Are you expecting a summertime daughter and still seeking her name? Maybe one that reflects the season of her birth, but doesn’t shout it out? 

　　Here we’ve compiled a list of over two dozen more subtle choices, potential summer baby names that you may not have considered.

　　

Aine

Pronounced AWN-ya, this is one of the most popular girls’ names in Ireland and comes onto this list via its role as an early Celtic goddess of summer—as well as queen of the fairies.

　　

Apollonia

Now that Greek sun god Apollo’s name is trending for boys, how about considering the female version? Apollonia became popular in the Middle Ages via a third century saint and resurfaced as Prince’s love interest in the film Purple Rain.

　　

Augusta

For an August baby girl, this is a not too subtle yet still surprising vintage charmer. With lots of literary cred, Augusta boasts two cute nicknames—Aggie and Gussie. August or Augustine make for gender-neutral twists on the name.

　　

Kalinda, Savita

Kalinda is a pretty Hindi name meaning “sun”. It became familiar to Americans via the efficient lawyer Kalinda Sharma on The Good Wife. Savita is another attractive and popular Hindi name that shares the meaning of “sun.”

　　

Dune, Doon

An evocatively beachy word name; the Doon spelling was virtually invented by the celebrated photographer Diane Arbus for her daughter while on a walk along a Long Island beach.

　　

Idalia

A rarely heard epithet for the goddess Aphrodite, derived from the Greek place-name Idalion meaning “I see the sun.” A possible elaborated honor name for an ancestral Ida.

　　

Kyra

This popular multi-cultural name with several spellings is of Greek origin stemming from the Persisan and Egyptian for “like Ra, the sun.” Associations include actress Kyra Sedgwick and characters on Castle and Reba.

　　

Lake

Probably the most summery of the water names, evocative of long, calm, floaty days. Actress Lake Bell (who has a son named Ozgood) has affirmed its wearability.

　　

Leona, Leonie, Leonora

Many summer babies are born under the sign of Leo, opening the door to several leonine choices for both girls and boys. Our favorite underused options are are the chic French Leonie and the romantic, operatic Leonora.

　　

Marigold

There are so many gorgeous summer bloom names to pick from, such as Iris, Daisy and Zinnia, but few are as sunny as Marigold with its bright nickname Goldie. It has now moved from children’s books to children’s nurseries, and was seen as a character on Downton Abbey.

　　

Marin

More subtle and streamlined than Marina, the seafaring Marin featured in Joan Didion’s A Book of Common Prayer and was heard on Pretty Little Liars. It can also be spelled Maren.

　　

Marisol

Even if the actual meaning of Marisol is “Mary of Solitude, ” the sea syllable of mar combined with the sun syllable sol make it the perfect summertime name. Worn by a character on Orange is the New Black, Marisol is a pretty and underused choice.

　　

Morwenna

Meaning both “maiden” and “waves of the sea,” this Cornish saint’s name is a newly revived Welsh favorite, heard on the British series Doc Martin and Poldark, and could certainly make a charming import.

　　

Nerida, Nerissa

Nerida, meaning “sea nymph” is one of the more unusual water-related names. Somewhat more familiar is the Shakespearean (The Merchant of Venice) Nerissa.

　　

Oceane

The sophisticated French Oceane has long been riding a wave in its native land — it was as high as #14 in 2000 — and is just beginning to be appreciated here. Other options: Oceana or the unisex Ocean.

　　

Pearl, Ruby, Peridot

Three summer month gems from all over the popularity spectrum: Pearl for June, Ruby for July, and Peridot for August.

　　

Plum

Summer is the season for luscious soft fruits and Plum is no doubt among the coolest names for a warm-weather babe, and would make a delicious middle name as well. Plum Kettle is the key character in the novel and TV series Dietland.

　　

Soleil, Solana, Solange

Three summery names starting with the sun-drenched sol. Solana has been heard in a few video games; Solange is a saint’s name associated with Beyoncé’s singing sister; Soleil, the lovely French word for sun, is starting to attract attention here, entering the Top 1000 in 2021.

　　

Sunniva

A Norwegian saint’s name meaning ‘sun gift’, with the accent on the first syllable (as soon). Sunniva has been a Top 100 name in Norway since 1992.

　　

Thalassa

This lovely Greek name meaning ‘the sea’ and considered the primeval spirit of the sea in Greek myth makes a pretty, delicate, unusual choice.

　　

About the Author

　　

Linda Rosenkrantz

　　Linda Rosenkrantz is the co-founder of Nameberry, and co-author with Pamela Redmond of the ten baby naming books acknowledged to have revolutionized American baby naming. You can follow her personally at Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. She is also the author of the highly acclaimed New York Review Books Classics novel Talk and a number of other books.

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