Names That Mean White

Popular in India and among Indo-Americans, this name of the hero of a famous Hindu epic has an extremely pleasing sound.

Whit is an uplifting short form of any number of surname-y full names, for Whitman to Whitaker to Whitney. But Whit stands perfectly well on its own and makes for a witty spin on modern virtue names.

Bronwen is widespread in Wales, but still rare enough here to sound somewhat international — we think Bronwen is a real winner. (Note: the Bronwyn spelling is an Anglicization, since the -wyn ending is masculine in Welsh).

Has a pure, clean aura, but is also evocative.

Fionn, the modern Irish form of Finn, is more popular in Ireland these days than Finn, which is rising fast in the U.S. where Fionn is virtually unknown. That's probably a good thing, because few Americans would know that Fionn and Finn have the same root and are pronounced the same, like the fin of a fish. It's the namesake of a great hero from Irish mythology, Fionn MacCumhaill, who acquired divine wisdom by eating an enchanted salmon of knowledge.

Variant of Eaven, an Anglicization of Aoibheann. As a botanical name, it refers to a type of pretty white flower which thrives in mountainous regions.

Yesterday's sensation that rose with the popularity of Whitney Houston. Whitney may have lost some of its style value, but it still sounds like one of the quintessential English names for girls. Today, you might want to shorten it to cool nickname Whit.

Fianna, a virtually unknown Irish name in the US, combines the best elements of Fiona and Brianna. In Irish and Scottish mythology, the Fianna were independent bands of warriors. It has ranked in Northern Ireland's Top 100 for girls several times over the past decade. The name also has potential political connotations: Fianna Fáil is a conservative Irish republican political party.

This perky Irish nickname originated as a short form of Fintan, an ancient saint's name. The most notable bearer today is actress Finty Williams (born Tara Cressida Frances), daughter of Dame Judi Dench. According to Dench's biography, she and her husband initially believed they were expecting a boy and had selected the name Finn. However, upon discovering they had a daughter, they quickly embraced the name Finty.

Officially a shortening of the traditional and tricky Gaelic Fionnghuala/Fionnuala, Nuala makes a lovely choice all on its own. Nuala is well-used in Ireland.

Although it resembles Alvie, Alvi has separate origins. It comes from the Latin name Albin, meaning "white," while Alvie is derived from Alvin, meaning "noble friend."

A bright and bouncy micro name, far rarer than Mia or Gia.

Gwendolen, an ancient Welsh favorite, retired decades ago in favor of the short form Gwen, but now, as in the case all across the naming board, the nickname has faded and the more distinguished original is up for reappraisal.

Olwen is a Welsh favorite, the name of a legendary princess in what is believed to have been the earliest Arthurian romance, and in fact one of the first recorded examples of Welsh prose.

Mini names beginning with R are a trend to watch for both sexes. Recently, celebrities have been loving names like Ren, Rue, and Ro(w). The four-letter spelling, complete with a silent E, makes Rowe feel like a complete package despite its single syllable.

An unusual Gwyn name with a lovely meaning.

This name woould be hard to picture in a contemporary kindergarten, though it does have some cultural cred via Finnish architect and furniture designer Alvar Aalto. Aalto would actually make a more interesting choice.

If you're looking for an unusual alternative to all those Rose names, Rhoswen might be a good choice. This name has the soft sounds we've come to love from the Welsh language but is still not as familiar as Bronwen and Rhiannon.

Pretty and unusual, Livana may find a lot more fans as parents look for alternatives to Number 1 Olivia. Livana was used for only seven baby girls in the US last year.

Finola, the readily accessible version of some of the more problematic Gaelic versions of the name, would make a welcome addition to the stockpot of Irish girls' names.