Gender: Masculine
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “plane tree”
תִּדְהָר
(tid-hahr).
In Israel the name is usually used in reference to a passage in the Book of Isaiah. Passage 41:19: “I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle and the oil tree; I will place in the desert the cypress, the plane tree and the larch together.”
It is also the name of a Moshav, or Jewish settlement in Israel. The Moshav took its name from the above passage.
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Lithuanian
Meaning: “to run; to stream merrily.”
(ah-LAHN-tah).
From the name of a river in Lithuania, which is a tributary of the Virinta, the name is derived from an ancient Lithuanian verb alėti meaning “to run (used in reference to moving water); or to stream merrily.” It is also the name of a town in the Molėtai district municipality, which was named for the river. It has a name-day, which indicates it is considered a legitimate name in its home country, as well as a masculine form, Alantas. The designated name-day is October 3.
Another feminine form is Alantė.
Note: The town name has a Polish equivalent: Owanta (oh-VAHN-tah), but it is not used as a feminine give name in Poland; it also has a Yiddish version, Avonte אַוואָנטע.
The name has no equivalents in other languages but Alanta can work in most Germanic languages, including English as well as most Latin Languages with the exception of French. In French, recommended orthography would perhaps be Alante (which can work for both the feminine and masculine form) or Alantée which would be a specific feminine form.
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Estonian
Meaning: “kind.”
(LOO-neh)
The name is derived from the Estonian word loonus meaning “kind.” Its also the name of a place in Estonia. Its designated name-day is September 27.
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Catalan
Meaning: Unknown
(NOO-ree-ah)
Another Spanish place name turned first name, like Meritxell, she is a popular given name due to her associations with a miraculous statue of the Virgin Mary. The sound is pretty, the statue of the Virgin Mary is exquisite and the landscape of Vall de Núria is breath taking. Unfortunately, I could not find the etymology of the name. The name is currrently very popular in Spain, ranking in as the twenty-sixthe most popular female name of 2006. Its designated name day is September 8th. To hear how its pronounced, go here: http://www.forvo.com/word/núria/ Namesakes include: Nuria Bermudez (b. 1980) a Spanish actress and football agent and Nuria Llagostera Vives (b.1980) a Spanish tennis player.
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Catalan
Meaning: “midday.”
(meh-ree-CHEL)
She rhymes a bit with Michelle, but looks unpronounceable to an English speaker. The name is currently popular in Spain, particularly in Barcelona, where the langauge of Catalan is spoken. It is also very prevalent in the country of Andorra, where Catalan is the official language. Meritxell started off as the name of a place, but due to its associations with the Virgin Mary, it became a favorite among Catalan speakers. As for the origins of the name itself, Catalan Philologist, Joan Caromines, claims the name is derived from a diminiutive merig which is ultimately from the Latin meridiem meaning “midday.” Merig is a name used by shephards to denote a pasture with a lot of sun. The legend of Our Lady of Meritxell concerns a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the 12th-century, mass goers in the village of Canillo in Andorra, discovered a statue of the Virgin Mary. It was placed among blooming roses, something which was thought of as miraculous, since it was the dead of winter. You can find more about the story here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Meritxell. A church was built for the statue, and Our Lady of Meritxell is considered the patron saint of the principality of Andorra. In the 1970s, the church and statue were destroyed in a fire, the church was rebuilt and a replica of the statue reproduced. The name day in Spain is September 8, when the statue was destroyed by fire in the 1970s. The name is currently borne by Andorran Minister of Foreign Affairs, Meritxell Mateu i Pi (b. 1966). This site had an audio of the name being spoken by a Catalan speake http://www.forvo.com/search/Meritxell/. In 2003, the name was the 49th most popular female in Spain. In 2006, it did not rank in the top 100 female names of Spain.
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Greek
Ερμιόνη
Eng (/hərˈmaɪ.ɵniː/ hər-MYE-o-nee); mod Grk (air-MYOH-nee)
She probably reminds you of Hermione Granger, the character from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. The name is of ancient Greek origin and it is derived from the masculine name Hermes.
In Greek mythology, Hermione was the only daughter of Helen and Menelaus. The name is also found in the calender of Saints, Hermione of Ephesus was an early martyr, and as an interesting side note, the Hermione of Harry Potter is named for the saint and not for the maiden of Greek Legend.
Hermione of Sicily is a character featured in Shakespeare’s Play, A Winter’s Tale (1610).
The name, though quirky and a bit extravagent, seems to have been a common moniker in Britain prior to Harry Potter fame. It is borne by several British actresses, Hermione Baddeley (1906-1986), Hermione Cockburn (b.1973) Hermione Gulliford, Hermione Hannen (1913-1983) and Hermione Norris (b.1968). It is also borne by British painter, Hermione Hammond (1910-2005).
It is also the name of an Opera, based on the Hermione of Greek Mythology.
In modern Greece, the name is often transliterated as Ermioni and Ermione where its designated name day is September 4th. It is also the name of a town in the Peloponnese.
In Italy, Ermione is the prefered form.
Despite the charming associations with Harry Potter, the name has not ranked in the US top 1000. In Britain, it does not appear in their top 100, but I have seen many instances of babies with the middle name or even the first name of Hermione in the British birth announcements. Other forms Herminie and Hermia. To hear the way the name is pronounced in Italian, you can listen to it here: http://www.forvo.com/search/Ermione/
Other forms include:
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Serbo-Croat
Meaning:”light; bright; clear.”
(YAHS-nah)
The name comes directly from the Serbo-Croatian word for light, bright or clear. Its designated name day is August 11. In other Slavic speaking countries such as Poland and the Czech Republic, this element appears in several place names, most notably the village of Jasna Gora in Czestochowa Poland. There is a famous monastery and an icon which is also a Polish national symbol attributed to the area. This could be a nice choice for Catholic or Orthodox Christian families who are looking for a way to honour the Virgin Mary but find the other Mary alternatives overused or plain. Likewise, it could also be used as an alternative for Claire or Clara. Another place which bears this appellation is a ski resort in Slovakia. Despite it being a word and place name in other Slavonic countries, it is a legitimate given name in the former Republic of Yugoslavia.
Gender: Masculine
Origin: German/Yiddish
Meaning: “old man.”
Germ (AHLT-mahn); Eng (ALT-men)
This old and obscure German name is often associated with a surname. Its bearers mostly being of Askkenzi Jewish descent or of German ancestry. The name did start off as a first name. In fact, it was borne by a medieval German saint and bishop. Altmann of Passau, (1015-1091), is most noted for his clerical reforms as well as for his founding of several monasteries throughout Wesphalia. His feast day and name-day is commerated on August 8. The name’s Jewish associations are probably just as strong as its Christian. Altmann, as a given name, became very popular among German Jews starting in the Middle Ages. There was an old folk belief, specific among the Ashkenazim that giving a child a name with undesirable traits would have a sort of repellent effect against the associations the name represented. Therefore, it was often believed that naming your child a name like “old man” would make him live a long and vibrant life. In German speaking countries, the name has long been out of favor, since it still carries a literal meaning in German. However, in the United States, due to the popularity of surname names, the name might be quite appealing to the American ear. There is Hunter, Taylor and I’ve even seen Cutter, so why not Altmann. Another possible attraction to this name is that it incorporates both Jewish and Christian heritage, perhaps a suitable name for a child of mixed faiths. The name is also the name of a German brand of car, as well as a the summit of the Appenzell Alps in Switzerland. Another cool association!
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Hungarian
Meaning: “suckling: little baby”
(eh-MEWD)
This ancient Hungarian male name may be derived from an ancient Magyar element meaning “suckling” a reference to a very small baby. It is also the name of a town in Northern Hungary, though the town got its name from the personal name. For a better idea of its pronunciation, consult this link http://www.forvo.com/search/Emőd/. Its designated name day is August 9.
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Estonian/Finnish
Meaning: debated
(SAHLL-meh); (SAHLL-mee)
The names are possibly derived from the Estonian word salmike meaning “rhyme”. They are also possibly taken from an Estonian place and Finnish name. Salme is the name of a Parish in Estonia, while Salmi is the name of a place in the Republic of Karelia . Its designated name day is August 5.