ah, English, Italian, Polish, Romanian, Czech, Dutch)--other forms include Dariya (DAH-ree-ah, Ukrainian).
  • Decima (DEH-kee-mah, Latin; DES-im-ah, Anglicized)--"tenth"
  • Dervila (DUR-vil-ah, [anglicized] Irish)--form of Deirbhile, "daughter of a poet", or Dearbháil, "daughter of Fál [Ireland]". Also spelled Dervilla
  • Despina (THES-pee-nah ['th' like in "the"], Greek)--"lady, dame"
  • Đurđica (JOOR-jits-ah, Croatian)--form of Georgia. [also means 'lily of the valley' in Croatian]
  • Ealasaid (EL-ah-sahch, EL-ah-sahj, Scottish)--form of Elizabeth. Other forms include Ellisiv/Elisiv (EL-ih-siv, Norwegian, Swedish), Elsabe (EL-zah-beh, German), Erzsébet (EHR-zhay-bet, Hungarian) and Elsebeth/Elsebet (EL-seh-bet, Danish).
  • Elodie (EL-ah-dee, English)--from Gallicized Germanic, "other wealth" or poss. "all wealth"
  • Emerald (EM-er-ald, English)
  • Emese (EM-eh-sheh, Hungarian)
  • Eowyn (EH-oh-win, [literary] English)
  • Ephyra (EF-ih-rah, Greek [mythology])--poss. "fiery"
  • Esteri (ES-teh-ree, Finnish)--form of Esther
  • Ezia (ETS-ee-ah, Italian)--prob. from Latinized Greek, "eagle"
  • Ferelith (FEHR-eh-lith, FEHR-eh-leeth, English)--anglicized from Irish Forbhlaith, "sovereignty"
  • Floria (FLOR-ee-ah, Italian)--form of Flora
  • Gaiane (GYE-an-ee, [anglicized] Greek)--"of Gaia"
  • Galilee (GAL-il-ee, English)--from Biblical Hebrew place name, "circle, circuit"
  • Gefion (GEH-fee-on, German)--prob. from Germanic "giving" [a goddess in Germanic & Norse mythology]
  • Giacoma (JAH-koh-mah, Italian)--feminine of Giacomo/James
  • Gisela (GEE-zeh-lah, German; GEE-seh-lah, Danish, Swedish; KHEE-seh-lah, Dutch)--form of Giselle. Another form is Gizella (GEE-zel-lah, Hungarian). 
  • Gordana (GOR-dah-nah, Croatian, Serbian)--from Slavic, "dignified"
  • Guinevere (GWIN-eh-veer, English)
  • Hannele (HAHN-neh-leh, Finnish)--nickname for Hannah or Johanna
  • Hildegard (HIL-deh-gart, German; HIL-deh-gar, Danish, Norwegian; HIL-deh-gard, Swedish)
  • Honesty (AHN-es-tee, English)
  • Hyacinth (HYE-ah-sinth, English)
  • Imogen (IM-ah-jen, English)
  • Indigo (IN-dig-oh, English)
  • Ione (EYE-oh-nee, [Anglicized] Greek)
  • Jannike (YAHN-nik-eh, Scandinavian, German)--form of Jane. Also spelled Janneke or Janika
  • Jessamine (JES-sah-min, English)--form of Jasmine. Also spelled Jessamyn. Another (archaic) form is Jessamy (JES-sah-mee). 
  • Jubilee (JOO-bil-ee, English)
  • Junia (JOON-ee-ah, [anglicized] Latin)--"of Juno". Modern forms include Júnía (YOON-ee-ah, Icelandic), Junia (YOON-ee-ah, Scandinavian), and Júnia (ZHOON-ee-ah, Portuguese).
  • Juniper (JOON-ip-er, English)
  • Kseniya (KSEH-nee-ah, Russian, Ukrainian)--from ancient Greek, "hospitality". Other forms include Ksenia (Polish, Ukrainian), Ksenija (KSEH-nee-ah, Latvian, Croatian, Estonian, Serbian), Xenia (KSEH-nee-ah, German, Danish, Swedish), Xênia (SHEN-ee-ah, Portuguese), Xénia (KSEH-nee-ah, Hungarian), and Xènia (SHEN-ee-ah, Catalan). 
  • Laelia (LYE-lee-ah, Latin; LAY-lee-ah, English)--Italian form is Lelia (LEH-lee-ah). [an orchid genus]
  • Leonie (LEH-oh-nee, German)
  • Liberty (LIB-er-tee, English)
  • Lilia (LEE-lee-ah, Russian, Spanish, Bulgarian, Moldovan, Arabic, Italian)--form of Lily. Other forms include Liliya (LEE-lee-ah, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian), Lilias/Lillias (LIL-ee-as, Scottish), and Lillia (LIL-ee-ah, English)
  • Livia (LEE-vee-ah, Latin, Italian, German, Scandinavian, Czech, Spanish; LIV-ee-ah, English)--other forms include Lívia (LEE-vee-ah, Portuguese, Hungarian)
  • Lorelei (LOHR-eh-lye, German, English)
  • Maribel (MEHR-ib-el, English)
  • Mariel (MEHR-ee-el, English)
  • Marsaili (MAR-sah-lee, Scottish)--form of Marcella or Marjorie. Also spelled Marsali
  • Maxima (MAKS-ee-mah, Latin)--feminine of Maximus. Spanish spelling is Máxima
  • Melete (MEL-eh-tee, Greek [mythology])--"practice"
  • Milica (MIL-its-ah, Bulgarian, Serbian, Slovene, Croatian, Russian)--from Slavic, "dear". Sometimes transliterated as Militsa or Militza
  • Miracle (MEER-ah-kul, English)
  • Nephele (NEF-eh-lee, Greek [mythology])--"cloud"
  • Neria (NEH-ree-ah, Italian)--poss. from ancient Greek, "water"
  • Nevia (NEH-vee-ah, Italian)
  • Nicola (NIK-oh-lah, English; NEEK-oh-lah, German, Czech)--feminine of Nicholas. Also spelled Nikola (Polish, German, Slovak) or Nichola (English). 
  • Nimue (NIM-oo-ay, [literary] English)
  • Nydia (NID-ee-ah, [literary] English; NEE-dee-ah, Spanish)--poss. from Latin, "nest". Other forms include Nidia (NEE-dee-ah, Spanish) and Nídia (NEE-dee-ah, Catalan; NEE-jee-ah, NEE-dee-ah, Portuguese).
  • Oria (OR-ee-ah, Italian)--from Latin, "gold". Spanish and Portuguese form is Áurea (OW-reh-ah). 
  • Pádraigín (PAW-rah-geen, PAW-drah-geen, Irish)--form of Patricia
  • Philippa (FIL-ip-pah, English, German)
  • Philomel (FIL-ah-mel, [literary] English)--"nightingale"
  • Phyllida (FIL-id-ah, English)--form of Phyllis. Also spelled Phillida.
  • Piritta (PEER-it-tah, Finnish)--form of Bridget
  • Primula (PRIM-yoo-lah, English) [a flower genus]
  • Romilly (RAHM-il-lee, ROH-mil-lee, English)--from the French surname/place name, probably from Romilius [making it a relative of Roman]
  • Romola (ROH-moh-lah, Italian)--feminine of Roman. Slovak form is Romana (ROH-mah-nah). 
  • Rosabelle (ROHZ-ah-bel, English)--also spelled Rosabel
  • Rosalind (ROHZ-ah-lind, English)--other forms include Rosaline (RAHZ-ah-line, ROHZ-ah-leen) and Rosalyn (ROHZ-ah-lin, RAHZ-ah-lin).
  • Rosamund (RAHZ-ah-mund, ROHZ-ah-mund, English)--also spelled Rosamond or Rosamunde. Icelandic form is Rósmunda (ROHS-moon-dah). 
  • Saskia (SAS-kee-ah, English; SAHS-kee-ah, Dutch; ZAHS-kee-ah, German)--from Germanic, "Saxon"
  • Sosia (SOH-see-ah, Latin)--poss. from Greek, "safe". [also means "double, doppelgänger" in modern Italian]
  • Sunčana (SOON-chah-nah, Croatian)--"sunny"
  • Sunniva (SOON-iv-ah, Scandinavian, [medieval] English)--from Old English, "sun-gift"
  • Tullia (TOO-lee-ah, Latin, Italian)
  • Ursula (UR-suh-lah, English; OOR-zoo-lah, German; OOR-soo-lah, Scandinavian)--from Latin, "little bear". Other forms include Úrsula (OOR-soo-lah, Spanish, Catalan), Uršula (OOR-shoo-lah, Croatian), Orsola (OR-soh-lah, Italian), and Orsolya (OR-shoy-ah, Hungarian). 
  • Valkyrie (VAL-keh-ree, English)--from Norse mythology, "chooser of the slain"
  • Velia (VEH-lee-ah, Italian)
  • Vendela (VEN-deh-lah, Swedish)--feminine of Wendell
  • Verity (VEHR-it-ee, English)
  • Zinnia (ZIN-nee-ah, English)

Obviously, this is nowhere near comprehensive! (for some silly reason, name sites and online lexicons mostly don't give you the option of searching by stress pattern)

I'll keep adding to this list as I come across more obscure names. :)

1 comment:


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