Latin Names for Girls

The simplified spelling of Monica gives the name a modern, streamlined feel while maintaining the recognizable pronunciation. Monca's rarity makes it distinctive, appealing to parents seeking an uncommon variation of a familiar name. The name has a pleasant sound with its two syllables and straightforward pronunciation. While unconventional in spelling, Monca retains connections to the more traditional Monica, which gained popularity through Saint Monica and remained a steadily used name throughout Western countries.

Monca

Light, sweet, and multicultural, Nemi is a simple name with a complex etymology. It notably appears as the title character of a 90s comic strip, drawn by Lisa Myhre, who likely took the name from an Italian lake. The lake in question, Lake Nemi, likely takes its name 
from the Latin nemus "holy wood", and was the site of a Roman temple to the goddess Diana.
 
Alternatively, Nemi can be a Japanese name, meaning "sound of the waves" or "sound of the truth", or a variation of the Biblical Naomi, via alternative form, Noemi, meaning "pleasant". Others attribute it to the Nahuatl element, nemi meaning "to live, to dwell", to the Sanskrit nemí meaning "rim of a wheel", or the Latin Nemo meaning "nobody",.

Nemi

Sidonia is a feminine form of the Ancient Roman habitational name Sidonius. Sidonie is the French form, which sounds similar to the recently trendy Sydney but comes from a different root. An original way to honor grandpa Sid.

Sidonia

An elaborate form of Vesper, taken from the Latin word for evening, and used to describe a Christian evening prayer. This form may be more specifically tied to the Esperanto Vespera. 

Vesperia

Sophia Rose combines two classic feminine names to create a beautiful double name that balances traditional elegance with floral grace. Sophia, of Greek origin meaning 'wisdom,' has remained consistently popular across cultures and eras, experiencing a significant resurgence in the early 2000s. Rose, derived from the Latin 'rosa,' refers to the beloved flower that symbolizes love and beauty in many cultures. 

The pairing creates a harmonious flow while offering versatility—it can be used in full or shortened to either component. This combination has gained popularity among parents seeking a name with timeless appeal, classical roots, and feminine associations. The name suggests both intellectual depth and natural beauty, embodying thoughtfulness and grace. While double names have fluctuated in popularity, Sophia Rose represents the enduring tradition of pairing a strong first name with a graceful middle name.

Sophia-rose

In literature, the Ottava rima is a form of poetry consisting of eight line stanzas and the rhyme scheme ABABABCC. Originating in Italy, it is typically used for epic and narrative poetry, with famous examples including "Jerusalem Delivered" by Tasso, "Don Juan" by Byron, and "Sailing to Byzantium" by Yeats.
 
As a musical term, "ottava" is used to describe a direction on sheet music, that indicates the notes should be played at an octave lower or higher than written.
 
And as a name? It might be used as a wordy choice, however, it could also be considered a variation of the more familiar Octavia. 

.

Ottava

A striking, unflowery girls name, Tomyris could work for parents looking for a distinctive choice with a strong namesake. Tomyris was a 6th century warrior queen of the Massagetae (modern-day Turkmenistan) noted for defeating Persian ruler Cyrus the Great when he tried to invade her country. 
 
The name is a Latinized form of the Ancient Greek Tomuris, itself a variation of the Saka (or ancient Iranian) name Taumuriyah, ultimately derived from Old Persian to mean "kinship" or "family". She became a popular figure of the "Power of Women" theme in Renaissance art. 
 
International forms of the name include Tomiris and Tomris, used in Kazakhstan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikstan. Tamires, Thamyres and Tamíris are a Portuguese and Brazilian variants.

Tomyris

The astronomical Polaris is better known as the North Star, the brightest star in the Ursa Minor constellation. It's also the name of a character in the Marvel Universe, as the daughter of Magneto. 
 
Reminiscent of names like Paris, Polly, and Larissa, and similar in feel to other cosmic choices like Luna, Vega, and Venus, Polaris has been given to at least 44 girls since 2010 in the US.

Polaris

A rarer variant of Viridiana, this name is a frilly yet strong sounding choice that may appeal as verdant option for a spring or summer baby. It could also intrigue those who want a rarer alternative to Virginia or Diana. 
 
The name is linked to Saint Veridiana, the patron saint of snakes lived as an anchoress, walled in to a small cell where she spoke to visitors through a window. She is often portrayed as preaching to snakes, owing to a legend that two snakes crawled into her cell in the later years of her life, something that she kept secret to increase her religious mortification.
 
Other notable bearers include content creator and truck driver Veridiana Henning and agronomist and expert on citrus diseases Veridiana Victoria Rosetti.

Veridiana

An unconventional way to Rosie or Rosa, borne by Generosa of Scillium, a martyr and saint from the 2nd century AD, Generosa is also used in Spanish and Italian as the word for "generous". As such, it may be seen as a name with two (connected) meanings: from the Latin generosus, it means "well-born, noble, excellent, while in a modern Italian and Spanish context, it means "generous, giving, kind, plentiful". 
 Briefly popular in Spain and Brazil in the early 19th-century, it may appeal as a rare virtue name or as an alternative to Ginevra, Ambrosia, or Geneva. In Italian, it would be pronounced jeh-neh-RO-za, while in Spanish, it would be kheh-neh-RO-sa, kh like the -ch of Scottish Loch.

Generosa

Spiky and unexpected, Helvetica is best known as a sans-serif typeface which takes its name from Helvetia, the national personification of Switzerland. Helvetia itself comes from Confoederatio Helvetica, the Latin name for Switzerland. A little like Helena, Erica, and Veronica, Helvetica is certainly a rare choice for a baby, however, it was chosen by designer and entrepreneur Perry Haydn Taylor to honor his love for typography. His other daughters are Perpetua and Clarendon.

Helvetica

At Paul's Beatles-inspired height in the 1970s, there were nearly 100 baby girls named Paul in the US each year. Today, there are baby girls named Paula, Paulie, and Paulette, but no Pauls.

Paul

A rare choice that feels perfectly familiar, Lumine combines the Lu- of Lucy, Louise, and Lucia, with the -ine ending of Josephine and Evangeline. Derived from the Latin lumina "lights" or the English lumine "to illuminate", it notably appeared as one of the main characters in the 2020 game Genshin Impact.
 
It has since made its debut to the US stats when it was given to five girls in 2024. LOO-meen is the most common pronunciation, though LOO-min-ay has also been used.

Lumine

Dainty but vibrant, Aliria is likely a variation of the cheerful Italian name, Ilaria, and in turn the English Hilary. Ultimately derived from the Ancient Roman name Hilarius, itself created from a Greek word meaning "happy", Aliria is notably used in Latin America.
 
Also spelled as Alíria in Portuguese, Alirio is the masculine form, while Alira might be a variation. A notable bearer is the Mexican artist Aliria Morales.

Aliria

A medieval name with a light, friendly feel, Amphelise emerged in the 11th or 12th century from the Latin Amphelisia. While the exact meaning is unknown, theories include that it is a blend of amicus or amo, Latin elements meaning "friendship" and "love", with felix, meaning "lucky" and fortunate". As such, it could be interpreted more figuratively as meaning "lucky friend" or "lucky in love". 
 
Other forms of the name include Anflis, Amphelisia and Aunfelisa, and it might make an appealing alternative to Amelia, Ophelia, or Elise, particularly for a fictional character, perhaps.

Amphelise

A rare name, ultimately from the Latin sator, Satora relates to beginnings and sowing seeds, which may appeal to those just starting a family. Also relating to a minor Roman deity of agriculture, the Basque word for a mole (as in the animal), and possibly to the Japanese name Satoru meaning "enlightenment, to know", Satora could be an interesting way to get to nicknames Tori or Story.

Satora

Long and gentle but with a zippy ending, Columbina is an elaborate diminutive of Columba. Derived from Latin name, it has the appealing meaning of "dove". While this ties it to a symbol of the Holy Spirit in Christianity and makes it saintly choice, Columbina is probably still far too close to Columbine to catch on in the US.
 
Appearing on a character in the 2020 video game, Genshin Impact, Columbina may also be associated with the columbine flower and with Colombina, a stock character used in Italian theatre: usually a servant, who falls in love with the mischievous Arlchinno, or Harlequin. 
 
Nicknames Dove, Birdie, Bee, Lumi, and Connie might work for this rare name which has never appeared in the US stats. Columba and Columbine have also been off the data since 2000 and 1933 respectively.

Columbina

If you're looking for something truly poetic, this epithet of the Roman goddess of love and desire might be for you. Derived from the Latin vertere and cor, it means "turner or changer of hearts", in reference to her role in love and her ability to turn hearts to (and from) romance and derisre. 
 
Appearing in the name of a famous pre-Raphaelite painting, Verticordia is also the scientific name for a flower, more commonly known as a featherflower. An understandably rare option, it would make an intriguing name for a fictional character in particular, though nicknames Cora, Cordie, Vera, and Vita could ground it for real-life use too.

Verticordia

With a simple and appealing sound, this travelling-lite name is a multicultural and unisex option, with plenty of meaning packed into three letters. 
 
On one hand, it may be a Swedish variation of Tove (via Tova and Tuva), making it a modern form of the Old Norse Tófa, meaning "beloved, beautiful". Alternatively, it may be a femininization of the Danish Tue, a form of Tófi, used from names including the Thor element, such as Þórfreðr ("peaceful thunder; Thor is peaceful") and Þórfastr ("solid thunder; Thor is firm").
 
There's also the possibility that it comes from the Danish word for a small hill, a Latin word meaning "yours", or as a nickname for Latin Perpetua. 
 
Beyond that, it is a Samoan masculine name, notably borne by NFL player, Tua Tagovailoa. Tua would mean "to stand", but his full name is Tuanigamanuolepola, meaning "rise to the echo of the bird of the Pola mountain", used to honor a spiritually significant bird that lives on Pola mountain in Samoa and makes a loud call each morning. 
 
Well used in Indonesia as a unisex name, it comes from a Malay word meaning "old" (as in, having lived a long life) or "ripe" (as in, ripened fruit). 
 
As if that wasn't enough, Tua is also an Irish word meaning "axe" and a Welsh word meaning "towards, approx, about", and besides that, we could imagine it being used as a nickname for Tallulah too.

Likely used as a rare elaboration of Marcelle or Marcella — or as a variant of the French Marcelette —Marcetta may appeal to those who enjoy both Marcy and Etta as nicknames. 
While it is probably derived from Marcellus and Marcus, names that relate to the Roman God of War, another source could be the surname Marcet. Again, this might be a Catalan form of Marcus, however, it may also come from the Latin marceo meaning "wilt" or "languid", or from the Old English merchet, a term used in the Middles Ages to refer to a fine paid by a woman's father to a local lord, if her marriage meant she moved away and was considered a lost laborer. In this case, it ultimately comes from merchedd, an Old Welsh word for "daughter". 
 
Marcietta is an even rarer variation of the name.

Marcetta

Latin names for girls derive, ultimately, from ancient Rome, which stretched from Spain to Iraq at its height. Latin girls’ names, for that reason, reflect a multitude of cultures and languages. Current favorites in the US include Olivia and Ava.

Along with Olivia and Ava, other

 include Camila, Clara, Eliana, Lillian, Lucy, Ruby, Stella, and Valentina.

Baby girl names popular in Rome include Viola — the

 in Italy — Cecilia, Gloria, and Celeste.

Some Latin names for girls have been altered somewhat from their original form by the passage of time. But other Latin girls’ names can be found carved into rocks from thousands of years ago. 

Popular modern girls’ names with Latin roots

 include Beatrice, Cecilia, Felicity, Hillary, Julia, Laura, Patricia, Violet, and Vivian, but there are dozens of other Latin girls’ names worth exploring for your baby girl.

Below, our full menu of Latin names for girls, ordered by popularity on Nameberry.

Latin names for baby girls, including top girl names and unique girl names of Latin origin, with meanings and popularity. (Page 27)