Fun, Flirty & Feminine ‘Coquette’ Baby Names

Odette

This French name is actually a diminutive of Odilia, which means “heritage,” “wealth,” or “fortune” (and which would be a perfectly great coquette name in itself!). In Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, Odette is the name of a princess transformed into a swan.

Flora

There’s no secret where the ultra-feminine Flora comes from — the Latin word flos, of course, meaning “flower!”

Calliope

In Greek mythology, Kalliope was a goddess of eloquence and poetry; the name is comprised of the Greek elements kallos (beauty) and ops (voice) — hence its meaning, “beautiful voice.” The Calliope variant, spelled with a C instead of a K, softens it a bit.

Margot

Margot is the more elegant-sounding French version of a very familiar name: Margaret, meaning “pearl.” But where Margaret sounds a bit grandma-esque (which is not a bad thing — vintage girl names are actually hot right now!), Margot is a little more sultry.

Simone

Simone is the French feminine version of the Hebrew male name Simon, meaning “to listen.” It sounds classy and elegant, but still has a playful element to it.

Allegra

The Italian name Allegra means “cheerful or lively,” which are two big aspects of the coquette trend — making it the perfect coquette name!

Brigitte

What is it about French that totally transforms the elegance of a word or name? Brigitte is a classic example — it’s the French version of Bridget, meaning “exalted.” Bridget itself sounds playful, but Brigitte transforms it into a name that retains that playful element while also sounding sophisticated.

Elodie

It is thought that the name Elodie comes from the name Alodia — but the origins of Alodia are unclear. Some sources say it’s a Visigothic name meaning “all riches,” but that isn’t a certainty. Still, no matter what its meaning, Elodie is a lyrical-sounding name with a distinctly feminine vibe.

Yvette

Fun, flirty Yvette comes to us by way of the Germanic name Ivo, meaning “yew.” Its medieval French form is Yves, and Yvette is the feminine form. 

Cherie

Yes, this name is pronounced like Sherry. But while Sherry is dated, Cherie has a bit more of a timeless quality and feminine feel — maybe because it’s a French word, chérie, meaning “darling.”

Adora

The name Adora can come to us in a couple of different ways. First, it could be a short form of Adoración, meaning “adoration.” Or it could be a short form of Isadora, which comes from a Greek name meaning “gift of Isis.” 

Isla

The name Isla is cute and sweet, much like this trend. Though isla (pronounced EES-la) is the Spanish word for “island,” as a name, Isla actually comes from the island of Islay off the coast of Scotland, and is pronounced EYE-la.

Juliet

The epitome of femininity, the name Juliet is synonymous with the romantic heroine in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. It comes from the Roman family name Julius, which means “downy” or “youthful.” For even more feminine charm, you could spell it Juliette.

Madeline

The origins of Madeline come from Mary of Magdala (or Mary Magdalene), a close companion of Jesus in the Bible’s New Testament. Magdala is said to mean “tower.” Because of the Biblical reference, the name Magdalene came into frequent use — and Madeline (also spelled Madeleine) is the French version.

Lana

When it comes to coquette names, Lana definitely fits the bill — it has a glamorous sound, but even better, it brings to mind singer Lana Del Rey, who some consider the epitome of the coquette aesthetic! The name Lana doesn’t have a definitive meaning, since it came about as a nickname for longer versions like Svetlana (light), Milana (gracious), and Alana (little rock). 

Marie

The dainty French form of Mary, Marie means “bitter” — but is still fitting for a sweet, playful girl. 

Roxy

Roxy is a spunky nickname for Roxanne — which comes from the Old Iranian rauxšnā, meaning “bright and shining.”  

Bianca

Believe it or not, Bianca is not only closely related to Blanche, it’s the same name — but while Blanche is the French form, Bianca is the Italian. Both come from a Medieval French nickname meaning “white.” And if The Golden Girls’ flirty Blanche Deveraux is any indication, Bianca is a great coquette name.

Violet

Violet (or Violette!) comes from the Latin viola, meaning “violet” — the delicate purple flower. It’s a vintage favorite with a very strong sound.

Carmen

The Latin word carmen means “song” — and fittingly, is the name of the main character the George Bizet opera Carmen. In Hebrew, the word karmel means “garden.” That name morphed into Carmel, which in turn morphed into Carmen. So either meaning is beautiful!

Evangeline

Comprised of Greek elements meaning “good news,” we love Evangeline’s feminine sound — its softness strengthened just enough by the V. But we really love that it comes with a plethora of potential nickames, like Ev, Evie, Eva, Angie, Vangie, and Lina.

Lola

Lola is the diminutive form of the Spanish name Dolores, meaning “sorrows.” But despite its less-than-ideal meaning, it’s a fun, flirty name befitting of a girl who’s a go-getter — because after all, like the famous song says: “Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets.”

Ivy

Another name packed with vintage floral charm, Ivy — a botanical name referring to the climbing plant with tiny yellow flowers (not the itchy vine!) — is just delicate enough, while its associations with poison ivy (though again – not the same plant!) make it just a little bit dangerous too.

Esme

Esme means “loved” in Old French, so it’s such a sweet name. But its languid Z-sound — EHZ-may — cuts down on its saccharine nature with a little bit of sensual edge.

Rose

Roses are pink, ruffly, flowery, all the things the coquette trend embraces. But if you hold them the wrong way, they’re going to hurt you — making Rose the perfect coquette name.

Jessamine

Jasmine is a gorgeous name — but it’s everywhere. According to data from the U.S. Social Security Administration, Jasmine is currently sitting at #178 of the top 1000 most popular girl names (and that’s not even taking into account the popularity of its multiple spinoffs like Jasmyn, Jasmin, and Jazmyn). But a variant — Jessamine (you could also spell it Jessamyn) — is a fresh take on this floral favorite.

Delphine

This lovely French name comes from the Latin name Delphinus, meaning “of Delphi” — an ancient Greek city once considered to be the center of the world. Interestingly, it also has ties to the sea, as “delphine” means anything dolphin-related … just like “bovine” is to cows or “equine” is to horses. Delphine is a feminine and glamorous-sounding name, but equally beautiful is its Spanish version, Delfina. 

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