Three Syllable Names for Girls

An appealing new addition to the positive, spiritual word names that are in style now — with the added bonus of Remi as a nickname. Remedy is rising fast, up nearly 350 places from 2022 to 2023.

Remedy

Many will associate Rihanna with the Barbados-born singer, known mononymously by her middle name. During her early years of fame, when "Umbrella" was on the radio and "Take a Bow" was playing through the iPod Shuffle, the name shot up the charts in the US, UK, France, and Puerto Rico. Though the name did fall out of the charts as rapidly as it entered and while some parents might feel it is way too tied to the mid-2000s, Rihanna was given to 165 babies in 2023.
 
Rihanna isn't simply a music-inspired choice, however; it's an Arabic name, deriving from Rayhana, meaning "basil". Like Aaliyah and Leila, it is used cross-culturally, with several spelling variations cropping up, including Rihana, Rianna, Reanna, and Rhianna - though they may also be boosted up by their similarity to Welsh Rhiannon.
 
With its nature-inspired meaning and its sweet but strong sound, Rihanna could easily work on a baby born today.

Rihanna

Sianna is a modern feminine name with several possible origins. It may be a variant of Siena (referring to the Italian city), a feminine form of Sean (meaning "God is gracious"), or related to names like Shiana or Shyanne. Some consider it a blend of Sia and Anna, combining the best of both short names. With its flowing sound and balanced two-syllable structure, Sianna feels contemporary yet accessible. The name has gained modest usage in recent decades, particularly appealing to parents seeking something melodic that works well across cultures. While not among top-ranking names, Sianna offers a fresh alternative to more common choices like Sienna or Brianna while maintaining a familiar sound pattern.

Sianna

Ahana is a feminine name with diverse cultural origins. In Sanskrit, it means "dawn" or "first rays of the sun," giving it beautiful symbolism related to new beginnings and light. The name also appears in some African cultures with varied meanings. Ahana has gained increased recognition in India and among the Indian diaspora, particularly in recent decades. Its melodious sound with soft vowels makes it appealing across different languages. While still relatively uncommon in Western countries, the name has seen growing international interest due to its beautiful meaning and multicultural appeal. Ahana strikes a balance between uniqueness and accessibility, with a contemporary feel despite its ancient roots. The name carries positive associations with brightness, hope, and the promise of a new day.

Ahana

In all its iterations, this name is on the rise. Ariana and Arianna are both highly popular choices in the US, and as with other popular appellations, creative spellings are inevitable. The trendy y in place of the i might be tempting, but anyone bearing this spelling will constantly be correcting people who assume one of the two dominant versions. This form was given to around 100 girls in a recent year and is borne by reality TV star, Aryanna Sierra.

Aryanna

Evelin

Gianella is a new compound name on the rise for baby girls, up more than 1000 places from 2022 to 2023 though still hiding beneath the Top 1000. 

We see this as a new honor name for grandpa John or grandma Joan, picking up on the popularity of Gianna and other Gia-beginning Italian forms.

Gianella

A pretty, if unusual choice for a summer baby, particularly a girl with an ancestor named Ida. An epithet of the goddess Aphrodite, Idalia is derived from the Greek place name Idalion.
 
It may also be considered a Germanic and Polish name however, in which case it is an elaboration of Ida, from idal meaning "work". 
 
Idalia is currently attracting more attention after being featured in the Netflix series From Scratch, while others may have heard of it due to Hurricane Idalia, a major storm in the US in 2023.

Idalia

As Legacy heats up for girls, new variations are being put into play — chief among them is Legaci.

Legaci

Malina is a synthetic-feeling name that may be a feminization of the Scottish Malcolm or a spelling twist on the Greek Melina and that also has a fruit meaning in several Eastern European languages.  For all that it's a little bit of lots of things, Malina doesn't feel very much like itself.

Malina

As Theodore gets more popular for boys (it's now in the Top 10, and may even reach Number 1), Theodora is becoming more widely-used for girls, which means various spellings and short forms will spring up. 

About 360 baby girls were named Theodora last year, versus about 75 given the Theadora spelling -- and nearly 1000 called Thea. If you're looking for a formal name that gets you to short form Thea, this spelling might make sense. Nickname Teddi or Teddie is also trending.

Theadora

An international variation of Sophia that ranks in  the Top 10  in Poland and the Top 1000 in England and Wales. Zosia is a charming diminutive. 

Zofia

Though still being used, Deanna peaked many decades ago. 

Deanna

This variant of Jocelyn adds an extra n but not much else. It's declining numbers over the past five years indicate it may be best to stick with the popular and traditional Jocelyn, which currently ranks at Number 133 in the US.

Jocelynn

Part Lilith, part Elizabeth, part Lily, with a bit of Lilibet and Lizeth thrown in, this sweet but sharp name was a fast rising choice in 2024, when it was given to 133 girls in the US, compared to the 14 it was chosen for in the year prior. 
 
Possibly inspired by the rise of Arleth and similar, Lilieth could be a contracted form of Elizabeth, a spin on Lilith to separate it from its darker associations, or a variant of Liliette, an invented name combining 'Lily' with the diminutive suffix -ette. As such, its means range from the spiritual "God is my oath", to the intriguing "of the night", to the sweet "little lily".
 
Globally, Lilieth is most familiar in Jamaica and Costa Rica.

Lilieth

One of the many -lani names to be created in recent years, this one a variation of JWOWW's invention Meilani.
 
The -lani name craze is thanks to the beautiful Hawaiian name Leilani, which has inspired numerous spinoffs. Those starting with M are particularly abundant, as they combine the familiar name Melanie with the Hawaiian suffix.

Mailani

Novaleigh is a contemporary feminine name that represents a modern creation combining elements of 'Nova' (meaning 'new' in Latin) and the popular suffix 'leigh.' This melodic name conveys a sense of newness, brightness, and uniqueness. As a relatively recent addition to the naming landscape, Novaleigh reflects the 21st-century trend toward crafting distinctive names with meaningful elements. The astronomical connection to 'nova' (a star that suddenly increases in brightness) adds a celestial quality to the name. While still uncommon, Novaleigh appeals to parents seeking something fresh and distinctive with a feminine sound but without centuries of historical usage or predictable popularity patterns.

Novaleigh

Rosaline, which can be pronounced to rhyme with mine or mean in its final syllable, has a deeper, richer pedigree than it might seem.  Rosaline was used twice by Shakespeare and was also used in the poetry of Edmund Spenser. While we prefer the stronger-sounding Rosalind or Rosamund, Rosaline deserves another contemporary look.

Rosaline

Addalyn is a modern feminine name that emerged in the United States in the early 2000s. It appears to be a creative variant of Adeline or Madelyn, combining elements of popular names with the trendy '-lyn' suffix. The root 'Adal' comes from Germanic origins meaning 'noble' or 'nobility.' Addalyn gained modest popularity in the 2010s, particularly in the southern United States, as part of the trend toward elaborate versions of classic names. The name appeals to parents seeking something familiar yet distinctive. Though still relatively uncommon compared to similar names like Addison or Madelyn, Addalyn offers a sweet, feminine sound while maintaining the vintage charm of its root names, with a contemporary spelling that sets it apart.

Addalyn

Annaleigh is a feminine name combining the classic Anna (from Hebrew, meaning 'grace' or 'favor') with the suffix -leigh, a variation of Lee meaning 'meadow' or 'clearing.' This blend creates a pretty, flowing name with traditional roots but a contemporary feel. 

Annaleigh gained moderate popularity in the early 2000s as parents sought familiar-sounding yet distinctive names. There were nearly 100 baby girls named Annaleigh in the US last year, with twice as many named Annalee and half as many called Analee.

For short, Annaleigh can become Anna, Leigh, or Annie.

Annaleigh

 abound on Nameberry, with over 10,000 names on this list containing three syllables.

That's an overwhelming number of choices of names for baby girls with three syllables, which provide a good balance for shorter surnames.

To help narrow down your choice, see our list of The Best 

The full list of over 10,000 three syllable names for baby girls, with meanings, origins, and popularity, including top 3 syllable girl names and unique girl names with three syllables. (Page 47)

Three Syllable Girl Names