the ultimate list of girl names
- Maite
Origin:
BasqueMeaning:
"beloved"Description:
A top ten choice in Chile and a popular name throughout the Spanish-speaking world, Maite is a mighty-sounding name with a soft and sweet meaning. It is also found as a contracted form of María Teresa or María Esther.
- Megumi
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"blessing"Description:
An Asian name not widely known in the West.
- Sharpay
Origin:
Popular cultureMeaning:
"sand skin"Description:
The name of the glamorous mean girl in "High School Musical", Sharpay is a spin on the dog breed Shar Pei, which means "sand skin" in Chinese. As such, it's a brilliant name joke skewering the practice of picking a name for its sound without considering what it means.
- Raizel
Origin:
YiddishMeaning:
"rose"Description:
The most popular flower name in Israel, though that popularity does not extend to the US.
- Ema
Origin:
Variation of Emma, German, JapaneseMeaning:
"universal; favor, benefit + flax"Description:
Streamlined and succinct, Ema is a multicultural choice with wide-reaching appeal and versatility.
- Madrigal
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"song for unaccompanied voices"Description:
Madrigal might be a pretty and highly distinctive choice for a child of a musical family--or for the parent looking for a less conventional path to the nickname Maddie than Madeline or Madison . Definitely more striking than Cadence or even the increasingly popular Aria.
- Arachne
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"spider"Description:
In Greek mythology, Arachne was a woman who bested Athena in a weaving competition. She later killed herself from the shame, but Athena reincarnated Arachne as a spider.
- Puck
Origin:
Literary nameDescription:
Puck, the mischievous sprite of Shakespeare, is a unisex name given more often to girls in The Netherlands and is also the name of one of the moons of Uranus, discovered in 1985 and named Puck for the Shakespearean figure.
- Jupiter
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"godfather"Description:
Jupiter may be known as the father of all the gods, but it's baby girls who have claimed his name for their own. Mythological and celestial baby names are hot across the board, so Jupiter was bound to rise in popularity. But the reason it's currently mostly female in the US is thanks to its similarities to the trendy feminine name Juniper.
- Ruri
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"lapis lazuli"Description:
Naming babies after precious gems as a protection against evil spirits is an ancient Japanese tradition.
- Nika
Origin:
Russian, diminutive of Veronika; Slovenian; Croatian, feminine form of NicholasDescription:
Enticing modern nickname name possibility.
- Chava
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"life"Description:
The Hebrew, Biblical form of Eve. While English speakers will likely find the forms Ava or Eve easier in everyday life, Chava is a lovely variation for a family that speaks Hebrew or Yiddish - plus, English speakers could always learn.
- Shira
Origin:
Hebrew, JapaneseMeaning:
"singing, song; poetry, excellent, white"Description:
A popular Israeli choice that could work across different languages, Shira comes from the Hebrew shir meaning "song." Some parents may be reminded of the animated heroine She-Ra, Princess of Power, from both the 1980s original and the 2018 reboot, however, they are not related.
- Umeko
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"plum-blossom child, patient"Description:
Unfamiliar Asian choice that can work for a parent in search of something really different.
- Genesis
Origin:
Word name, BiblicalMeaning:
"the origin and formation of something; The First Book in The Bible"Description:
With the sounds of Jennifer and Alexis, and the vibes of Eden and Serenity, Genesis is a Biblical inspired choice that has been popular in the US since the 2000s.
- Avani
Origin:
HindiMeaning:
"the good earth"Description:
A familiar name in India, Avani has a soft but spirited sound and an attractive meaning, perfect for lovers of nature and those looking for a name to celebrate the planet. Derived from the Sanskrit word for "earth", English speakers are likely to pronounce it with three syllables (UH-vah-nee), while in Hindi, it is said as AHV-nee and in Marathi as ah-VAH-nee.
- Kaliah
Description:
Kaliah is a beautiful feminine name with diverse cultural origins. It may derive from Hebrew, meaning "crown of laurels" or "laurel crown," symbolizing honor and achievement. In some interpretations, it's connected to the Arabic name Khalia, meaning "eternal." Kaliah has gained modest popularity in the United States since the early 2000s, appealing to parents seeking unique names with meaningful origins. The name fits well with the trend toward melodic, multi-syllabic girls' names ending in "ah" sounds. Kaliah offers the cute nickname options of "Kali" or "Lia," while maintaining its distinctive full form.
- Yeva
Origin:
Russian and Armenian variation of Eve, HebrewMeaning:
"life"Description:
A Top 10 name in Moscow. In Russian, the emphasis is put on the first syllable.
- Vittoria
Origin:
Italian variation of Victoria, LatinMeaning:
"victory"Description:
An appealing Italianate alternative to the classic queenly Victoria, though in Anglophone countries it will be forever misunderstood as Victoria. Could be an appealing long form for a girl called not Vicky or Tory but Vita.
- Nami
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"ocean wave"Description:
An aquatic Japanese choice that would work well cross-culturally. American parents are starting to pick up on this short and sweet international choice, with over 100 baby girls receiving this name per year.
/br> Fans of One Piece may recognize this name as the Straw Hat Pirates' navigator. In the US, NAMI is the acronym for the National Alliance on Mental Illness.