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Ancient Girl Names

Ancient Girl Names

There are so many ancient names for girls to be unearthed — from Rome and Byzantium, to Olde England and Germany, all the way to ancient Mongolia. Ancient, historical female names such as Persephone and Octavia are currently staging a comeback, while plenty more rare girl names wait in the wings.

Along with Octavia and Persephone, other ancient girl names in the US Top 1000 include Arya, Aurelia, Calliope, Hadassah, Itzel, Lucia, Valentina, and Valeria. We have our eye on Minerva, Juno, Honoria, and Cyra to be among the next wave of ancient girl names to be revived.

Cool names for girls from neglected ancient name cultures include Maaza (Amharic), Belig (Mongolian), and Niloufar (Persian).

Here's a selection of worthy ancient names for baby girls, from a range of eras and places, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.

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Cool Girl Names

Ancient Names for Babies

Roman Names for Girls

  1. AureliaHeart
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "the golden one"
    • Description:

      Aurelia is an ancient Roman name that's become a surprise hit in the contemporary world. A top favorite on Nameberry, it reentered the US Top 1000 in 2014 after a 70-year absence and continues to climb.
  2. CalliopeHeart
    • Origin:

      Greek mythology name
    • Meaning:

      "beautiful voice"
    • Description:

      Calliope is the name of the muse of epic poetry -- and also the musical instrument on the merry-go-round. Bold and creative, it would not be the easiest name for a girl lacking such qualities. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2016. While Americans usually pronounce this name with a long I sound and the emphasis on the second syllables, Greeks pronounce it with the emphasis on the third syllable -- ka-lee-OH-pee.
  3. MilaHeart
    • Origin:

      Slavic, Russian
    • Meaning:

      "gracious; dear"
    • Description:

      Mila is a given name with Russian and Slavic provenance. It began as the diminutive form for names such as Ludmila, Milena, and Milica. Mila can be a nickname for any name containing the element mil, meaning "gracious" or "dear."
  4. PersephoneHeart
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "bringer of destruction"
    • Description:

      Persephone is the esoteric name of the Greek mythological daughter of Zeus by Demeter, the queen of the harvest. After she was kidnapped by Hades to be Queen of the Underworld, it was decreed by Zeus that she would spend six months of the year with her mother, allowing crops to grow, and six in mourning, thus accounting for the seasons.
  5. ValentinaHeart
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "strength, health"
    • Description:

      Valentina is a more romantic and artistic ballerina-type successor to Valerie; a pretty, recommended choice. Mexican-born actress Salma Hayek and husband Francois-Henri Pinault named their daughter Valentina Paloma.
  6. IsoldeHeart
    • Origin:

      Welsh, German
    • Meaning:

      "ice ruler"
    • Description:

      Now that Tristan has been rediscovered, maybe it's time for his fabled lover in the Arthurian romances and Wagnerian opera, a beautiful Irish princess, to be brought back into the light as well.
  7. LuciaHeart
    • Origin:

      Italian, feminine variation of Lucius, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "light"
    • Description:

      Lucia is a lush, rich Latinate equivalent of Lucy, popular in Spain and throughout Latin America and also a cross-cultural favorite. You might be surprised to know that Lucia has ALWAYS ranked among the Top 1000 girl names in the US, though she's really taken off only since the turn of this century.
  8. JunoHeart
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "queen of the heavens"
    • Description:

      Juno is an ancient name that feels as fresh as if it had been minted — well, not yesterday, but in 2007. Since the release of the popular indie film Juno, this lively but strong o-ending Roman goddess name has become more and more prominent as a potential baby name — Coldplay's Will Champion chose Juno for one of his twins (whose brother is the kingly Rex).
  9. CassiaHeart
    • Origin:

      Feminine form of Cassius or Greek
    • Meaning:

      "cinnamon"
    • Description:

      Cassia is related to the cassia tree, which has yellow flowers and produces a spice that can be a substitute for cinnamon. Keziah, the name of Job’s daughter in the Old Testament, derives from the name of the plant as well. Cassia also has ties to the Ancient Roman name Cassius, an Ancient Roman family name meaning "hollow."
  10. LiviaHeart
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Olivia or Latin
    • Meaning:

      "blue, envious"
    • Description:

      Though it sounds like a chopped-off variation of Olivia, which means olive, the distinctively attractive Livia has been an independent name since the days of the ancient Romans, when it belonged to Livia Drusilla—the powerful wife of the Emperor Augustus—and is still commonly heard in modern Italy.
  11. AshaHeart
    • Origin:

      Sanskrit; Swahili
    • Meaning:

      "hope; life"
    • Description:

      Asha is an Indian name that comes from the Sanskrit word for hope or desire, but it is also a Swahili name derived from Aisha, meaning life. Since the ascendance of Ashley through the 1980s and 90s, all baby names Ash-related have been used in the U.S. for both girls and boys, from Ashlyn to Ashby, Ashton to Asher. Despite its separate roots, Asha is part of this group.
  12. MinervaHeart
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "of the mind, intellect"
    • Description:

      Minerva is the long-neglected name of the Roman goddess of wisdom and invention, the arts and martial strength, one of the mythology names for girls that might appeal to adventurous feminist parents. With Juno and Jupiter, she made the Capitoline triad, whose worship was at the very center of Roman religion.
  13. GaiaHeart
    • Origin:

      Greek and Latin
    • Meaning:

      "earth mother; rejoicing"
    • Description:

      The name of the Greek mythological earth goddess and universal mother; actress Emma Thompson stated that she was attracted by its ecological element, so other "green" parents may want to follow her lead.

  14. CyraHeart
    • Origin:

      Persian or Greek
    • Meaning:

      "sun or throne, or lord"
    • Description:

      Cyra is an unusual name that can be pronounced either SEER-a or SI-ra, rhyming with Keira or Tyra. This name may be a feminine variation of Cyrus but is also a Persian name that stands on its own. One noted bearer is writer Cyra McFadden.
  15. OctaviaHeart
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "eighth"
    • Description:

      Octavia began as the Latin, then Victorian name for an eighth child. While there aren't many eighth children anymore, this ancient Roman name has real possibilities as a substitute for the overused Olivia; recommended for its combination of classical and musical overtones. It was chosen for his daughter by Kevin Sorbo.
  16. SabinaHeart
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "Sabine"
    • Description:

      Sabina is a sleek but neglected name from an ancient Roman tribal name that's well worth consideration. The equally alluring Sabine is heard in France and Germany. Related names include the more popular Sabrina or Serena. All are equally lovely.
  17. ValeriaHeart
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "strength, health"
    • Description:

      Valeria -- the original form of the name, used by early Christians --has been experiencing significant popularity in recent years. While Valeria was nearly always on the charts, the name peaked in 2009 at #72, surpassing the longtime Franco-American version Valerie. Today Valeria and Valerie are at about equal rankings, sitting in the 150s.
  18. VivianaHeart
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "life"
    • Description:

      Lively and rhythmic version of Vivian heard in Italy and Spain. A vivid choice.
  19. ItzelHeart
    • Origin:

      Mayan
    • Meaning:

      "rainbow lady"
    • Description:

      This name, stemming from the Mayan mythological figure of the Rainbow Lady, is a surprising pop hit, primarily among Hispanic parents.
  20. AelianaHeart
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "sun"
    • Description:

      This female form of the ancient Latin Aelian has an appealing sound, though kids might have a hard time handling that initial "ae" spelling. Just remember that the "ae" is pronounced "ee" (think Aesop's fables).The Annals of Aeliana is a children's fantasy series by Ryan Watters. The meaning is uncertain but is thought to derive from the Greek helios, which means sun.