Animal Names for Girls

Angelique was the fastest-rising girl name of 2021, influenced by French-Mexican actress Angelique Boyer, who starred in the telenovela Imperio de mentiras (Empire of Lies).
 
After a long run of <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ names</a> that end with A, such as Angelina, we think the consonant sound at the end is fresher.

Angelique

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.

Averi

A compound name with an old-fashioned ring. It only first appeared on the US Top 1000 in 2012. Annalie is a somewhat different name that is nevertheless pronounced the same.

Annalee

Anneliese is a German and Dutch combination of Anna and Liese (a form of Elizabeth) with an Old World feel but modern appeal. The Anglicized Annalise spelling in in the US Top 500, but this authentic German version has only ever broken into the US Top 1000 once, back in 2005.

Anneliese

In the past few years Ellery has gone from middle-aged male detective -- from old school fictional hero Ellery Queen -- to a plausible girls' name, a la Hillary.

Ellery is one of the golden names that ranks in Nameberry's Top 1000 but not in the US Top 1000, making it a choice both cool and stylish.

Ellery

A fast rising name in, Asiya jumped into the UK Top 500 for the first time in 2022. Visually similar to the well-known Aaliyah and Aisha, it is popular choice among Muslim parents. As of 2022, Asiya, Asiyah, and Aasiyah all ranked in the UK Top 1000 and is enjoyed in The Netherlands too. 
 
In Islamic tradition, Asiya was the wife of Pharaoh and the adoptive mother of Moses. She is celebrated as an exemplar woman for accepting monotheism and going against her husband's beliefs in order to be faithful to Allah. Some scholars believe that Moses went on to name the continent of Asia in her honor.
 
Other notable namesakes include Pakistani politician Asiya Azeem and Kenyan Paralympian rower, Asiya Mohammad,

Asiya

Cattleya is a delicate feminine name derived from the genus of orchids known for their showy, colorful blooms. The flower was named by botanist John Lindley in 1824 to honor William Cattley, an English horticulturist who successfully cultivated the species. As a given name, Cattleya emerged as part of the botanical naming trend, appealing to parents seeking something unique yet naturally beautiful. The name conveys elegance, rarity, and natural beauty. While uncommon in English-speaking countries, it has gained some popularity in Brazil and among families appreciating its exotic floral association. The nickname 'Cat' or 'Leya' offers more casual alternatives.

Cattleya

Place names like Memphis, Harlem, Cairo, Vienna, Milan, and Astoria are right on trend at the moment, and Egypt could fit in, thanks to its similarity in sound to the likes of Edith and Eden. Alicia Keys used the name for her son back in 2010, but before that, it was used as a stage name for three famous belly dancers.
 
 The name itself derives from Greek, via ancient Egyptian, and means "the house of the soul of Ptah", Ptah being the Egyptian God of creation and creativity. It entered the US Top 1000 in 2017 where it remained until 2022. It was given to around 230 girls in a recent year, while 60 boys also received the name.

Egypt

Carmela has been most famous recently as the name of Tony Soprano's TV wife, played by Edie Falco. The spellings Carmela and Carmella are both used in Latin cultures including Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, and are used nearly equally in the US, given to a total of about 300 baby girls last year.

Carmela

The phonetic Carolyn spelling, which was very popular from the 1920s to the '60s, has been steadily on the wane while Caroline herself has stayed strong. 
 Carolyn Keene was the pseudonymous author of the Nancy Drew Books; Carolyn Jones played Morticia Addams on TV's The Addams Family.

Carolyn

Aiyana is a name that could easily cross cultures. It debuted on the US Top 1000 in 1999 and hovers near the bottom of the Top 1000.

Aiyana

Blessing is among the Top 1000 <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls' names</a> in the UK and recently joined the ranks in the US as well. With modern spiritual names like Shiloh, Chosen, and Halo trending upwards, Blessing is likely to continue to rise in popularity.

Blessing

This name has two derivations. One is as a member of the well-populated Alice/Alicia family (with an overly literal spelling), which gives it the meaning "noble"; the other is an Urdu name with the meaning "protected by God." If you're going with the first derivation, we suggest you stick with the classic and beautiful Alicia.
 This spelling of the name peaked in the 1980s.

Alisha

As a female name, Anaia is typically used in its Basque form, where it is derived from the word anai, meaning "brother." In the Bible, Anaiah is the name of two minor male characters.

Anaia

Girl names ending in -lani are invented every year — Ehlani is among the latest pseudo-Hawaiian inventions.

Ehlani

Eliany is a modern feminine name growing in popularity, particularly in Hispanic communities. It likely developed as a creative variation of names containing the 'Eli' element, such as Elizabeth or Eliana. Some interpret it as a combination of 'Eli' (meaning 'ascension' or 'my God' in Hebrew) and 'any' or 'ani' which could relate to 'grace' or 'favor' in various interpretations. The name has a contemporary feel with its melodic three-syllable rhythm and flowing sound. While lacking ancient historical roots, Eliany has gained traction in the 21st century as parents seek unique yet accessible names. Its appeal lies in its feminine sound, distinctive spelling, and the way it combines familiar elements into something fresh and modern.

Eliany

This iteration of the name makes the link to the ultra-popular Emma even more obvious. It lags behind alternate spelling Emmeline on the US Top 1000 list.
 Emmaline Henry was an American actress, best known for the role of Amanda Bellows on I Dream of Jeannie.

Emmaline

Amal is an attractive name with a wonderful meaning that has long been used in many Middle Eastern countries, especially Lebanon (and migrant communities). It is of course getting a lot more coverage now since the fame of international human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin Clooney, who's singlehandedly made this one of the best-known <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/485/arabic-names-for-girls">Arabic names for girls</a>.

Amal

As flower names become more unique, so can gem names move beyond Ruby and Pearl to names like Topaz, Sapphire, and Peridot. Amethyst, the purple birthstone for February, has never been in the Top 1000, but could have some appeal, joining similarly-hued Violet and Lilac, all of which make great <a href="https://nameberry.com//list/614/names-for-aquarius-babies">names for Aquarius babies</a> or <a href="https://list/630/70-lovely-names-for-february-babies">names for February babies</a>.
 In the M.M. Kaye children's novel The Ordinary Princess, the protagonist is Princess Amethyst Alexandra Augusta Araminta Adelaide Aurelia Anne of Phantasmorani — Amy for short — who has been given the "gift" of ordinariness.

Amethyst

When you look at its etymology, Anderson might be a surprising choice for a baby girl: the son ending confers a meaning that's literally masculine, which is then reinforced by Anders ("manly, masculine") giving it the overall meaning "son of the manly, masculine one".
 Still, that hasn't stopped Madison and Emerson becoming unisex favorites and sound wise, it could work as a fresh way to honor an Andrea or Andrew. Besides, perhaps '-son' may just be interpreted as 'descendent of-' her, if you take it from the end of person instead?
 
With nicknames Annie and Andie (or even Anders itself), Anderson was given to 118 girls in the US last year, compared to 943 boys. To put that in perspective, about 11% of all Andersons born were girls, while it charted alongside Maribel, Lois, and Rumi in the same year.