Names That Mean Princess

Sadie started as a nickname for Sarah, but their images couldn't be more disparate. Where Sarah is serious and sweet, Sadie is full of sass and fun.

Sally is a cheerful, fresh-faced girl-next-door name that was originally a nickname for Sarah, but has long been used independently. Sally was popular in the eighteenth century and then again from the 1920s to the 1960s--it was just outside the Top 50 around 1940. Though it hasn't been heard as a baby name for decades, we can see Sally bouncing back, especially after her exposure as young Ms. Draper on Mad Men--the Nameberries rank it at Number 621, and it's a Top 100 name in Sweden.

Sarah was derived from the Hebrew word sarah, meaning "princess." Sarah is an Old Testament name—she was the wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac. According to the Book of Genesis, Sarah was originally called Sarai, but had her name changed by God to the more auspicious Sarah when she was ninety years old.

Orla is an Irish name closely associated with the high king Brian Boru, as it was the name of his sister, daughter and niece. It was very popular in the Middle Ages – the fourth most popular name in twelfth century Ireland – and has become popular again in Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales today. In Irish, the name is commonly spelled Orlaith or Orlagh.

This shimmery name, often given to girls born on the harvest feast of Shavuot, and also used in the Muslim community, is increasing in popularity. Amira is of Hebrew and Arabic origin, meaning "princess", and fits in well with a variety of trending names like Amara, Amaya, and Mira. Amira is in the Top 100 in several countries, including Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, and Hungary. In the US, Amira entered the Top 1000 in 1998 and has been rising since, now in the Top 250. Overall Amira is a gorgeous multicultural choice.

Sara, the streamlined form of Sarah, makes this ancient name feel more modern, but perhaps a bit lighter weight.

In the Old Testament, God changed Sarai's name to Sara, so this would make a clever and legitimate honor name for an ancestral Sarah. Sarahi is another pretty variation to make the connection even more clear.

When aspiring British writer Sadie Smith decided to change her name to the more distinctive and zippy Zadie at the age of fourteen, this attention-magnet name was born. But though it might sound like a modern initial-switch, Zadie was actually Number 539 in 1881, remaining in the Top 1000 for almost thirty years.

Suri, a once obscure name, hit the headlines when chosen by Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise for their daughter in 2007. Multi-cultural, it also means "the sun" in Sanskrit, "rose" in Persian, and is the name of the Andean Alpaca's wool, as well as a Yiddish form of Sarah, a title used for Jain monks, and a Japanese word for "pickpocket."

Sera is a truly international variation heard in Hebrew-speaking, Spanish and Italian cultures. Sera can also spelled Serah. Sera might also be a short form of Seraphina.

The French Miley? This trendy choice from Brittany, which is pronounced either as Miley or May-lee, is related to the traditional (male) saint's name Mael, traditionally feminized as Maelle.

In early, pre-Norman Ireland, this name was borne by both a sister and a niece of high king Brian Boru. Now, the English form Orla is more commonly used.

Original Gaelic form of Talulla, often connected with the Choctaw name Tallulah due to the similar sound and spelling.

Derived from Sarah, meaning "princess". A notable bearer is Zali Steggall, bronze medalist at the 1998 Winter Olympics and Australian politician.

Saina is related to many other international princess-related names, such as the Arabic Sana and the Hebrew Sarah. It was introduced to the wider world by the Indian Olympic badminton player Saina Nehwal.

The feminine form of Amir, a soft and regal baby name popular in the Muslim community.

A wonderful Yiddish diminutive of Sarah, most familiar to Americans as the name of Tevye’s eldest daughter in Joseph Stein’s Fiddler on the Roof.

Part of the trend for formerly canine royal names; this is one a little girl might love—up till the age of eight.

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.