Catalina, Esmée, Hilda, Ismene and Saoirse

Catalina
Cah-tah-lee-nah
Popularity:
There are 56 people in Norway named Catalina
#2 in Chile, 2005
2939 people in Argentina (Buenos Aires) named Catalina
#696 in USA, 2006 (levelling off)
Catalina is an approved name in Portugal

Meaning:
Catalina is the feminine form of Catalin, a masculine Romanian name derived from the Greek Katherine. Katherine from Aikaterine has no certain meaning, but is associated with meaning pure. It could also be related to Hecate or aikia meaning torture.

Characters and Usage:
There are various places named Catalina - in Arizona, Romania and the Dominican Republic. Santa Catalina is the name of an island off California, two municipalities in the Philippines and a mountain range in Arizona.
It is also a type of American salad dressing.

Esmée
Es-may
Popularity:
There are 3 or less people in Norway named Esmée
Esmée is not an approved name in Portugal

Meaning:
Esmé the past tense of the Old French verb esmer - to love, to esteem. Esmée is the feminine form of the verb - Esmé being unisex.

Characters and Usage:
There is the Esmée Fairbairn Charitable Trust.

Hilda
Hil-dah
Popularity:
#68 in Sweden, 2006 with 189 births (rising)
There are 1033 people in Norway named Hilda - it was most popular in the 1880-90s.
3266 people in Argentina (Buenos Aires) named Hilda
Last on US top 1000 in 1986, peaked 1899 at #87
Hilda is not an approved name in Portugal

Meaning:
Feminine form of Hild, of Germanic origin meaning battle or war.

Characters and Usage:
Hilda is a large asteroid in the outer main belt between Jupiter and Mars.
Hilda of Whitby was a 7th century British saint who became the founding abbess of Whitby- St Hilda's College at Oxford University, and the College of St Hild and St Bede at Durham University are named after her.
Hurricane Hilda occurred in 1964.
Characters in TV shows named Hilda include Hilda Ogden from Coronation Street and Hilda Suarez, 'ugly' Betty's sister.

Ismene
Is-mee-nee
Popularity:
There are 3 or less people in Norway named Ismene
Ismene is not an approved name in Portugal

Meaning:
Greek - knowledgeable. Derived from the Greek isme meaning knowledge.

Characters and Usage:
In Greek mythology, Ismene was the daughter of Jocasta and Oedipus, and the sister of Antigone.
Ismene is a large main belt asteroid that may contain water.

Saoirse
Seer-sha
Popularity:
There are 3 or less people in Norway named Saoirse
There were 5 girls born in Scotland in 2006 named Saoirse
#36 in Republic of Ireland, 2005
Saoirse is not an approved name in Portugal

Meaning:
Derived from Gaelic vocabulary word meaning freedom

Characters and Usage:
Saoirse is the Sinn Fein party's monthly bulletin/newspaper. It is a name of particular political significance in Ireland.