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Girls

  1. Emerson

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "son of Emery"

    • Description:

      The combination of Emily and Emma's popularity -- and the fact that Desperate Housewives star Teri Hatcher's daughter is named Emerson -- have put this formerly strictly boys’ name, embodying the gravitas of Ralph Waldo Emerson, in the limelight for girls.
  2. Brooklyn

    • Origin:

      English Place name from Dutch

    • Meaning:

      "marshland"

    • Description:

      Extreme makeover: Brooklyn has gone from jokey Borough Boy name in the 1990s to a leading girls' name starting with B. The status of New York's Brooklyn as hipster heaven is ironic as few bona fide Brooklyn hipsters would choose this name.
  3. Arielle

    • Origin:

      French variation of Ariel

    • Meaning:

      "lion of God"

    • Description:

      While not as popular as the Ariel spelling of Little Mermaid fame, this rendition has achieved popularity in its own right.
  4. Payton

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "fighting man's estate"

    • Description:

      Rarely used until the 90s, Payton rose up the charts when it was popularized by the football star, Peyton Manning, and, interestingly, by the character of "Peyton Flanders", the villainess of the 1992 film, The Hand That Rocks The Cradle.
  5. Linden

    • Origin:

      English tree name

    • Meaning:

      "tree of the genus Tilla"

    • Description:

      Though this name of a sturdy tree that can live for centuries was quite popular for boys in the first half of the twentieth century, at this point in time we can see Linden as a fresh-sounding possibility for a little girl named to honor an Aunt Linda. Early pagans and Christians embraced the Linden as a holy tree, thought to aid healing and often planted near churches. The Linden is the mythological symbol of truth, peace, and justice; court cases and marriage ceremonies were often held beneath Linden trees. The Linden tree is associated with the goddess Freya.
  6. Raegan

    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Reagan, Irish

    • Meaning:

      "little king"

    • Description:

      Less popular than Reagan, but more popular than Regan, Raegan is a spelling option for the popular Irish surname. It followed Reagan up the charts in the 90s, perhaps due to its similarity to Morgan, but in recent years, use of Raegan has declined
  7. Kennedy

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "misshapen head"

    • Description:

      This attractive surname name still projects that Kennedy family charisma. While it didn't come into widespread use until long after the deaths of martyred heroes President John F. or Senator Robert Kennedy, Kennedy is now one of the most popular unisex names for girls as well as the top girls' name starting with K. This is one name that manages to sound trendy and classic at the same time.
  8. Allison

    • Origin:

      Scottish, diminutive of Alice

    • Meaning:

      "noble"

    • Description:

      Widely used here since the 50s, Allison — a derivative of Alice — has now been once again surpassed by the original Alice as parents embrace vintage revivals. Despite this, Allison's popularity has slipped only slightly.
  9. Adalyn

    • Origin:

      Variation of Adeline

    • Meaning:

      "noble one"

    • Description:

      Adalyn is one of a large group of Ad-beginning names for girls, which include Adeline and Adalynn and Adelaide and Addison — essentially, anything leading to the popular nickname Addie is in. Adalyn is a beautiful name, but be prepared to have to spell it out for people often. Adalyn entered the charts in 2007 and rose quickly, but has been fairly steady in the mid 100s for nearly 10 years now.
  10. Tate

    • Origin:

      Norse

    • Meaning:

      "cheerful"

    • Description:

      Though Tate is used almost exclusively for boys, we can see Tate as a stronger surname alternative to Kate or a clipped form of Tatum.
  11. Mya

    • Origin:

      Variation of Maia, Maya, or Mia, Greek, Scandinavian, Hebrew, Burmese

    • Meaning:

      "mother; larger, greater; bitter, beloved; emerald"

    • Description:

      This distinctive spelling was popularized by the R&B singer Mya (Harrison) and entered the US Top 100 in 2009 after the singer appeared on Dancing with the Stars. While it has since declined in the US, it remains in the Top 100 in France, the Top 200 in Belgium, and the Top 300 in England and Wales.
  12. Rebekah

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "to tie, bind"

    • Description:

      Many parents prefer this spelling of Rebecca, used in some versions of the Bible. Still, it's slipped considerably since its heyday in the eighties and nineties and fell off the US Top 1000 completely in 2023.
  13. Chase

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "to hunt"

    • Description:

      Chase is starting to be seen on a handful of girls each year, and has been heard as a nickname to Chelsea.
  14. Hunter

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "one who hunts"

    • Description:

      This surname gained momentum in the 1990s, when it was particularly in vogue for males. However, it seems to be experiencing a surge for females—it was one of the fastest-rising names of 2013, jumping 266 spots back into the Top 1000.
  15. Kyla

    • Origin:

      Feminine variation of Kyle, Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "narrow spit of land"

    • Description:

      Kyle is stronger and sharper, though many parents will prefer the more distinctly feminine Kyla for their daughters. Kyla may owe much of its popularity to trendy cousin Kayla.
  16. Auden

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "old friend"

    • Description:

      A softly poetic surname name, associated with poet W.H., Auden is enjoying quiet but marked fashion status. It was chosen for his daughter by Noah Wyle and is definitely one to watch.
  17. Emilie

    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Emily; German and Scandinavian feminine form of Aemilius

    • Description:

      Unlike most creative spellings, this one isn't overly trendy or overdone—in fact, it's quite delicate and pretty. However, it is clearly suffering from the plethora of similar names that are flowing around right now (Emelie, Emilia, Emily, Emilee, Amelie, Amelia) and has fallen more than 300 spots since 2013. It might be time for Emilie and her sisters to be left alone for a while.
  18. 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.
  19. Matea

    • Description:

      Matea is a feminine name with multiple cultural roots. In Slavic countries, particularly Croatia, it's the feminine form of Matej or Matthew, meaning "gift of God." It also appears in Spanish and Italian communities with the same biblical connection. The name has a warm, melodic quality with its three syllables and soft ending. Matea blends traditional roots with a contemporary sound, making it appealing to parents seeking something with historical depth yet not overly common. The name travels well across different languages and cultures while maintaining its distinct character. In recent years, Matea has gained modest popularity in various European countries but remains refreshingly uncommon in English-speaking regions.

  20. 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.