English Names for Girls

A traditional nickname for Richard, popular in the 60s, Richie joins Scottie and Stevie as "boyish"-nickname-names for girls. Used occasionally in the 20th-century, it re-entered the US charts in 2022 and a recent year saw it given to 12 girls. 



Richie

A sound-alike to Scarlett, Starlette might be considered a word name, associated with actresses on the brink of stardom, or it may be an elaborate form of Star, with the diminutive -lette suffix. Instagrammer and TikTok star Teddy (Sierra) Graham used the name for her daughter in 2025, though the name has been used for a handful of girls (nearly) every year since 1949.

Starlette

Pre-Thomasina female form of Thomas, now seen as more literary and upscale British. In Thomas Hardy's novel The Return of the Native, a leading character is Thomasin Yeobright.

Thomasin

Velvet is a name that couldn't possibly be softer or more luxuriant. Many people have fond memories of it via the character of Velvet Brown, played by the young Elizabeth Taylor in National Velvet, an intrepid young woman willing to masquerade as a boy to race her horse in a dangerous steeplechase.
 Velvet actually had a brief sojourn on the Social Security list, from 1961 to 1964. Now, double trending as both a 'V' name and a word name might give Velvet a boost.

Velvet

Time was, even C-starting Catherines who called themselves Kate spelled it with a K, but Cate Blanchett changed all.  Cate is now as acceptable as (but not as well used as) Kate. Cait might be short for Caitlin.

Cate

A surname style choice, familiarly used in the UK, Darcey is a variation of Darcy and Darcie. Popularized by ballerina Darcey Bussell, it currently ranks in the Top 400 in the UK, below the aforementioned -y and -ie spellings. 
 
A name with two meanings, it may be derived from the Irish O'Dorchaidhe, meaning "dark one", or the French d'Arcy, meaning "from the town of Arcy".

Darcey

Cute nickname name used by Woody Harrelson for his daughter, but does have possible association with Denny's. 

Deni

Old-fangled nickname could make dot.com era short form or middle name. 

Elizabella is a much more obscure smoosh than sisters Isabella and Annabelle, but the megapopularity of Isabella may give this unusual combo name a boost.

Elizabella

A name with various origins, Elmira combines the sounds of multicultural Mira with the popular El- beginning. Despite this, the name is rarely heard in the US, though it does rank in the Top 100 names in Azerbaijan. 
 
On one hand, Elmira has Turkish and Persian origins, and is likely made up of the elements el, meaning "homeland, nation, country" and amir meaning "prince" or "commander". Put together, the name begins to feel bold and powerful, with a meaning that has been translated as "ruler of the people".
 
Alternatively, it has Spanish and Germanic roots, and is a contracted form OF Edelmira, meaning "noble and famous", or perhaps "noble peace". 
 
As a Russian name, it is made up from the phrase elektrifikatsiya mira meaning "electrification of the world". This was created by communist parents which may explain why it hasn't remained popular today.
 
Elmira is also the name of multiple places in the US and Canada, including Elmira, New York, where Mark Twain was buried in 1910. The name did rank in the US Top 1000 until the 1930s, but more recently, it has only been given to around 10 girls each year.

Elmira

Ettie or Etty works as a nickname for any name with a prominent "et" sound, usually at the end: think Henrietta, Juliette or Colette. The -ette ending is a French diminutive suffix.

Ettie

A blending of color name Gray with popular suffix -lee, Gray has the feel of Baylee, Kaylee, and Haylee. It joins a number of Gray- related choices including Graylynn, Grayson and Graycee.

Graylee

Gypsy, long associated with the intellectual stripper Gypsy Rose Lee and the musical that was made about her life, was used by Drea de Matteo and Shooter Jennings as the middle name of their daughter Alabama. Be aware, however, that the word gypsy is now considered an ethnic slur when used for the Romani, or Roma, people.

Gypsy

A fun and confident choice, Holiday is a celebratory name, particularly associated with Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannukah, and New Year, and with rest, leisure, and vacations more generally. Fitting for a winter baby, but totally sunny too, it comes from the Old English hāligdæg meaning "holy day" as it was originally used to mark religious festivals and celebrations.
 
A quietly used option since the 50s, jazz singer Billie Holiday lends the name an element of glamor too, while familiar nickname Holly keeps it grounded. In a recent count, just 21 girls were called Holiday in the US, making this a rare choice that doesn't sound too out there.

Holiday

The contemporary and beachy Coast with an even more modern make-over, Koast first appeared in the US stats for girls in 2023. Given to 11 baby girls (and 95 boys), the name may rise in coming years, if its wordy counterpart continues to climb too.
 
Instagrammer and travel blogger Becca Ingle chose Koast Amzi for her third child in 2025.

Koast

An emerging unisex surname name. Radley is more common for boys — it could be seen as an updated version of Bradley — but for girls, it's a rare alternative to Hadley and Adley. Radley is also a literary name via To Kill a Mockingbird, the surname of mysterious recluse Boo Radley.

Radley

This common variation of Tanya makes it less international and more ordinary. 

Tonya

Tucker is used far more often as a boy name and has ranked as such in the US Top 1000 since the late 1970s. However, it has also been given to a small but consistent number of girls each year since the mid 90s. Chosen for 11 girls in 2024, compared to more than 1700 boys, Tucker might also work as a fun, boyish-nickname for the likes of Octavia or Tallulah, in the same way Flick might be used for Felicity or Max for Matilda. 
 
The name is considered an occupational surname, borne by someone who cleaned and thickened raw cloth and who pleated fabric.

Tucker

This jazzy old name could make a comeback, the way Josephine and Ella have. In England the name was popularized by Queen Victoria's daughter Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, after whom her governor general of Canada husband named the North American province. Jazz singer Alberta Hunter  was a noted bearer.

Alberta

Allena may feel like a somewhat antiquated feminization, though Allen itself is a tad old-fashioned. In many ways, Allena -- pronounced ah-LEN-ah -- feels more appealing that Alana or ah-LAH-ah.

Allena

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 38)

English Girl Names (with Meanings & Popularity)