If you're the kind of mom who prefers classic girls' names to super-hip or trendy names-of-the-moment, royalty may just provide the inspiration you need. No, I'm not referring to the royal family that we all love and adore — though Kate is a perfectly beautiful name. I'm talking about lesser known queens, princesses, and duchesses from the past and present whose names evoke the kind of polished elegance that you just know will stand the test of time.
Here are 25 of the prettiest and most interesting royal baby girls' names.
Rosalind — Rosalind Hamilton was a British Duchess by marriage and the great-grandmother of Diana, Princess of Wales. The meaning of this name is gentle horse or beautiful rose.
Georgiana — Georgiana Cavendish was a British Duchess who was known for her beauty and for being quite the socialite. She was married to William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire. Feminine form of "George," which means farmer in Greek.
Ameera (also spelled Amira) — Princess of Saudi Arabia who also graduated magna cum laude from New Haven University. She advocates for equal rights for women in Saudi Arabia. And this name actually means princess, as well as treetop and sheaf of corn (hmmm).
Berenice (sometimes spelled Bernice) — Princess Berenice ruled the Roman province of Judea between 39 BC and 92 AD. This name means one who brings victory.
Makeda — Better known as the Queen of Sheba, Makeda ruled the ancient kingdom of Sheba. This name is of Hebrew origin and means bowl or cup.
Amina — Amina was a warrior Queen of Zazzau, which is now part of central Nigeria. This name means peaceful, trustworthy, and secure.
Lucia — Princess Lucia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies was born a princess in 1908, but added Duchess to her list of noble titles when she married Prince Eugenio of Savoy, 5th Duke of Genoa. The name Lucia means light.
Alexandra — Princess of Luxembourg who is the only daughter of Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg. She is known as an athlete and supreme tennis player. Alexandra means helper and defender of mankind.
Charlene — The former Olympic swimmer became princess of Monaco after marrying Prince Albert II. This name actually means woman.
Charlotte — Charlotte Casiraghi is the granddaughter of Grace Kelly and, as princess of Monaco, is fourth in line to the throne. Charlotte means petite and feminine.
Letizia — Princess Letizia of Spain was a journalist covering the sinking of an oil tanker when she met and fell in love with Felipe, Prince of Asturias. This pretty name means glad.
Ada — This Queen ruled Caria in the 4th Century BC and became famous for surrendering an important fortress to Alexander the Great. This German name means noble and nobility.
Theodora — In the 1300s, Theodora Kantakouzene served as the Queen of Trebizond, which was an empire that broke away from the Byzantine Empire. Theodora means God's gift.
Elena — Queen of Sardinia from 1203 to 1218. This name means shining light or bright one.
Benedetta — Queen of Sardinia from 1214 to 1233. This Italian name means blessed.
Wilhelmina — Queen of the Netherlands from 1890 to 1948. This name means defender or protector.
Beatrix — Queen of the Netherlands from 1980 to 2013. This name means she who brings happiness.
Augusta — British princess who was the granddaughter of George II. She ruled from 1737 until 1813. Two more princesses named Augusta succeeded her. This name means great and magnificent.
Helena — British princess who was the daughter of Queen Victoria. This name, which was often used by Shakespeare, means bright, shining one.
Adelaide — Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen became a member of the British royal family after marrying Prince William, Duke of Clarence and St. Andrews. This name means noble and sweet.
Amalia — Princess of Sweden who was the daughter of King Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden and Frederica of Baden and ruled between 1805 and 1853. This name means defender and industrious.
Astrid — Astrid of Sweden became the Queen of the Belgians after marrying King Leopold III. She was the daughter of Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland, and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark. Astrid means fair, beautiful goddess.
Désirée — Princess Désirée, Baroness Silfverschiöld is a princess in Sweden who was named after her ancestor Queen Desideria of Sweden. As you can guess, this name means much desired.
Magdalena — A Swedish princess who reigned in the 15th century and was the daughter of King Charles VIII of Sweden. This name is of Greek origin and means woman from Magdala, which was the birthplace of Mary Magdalene.
Tatiana — This Princess of Greece and Denmark is the wife of Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark. She was born in Venezuela and graduated from Georgetown University. There's some debate over the meaning of the name — some say it is of Greek origin and means golden star.
Would you consider giving your baby girl one of these regal names?
Image via Ed Uthman/Flickr
