Four Letter Girl's Names

  1. Elea
    • Origin:

      Short form of Eleanor
    • Description:

      A sweet, breezy short form of Eleanor, that happens to coincide with the name of an ancient Italian town. It is a popular choice in Switzerland, Finland, and France, though the spellings Eléa and Éléa are currently preferred in the latter country. Typically pronounced like Ella, you could pronounce it eh-lee-uh, it basing it on the ancient place name, though choosing Ellia would probably avoid confusion.
  2. Laia
    • Origin:

      Catalan diminutive of Eulalia
    • Meaning:

      "sweet-speaking"
    • Description:

      Saint Eulalia was born in Spain and is the patron saint of Barcelona, so her name and its derivatives are popular throughout the land — especially in her native Catalonia.
  3. Zita
    • Origin:

      Italian or Persian; Greek
    • Meaning:

      "little girl; seeker"
    • Description:

      A thirteenth-century Tuscan saint, patron of homemakers, Zita is the kind of name that sounded really creative in an earlier era.
  4. Liva
    • Origin:

      Danish
    • Meaning:

      "variant of Lifa"
    • Description:

      In old Norse mythology Lifa/Liva is one of only two people that are destined to survive Ragnarok (Nordic armageddon) and will therefore be the parents of a new race of man.
  5. Emme
    • Origin:

      Variation of Emmy, English diminutive of Emily and Emma
    • Meaning:

      "work; universal"
    • Description:

      Introduced by 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.
  6. 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.
  7. Hana
    • Origin:

      Hebrew, Hawaiian, Maori, Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "grace, work, glow, flower"
    • Description:

      Many things to many peoples: a flower name, also spelled Hanae, to the Japanese; a Czech and Polish short form of Johana; and an alternate form of the biblical name Hannah in the US. It also means "craft, work" in Hawaiian and "glow" in Maori.
  8. True
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "true"
    • Description:

      An inspirational and aspirational word name that evokes ideas of loyalty, faith, honesty, and accuracy, True is a unisex name, which is just slightly more popular for boys. Like an updated form of Trudy and Prue and with the virtuous feel of Grace, Faith, and Hope, True was given to around 200 girls in 2024 (and about 225 boys).
  9. 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.
  10. Siri
    • Origin:

      Norse, diminutive of Sigrid
    • Meaning:

      "fair victory"
    • Description:

      Siri is a charming and lively Scandinavian name that is no longer on the table given the ubiquity of Apple's digital Siri. Too bad, because Siri -- along with variations Syrie and Cyrie -- is unique, enchanting, and adorable. But now taken.
  11. 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.
  12. Gala
    • Origin:

      Russian and Slavic feminine form of Galina
    • Description:

      Festive name of the wife of Salvador Dali. In Spanish, Gala comes from the Roman name Galla, a feminine form of Gallus meaning "rooster" or "a person from Gaul".
  13. Suvi
    • Origin:

      Finnish
    • Meaning:

      "summer"
    • Description:

      To the non-Scandinavian ear, a cute and unusual nickname name, used by Finnish supermodel Suvi Koponen. It has a zippy, yet sunny feel to it, and could make an interesting alternative to Susie.
  14. Mare
    • Origin:

      Variation of Maria and Mary
    • Meaning:

      "drop of the sea; bitter; beloved; love"
    • Description:

      A variation of Maria and Mary, used as a diminutive in Estonia, Croatia, Macedonia, The Netherlands, and Slovenia, and occasionally as a respelling of the Irish Máire. In the first instance, it may be pronounced MA-reh, while in the latter, it may be more like MA-r(y)uh.

      It could also be a form of Maren or Mairead, pronounced MEHR (like the word for a female horse).
  15. Inga
    • Origin:

      Norse
    • Meaning:

      "guarded by Ing"
    • Description:

      Ing was a powerful Norse god whose name inspired several modern variations -- though Inga has become a caricatured Scandinavian choice.
  16. Febe
    • Description:

      Febe is primarily a feminine name derived from the Greek name Phoebe (Φοίβη), meaning "bright" or "pure." In Greek mythology, Phoebe was a Titaness associated with the moon and prophecy, and the name was later mentioned in the New Testament as a Christian woman in the early church. Febe represents the spelling used in several European languages, including Italian, Spanish, and Dutch, where the 'ph' in Phoebe is replaced with 'f' following local phonetic patterns. While less common than the Phoebe spelling in English-speaking countries, Febe offers a simplified, international variation with the same classical origins. The name has a gentle, flowing quality with its two syllables and soft consonants.

  17. Alys
    • Origin:

      Welsh form of Alice, German
    • Meaning:

      "noble"
    • Description:

      Popular in Wales, familiar across the UK, and ultimately derived from the Germanic Adalheidis, this isn't a creative respelling of a classic, but the Welsh variant of it.
  18. Asya
    • Origin:

      Turkish; Russian and Bulgarian diminutive of Anastasia
    • Meaning:

      "Asia; resurrection"
    • Description:

      Asya has dual origins: it is both the Turkish word for Asia (the continent), and a short form of Anastasia in Russian and Bulgarian. Beyond that, it is a beautiful example of a "travelling light" name, in the style of Aria: short, elegant, and usable across different cultures.
  19. Nava
    • Origin:

      Hebrew, Spanish
    • Meaning:

      "beautiful; from Navarre or Nava"
    • Description:

      Short, sweet, and sparky, Nava has been slowly climbing up the US popularity charts in recent years, owing perhaps to its similarity to Nova, Ava, Navy, and Nevaeh. Used quietly but consistently from the 80s onwards, Nava was given to nearly 80 girls in 2023.
  20. Miri
    • Description:

      Miri is a charming feminine name with diverse cultural roots. In Hebrew, it means 'bitter' or 'rebellion,' though it's often associated with Miriam. In Swahili, Miri suggests 'mystery,' while in Japanese it can mean 'truth' or 'reason.' The name appears in various cultures, including as a Maori name meaning 'twine' or as a diminutive for Miriam or Miranda in Western contexts. Miri has gained appreciation for its brevity and melodic quality. In popular culture, the name received attention through characters in works like Star Trek. Its simplicity makes it easy to pronounce across languages, appealing to parents seeking a short but meaningful international name with a gentle, feminine sound.

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