Girls' Names Beginning with W

My quest to find the perfect girls' name beginning with W goes back to my days as a child in my mom's daycare. She only had a few other kids, but one of them was a beautiful baby named Whitney. Adoring the child and the name just went hand-in-hand for me. It was the early 80s and I loved everything to do with my era. Sequins, legwarmers, Lisa Frank, Michael Jackson, crimped hair in a side ponytail...if it was 80s, I loved it. The name Whitney was, of course, inspired by the iconic 80s star Whitney Houston, but the name had more staying power than some of its counterparts.

For those of you who are fans of feminine names beginning with W, you don't have to return to the 80s for inspiration. Here are today's most popular choices, as well as some lovely options that are less frequently used.

Girls' Names Beginning with W

Currently in America's Top 1,000 Names

1. Willow ~ English ~ The willow tree
2. Whitney ~ English ~ White island
3. Wendy ~ created by Peter Pan author J.M. Barrie 
4. Willa ~ German ~ Protector

More Unique Options

• Waverly ~ German ~ Wanderer
• Whitley ~ English ~ White meadow
• Wilona ~ English ~ To desire
• Winifred ~ Welsh ~ Holy peace
• Winona ~ Native American ~ Firstborn daughter
• Winslow ~ an English surname
• Winter ~ English ~ the season
• Wren ~ English ~ the bird
• Wynne ~ Welsh ~ Fair, white
• Wyoming ~ English ~ the state

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Baby Names for Valentine's Day

Feeling romantic? These sweet baby names are perfect expressions of love for a Valentine's Day baby.

Take a stroll through any drugstore, supermarket, or big box store, and it’s hard to forget that Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. This saint’s day has become an occasion to express love through gifts known as valentines as early as the 15th century.

If you’re looking for a baby name that conveys love, reminds you of your favorite love story, or marks the occasion of a birth or conception in February, read on. Love is in the air, and in these names as well.

Names from Famous Love Stories (new and old)

• Lancelot and Guinevere ~ Arthurian legend
• Tristan and Isolde ~ Celtic legend
• Paris and Helena ~ Homer’s Iliad
• Odysseus and Penelope ~ The Odyssey
• Romeo and Juliet ~ Shakespeare
• Fitzwilliam (Darcy) and Elizabeth ~ Pride and Prejudice
• Rhett and Scarlett ~ Gone with the Wind
• Jack and Rose ~ The Titanic
• Noah and Allie ~ The Notebook
• Edward and Bella ~ The Twilight Saga

Names with Meanings Related to Love

• Amora ~ Love, Spanish
• Amy ~ Beloved, Latin
• Carys ~ Love, Welsh
• Cherish ~ English
• Coriander ~ Romance, Greek
• David ~ Beloved, cherished, Hebrew
• Erasmus ~ Loved, Greek
• Freya ~ Goddess of love, Scandinavian
• Kalila ~ Beloved, Arabic
• Karenza ~ Love, Cornish
• Love ~ English
• Nayeli ~ I love you, Native American
• Ramita ~ Loved, Sanskrit
• Roman, Rome ~ From Rome (origin of the word “romantic”), Latin
• Venus ~ Goddess of love, Latin
• Vida ~ Beloved, Hebrew

Names with Connections to Valentine’s Day

• Candy or Candace ~ iconic Valentine gift
• Cupid
• Olive ~ an anagram of “I Love”, looks like “I love” when silently mouthed
• Rose ~ iconic Valentine flower
• Theodore ~ the name that inspired "teddy" bears
• Valentina, Valentine, or Valentino

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Scarlett

Scarlett ~ Red ~ English

Margaret Mitchell as Scarlett O'Hara

History
The word scarlet comes from the name of a Persian fabric called sakhrilat (سقرلاط) used in the Middle Ages. Making or selling the fabric was known by the same word, and Scarlett became an English surname based on the occupation. The most popular color of the fabric was a bold orange-red, which is why scarlet became known as the color of fire and even blood.

Scarlett was famously conceived of as a first name by writer Margaret Mitchell for her heroine in the novel Gone with the Wind. She took the name from her grandmother's maiden name. A handful of parents were inspired to do the same in the 1940s, but Scarlett didn't gain any momentum until the year 1992.

Popularity
Maybe you've noticed a Scarlett or two among new births announced by your Facebook friends, overheard it at a playground or zoo, or discovered it in a baby name book. If you haven't already, you are likely to take note of this name in the future, as Scarlett is rising quickly in popularity. Scarlett's road of success has been paved by the names Charlotte and Violet, but it is not as delicate as either. The red-hot image of this name comes from its color, as well as its fictional namesake, Scarlett O'Hara. The popularity of the name has also been helped along considerably by actress Scarlett Johansson.

It's a bold color name with roots in literature and the bonus of an "ette" ending. The result is a fashionable sound with a spirited image that's both strong and feminine.

Scarlett and Scarlet Trivia

• The name Scarlett is ranked at 80, while Scarlet is at 370.
• Colleges to use scarlet in their colors include Boston University, Ohio State, Arkansas State, Rutgers University, Grinnell College, and Texas Tech.
• Scarlet's Walk is an album and song by Tori Amos.

Celebrity Babies

The following celebs chose Scarlett for their daughter's name:

• Elisa Donovan
• Jack White and Karen Elson
• Carol Decker

The following celebs chose Scarlet (one "t") for their daughter's name:

• Stacey Bendet Eisner
• Sylvester Stallone
• Melanie C.

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Violet ~ Charlotte ~ Savannah ~ Luna

Joseph

Joseph ~ God Will Increase ~ Hebrew

Joseph's Dream by Gaetano Gandolfi

Popularity and History
In honor of the holiday season, I thought a feature on the name Joseph would be fitting. This name is a true classic, and has been in the top 25 names in the U.S. for more than a century, including more than 50 years in the top 10. There are few names with such a steady track record of popularity.

That being said, Joseph is at the lowest point it's ever been, if 22 could be considered "low". (Learn more about name rank here.) What we're finding today is that the most traditional names are sometimes taking a backseat to contemporary choices. I do think that Joseph may be used a little less than it has been and could drop by a few more points in years to come. But it would take many, many years of this trend to continue for this name to be considered less than classic.

Joseph is cherished around the world for its religious roots in the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic faiths. It's referenced in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, as the name of:

• The son of Jacob and Rachel, dream interpreter and Vizier (highest official) of Pharaoh
• The husband of the Virgin Mary and earthly father of Jesus
• A follower of Jesus who donated his tomb for Jesus' body

Meaning
Joseph has roots that mean to add. It is noted in the Bible to mean God shall add, and was picked by Rachel for her son because "the Lord shall add to me another son." It's a nice choice especially for parents who are looking for a name that has connotations of abundance and a blessing from God.

Variations
There are plenty of international variations as well as down-to-earth nicknames for the classic name Joseph. They include:

• Giuseppe
• Joe
• Joey
• José
• Josef
• Joss
• Josue
• Yosef

If you love this time of year, you may also like these Christmas and holiday names. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!