the ultimate list of girl names

A common name in Indonesia that would not work well in English-speaking countries, being too close to putrid or putty.

A lovely name with many possible meanings depending on the characters used. A common feature of Chinese names for both sexes.

Out-of-the-ordinary gemstone name derived from lapis lazuli, which is said to enhance awareness and intellect, impart ancient wisdom and cure many ailments, making it an interesting possibility for a blue-eyed girl. Lazuli — or Azure or Blue — are other options.

Simple and, yes, elegant -- until you think of the wrestlers.

A simple and seamlessly international choice with a joyful sound and beautiful meaning.

Remember Zuzu, the adorable little girl you watch every Christmas in "It's a Wonderful Life"? Here's a direct path to that nickname, a lot more zesty than the more familiar Susannah.

Pola is an international name that still bears the femme fatalish air of Polish-born silent screen vamp Pola Negri, whole birth name was Apolonia. Rarely used, she could join sisters Lola and Nola.

Cyane is a mythological Sicilian nymph who lived in a pool and whose name is an intriguing twist on the color name trend.

A streamlined spelling of Sophie, popular in several European nations, including Norway, Czechia, Denmark, and The Netherlands. While English speakers may say this as SO-fee, it may also be said as zo-FEE in German, so-FEE-uh in Danish and Norwegian and SO-fih-yeh in Czech.

The name Parastoo currently seems unusual to the Western ear, with that "too" ending rare in traditional English names. It is sometimes spelled Parastu. Pari or Parisa would make easier imports.

Calloway is more popular among boys, while Callaway takes the title for girls. Perhaps it's the built-in floral nickname Calla.

A plausible color name, it was chosen by the singer Sting as a middle name for his daughter, after a character in the Gormenghast fantasy trilogy, of which he's a big fan. Another bearer is Fuchsia Voremberg, a member of the BBC Show, Antiques Roadshow who specializes in diaries and manuscripts.

Sachiko was one of the first Japanese names familiar to Americans when it was used in the 1950s by actress Shirley Maclaine for her daughter, called the adorable short form Sachi. While Sachiko does not rank on the US Social Security baby names list, Sachi was given to 25 girls in the most recent year counted.

This title name has not taken off yet in the naming world as others like Duke, King, Royal, and Reign have. Duchess was the name of the elegant and sophisticated cat in the classic Disney film, The Aristocats.

Saar is a very popular girls' name in The Netherlands, where it's an abbreviated form of Sarah. The Dutch feminine Saar, pronounced sahr, is distinct from the Hebrew place-name Saar used for boys in Israel.

Famous as the long-suffering wife of the philosopher Socrates.

A common Indonesian name that is sometimes (as with Mary here) joined with another, as in 'Ayu' and 'Tyas,' which becomes 'Ayuningtyas' and means beautiful heart.

This Hawaiian name gracefully celebrates the force of nature, paying tribute to the ocean. If you're looking for unique names that mean ocean, this should be on your short list.

This sweet and simple name has origins in both Yiddish and Slavic, each with an equally appealing meaning.

An international form of the popular Sophia, used predominantly in East Slavic and East Baltic languages. Sofija featured in the most recent top baby names stats for a number of countries, including Macedonia, Lithuania, Slovenia, and Latvia.