Heidi

Heidi walks in from an Alpine meadow in pinafore and braids, a Swiss German diminutive of Adelheid, itself from the Germanic adal meaning noble and heid meaning kind or sort. Johanna Spyri's 1881 novel about a girl on a mountain made the name a global icon of wholesome independence, and it reached peak American popularity in the 1960s and 70s. Two bright syllables, HY-dee, with a long open vowel at the front. It has quieted in recent decades, which lends it a fresh charm now. The name feels sunny and uncomplicated, grass-stained and honest. Heidi suits a girl who loves outdoors and speaks her mind.