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Four Letter Girl's Names

  1. Jana

    • Origin:

      International feminine variation of Jan

    • Description:

      A sweet name with many cross-cultural ties: it's an equivalent of Jane in languages including Czech, Slovak, Dutch, German, Slovene, Catalan, Estonian, and Latvian.
  2. Ilia

    • Origin:

      Variation of Iliana or Julia, Greek, Basque, Bulgarian "from Illium or Troy; youthful or sky father; Yahweh is God"

    • Meaning:

      "from Illium or Troy; youthful or sky father; Yahweh is God"

    • Description:

      Three syllables in only four letters is quite a feat, but that's exactly what you get with Ilia, a versatile, unisex option with various origins. It could derive from the Greek Iliana, which could denote someone from Illium, or it could be a feminine form of Ilian, a form of Elijah. Alternatively, it is a Basque form of Julia, or a Bulgarian feminine form of Ilya, with again links back to Elijah. Currently a gender neutral option in the US, it may be exclusively masculine elsewhere.
  3. Avis

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "bird"

    • Description:

      Avis is a bird name that's been in hibernation for awhile, possibly due to the car rental association, but it could make a return on the wings of Ava. Baldwin brother Daniel chose it for his daughter.
  4. Ursa

    • Origin:

      Short form of Ursula, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "little female bear"

    • Description:

      Ursa might be a good choice if you're looking for a bear name for your daughter but want to avoid the She Witch curse placed on Ursula by Disney's The Little Mermaid. Too bad, because Ursula is a classic and lovely name, but Ursa has less baggage.
  5. Snow

    • Origin:

      English word name

    • Description:

      There's definitely a cold front of names for winter babies moving in, with Summer, Spring and Autumn giving way to Winter--plus North, January, Frost--and Snow. This name feels brisk, fresh, pure, evocative -- and magical. A haunting middle name choice.
  6. Dita

    • Description:

      Dita is a feminine name with multicultural origins and appeal. In various contexts, it serves as a diminutive of names like Judita (Czech version of Judith), Edita, or Afrodita (Greek goddess Aphrodite). The name is especially popular in Latvia, where it stands as an independent name, as well as in parts of Eastern Europe and Indonesia. Dita carries an air of vintage sophistication and international flair, perhaps enhanced by figures like burlesque performer Dita Von Teese (born Heather Sweet), who adopted the name professionally. Short and distinctive, the name balances simplicity with elegance. Despite its brevity, Dita packs cultural richness and timeless appeal, making it an increasingly attractive option for parents seeking something concise yet meaningful.

  7. Avia

    • Origin:

      Latin, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "bird; God is my father"

    • Description:

      Avia is one of those multi-cultural, vowel-heavy girls' names so popular today, along with such choices as Ayla and Aya.
  8. Safa

    • Origin:

      Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "pure, serenity, clarity"

    • Description:

      An English, Persian, and Turkish transcription of Arabic Safaa or Safaa', Safa is a a serene but strong choice and has proved popular among Muslim parents in the UK. Spritually significant, As-Safaa is the name of one of the two sacred hills near Mecca which Muslim pilgrims travel between when performing the pilgrimage of Hajj.
  9. Hero

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "demi-god"

    • Description:

      Despite the possibility of gender confusion, the Hero in Greek myth was a woman. Myleene Klass got that when she chose Hero for her daughter, and Sam Taylor-Wood and Aaron Johnson used it as their daughter's middle--and we wouldn't be surprised to see more girls with this heroic name.
  10. Ulla

    • Origin:

      Scandinavian

    • Meaning:

      "will, determination"

    • Description:

      Ulla, the beautiful Swedish secretary in The Producers (played by Uma Thurman in the movie) who purrs, "Ven you got it, flaunt it," has changed the image of this name forever. Ulla may stand on its own or be an abbreviation of Ursula or Ulrika; Ula may be seen as another spelling.
  11. Esma

    • Origin:

      Turkish, Bosnian

    • Meaning:

      "supreme"

    • Description:

      Turkish and Bosnian form of the Arabic name Asma, with the powerful meaning of "supreme".
  12. Nika

    • Origin:

      Russian, diminutive of Veronika; Slovenian; Croatian, feminine form of Nicholas

    • Description:

      Enticing modern nickname name possibility.
  13. Bibi

    • Origin:

      French, Persian, or diminutive of Bibiana

    • Meaning:

      "toy; delight; lady of the house; life"

    • Description:

      A spunky nickname name for parents with showbiz aspirations for their daughter.
  14. Mare

    • Origin:

      Irish variation of Mary, Hebrew or Egyptian

    • Meaning:

      "drop of the sea; bitter; beloved; love"

    • Description:

      With this spelling, and one-syllable pronunciation, it sounds less like a whole name than a cut-off version of Mary. In fact, actress Mare Winningham was christened Mary.
  15. Zana

    • Origin:

      Polish, Croatian, Bosnian, Serbian, Latvian, Albanian

    • Meaning:

      "God is Gracious; lily; voice, fairy"

    • Description:

      An international possibility, heard from England and Israel to Poland, Latvia, and Albania. It is a name with a vast range of possible meanings and origins, including: a Polish variation of Jane, meaning "God is Gracious"; a Croatian, Bosnian, and Serbian short form of Susanna, meaning "lily"; a Persian name meaning "woman"; a Mongolian name meaning "bullfinch"; and a Shona name from Zimbabwe meaning "a hundred".
  16. Elma

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "will helmet"

    • Description:

      Historically a diminutive of Wilhelmina, Elma's parent name and soundalike sisters are slowly stirring back to life as the trend for vintage baby names continues. With Alma on the rise in the US, Thelma chic in France, and Selma hot in Scandinavia, Elma could be in with a shot at a revival – especially given the popularity of Emma and Ella. But Muppet Elmo and Looney Tune Elmer Fudd may cast a long shadow.
  17. Dido

    • Origin:

      Greek, meaning obscure

    • Description:

      Dido was the heroine of Virgil's Aeneid and of the opera "Dido and Aeneas," and in Roman mythology the founder of Carthage. A strong ancient name in the Juno mode, but it could have some awkward associations down the line.
  18. Emme

    • Origin:

      American invented name; homonym of Emmy

    • Meaning:

      "universal"

    • Description:

      Introduced by "plus-size" model Emme (born Melissa) and now a legitimate member of the Em-starting girls' name group, especially since it was chosen by Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony for their twin daughter.
  19. Viva

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "alive, living, life"

    • Description:

      Viva la baby with this life-affirming name, one of the appealing group of girl names that mean life. Other related life-giving names on the rise: cousins Vida and Vita, and Vivian, Aviva, and even Zoe.
  20. Iman

    • Origin:

      Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "faith"

    • Description:

      One of the best-known African names in the Western World because of the Somali-born model and wife of the late David Bowie.