I have this weird thing for girl’s names that are feminizations of boy’s names, I can’t really explain it! There’s just something really charming about it. Some are a little predictable but I still think this is a beautiful list!
Arthur – Arthurine
Pádraig – Pádraigín
Étienne – Étiennette
Anslem – Anslema
Crescentius – Crescencia
Jacob – Jacobine
Pastor – Pastora
Ernest – Ernestina, Ernesta, Ernestine
Philip/Phillip – Philippa, Philipa, Phillipa, Philippina
Henry – Henrietta
Pierre – Perrine, Pierette
Albus – Alba
Martin – Martina, Martine
Pelagius – Pelagia
Charles – Charlotte, Caroline
Edwin – Edwina
Flavius – Flavia, Flavie
Pallav – Pallavi
Albert – Albertine
Hilarius – Hilaria
Lysander – Lysandra
Ferdinand – Ferdinanda
Sidonius – Sidonia, Sidonie
Raphael – Raphaella, Raphaela, Rafaela, Raphaëlle
Vimal – Vimala
Fabien – Fabienne
Pius – Pia
Alastar – Alastríona
Cyril – Cyrielle
Émilien – Émilienne
George – Georgia, Georgina, Georgiana, Georgette, Georgine
Leopold – Léopoldine
Pascal – Pascale, Pascaline, Pascuala
Zephyr – Zéphyrine
Which are your favorites? My favorites are Pascaline, Lysandra, Ernestine, Jacobine, Pastora, Arthurine, and Pádraigín.
Feminising boys names was particularly prevalent in Scotland in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, using the suffix -ina. Delights include Jacobina, Jamesina, Alexandrina, Robertina, Johnina, Davidina, Donaldina, Malcolmina, Laurencina, Andrewina, Walterina, Hughina, Duncanina, Archibaldina, Colinina, Kennethina, Lachlanina, etc.
Some of these developed slightly less unwieldy forms over time, such as Alexina, Davina, Dolina, Archina, Lachina, etc.
I’ve always has a soft spot for Jamesina, which isn’t on the list and I do love Raphaelle.
Cecil – Cecilia
Cecilia Carys is a guilty pleasure of mine. Blind love. Corny or no?
Albertine and Arthurine could be nice middles — I also like Alberta or Alberte. Other favorites from this list are Henrietta (prefer Henriette), Martine, Raphaelle and all the George-variants, Georgia being my least favorite and including Georgeta/Georgetta. Philippa’s nice but I prefer it as Filippa.
Other ones — Cecile, Franciska, Josephine, Leontine, Louisa, Maximilla and Wilhelmine.
I’ve always found Georgia, Georgina and Georgiana very pleasant. I also like Cyrielle and Émilienne. What about Josepha? Not a favourite of mine, but it would be right at home on your list.