The Brilliant Book of Baby Names: What’s best, what’s hot and what’s not. Linda Rosenkrantz

Acasha, Acasia, Acasiya, Acasya, Acatia, Acaysha, Accacia, Accasie, Accassia, Acey, Acie, Akacia, Akakia, Akaysha, Caci, Cacia, Cacie, Casey, Casha, Casi, Casia, Casie, Cassie, Cassy, Caysha, Kacey, Kaci, Kacia, Kakia, Kakie, Kasi, Kasie, Kasia, Kassja, Kassi, Kassie, Kassya, Kassy.

      ACADIA. Place name. The French name for Nova Scotia – and the name of a gorgeous American national park in Maine – makes a fresh, rhythmic choice for your little girl. Acadiah, Acadya, Acadyah, Cadi, Cadia, Cadie, Cady.

      ADA. German, ‘noble, nobility’. A favourite at the end of the nineteenth century that hasn’t come back…yet. But with the new trend towards simple, old-fashioned names beginning with a vowel – Ava, Ella – you may consider being one of the first to revive it. Adabella, Adabelle, Adah, Adalee, Adan, Adaya, Adda, Adette, Addi, Addie, Addiah, Addy, Adey, Adi, Adia, Adiah, Adie, Aida, Aidah, Auda.

      ADAH. Hebrew, ‘beautiful, adorned’. Pronounced AH-dah, this unusual biblical name – the first female name in Genesis after Eve – is a softer Ada equivalent. Ada, Addah.

      

ADAIR. Scottish and Irish, ‘oak tree ford’. Has lots of flair; consider it in place of the overused Aidan. Adaire, Adare, Adayre.

      ADALIA. Hebrew, ‘God is my refuge’; German, ‘noble one’. Luxurious and distinctive. Adal, Adala, Adalane, Adalea, Adaleah, Adalee, Adalene, Adali, Adalie, Adaliah, Adalin, Adalina, Adaline, Adalinn, Adalley, Adaly, Adalya, Adalyah, Adalyn, Adalynn, Adalynne, Addal, Addala, Addaly, Addalyn, Addalynn.

      ADAMINA. Hebrew, ‘child of the red earth’. This feminine form of Adam (Adama is another one) has none of the simple elegance of the original. Try Eve. Ada, Adama, Adamah, Adameena, Adamine, Adaminna, Addie, Ademina, Ademeena, Mina, Minna.

      ADARA. Arabic, ‘virgin’; Hebrew, ‘noble, exalted’. Perfect name for a Virgo baby. Adair, Adaira, Adaora, Adar, Adarah, Adare, Adaria, Adarra, Adasha, Adauré, Adra.

      ADDIE. Diminutive of ADELAIDE or ADELINE. Old-fashioned nickname with sweet turn-of-the-last-century charm that could work today. Aday, Adde, Addee, Addey, Addi, Addia, Addy, Ade, Adee, Adei, Adey, Adeye, Adi, Adie, Ady, Atti, Attie, Atty.

      

ADDISON. English, ‘son of Adam’. Rapidly moving in on Madison. Addis, Addisen, Addisson, Addyson, Adis, Adisa, Adisen, Adison, Adisynne, Adysen.

      ADELAIDE. German, ‘noble, nobility’. Best known as the German princess who married the British King William in the 1830s, inspiring the name of the Australian city and a craze for her name. Recently chosen by Aussie actress Rachel Griffiths. Ada, Adalaide, Adalayde, Addala, Addalla, Addey, Addi, Addie, Addy, Adel, Adela, Adelade, Adelaid, Adelaida, Adelais, Adele, Adelei, Adelheid, Adeliade, Adelina, Adeline, Adelice, Adelicia, Adelis, Adelita, Adeliza, Adelka, Adelle, Adelvice, Adelvicia, Adey, Adi, Adlin, Adline, Ado, Ady, Aley, Aline, Aliosha, Alline, Alyosha, Del, Delia, Delle, Delli, Delly, Edeline, Eline, Heidi, Lady, Laidey, Laidy. International: Ailis (Irish), Adélaïde (a-day-la-EED) (French), Alida (Hungarian).

      ADELE. German, ‘noble, nobility’. In fashion-limbo. Adel, Adela, Adelia, Adelie, Adell, Adella, Adellah, Adelle, Adile, Edelle.

      ADELIA. Variation of ADELAIDE. Much more accessible and rarely-used form, worth consideration. Adeliah, Adelya, Adelya.

      

ADELINE. French, diminutive of ADELE. Many contemporary parents like this name’s old-fashioned ‘Sweet Adeline’ charm, perhaps seeing it as a less-used cousin of the ultratrendy Madeline. Adalina, Adaline, Adallina, Adelaine, Adelin, Adelind, Adelita, Adeliya, Adella, Adellah, Adelle, Adelyn, Adelynn, Adelynne, Adilene, Adlin, Adlina, Adline, Adlyn, Adlynn, Ahdella, Aline, Dahlina, Dalina, Daline, Dallina, Delina, Deline, Dellina, Delly, Delyne, Edelie, Lina. International: Adelina, Adette (French), Adelina (Slavic).

      ADELPHA. Greek, ‘beloved sister’. Seriously classic name with lovely meaning. Adelfa, Adelfia, Adelphia, Delpha.

      Hot Starbaby Names

       Adelaide

       Ava

       Bella

       Charlotte

       Ella

       Esmé

       Georgia

       Grace

       Isabella

       Lola

       Matilda

       Olivia

       Piper

       Romy

       Sofia/Sophia

       Stella

      ADINA. Hebrew, ‘slender, delicate’. Name of an Old Testament soldier that can theoretically be used for either sex – but sounds overwhelmingly feminine. Adena, Adinah, Adine, Aideen, Aidena, Aidina, Aidine, Aydeen, Aydeena, Aydina.

      ADOLPHA. German, ‘noble wolf’. Nein. Adolfa, Adollfa.

      ADORA. Latin, ‘adored’. Better to lavish your child with adoration than give her this spoiled-girl name. Adorabelle, Adorae, Adoray, Adore, Adoree, Adoria, Adorlee, Dora, Dorae, Dori, Dorie, Dorri, Dome, Dorry, Dory.

      ADRIANA. Latin, feminine variation of ADRIAN. This a-ending feminine form of Adrian, from the northern Italian city of Adria, is a soft and lovely Italian choice. Addie, Adrea, Adreana, Adreanna, Adreea, Adria, Adriah, Adrian, Adrianah, Adriane, Adrianna, Adriannah, Adrianne, Adrie, Adrieanne, Adrien, Adriena, Adrienah, Adriene, Adrienna, Adrina, Adriyanna, Aydrian, Aydrienne, Hadria, Hadrienne.

      ADRIENNE. Latin, feminine variation of ADRIAN. Earlier feminine form of Adrian, now knocked aside by the versions ending in a.

      AERIN. Tolkien Middle Earth invention, or variation of ERIN. In Tolkien’s world, the derivation of this airy name is Elvish. Regular folks might consider it an artsier form of Erin, borne by cosmetics heiress and socialite Aerin Lauder.

      AERON. Welsh mythology name. Tolkien may have been inspired by this name of a Celtic goddess of war. Aeronwen, Aeronwy.

      AFFINITY. Word name. Sympathetic new twist on a Puritan virtue name.

      AFRA. Arabic, ‘colour of earth’; Hebrew, ‘dust’. Earthier version of the name of England’s first female professional writer, Aphra Behn. Affera, Affery, Affra, Affrey, Affrie, Afraa, Aphra.

      AFRICA.