Dahlia, Elaine, Esperanza, Fidelma &Valeria

Dahlia
day-lee-ah

Popularity: There are 8 people in Norway named Dahlia
#988 in USA in 2006
Dahlia is not an approved name in Portugal, but Dália is.

Meaning: Dahlia is a plant name, named in honour of Swedish botanist Anders Dahl (1751-89). Dahl is related to the English word dale and means 'dweller in the valley'.

Dahlia Arabian Night from Wikipedia
Characters and Usage:
'Black Dahlia' - a 1940s aspiring actress named Elizabeth Short who was murdered and mutilated. The murder is still unsolved. There have been several books and films on the subject including the Brian de Palma 2006 film 'Black Dahlia' based on the 1987 'The Black Dahlia' novel by James Ellroy.

Dahlia Travers is Bertie Wooster's Aunt in 'Jeeves and Wooster' series.

Elaine
eh-lane

Popularity:
1 girl was named Elaine in Scotland in 2006.
There are 129 women in Norway named Elaine.
#719 in US in 2006
Elaine is not an approved name in Portugal.

Meaning:
Elaine is the Old French form of the Greek Helen, meaning 'bright, shining one' or 'torch, bright light'. It is also related to the Welsh Elain, meaning 'fawn' or 'hind'.

Characters and Usage:
There are several characters in Arthurian legend named Elaine:
Elaine of Carbonek - the mother of Galahad whose father is Lancelot.
Elaine the Peerless - niece of the Lord of the Fens and wife of Persides the Red. She is sometimes confused with Elaine of Carbonek.
Elaine, the sister of Arthur - daughter of Gorlois of Cornwall, and Igraine, Arthur's mother. Less meddling than her sisters Morgana le Fay and Morgause.
Elaine of Astolat - also known as the Lady of Shalott, had unrequited love for Lancelot and died of heartbreak after his rejection
Elaine of Benoic - mother of Lancelot, who left her infant son with the Lady of the Lake to be raised. She was reunited with her son shortly before her death.

Elaine is 'city' in Phillips County, Arkansas that had 865 in its last population count (less than my 'village').
Elaine is a town in Victoria, Australia.
There have been characters on the shows Eastenders and Seinfield named Elaine.

Esperanza
es-peh-RAHN-sah

Popularity:
There are 23 Esperanzas in Norway.
#675 in USA in 2006.
There are 372 Esperanzas in Argentina (Buenos Aires).
#79 in Chile
Esperanza is not an approved name in Portugal, but Esperança is.

Meaning:
From the Late Latin Sperantia from sperans meaning hope.

Characters and Usage:
Esperanza is a city or town in: Argentina, Peru and Mexico.
It is also a province in Chile and several municipalities in the Philippines.
In Antarctica there is an Argentinian base named 'Esperanza Base'.
The language Esperanto means 'one who hopes'.
Tecoma stans - a perennial shrub is known in Spanish as esperanza.



Fidelma
Fid-el-mah

Popularity:
There are 3 or less people in Norway named Fidelma
It is not an approved name in Portugal

Meaning:
Gaelic - possibly good, beauty or constant.

Characters and Usage:
Fidelma features infrequently in Irish legend and history:
Fidelma was a daughter of Conchobhar mac Nessa, and was called Fidelma the nine-times beautiful. She was a warrior.
One of St Patrick's first converts was Fidelma - the daughter of King Laoghaire and sister of St Eithne.
Fidelma O'Kelly Macken is a justice of the Supreme Court of Ireland.

Valeria
Vah-leer-ree-ah or Va-layr-ree-ah

Popularity:
There are 63 people in Norway named Valeria
469 girls were named Valeria in Spain in 2005
1113 people in Argentina (Buenos Aires) named Valeria
#56 in Hungary in 2005
#90 in USA in 2006
It is an approved name in Portugal

Meaning:
Latin - to be healthy, to be strong

Characters and Usage:
St Valeria was a martyr of the 1st or 2nd century who was married to St Vitalis of Milan. She was martyred for burying Christian martyrs and refusing to sacrifice to Roman gods. She was the mother of St Gervase and St Protase.