Most of the notable Rivers have been male, but this nature name certainly flows as well for a girl. The name River is still rising for both genders, with about 3500 baby boys receiving the name last year vs. 1900 baby girls.

Among a small shower of rain-related names, this pure version can have a cool, refreshing image.

Talented actress Rooney Mara (originally born Patricia Rooney) has single-handedly transformed this Gaelic surname into a wearable and elegant girls' name. Often said to mean "red-haired", the original surname, rendered as O' Ruanaidh, actually means "descendent of the champion". Trivia note: the most famous Rooney, Mickey Rooney, was originally born Joseph Yule.

With its surname-style, literary feel, and similarity in sound to Finley, Juniper, Pippa, Riley, and Presley, Ripley is an unexpected choice that was given to more than 200 girls in each recent year. First used back in the 80s, thanks to the powerful character played by Sigourney Weaver in the Alien films, it began to be used more substantially in the 2000s, after it was chosen by actress Thandiwe Newton for her daughter.

With vintage names on the rise and recent data suggesting that the US is following the UK trend of nicknames-as-given-names, Ruthie joined Goldie, Daisy, and Nellie on the US Top 1000 list in 2023.

If you're looking for an unusual alternative to all those Rose names, Rhoswen might be a good choice. This name has the soft sounds we've come to love from the Welsh language but is still not as familiar as Bronwen and Rhiannon.

Rudy hasn't yet enjoyed the comeback of cousin name Ruby, despite having been chosen by hip couple Sadie Frost and Jude Law, but it still could happen.

Audacious offshoot of Roxanne, the wayward heroine of the musical Chicago.

Between 1980s-era television private eye Remington Steele and Remington Arms, this name might seem all-boy. But in 2014, Remington entered the US girls' Top 1000, and it's been rising since.

Short for Rocco or perhaps Rochelle, this bold nickname has a more peaceful meaning: "rest". But it doubles up as a word name with a wild and edgy sound – especially for girls.

With its soft sounds, its unisex appeal, and its nature connection, Rowan has become a very popular name for both boys and girls, given to nearly four boys for every girl. The Rowen variation maintains the same gender split but is much less popular for both sexes, with nearly four times as many babies named Rowan as Rowen.

In the US, the multicultural surname Roe is primarily associated with the landmark Supreme Court case Roe vs. Wade, which granted the federal right to abortion, though elsewhere it might be associated with fish eggs or a small breed of reddish deer.

An attractive North Carolina unisex place name, Raleigh's soft sound is particularly appropriate for a girl.

Revel is a joyous word name that may appeal to parents wanting a non-traditional Biblical choice or simply a name that expresses how they feel.

Runes are symbols in ancient Germanic alphabets. They are often viewed as mysterious and therefore as a name, Rune imparts a feeling of folkloric mystery. As intriguing as that might be, the homonym ruin creates a lot of teasing potential.

For parents who hope their child will one day carve their own path.

Most graceful of the Raz names, relates to Graziella.

Lots of charm.

A feminine form of Rufus, which has potential in the current trend for ancient Roman names.

Could be seen as extravagantly ecstatic for a baby name, though feel free to rhapsodize about your little girl, whatever her name.