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$Title{Names for Girls:  R}
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Editors of Consumer Guide
Harder, Kelsey}
$Subject{Names Girls R}
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The Ultimate Baby Name Book


Names for Girls:  R


Rachel             Hebrew "ewe."  In the Bible, Rachel was the wife of Jacob
                   and the mother of many sons, including Joseph.  As with
                   many biblical names that had faded from use, this name was
                   revived in seventeenth century England by the Puritans.
                   The name was a favorite of Sir Walter Scott, who used it in
                   both Waverly and Peveril of the Peak.  Actress Joanne
                   Woodward played a repressed schoolteacher in the movie
                   Rachel, Rachel.  Today, the name is enjoying tremendous
                   popularity in both England and the United States.
    Famous names:  Rachel Carson (biologist)
                   Rachel Field (author)
                   Rachel Ward (actress)
       Nicknames:  Rae, Ray, Rachie
      Variations:  Rachele (Italian), Rachelle (French), Rahel (German),
                   Raoghnailt (Scottish), Raquel (Spanish), Shelley, Shellie,
                   Shelly

Rachele, Rachelle (see Rachel)

Rachie (see Rachel)

Rae                Variation of Rachel.
     Famous name:  Rae Dawn Chong (actress)

Rahel (see Rachel)

Raina (see Rani, Regina)

Ramona             Feminine form of Raymond, Old German "wise protector."
                   Ramona is the subject of a popular cowboy love song.
      Variations:  Ramonda, Ramonde, Ramunda, Romona, Romonda

Ramonda (see Ramona)

Ramonde (see Ramona)

Ramunda (see Ramona)

Rana (see Rani)

Randa (see Miranda)

Randee (see Miranda)

Randi              Feminine form of Randolf, Old English "shield-wolf";
                   also, a form of Miranda.
 Other spellings:  Randie, Randy

Randie, Randy (see Miranda, Randi)

Rane (see Regina)

Ranee (see Rani)

Rani               Hindu "queen."
      Variations:  Rana, Raina, Ranee, Rania

Rania (see Rani)

Ranna (see Rosanne, Rowena)

Raoghnailt (see Rachel)

Raquel             Spanish form of Rachel.
     Famous name:  Raquel Welch (actress)

Rasheda            Swahili "righteous."  This name is a popular name with
                   Black-American parents.
  Other spelling:  Rashida

Rashida (see Rasheda)

Ray (see Rachel)

Rea (see Rhea)

Reba               Variation of Rebecca.  Reeba is the mail lady on Pee-wee
                   Playhouse, a Saturday-morning, live-action TV show for
                   children.
     Famous name:  Reba McEntire (singer)

Rebeca, Rebecah (see Rebecca)

Rebecca            Hebrew Ribqah, "to bind" or "heifer" or "yoke."  In the
                   Bible Rebecca was the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob
                   and Esau.  Like the name Rachel, Rebecca became very
                   popular among the Puritans.  Rebecca is a central character
                   in Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe, Thackeray's Vanity Fair, and
                   Kate Douglas Wiggin's Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.  This
                   name is extremely popular today, despite its latest
                   literary appearance in Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, in
                   which the haunting Rebecca is already dead when the novel
                   begins.
    Famous names:  Rebecca DeMornay (actress)
                   Dame Rebecca West (novelist)
 Other spellings:  Rebecah, Rebeka, Rebekah
       Nicknames:  Beckie, Becky
      Variations:  Becca, Bekki, Reba, Rebeca (Spanish), Rebekka (German),
                   Rebekke (German), Rebeque, Ree, Reeba, Rheba, Riva, Rivkah

Rebeka, Rebekah, Rebekka (see Rebecca)

Rebekke (see Rebecca)

Rebeque (see Rebecca)

Ree (see Rebecca)

Reeba (see Rebecca)

Reena (see Catherine, Katharine)

Regan (see Regina)

Regina             Latin "queen."  In the nineteenth century, this name was
                   synonymous with the queen of England, referred to as
                   Victoria Regina.  More recently, the name is associated
                   with Regina Giddons, the greedy wife who allows her husband
                   to die in Lillian Hellman's play The Little Foxes.
        Nickname:  Gina
      Variations:  Raina, Rane, Regan, Regine, Reina (Spanish), Reine
                   (French), Reinette, Reinhild, Rena, Reyna, Rioghach (Irish)

Regine (see Regina)

Reina (see Regina)

Reine (see Regina, Renee)

Reinette (see Regina)

Reinhild (see Regina)

Rena               Variation of Irene, Regina, or Rowena; also, Hebrew "song."

Renata             Latin "born again."
    Famous names:  Renata Adler (writer)
                   Renata Tebaldi (soprano)
       Nicknames:  Rene, Renie, Rennie, Renny
      Variations:  Renate (German), Renee (French)

Renate (see Renata)

Rene (see Irene, Renee, Renata, Renie)

Renee              Variation of Renata.  This French variation of Renata is
                   popular in the United States.
     Famous name:  Renee Taylor (actress and writer)
      Variations:  Rene, Reine

Renie              Form of Irene or Renata.
  Other spelling:  Rene (English)

Rennie, Renny (see Irene, Renata)

Resi (see Theresa)

Reyna (see Regina)

Rhea               Greek "stream."  Rhea was one of the ancient Greek
                   goddesses and the mother of Zeus.  The name is unusual
                   today.
  Other spelling:  Rea

Rheba (see Rebecca)

Rho (see Rose)

Rhoda              Greek rodon, "rose."  In the Bible, there is mention of a
                   Rhoda helping St. Peter escape from prison, but the
                   best-known Rhoda today is Rhoda Morgenstern, the character
                   played by actress Valerie Harper in the popular comedy The
                   Mary Tyler Moore Show and later on the spin-off series
                   Rhoda.
       Variation:  Rose

Rhodia (see Rose)

Rhody (see Rose)

Rhona (see Rona)

Rhonda             Celtic and Welsh "strong river."
     Famous name:  Rhonda Fleming (actress)
       Variation:  Rona

Rica (see Frederika)

Rickey, Rickie (see Ricky)

Ricki, Rikki (see Erica)

Ricky              Form of Frederika or Richard, Old English "strong ruler."
                   This name can be used for a boy or a girl.
     Famous name:  Ricky Skaggs (singer)
 Other spellings:  Rickey, Rickie, Rikki

Rikki (see Ricky)

Rina (see Catherine, Irene, Katharine)

Rioghach (see Regina)

Risa               Latin "laughing."
     Famous name:  Risa Stevens (soprano)

Rita               Form of Margaret.
    Famous names:  Rita Mae Brown (writer)
                   Rita Hayworth (actress)
                   Rita Moreno (actress)
                   Rita Tushingham (actress)

Riva (see Rebecca)

Rivkah (see Rebecca)

Roanne (see Rosanne)

Robby (see Roberta)

Robena (see Roberta)

Roberta            Feminine form of Robert, Old English "shining in fame."
                   The always-popular tune "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" is
                   from Jerome Kern's musical Roberta.
    Famous names:  Roberta Flack (singer)
                   Roberta Maxwell (actress)
                   Roberta Peters (opera singer)
       Nicknames:  Bobbi, Bobbie, Bobby
      Variations:  Bert, Bertie, Bobbette, Bobina, Robbie, Robby, Robena,
                   Robia, Robin, Robina, Robine (French), Robinett, Robinette,
                   Robinia, Robyn, Ruperta (German), Rupetta (German)

Robia (see Roberta)

Robin              Variation of Roberta.  This is one of very few names that
                   has remained equally popular for both boys and girls.
    Famous names:  Robin Duke (comedienne)
                   Robin Morgan (poet)
  Other spelling:  Robyn

Robina (see Roberta)

Robine (see Roberta)

Robinett, Robinette (see Roberta)

Robinia (see Roberta)

Robyn (see Roberta, Robin)

Rochella (see Rochelle)

Rochelle           French "little rock."
       Nicknames:  Shelley, Shellie, Shelly
      Variations:  Rochella, Rochette

Rochette (see Rochelle)

Romaine            From the Latin Roma, the city.
     Famous name:  Romaine Brooks (painter)

Romona (see Ramona)

Romonda (see Ramona)

Rona               Variation of Rhonda and names that end in -rona.  Rona is
                   one of the islands in the Hebrides off Scotland.
     Famous name:  Rona Barrett (columnist)
  Other spelling:  Rhona

Ronnie             Form of Rowena and Veronica.  Youth, beauty, and class
                   are associated with this name, thanks to the 1940s actress
                   Veronica Lake and the rich girlfriend of Archie in the
                   comics.
  Other spelling:  Ronny

Ronny (see Ronnie, Rowena, Veronica)

Rora (see Aurora)

Rory (see Aurora)

Ros (see Rosalind)

Rosa               Variation of Rose.  Rosa Parks is considered to be the
                   mother of the civil rights movement in the United States.
                   Her refusal to move to the back of a bus initiated a bus
                   strike in Montgomery, Alabama, that eventually led to
                   far-reaching social change.
    Famous names:  Rosa Bonheur (painter)
                   Rosa Mota (marathoner)

Rosabel, Rosebelle (see Rose)

Rosabella (see Rose)

Rosaleen (see Rosalie, Rosalind, Rose)

Rosalia (see Rose)

Rosalie            Variation of Rose; also, Latin "festival of roses."
      Variations:  Rosaleen, Rozalie, Rozele

Rosalind           Old German rosamunda, "dragon," from hros [horse]
                   and linda [serpent]; also, a variation of Rose.  The
                   English poet Edmund Spenser probably coined this name, and
                   Shakespeare made it popular with his play As You Like It.
    Famous names:  Rosalind Russell (actress)
                   Rosalind Solomon (photographer)
      Variations:  Ros, Rosaleen, Rosalinda, Rosaline, Rosalyn, Roselin,
                   Rosina, Roslyn, Roslynd, Roz, Rozalin

Rosalinda (see Rosalind)

Rosaline (see Rosalind, Rosalyn)

Rosalyn            Variation of Rose.
     Famous name:  Rosalyn Yallow (physicist)
  Other spelling:  Rosaline
       Variation:  Rosalind

Rosamund (see Rose)

Rosana, Rosanna (see Rosanne)

Rosanne            Combination of Rose and Anne.  This form of the name
                   Rose is popular today, thanks to actress Rosanna Arquette,
                   comedienne and actress Roseanne Barr, and singer Rosanne
                   Cash, not to mention the extremely funny character Rosanne
                   Rosanna Danna that Gilda Radner created on the television
                   show Saturday Night Live.
      Variations:  Ranna, Roanne, Rosana, Rosanna, Roseann, Roseanne

Rose               Latin "rose."  Some authorities believe that Rosamond, the
                   name of a German deity, is older than the more-popular name
                   Rose; but there is no certainty about the source of this
                   name.  Since roses are considered to be the most-beautiful
                   flowers in the world, it seems likely that Rose could be an
                   independent name.  There are some minor saints named Rosa,
                   Rosalia, Rosana, and Rose.  Like the other "flower" names,
                   Rose is not often chosen today.
    Famous names:  Rose Kennedy (hostess)
                   Rose Mofford (governor)
       Nicknames:  Rosi, Rosie, Rosy
      Variations:  Rho, Rhoda (Greek), Rhodia, Rhody, Rosa (Dutch, Italian,
                   Spanish, and Swedish), Rosabel, Rosabella, Rosabelle,
                   Rosaleen (Irish), Rosalia (Italian), Rosalie (German),
                   Rosalind, Rosalyn, Rosamund, Rosel (Swiss), Roselie,
                   Rosella, Roselle, Rosena, Rosetta (Italian), Rosette,
                   Rosina (Italian), Rosine, Rosita (Spanish), Roz, Rozina,
                   Rozy

Roseann, Roseanne (see Rosanne)

Rosel (see Rose)

Roselie (see Rose)

Roselin (see Rosalind)

Rosella (see Rose)

Roselle (see Rose)

Rose Marie         Combination of Rose and Marie.

Rosemary           Combination of Rose and Mary.  The herb rosemary
                   is the symbol of remembrance, but today the name is
                   unfortunately associated with the horror movie Rosemary's
                   Baby, in which actress Mia Farrow, who played Rosemary,
                   gives birth to a child of the devil.
     Famous name:  Rosemary Harris (actress)

Rosemin            Combination of Rose and Mina.

Rosena (see Rose)

Rosetta (see Rose)

Rosette (see Rose)

Rosi, Rosie (see Rose)

Rosina (see Rosalind, Rose)

Rosine (see Rose)

Rosita (see Rose)

Roslyn (see Rosalind)

Roslynd (see Rosalind)

Rosy (see Rose)

Rowe (see Rowena)

Rowena             Old English "famous friend."  Sir Walter Scott immortalized
                   this name in Ivanhoe.
     Famous name:  Rowena Morrill (painter and illustrator)
       Nicknames:  Ronnie, Ronny
      Variations:  Ranna, Rena, Ronnie, Rowe

Rox (see Roxanne)

Roxana, Roxanna (see Roxanne)

Roxane, Roxann (see Roxanne)

Roxanne            Combination of Rose and Anne; also, Persian Raokhshna,
                   "dawn" or "brilliant."  Roxana was the Persian wife of
                   Alexander the Great.  Roxanne is the heroine of Cyrano de
                   Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, and she got top billing in a
                   recent movie based on the story.  Comedian Steve Martin
                   plays a modern-day Cyrano, a fire fighter with an extremely
                   long nose, who falls in love with actress Daryl Hannah in
                   the movie Roxanne.
 Other spellings:  Roxane, Roxann
       Nicknames:  Rox, Roxie, Roxy
      Variations:  Roxana, Roxanna, Roxene, Roxine

Roxene (see Roxanne)

Roxie, Roxy (see Roxanne)

Roxine (see Roxanne)

Roz                Variation of Rosalind or Rose.
    Famous names:  Roz Kelly (actress)

Rozalie (see Rosalie)

Rozalin (see Rosalind)

Rozele (see Rosalie)

Rozina (see Rose)

Rozy (see Rose)

Rubetta (see Ruby)

Rubia (see Ruby)

Ruby               Latin rube, "ruby."
    Famous names:  Ruby Dee (actress)
                   Ruby Keeler (actress and dancer)
      Variations:  Rubetta, Rubia, Rubye

Rubye (see Ruby)

Ruda               Latin "famous."
     Famous name:  Ruta Lee (actress)
       Variation:  Ruta

Rue (see Ruth)

Ruperta (see Roberta)

Rupetta (see Roberta)

Ruta (see Ruda)

Ruth               Hebrew "compassionate."  In the Bible, Ruth is the
                   daughter-in-law of Naomi, and their story is the ideal of
                   devotion.  Ruth adopts the religion and customs of her
                   husband's family, and after his death, she follows her
                   mother-in-law to Naomi's home country.
    Famous names:  Ruth Benedict (anthropologist)
                   Ruth Fainlight (poet)
                   Ruth Gordon (actress)
                   Ruth Rendell (writer)
       Nicknames:  Rue, Ruthie
       Variation:  Ruthia

Ruthia (see Ruth)

Ruthie (see Ruth)

Ryta (see Margaret)