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American Names for Girls

Pamela Redmond
By Pamela Redmond
Updated Thu Sep 14 2023

American names for girls, in the context of this list, means names that are American in origin. They are often modern invented names like Kaylee or Janae.

American names for girls, then, don't have quite as long as history as some other girls names. But that doesn't mean that American girls names aren't worth considering. The American names for girls on our list below are ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.

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  1. Wrenley

    • Origin:

      Modern invented name, English

    • Meaning:

      "small songbird; wren's meadow"

    • Description:

      Inspired by the sweet but solid bird name Wren, this longer form has been storming up the charts since 2018. Given to just 13 girls back in 2014, a decade later in 2024, it ranked in the Top 150 and was chosen for more than 1900 girls. It's initial appearance in the stats back in 2013 may have been inspired by the character Renly in Game of Thrones but it has since become a name with its own identity,
  2. Emory

    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Emery, English from German

    • Meaning:

      "industrious"

    • Description:

      A child will find this name is neat, easy to pronounce, and able to fit in with the crowd.
  3. Kaylee

    • Origin:

      American variation of Kayla

    • Meaning:

      "laurel, crown"

    • Description:

      A widely used name, Kaylee pulls together something from Kayla and something from Hailey, yet somehow loses something in the process. It has surpassed cousin Kayla on the charts and is one of three girls' names starting with Kthat ranks in the US Top 100.
  4. Ashlyn

    • Origin:

      Variation of Aislinn, Irish

    • Meaning:

      "dream"

    • Description:

      Though it relates to the Irish original, Ashlyn and its next most popular form, Ashlynn, owe more of their popularity as baby names in the US to the megastar Ashley, though all three have been dropping on the charts lately.
  5. Miley

    • Origin:

      Modern invented name

    • Description:

      One-time overnight success name, thanks to Hannah Montana actress and singer Miley Cyrus, Miley fell just as quickly from her peak of Number 127 in 2008 as the star entered her rebellious era.
  6. Janelle

    • Origin:

      American, modern elaboration of Jane

    • Description:

      It's far cooler to drop the first syllable and go for Elle.
  7. Amia

    • Origin:

      Variation of Amy

    • Description:

      This Amy/Mia combination debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2013. It could also be seen as a variant of Amaya.
  8. Maeby

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Mae

    • Description:

      Maeby sprang into the modern consciousness via the cult TV favorite Arrested Development, in which the appealing teen character Maeby's name is a nickname for Mae. It's also a homonym for Maybe, which undercuts its inherent cuteness. Is Maeby prime for a real life baby name? Sorry, but we can't resist: Maybe.
  9. Sundae

    • Origin:

      Word name

    • Description:

      I'm sure the parents of the six little girls named Sundae in the US last year were thinking, "well, if Nicole Kidman can use Sunday..." In this case, we think the day of the week spelling is preferable to the dessert spelling.
  10. Vanellope

    • Origin:

      Invented name

    • Description:

      Vanellope is a Disney creation, given to the protagonist of "Wreck it Ralph" and now a character on Sugar Rush. She is energetic, tomboyish and very sassy. Read more about Vanellope and other Disney Princess Names in our featured blog.
  11. Kimber

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Kimberley

    • Description:

      This diminutive of Kimberley is gaining momentum as a standalone name. For our part, we're stumped by its rise.
  12. Marilee

    • Origin:

      English combination of Mary and Lee

    • Meaning:

      "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + meadow"

    • Description:

      Marilee is one of the cheeriest – if least substantial – combinations of Mary with another name.
  13. Kadence

    • Origin:

      Variation of Cadence, word name

    • Meaning:

      "rhythm, beat"

    • Description:

      K-beginnings are often substituted for Cs, and this spelling is definitely finding favor with many parents, among them skateboarding legend Tony Hawk. However, sometimes the original is the best - we suggest sticking to the still unusual Cadence.
  14. Kierra

    • Origin:

      American, invented name

    • Description:

      Adding an extra 'R' to Kiera makes it rhyme with the fashionable Sierra. Kierra is a more distinctive choice than Kiera, Keira, or Kyra, all similarly pronounced, but there may be some pronunciation confusion.
  15. Tippi

    • Origin:

      Invented nickname

    • Description:

      Tippi is best known as the nickname of actress Tippi Hedren, star of Hitchcock's "The Birds" and "Marnie." Hedren's real name was Nathalie Kay; her father dubbed her Tippi. Although the name will inevitably be reminiscent of Hedren, it could make a cute short form for a name such as Tiffany or Philippa.
  16. Janae

    • Origin:

      American, modern elaboration of Jane or Jan

    • Description:

      Adds a soupcon of French flair to some old classics with the currently trendy ae ending.
  17. Jorja

    • Origin:

      Modern American phonetic spelling of Georgia

    • Description:

      This simplified form of the lovely name Georgia was spotlighted by the actress Jorja Fox, and seems to be making inroads; rocker Bret Michaels chose it for his daughter. Still, we'd opt for the traditional spelling.
  18. Brooklynn

    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Brooklyn, place name from Dutch

    • Meaning:

      "marshland"

    • Description:

      This extra-N variation matches up with the current preferred spellings of Oaklynn, Raelynn, and Adalynn, however it has always been outranked by popular Brooklyn. Though both spellings have trended downwards since their peak in 2011, Brooklyn maintains its place in the US Top 100, while Brooklynn lags behind in the #300s.
  19. Averi

    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Avery

    • Description:

      That i adds some extra spunk to mega popular Avery. It also adds some pronunciation confusion (as it could be pronounced AV-er-ee or AV-er-eye). We suggest sticking with the original Avery.
  20. Laylah

    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Leila

    • Description:

      This spelling variation of the name only recently entered the Top 1000 in 2008. The popular Layla is currently very popular in the United States, while the more traditional Leila is also widely used. The added h at the end of this version could be considered superfluous, possibly leading to confusion down the road.

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