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

Irish, ’red-haired’. An uncommon name for a red- haired girl, not as familiar as its nickname, Flannery. Flana, Flanagh, Flannerey, Flannery.

      

FLANNERY. Irish, diminutive of FLANNA. Long before the vogue of using Irish surnames for girls names, writer Flannery O’Connor gave this one some visibility. It has a warm (flannelly) feel and the currently popular three-syllable ee-ending sound.

      FLAVIA. Latin, ’golden, blond’; from ancient Roman family name FLAVIUS. An ancient Roman clan name, Flavia is one choice that’s unusual but historic. International: Flaviana, Flavie, Flaviere, Flavyere (French).

      FLEUR. French, ’flower’. This generic, delicate flower name risks sounding a bit precious. Fleurette, Fleurine.

      FLOR. Spanish, ’flower’. Attractive Spanish name heard in the film Spanglish. Roll that final r.

      

FLORA. Latin, ’flower’. The name of the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, who enjoyed eternal youth, is one of the gently old-fashioned flowery classics we think is due for a comeback. Fiora, Fiordenni, Fiore, Florella, Fiori, Flo, Floralia, Fiorella, Florelle, Florentia, Florentina, Florenza, Floressa, Floretta, Florette, Flori, Floria, Florianna, Florinda, Florrie. International: Floraigh (Gaelic), Fleur, Flore, Fleurette (French), Flor, Florida, Florinda, Florita, Floridita (Spanish), Florka (Hungarian).

      FLORENCE. Latin, ’blooming, flowering,’ place name. Connection to the lovely Italian city got lost in Florence’s last flowering as a name—but the association to the place seems to be helping it stir back to style life. Flo, Florance, Florella, Florentina, Florentine, Florentyna, Florian, Florice,

      Stellar Starbabies Beginning with F

Faith	Rick Schroder
Fifi Trixiebelle	Bob Geldof
Fiona	Jenni Garth
Florence	Rupert Penry-Jones & Dervla Kirwan
Frances Bean	Courtney Love & Kurt Cobain. Amanda Peet, Kate Spade
Francesca	Erik Estrada, Frances Fisher & Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese
Fuchsia	Trudi Styler & Sting

      Florie, Florina, Florinda, Florine, Floris, Florrance, Florrie, Florry, Florynce, Floss, Flossey, Flossie, Flossy. International: Blathnaid (Irish), Fiorentina, Fiorenza (Italian), Florencia, Florinia, Floriana, Florencita (Spanish), Florentia (German).

      FLORIDA. Latin, ’flowery’; Spanish, variation of FLORA; also place name. It lacks the cachet found in some newer place names.

      FLOWER. Word name. It may sound sweet smelling, but remember, it was the name of the little skunk in Bambi. Better to pick a single bloom from the bouquet, like Violet or Lily or Daisy.

      

FLYNN. Irish ’son of the red-haired one’. A winning last-name-first Celtic choice. Flinn, Flyn.

      FOLAMI. African, ’honour and respect me’. Nigerian name with some teasing potential: ’follow me’? ’salami’?

      

FOREVER. Word name. Timeless.

      FORSYTHIA. Flower name. This yellow spring bloom is not as sweet as such other exotic species as Acacia and Azalea.

      

FORTUNE. Latin ’luck, fate, wealth’. Contemporary sounding word name with an ancient history, widely used in the Roman Empire, and based on the mythic goddess of good luck and fertility. International: Fortuna, Fortunata (Spanish).

      FRANCA. Latin, ’free’. One of the most attractive and exotic spins on the ’Eran’ franchise. International: Franka (German).

      FRANCE. Place name. Geographic name with lots of Gallic élan. Fran, Franci, Francie.

      

FRANCES. Latin, ’from France’. This soft and gentle classic, last popular a hundred years ago, was as faded as old wallpaper until such hip parents as Courtney Love, Sean Penn, Michael J. Fox and Brooke Shields picked it as a first or middle name for their daughters. Fan, Fancey, Fanchette, Fancie, Fancy, Fanechka, Fani, Fania, Fanni, Fannia, Fannie, Fanny, Fran, France, Franceen, Franci, Francie, Francille, Francina, Francique, Francis, Francys, Franki, Frankie, Franky, Franni, Frannie, Franny, Fransabelle, Franze, Franzetta, Franzi, Fronia. International: Proinséas (Irish Gaelic), Fanchon, Francine, Franette, Françoise (French), Franca, Francesca (Italian), Francisca, Paquita (Spanish), Franziska, Ziska (German), Franka (Russian), Fanya (Slavic).

      

FRANCESCA. Italian variation of FRANCES. Lighter and more feminine than the English classic, Francesca is popular with upscale parents, such as movie directors Martin Scorsese and Clint Eastwood.

      FRANCINE. French variation of FRANCES. Dated and déclassé. Franceen, Francene, Franci.

      FRANÇOISE. (frahn-SWAHZ) French variation of FRANCES. In France it’s sometimes bestowed as a patriotic gesture; elsewhere it has an air of genteel sophistication. Fanchon, Fanchone, France, Franchon, Francine.

      

FRANKIE. Diminutive of FRANCES. Really retro name, part of the nickname revolution. Frankee, Frankey, Franki, Franky.

      FRAYDA. Yiddish, ’joy’. An old favourite in traditional Jewish families. Frayde, Fraydel, Freyda, Freyde, Freydel.

      FREDA. German, ’peaceful,’ diminutive of FREDERICA, ALFREDA, and WINIFRED. Pronounced as Fred with an a, it has been surpassed by Freya. Freada, Freeda, Freida, Frida, Frieda, Frydda.

      FREDERICA. Feminine variation of FREDERICK.