My Favorite Baby Girl Names!

  1. Drew
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Andrew
    • Meaning:

      "strong and manly"
    • Description:

      Drew is an elegant formerly male-only alternative to Andy that joined the stylishly upscale Paige-Brooke-Blair sorority, thanks largely to Drew Barrymore. Barrymore comes by her first name legitimately: it was the maiden name of her paternal great-grandmother, Georgiana 'Georgie' Drew Barrymore, one of many esteemed actors in her family history.
  2. Dusty
    • Description:

      Dusty first became popular as a girl's name thanks to singer Dusty Springfield - born Mary. She used her childhood nickname professionally, and many parents embraced Dusty as a name for their daughters, especially in the 1970s. Singer Adam Levine and model Behati Prinsloo chose this distinctive name for their daughter in 2016, which might prompt a new generation of parents to consider the name.
  3. Ebonique
    • Ella
      • Origin:

        German; English
      • Meaning:

        "all, completely; fairy maiden"
      • Description:

        Ella is a sweet, simple name that owes much of its current popularity to the popularity of other names, from Emma to Bella to Emily to Ellie.
    • Ember
      • Origin:

        French variation of Amber
      • Description:

        Unlike Amber, which is in decline, this name still has a bit of a glow left -- though confusions between the two will inevitably arise.
    • Flame
      • Origin:

        Word name
      • Description:

        Beware: Flame is the kind of name used by women named Fran when engaging in endeavors they'd just as soon their parents weren't aware of.
    • Freya
      • Origin:

        Norse
      • Meaning:

        "a noble woman"
      • Description:

        Freya has long been popular in the U.K. but has only taken off in the US in the last decade, along with the entire category of mythological names. Derived from the Old Norse name Freyja, meaning "Lady, noble woman", Freya is the name of the Norse goddess of love, beauty, and fertility.
    • Gwenno
      • Origin:

        Welsh
      • Meaning:

        "little bright one"
      • Description:

        Gwenno originated as a diminutive of Gwenllian, Gwynhwyfar or Gwendolen, but it is increasingly being bestowed as a full name, with between 10 and 20 births a year in England & Wales. Musician Gwenno (full name Gwenno Mererid Saunders) is a famous bearer.
    • Hannah
      • Origin:

        Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "grace"
      • Description:

        Hannah is one of the nation's top biblical girls' names—it surpassed Sarah in 1998, and ranks in the Top 50 along with Elizabeth, Abigail, Chloe, and Naomi. Hannah is a name with many sources of appeal: Old Testament roots, soft and gentle sound, and a homey yet aristocratic image.
    • Hazel
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "the hazelnut tree"
      • Description:

        Hazel has a pleasantly hazy, brownish-green-eyed, old-fashioned image that more and more parents are choosing to share. Former Old Lady name Hazel reentered the popularity lists in 1998 and now is near the top of the charts.
    • Indigo
      • Origin:

        Greek
      • Meaning:

        "Indian dye"
      • Description:

        Indigo is one of the most appealing and evocative of the new generation of color names. Color names have joined flower and jewel names -- in a big way -- and Indigo, a deep blue-purple dye from plants native to India, is particularly striking for both girls and boys. Indigo is the name of a character in the Ntozake Shange novel Sassafrass, Cypress & Indigo, and was used for his daughter by Lou Diamond Phillips.
    • Isabella
      • Origin:

        Spanish and Italian variation of Elizabeth, Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "pledged to God"
      • Description:

        Isabella has been a Top 10 name for girls in the US for two decades now. The Latinate form of Isabel, a variation of Elizabeth which originally derived from the Hebrew name Elisheba, Isabella reigned as Number 1 in 2009 and 2010.
    • Jasmine
      • Origin:

        Flower name, from Persian
      • Meaning:

        "gift from God"
      • Description:

        Jasmine was derived from the Persian word yasmin, referring to the jasmine flower. Scented oil was made from the plant, and it was used as a perfume throughout the Persian Empire. Variants include Jazmin, Yasmin, Yasmine, and Jessamine.
    • Juno
      • 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).
    • Kai
      • Origin:

        Hawaiian
      • Meaning:

        "sea"
      • Description:

        This appealing multi-cultural name, pronounced KYE, is beginning to be used for girls as well as boys. Among its many derivations and meanings: "sea" in Hawaiian, "forgiveness" in Japanese, "willow tree" in Navajo, "food" in Maori, and "earth" in Scandinavian. For girls, it debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2010.
    • Kate
      • Origin:

        English, diminutive of Katherine
      • Meaning:

        "pure"
      • Description:

        Kate, in the headlines via Catherine Middleton aka the Princess of Wales, has been as pervasive as Kathy was in the 1950s and 1960s, both as a nickname for Katherine and Kaitlyn and as a strong, classic stand-alone name.
    • Keahi
      • Origin:

        Hawaiian
      • Meaning:

        "flames"
      • Description:

        Hawaiian names are having a moment, and this one, despite its strong meaning, is relatively undiscovered. The pronunciation may not be immediately obvious, but it didn't hurt Keanu Reeves.
    • Keira
      • Origin:

        Irish
      • Meaning:

        "little dark one"
      • Description:

        Keira is an attractive girls’ name that's gotten a huge boost from the meteoric rise of Keira Knightley. Original spelling Kiera, which relates more directly to the male Kieran, was the more popular form until the rise of Keira Knightley reversed the order. Both are Anglicized versions of the Irish Ciara.
    • Kerry
      • Origin:

        Irish
      • Meaning:

        "dark, dark-haired"
      • Description:

        Kerry is the name of one of the most beautiful and lush counties of Ireland was a seventies favorite. Related, updated versions might include Cerys and Keira.
    • Kristen
      • Origin:

        Danish and Norwegian variation of Christine
      • Meaning:

        "a Christian"
      • Description:

        Kristen may be somewhat past its fashion high point, but it remains forever crystalline clear. Possible problem: confusion with the similar Scandinavian names Kristin, Kirsten, Kirstie, et al.