Baby Girl Name: Jetta

If you're looking for an unusual name that will suit many different personalities, I've got one for you. But first, here's what I mean about the different personalities. When you're naming a baby, you don't know if she'll be shy or outgoing, feminine or tomboyish, feisty or agreeable. Some names seem to lend themselves to one kind of person, but this name takes care of lots of bases.

Jetta Goudal was a Dutch-born American actress from the silent film era. Her parents actually named her Juliette Henriette Goudeket. I would have advised them against the "ette" ending for both the first and middle names, but they couldn't consult me because my great-grandmother wasn't even born at the time. Anyway, Jetta was born in Amsterdam to Orthodox Jewish parents. She left war-torn Europe during World War I and described herself as "Parisienne" when she got to New York City.

By 1921 she appeared in a Broadway show, using the stage name Jetta Goudal. In 1922 she moved to the west coast and began starring in motion pictures. After appearing in several box office smashes, Cecil B. Demille fired her and cancelled their contract because he claimed she was so difficult to work with. So she sued him. She won the lawsuit and went on to star in several more successful films before switching careers to interior design.

"Juliette" is feminine; "Jetta" is feisty. It seems that she embodied both.

If I were expecting a girl right now, I'd add it to my list.