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Classic Girl Names That Aren't Boring

Sophie Kihm
By Sophie Kihm
Updated Wed Jan 31 2024
Classic Girl Names That Aren't Boring

Classic baby names for girls are highly covetable — these names are rooted in tradition and hard to argue with. 

But some classic names have been popular for decades, making them feel overused, unoriginal, and dare we say, boring. 

Quirky classic baby names have attitude and are rarer than their more conventional counterparts. Think Eliza and Juliet rather than Elizabeth and Julia. There will be no accusations of Plain Jane here! (Although we’d like to go on record and say we love the name Jane, too).

Along with Eliza and Juliet, other classic girl names that aren’t boring in the US Top 250 include Audrey, Genevieve, Georgia, Iris, Josephine, Lucia, Ruby, and Vivian. Interesting and unique girl names with traditional origins include Cleo, Guinevere, Ione, and Marcella.

If your tastes run toward classic girl names but you want a name that sounds interesting and distinctive, consider these girl names that are traditional but not boring, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.

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Classic Names

Girl Names

  1. Phoebe

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "radiant, shining one"

    • Description:

      Bubbly, bright, and versatile, Phoebe is a name with mythological, biblical, and literary ties. Used since the 17th century, it fell out of fashion in the US during the '60s, only to be revived after it appeared in the 90's TV favorite, Friends.
  2. Maeve

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "she who intoxicates"

    • Description:

      Maeve is a short and sweet name that has become one of the most stylish Irish names for girls in the modern US. It joined the Top 100 for the first time in 2023 and now ranks at Number 75.
  3. Eloise

    • Origin:

      French and English variation of Heloise

    • Meaning:

      "healthy; wide"

    • Description:

      Well balanced between sleek, sweet, strong, and vintage, newly chic Eloise re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2009, following a 50-year absence. In 2022, it broke into the Top 100 in the US and across the pond in the UK. Given to nearly 3000 babies each year, Eloise is showing no sign of stepping out of the spotlight.
  4. Daphne

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "laurel tree, bay tree"

    • Description:

      In Greek mythology, Daphne was the nymph daughter of Peneus, a river god. Peneus saved Daphne from Apollo’s romantic obsessions by transforming her into a laurel tree. It is from this myth that the plant genus daphne, which contains the laurel species, gets its name.
  5. Clara

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "bright, clear"

    • Description:

      Clara is a strong, lovely girls' name that's always ranked among the US Top 1000 girl names but has been climbing since the turn of this century. It now ranks right at Number 78, making it a modern classic that's neither too popular nor unfamiliar.
  6. Iris

    • Origin:

      Flower name; Greek

    • Meaning:

      "rainbow"

    • Description:

      Iris has so much going for it. It's a fashionable flower name. It's a mythological name, from the Greek goddess of the rainbow. And it's a classic name, always ranking in the girls' Top 1000 but now at its highest point ever.
  7. Josephine

    • Origin:

      French feminine variation of Joseph, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "Jehovah increases"

    • Description:

      Josephine, with its large measure of class and character and a gently offbeat quality, has been on a gentle uphill climb in the US for over 30 years, now ranking in the Top 100. With an intriguing number of vivacious nicknames, from Jo to Josie to Fifi to Posy, Josephine is a Nameberry favorite.
  8. Audrey

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "noble strength"

    • Description:

      Audrey is one of the girls' names that have been rising due to their connection to Old Hollywood glamour — in this case the eternally chic and radiant Audrey Hepburn. Audrey has another very different appeal as one of the elite group of girl names that mean strong, brave, or powerful.
  9. Penelope

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "weaver"

    • Description:

      Penelope is an unlikely 21st century baby name success story. Off the Top 1000 for 25 years, Penelope jumped back on in 2001 and has been heading uphill ever since, propelled by the trend for mythological names, Spanish actress Penelope Cruz, and some high-profile celebrity babies.
  10. Cora

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "maiden"

    • Description:

      Cora is a lovely, old-fashioned girls' that has been recently rejuvenated by its contemporary-feeling simplicity. In fact, Cora seemed headed straight for the top of the popularity list when the coronavirus pandemic somewhat weakened its appeal.
  11. Ruby

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "deep red precious stone"

    • Description:

      Vibrant, sassy, and bubbly, Ruby is a vintage gem that hasn't lost any of its sparkle. Currently popular in a number of English-speaking countries, Ruby is proof of the 100 Year Rule, trending again for the first time since its heyday in the 1910s.
  12. Beatrice

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "she who brings happiness; blessed"

    • Description:

      Beatrice is back. Stored in the attic for almost a century, the lovely Beatrice with its long literary (Shakespeare, Dante) and royal history is being looked at with fresh eyes by parents seeking a classic name with character and lots of upbeat nicknames, like Bea and Bee.
  13. Sophie

    • Origin:

      French variation of Sophia, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "wisdom"

    • Description:

      Sophie is the French form of the Greek Sophia, for which it is also commonly used as a nickname. Given Sophia's long standing among the Top 10 girl names in the US, Sophie may feel more popular than it actually is.
  14. Matilda

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "battle-mighty"

    • Description:

      Matilda is a sweet vintage name that has been gently climbing the popularity list for the past 15 years, after a half-century slumber. The spunky children's book heroine Matilda is one factor in its rise, along with others of its class like Eloise and Caspian.
  15. Ivy

    • Origin:

      Botanical name

    • Description:

      The quirky, offbeat and energetic botanical name Ivy is enjoying a deserved revival, propelled even higher by its choice by high-profile parents Beyonce and Jay-Z for daughter Blue Ivy. Ivy is also traditionally used at Christmas, make this one of the perfect names for December babies.
  16. Eliza

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"

    • Description:

      Eliza is a name with a wonderful combination of streamlined zest and Eliza Doolittle charm and spunk. It's a classic that's popular right now -- but not too popular.
  17. Evangeline

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "bearer of good news"

    • Description:

      Evangeline is a romantic old name enjoying a major comeback, thanks to its religious overtones, Eva's popularity, and the star of the TV megahit Lost, Evangeline Lilly. Evangelia and Evangelina — two variants of Evangeline — are sure to tag along for the ride.
  18. Lydia

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "woman from Lydia"

    • Description:

      Lydia is one of the first place names, after an area of Asia Minor whose inhabitants are credited with strong musical talent great wealth. Always among the US Top 1000 girl names, Lydia is a quietly fashionable classic.
  19. Genevieve

    • Origin:

      English from French

    • Meaning:

      "tribe woman"

    • Description:

      Genevieve is derived from the Germanic medieval name Genovefa, or Kenowefa, which consists of the elements kuni, meaning "kin", and wefa, meaning "woman." The medieval saint Genevieve, patroness of Paris, defended the city against Attila the Hun through her rational thinking, courage and prayer.
  20. Chloe

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "young green shoot"

    • Description:

      Chloe is a pretty springtime name symbolizing new growth. Though slightly off its peak in the Top 10 in 2010, Chloe still ranks in the Top 20 and is solidly a modern classic.