The Brilliant Book of Baby Names: What’s best, what’s hot and what’s not. Linda Rosenkrantz
Rose. Brier, Bryar.
BRIDE. (BREE-da) Irish, ‘strength’. Pronunciation problems complicate this choice. Breeda, Bridie, Brídín.
BRIDGET. Anglicised variation of BRIGHID. This most familiar form of the name of the Celtic goddess of wisdom is still used by traditionalists. Biddy, Bidu, Bree, Bridey, Bridgette, Bridgie, Bridgit, Bridgitte, Bridie, Brie, Brigid, Brigit, Brigita, Brigitte. International: Breda, Bríd, Bride, Brigid, Brighid (Irish), Ffraid (Welsh), Brigitte (French), Brigida (Italian), Brigitta, Gitta (German), Birgit, Birgitta, Bridgette, Brigitta (Scandinavian), Berget, Brigitta, Brita, Britt, Britta, Gittan (Swedish), Berit, Birgit, Birgitte, Birte (Norwegian), Piritta, Pirjo, Pirkko, Riitta (Finnish), Brygid, Brygida (Polish).
BRIE. French, place name of cheese-producing region. Place name and homonym of Bree, less popular than its enlargement, Brielle. Bree, Briella, Brielle, Briette.
BRIELLE, BRIELLA. Long form of BRIE. Feminine, breezy name but lacks heft.
BRIGHID. Irish, ‘strength, power’. This is the original Gaelic form of the name of the mythological goddess of fire, poetry, and wisdom.
BRIGIDINE. Irish variation of BRIGHID. Unique take on Bridget used by singer Sinead O’Connor.
BRIGITTE. French variation of BRIGHID. French version long associated with 1950s sex symbol Brigitte Bardot.
BRILIE. Modern invented name. Combines elements of the megapopular Briana and Riley to form a pleasant merger. Brilee, Brileigh, Briley, Brily, Brylee, Bryleigh, Bryley, Bryli, Brylie, Bryly.
BRIONA, BRIONNA. Variation of BRIANA. Another in creasingly popular Bri pick. Breona, Breonna, Brione, Brionne.
BRIONY. See BRYONY.
BRISA. Spanish, ‘beloved’. Commonly used in Latino families, all but unheard of in others. Breza, Brisha, Brishia, Brissa, Bryssa.
BRITANNIA. Latin, ‘Britain’. Hail Britannia? We think not. Britania, Britanja, Britanya, Brittannia, Brittanja, Brittanya.
BRITNEY. Variation of BRITTANY. This abbreviated spelling, which also relates to Whitney, quickly took on a life of its own, thanks to the megafame of Ms Spears, but it’s already beginning to burn out. Britini, Britnee, Britni, Britny, Britnye.
BRITT. Swedish, contracted form of BIRGIT. Brisk but rather brittle. Brita, Brite, Britta.
BRITTANY. Celtic, ‘from Brittany, a Breton’. One of the sensations of the last two decades, it started as an upscale name, quickly became overused to the point of cliché, now almost overtaken by little sister Britney. Brett, Brit, Briteney, Briteny, Britni, Britny, Britt, Britta, Brittan, Brittanee, Brittaney, Brittani, Britteny, Brittin, Brittnee, Brittni, Brittny, Britton.
BRONNEN. Cornish, ‘a rush’. Similar to so many others, sure to provoke a lot of ‘What was that again?’ queries.
BRONYA. Polish, ‘protection’. Evokes an image of peasant blouses, dirndl skirts and babushkas. Bronia, Bronja.
BROOKE. English, ‘small stream’. Brooke still retains a large measure of freshness and sophistication. Brook, Brooks. International: Bahr (Arabic).
BRUNA. Italian, ‘brown’. Possibility for a dark-haired babe. International: Brunette (French), Brona, Brune, Brunetta (Italian).
BRUNHILD, BRUNHILDA. Norse, ‘armour-wearing fighting maid’. One of the Valkyries, still clad in heavy armour. Brinhild, Brinhilda, Brinhilde, Brunhilde, Brynhild, Hilda, Hilde, Hildi, Hildie, Hildy.
BRYANA, BRYANNA. Variations of BRIANA. More of the seemingly infinite variations of this name. Bryann, Bryanne, Bryanni.
Italian Names Beyond Rosa & Rosetta
| Alessia | Letizia |
| Amadea | Lia |
| Amalia | Livia |
| Amata | Lorenza |
| Amica | Luciana |
| Aurelia | Niccola |
| Bruna | Oriana |
| Chiara | Ottavia |
| Donatella |
Paolina
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