Aphra

English, "noble strength", or Hebrew, "dust"

Aphra is a rare, multi-layered, somewhat mysterious name — appropriately for its most famous bearer, Aphra Behn, one of the first professional female English writers, and also a spy.

I love that Aphra, like Edith, is probably an Anglo-Saxon name that lingered long after the Norman Conquest. It’s likely to descend from Æthelthryth, which would make it a cousin of Audrey!

But at some point (we think), someone noticed the name bore a passing resemblance to the biblical place name Aphrah (meaning “dust”), mentioned in the book of Micah, and was inspired to give it a similar spelling.

Short and sweet with lots of intrigue, Aphra has never made the US charts, but is given to a handful of girls each year in England and Wales. Its second most famous bearer, Aphra Brandreth, is currently a Member of Parliament.