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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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American Names

Girl Names

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  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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,
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Maleah

    • Origin:

      Variation of Malia

    • Description:

      Oh dear! We can see where you were going with connecting this name to the classic "Leah," but it just doesn't work. We recommend sticking with the classic Malia.
  7. Nichelle

    • Origin:

      American, contemporary variation of Michelle

    • Description:

      A modern twist on Michelle spotlighted by Star Trek actress Nichelle Nichols.
  8. Sojourner

    • Origin:

      French, English

    • Meaning:

      "to stay a while"

    • Description:

      African-American and women's rights activist Sojourner Truth was born as Isabelle into enslavement. She adopted her new name when she began traveling and preaching abolition in 1843. Sojourner is a heroine name that may, with the rise of spiritual word names such as Journey and Genesis, finally be ready for prime time.
  9. Janelle

    • Origin:

      American, modern elaboration of Jane

    • Description:

      It's far cooler to drop the first syllable and go for Elle.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. Saige

    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Sage

    • Description:

      What works for Paige just doesn’t work for Sage. The added i will likely create a lifetime of spelling mistakes.
  14. 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.
  15. Cimarron

    • Origin:

      Spanish, English

    • Meaning:

      "wild, untamed"

    • Description:

      Cimarron is a Great Plains city and river name used by Edna Ferber as the title of a popular novel. The Cimarron people of Panama were previously enslaved Africans who had escaped from their Spanish masters and lived together in defiance of colonial rule. In the 1570s, they allied with Francis Drake of England to defeat the Spanish conquest.
  16. Quvenzhané

    • Origin:

      Modern invented name from combining "Qulyndreia" and "Venjie"

    • Meaning:

      "Venjie"

    • Description:

      Made famous by Quvenzhané Wallis, the actress.
  17. 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.
  18. 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.
  19. Raylan

    • Origin:

      Modern invented name

    • Description:

      Raylan may be on the rise as a baby name thanks to (male) TV lawman Raylan Givens, but the name is also occasionally used for girls: the statistical gender split is 15 to 1. The -lan ending might be thought of as Lynn-like, with Raylan an updated spin on such midcentury concoctions as Rae-Lynn.
  20. Qulyndreia

    • Origin:

      Modern invented name

    • Description:

      Mother of rising star actress Quvenzhané Wallis.

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