English Names for Girls

Davi as a girls' name might be considered a way to honor an ancestral David. 

Davi

Depending on how you say it, either a streamlined version of Deanna, or the namesake of a male Dean. But today, why not name her Dean. 

Deana

Hunter is gaining favor among girls, as is Sutton, and for those in search of something less common, surname-style Hutton might just be the one, as it blends elements of both. Used quietly for boys since the 80s, it started to gain a little bit of traction in the 2010s, and the most recent count saw it given to around 52 boys. In comparison, it made its debut for girls back in 2011, and was given to 9 babies in a recent year.  Given its stylish sounds, it this number might rise. 

Hutton

A smoosh of the affectionate phrase "my angel", Myangel has been given to more than 480 babies since it first appeared in the US charts in 1997. It peaked in 2012 when 36 girls were given the name, while in a more recent year, it was chosen for 15.
 
While the sentiment is sweet, we'd advise going with Angel, Angelica, Angela, Seraphina, Evangeline, Angeline, or any An- name, and simply calling your daughter 'my angel' as a term of endearment.

Myangel

A spelling variation of the popular Romy, itself a short form for a number of including surname-style Romilly, vintage Rosemary, sassy Ramona, classic Rosamund and international choices such as Romaine, Romana, and Romola. In the UK, this spelling is current more popular for boys (in which case, it may come from Roman, Jerome, Romeo, or Romero), while in the US, it is used more often for girls.

Romey

The Shirley of the 1950s. Shelley Winters was born a Shirley. 

Shelley

Somehow, the S versions are even more passe than the C's. 

Sheryl

A wordy name with a name-y spelling, Steelie was chosen by influencer Tre Welsh for his daughter in 2025. Reminiscent of the word "steely", it may be associated with the durable metal, the color gray, and with a determined character.
 
While some may find it a little cold, it could also fit in with names like Sterling, Wynter, Bleu, and Stone.

Steelie

Peaceful and harmonious, Truce shot up the US charts for boys in 2024, when it was given to 230 babies compared to just six the previous year. To put that in perspective, Truce moved 11118 places up the charts.
 
Reflecting a wish for peace during turbulent times, Truce also entered the charts for girls in 2024, and a more recent year saw it given to 13 girls (compared to 331 boys).

Truce

You might view this one as an anti-virtue name, associated with conceit, pride, and a shallow obsession with one's own appearance. Add to that its second meaning, which connects it to futility and uselessness (as in, to try in vain), Vanity is probably not what most would want for their child.
 
And yet, more than 1800 babies in the US have received the name since the 80s, with 1988 seeing it given to a record 116 girls. For context, that meant it ranked alongside Skylar, Dani, Lois, and Juliette that year, while today it would be an equivalent to Amberley, Solene, Junie, Tamara, and Marielle.
 
While it has since declined, it did see more uptake in the late 2000s, when more than 50 girls were called Vanity in 2009 and 2010, and it was given to just shy of 20 girls in a recent count. It's appeal may well lie in the trendy -ty ending (think Serenity, Royalty, Felicity) and with the fashionable association to the magazine, Vanity Fair.
 
In fact, its original rise to fame coincided with the revival of the magazine in 1983, and may be the the reason for its continued use. Another possibility is that Vanity is being seen as a way to reclaim and celebrate self-love, and that parents are connecting it to vanity tables, make-up, and glamor.

Vanity

Wonder is a lovely quality for a modern virtue name. With ethereal word names like Dream and Love rising fast in the charts, Wonder feels right at home. Australian singer, Sia, used it as a middle name for her third daughter, Somersault Wonder. 
 
What you may be surprised to learn, however, is that Wonder first appeared in the US stats back in 1951 for girls (and 2019 for boys) and has been used in small numbers ever since. The most recent count saw it given 16 babies.

Wonder

Although the single-named singer is male, this might be a girl's nickname name or a sleek nature name that's perfect in the middle.

Beck

Bobby is a nickname-name that's long been used on its own for both girls and boys, though the Bobby spelling is more usually masculine while the girls' version is usually Bobbie. There were just over 50 baby girls named Bobbie in one recent year and only five named Bobby, compared with nearly 300 baby boys named Bobby. Robert F. Kennedy III and Amaryllis Fox named their daughter Bobby, continuing the family tradition across genders. And Millie Bobby Brown is a hot young actress.

Bobby

One of the most popular nicknames of the fifties and sixties — and who could forget the romantic heroine of "Wuthering Heights"? — now largely ignored in favor of Cate or Kate.

Cathy

A pretty and almost unique word name to add to the galaxy of astral appellations. More distinctive than the better-known Celeste, it was given fewer than ten baby girls in the US last year. While rare in English-speaking countries, Celestial is a Top 100 name for baby girls in France.
 
Celestial is also the title of several band albums, and is heard in the video game and comics worlds. For those wanting a literary tie, Celestial is a main character in Tayari Jones's popular novel, An American Marriage, her full name being Celestial Gloriana, after her mother, Gloria Celeste.

Celestial

A variation of the English surname, Graylin, this contemporary option was given to 6 girls in a recent year, while alternative spelling Graylynn was chosen for 16. 

Graylyn

An alternative to Gracelyn with a more unisex vibe, Graylynn is a modern invention, likely inspired by the surnames Grayland and Graylin. A recent year saw it given to 16 girls, while Graylyn was given to 6. It could be interpreted as meaning "gray land" or "gray lake", or perhaps "gray and pretty".

Graylynn

Laurelin is a name that may be viewed in two very different ways. On one hand, it's a modern creation, blending the popular element "-lin" with nature-inspired names, Laurel or Lauren. Also spelled as Lorilyn, Laurilyn, Laurelyn, and so on, it could be seen as a twist on medieval Laura diminutive, Laureline, or a modern compound name, giving it meanings such as "laurel lake" or "pretty laurel".
 
Alternatively, it is the name of one of the two holy trees in Tolkien's legendarium, whose golden fruit became the sun in Middle-earth. Meaning "song of gold" in the invented language of Quenya, the name peaked in 1978. While this does coincide with the uptake in Laureline, Lorilyn, and co., it also corresponds to the publication of The Silmarillion in 1977, a collection of (historical) tales from Tolkien's world, including the one above.

Laurelin

Truly multicultural choice that feels ripe for revival in this era of Traveling Lite names.
 
In English, Lona is a variation of Leona or Lena. The Scandinavian Lona is a diminutive for names like Abelone (the Danish Apollonia) and Magdalone (a form of Magdalena). German speakers use Lona as nickname for Apollonia, Ilona, and the like. And in Hawaiian mythology, Lona is another name for the lunar goddess Hina.

Lona

Just when we had written off Peggy as the eternal perky, pug-nosed prom-queen she projected from the 1920s into the fifties, along came Mad Men, with intriguing mid-century characters with names like Joan and Betty--and Peggy, causing a bit of a re-think. MM's proto-feminist Peggy Olson was followed by Amy Adams's strong Oscar-nominated Peggy Dodd character in The Master.
 Peggy has been used independently since the eighteenth century, later combined with other names such as Peggy Sue, made famous by the Buddy Holly song and the film Peggy Sue Got Married.
 Some notable namesakes who have gone by Peggy include jazz singer Peggy Lee (born Norma), art patron Guggenheim (born Marguerite), skater Fleming, and author/speechwriter Noonan (born Margaret).
 It's not likely that Peggy will ever regain the 31st position it held in 1937, but we can see it coming into somewhat wider use.

Peggy

English girl names dominate the popularity lists in the US, the UK, and other English-speaking countries, with Evelyn and Avery ranking among the top names in the US, and Poppy, Evie, and Grace charting in the UK.

English names for girls range from the down-to-earth and simple, like Lucy and Ann, to positively aristocratic-sounding, like Georgiana or Araminta. Some English girl names are 

, often drawn from nature, such as Hazel and Lilac.

include Addison, Audrey, Eleanor, Harper, Lillian, Lily, Lucy, Piper, and Scarlett.

 include Amelia — a long-time number-one name in the United Kingdom — Isla, Charlotte, and Alice.

English girls’ names may be English-language versions of names rooted in classic Greek, Latin, or Hebrew languages and cultures, such as Dorothy, Eleanor, and Evelyn, or classics that transcend fashion like Harriet, Jane, Madeline, and Pamela.

Whether you’re looking for a girl name that’s classic or contemporary, popular or rare, you can find an English name that suits your style in our complete list of English girl names. The names on this list are ordered according to their current popularity on Nameberry.

Names of English origin for baby girls, with meanings and popularity, including popular English girl names and unique English names for baby girls. (Page 37)

English Girl Names (with Meanings & Popularity)