One Syllable Names for Girls

Blayke is a feminine name that represents a modern, stylized spelling variant of Blake. Originally an English surname derived from Old English "blæc" meaning "black" or "dark," Blake became a masculine given name before crossing over to feminine usage in recent decades. The distinctive 'y' spelling gives this surname-turned-first-name a contemporary edge while maintaining the original pronunciation. Blayke has a strong, crisp sound that conveys a sense of confidence and individuality. This spelling variation has gained some popularity among parents seeking modern alternatives to traditional names. The name projects qualities of strength and uniqueness, fitting contemporary naming trends that favor surname-style names for girls. Its androgynous nature also appeals to families looking for gender-neutral options with a distinctive spelling.

Blayke

Properly spelled Luã, this is a light and bright alternative to mega-popular Luna, with the same celestial meaning. Lua is also an attractive choice for tech-heads, with Lua being a popular programming language.
 
In Roman mythology, Lua was a goddess to whom captured weapons were sacrificed, and is, in this case, derived from the Latin luo meaning "to set free", adding to that light, sweet feel of it. 
 
Familiar in Spain, particularly in Galicia and Catalonia, and in the Netherlands, Lua could even work as a short form for the likes of Lucia, Luana, Luciana, Luella, and so on.

Banks as a girls' name was brought into the lexicon by actress Hilary Duff and musician Matthew Koma, who chose it for their daughter, Banks Violet. As both a surname and a word name, Banks refers to financial establishments as well as river banks.

Banks

A rare but rising unisex name — used more often on baby girls.

Bayan

A fresh and gender-neutral take on Gen Z favorite Brooke, Brooks is a stylish and sleek choice. Currently in the US Top 100 for boys, Brooks is also given to 70 girls each year. A small number at the moment, but, with Harper, Avery, Emerson and Marlowe trending upwards, that number could increase in coming years. 
 
If you like the wordy, surname style of Brooks, you could also consider Bridgers, Baylor, Rivers, Truett, Rayne or Lark.

Brooks

Originally a feminine of John, Jean was popular in Scotland long before it found favor elsewhere, and had its most shining moment here in the era of Jean Harlow (born Harlean), ultimate symbol of silver screen glamour. Now, though there are many grandmas and even moms with the name, it doesn't seem all that baby-friendly. Though that could change, and Jean could join Jane.
 A perennial on the popularity list until it finally dropped off in 1994, Jean was in the Top 20 from 1922 to 1936 and ranks among the 100 most <a href="/list/653/100-most-common-names-for-girls">common names for girls</a> of the past century. It was extremely well-used as a middle name, as in Michael Jackson's song "Billie Jean" and tennis champ Billie Jean King, not to mention Hermione Jean Granger from Harry Potter/. It was also the actual first name of Scout Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. Maggie Smith shone in the 1969 film The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, and nickname Jeanie was commemorated in the Stephen Foster classic song "I Dream of Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair," as well as in the early sitcom, I Dream of Jeannie.

Jean

Jules is one of the adorable boyish nicknames newly fashionable for girls. It's rarer than Billie, with a cool and casual feel. It's use in the popular TV series Euphoria - where the character of Jules Vaughn was portrayed by Hunter Schafer - brought this name into the spotlight. 
 
TV personality Jules Asner made this middle-aged male name suddenly seem young and fresh and female, after having been an off-the radar-nickname for Julia and Julie. Author and wife of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver spells her name Jools, and we've also seen Joolz.

Jules

Hayes is a stylish surname name, reminiscent of vintage Hazel, contemporary Collins, nature-inspired Forest and Rivers, and older unisex favorites like Hayden, Reese, and Casey. While it has seen increased use for girls in recent years, it is predominantly used for boys.
 
Derived from an English surname meaning "hedged area", or possibly from the Irish Ó hAodha ("descendent of Aodh, descendent of the fiery one"), it was chosen for 70 girls in a recent year. By comparison, more than 2240 boys also received the name, meaning just three percent of all babies called Hayes were girls.

Hayes

Associated with the first light of the day, and more figuratively with new beginnings and fresh starts, Dawn's heyday came in the 1960s and 70s in the US, Canada and the UK. It had been in the charts since around the end of the First World War but really began to take off in the 1950s.
 
Derived from the Old English dagung, the name peaked at peaked in 1971 in the US, when it was given to more than 14,000 girls and sat within the Top 20. Shortly after, however, it began to decline and has since been eclipsed by other names with the same meaning, such as Aurora or Roxana, or by options with similar sentiments, like Nova or Alba. 
 
Given to 108 girls in a recent year, Dawn hasn't faded entirely from sight, and if you put aside its dated image, it could one day be a meaningful word name again.

Dawn

Kayce is a unisex name that was the fastest-rising boy name of 2022 — thanks to a male character on the hit show Yellowstone. This particular Kayce pronounces the name like Casey, which feels particularly approachable for a girl as well.

Kayce

In Japan the lotus is the Buddhist symbol of purity and perfection. In the US, Ren can also be short for Lauren or Renee, but it could be misspelt as the more popular Wren.

The Koi is a variety of carp especially popular in ornamental gardens in Japan, where they are a symbol of good fortune. In Buddhist culture, the koi is associated with courage. Being one letter away from trendy Kai boosts its prospects as one of the new <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/562/cool-unique-unisex-names">unique unisex names</a>.

Bea is a former old lady name that's cute again as a short form — and is now beginning to stand on its own. Bee is a variation that, like Bea, can work as a diminutive for any name that starts with the letter B, or in the middle. Bea actually stood alone on the popularity lists for four years at the beginning of the twentieth century — and it could happen again.
 Golden Girl Bea Arthur was born a Bernice.

A sweet, uplifting and still fairly uncommon modern virtue name. Its single syllable makes it especially good as a middle name, but it would also make a big impact in the first spot; in fact, nearly 90 girls in the US were called Bliss in a recent year.
 
Used to describe both a perfect state of happiness and spiritual blessedness, it can be viewed through a spiritual and a secular lens. Similar in feel to more popular word names like Dream, Blessing, and Heaven, and to more classic virtues like Blythe, Felicity, and Joy, it may appeal to those who want to celebrate the more blissful side of parenthood and the joy they hope their child will bring and experience.

Bliss

Queen has seen a revival in recent times, reaching its record high in 2018 with 280 births — it has remained steady since then. Previously, Queen saw a peak in the 1920s, but its origins go back even further than that. Queen was a noted name among enslaved people in America, along with other royal choices such as Duke, Squire, and Prince.


Queen

Psalm became a name by the power of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, who chose it for their younger son in 2019. As a spiritual word name however, it is a perfectly gender neutral choice that works just as well for girls. The name is now 7 times more popular than it was before Kim and Kanye put it on the map, and in a recent year, it was given to 40 girls and 120 boys.
 Deriving from the Greek word psalmoi, psalm translates to "the words accompanying instrumental music", and in a Christian context, it refers to the hymns and songs of praise in the Book of Psalms.
 
As a name, Psalm joins the growing list of spiritual words that <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/769/modern-christian-baby-names/all">contemporary Christian parents</a> are choosing for their children, among which Halo, Promise, and Blessing are in the Top 1000. While Psalm has yet to catch up with these just yet, it does hold appeal in that its reminiscent of the familiar Sam.

Psalm

Attractive Spanish name heard in the movie Spanglish. Roll that final r. Or say it the French way: Fleur.

Flor

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.

Emme

Nyah is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins, giving it rich multicultural significance. In Arabic, it's related to 'Nia' meaning 'purpose' or 'intention.' In Swahili traditions, it connects to similar meanings of 'purpose' or 'resolve.' Some associate it with Hebrew origins meaning 'beauty' or consider it a variation of the name 'Nya.' The name gained visibility in Western countries in the early 2000s, partly due to increased interest in distinctive multicultural names with concise, flowing sounds. Nyah features prominently in contemporary naming trends that favor short, vowel-rich names ending in 'ah.' Its international roots and melodic quality make it appealing to parents seeking a name that's both accessible and distinctive.

Nyah

Short and feminine, Ria has a rhythmic flow. 