Three Letter Girl Names
Across 25 pages
of 25
Aoi
Japanese
"bluish"
A very popular girls' name in Japan with an unfortunate English pronunciation: picture a toddler with a hurt knee saying "owee."
Loa
Hawaiian
"long"
Though little used as a first name, Loa will be familiar to many from the name of Hawaii's most famous volcano, Mauna Loa, on the Big Island.
Fig
Fruit name
Fig was the unlikely name of a beautiful character in Curtis Sittenfeld's Man of My Dreams . It could make a playful middle name or a sparky nickname for the likes of Philippa, Fiona, Felicity, and…
Ici
Ici is an unusual feminine name that may have French origins, as 'ici' means 'here' in French. This uncommon name has an interesting minimalist quality with just two syllables and three letters. Ici…
Pai
Chinese & Indian surname name
A moderately common surname in two of the world's most populous countries. Helen Pai is one of the main writer of the TV series Gilmore Girls .
Sai
Hindi or Japanese
"holy or difference"
As an Indian name, Sai honors spiritual master Shirdi Sai Baba, who was revered by both Hindu and Muslim devotees. Sai is the name of the young heroine of Kiran Desai's prizewinning The Inheritance…
Lue
Lue is a delicate feminine name with multiple possible origins. It may be a variant of Lou or Louise, ultimately derived from the Germanic name Ludwig, meaning "famous warrior." Alternatively, it…
Oma
Oma is a feminine name with Germanic origins, literally meaning 'grandmother' in German and Dutch. The name carries warm associations of maternal wisdom and familial nurturing. While primarily known…
Era
Word name
Name that enjoyed some popularity early in the 20th century but now is locked in another, ahem, era.
Osa
Osa is a feminine name with diverse cultural origins. In Finnish, it means 'part' or 'portion,' while in Japanese it can mean 'chief' or 'ruler.' The name also has roots in certain African languages…
Ota
Ota is a feminine name with Japanese origins, though it also appears in Czech, Hungarian, and Finnish naming traditions with different etymologies. In Japanese, it can mean 'large field' or carry…
Exa
Spelling variation of Achsah, Hebrew
"adorned"
In the 21st century, Exa is best known as the given name of Grimes and Elon Musk's daughter Y, a sibling for X Æ A-XII. The celebrity parents were inspired by the supercomputer terms exaFLOPS, which…
Ova
Ova is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In Slavic languages, it can be derived from words meaning 'egg' or 'life,' symbolizing fertility and new beginnings. In some Nordic contexts, it…
Imo
Nigerian place name
The rural Imo State in southeast Nigeria is named after the Imo River, which runs through it. An obscure but intriguing possibility as a first name.
Nim
Modern invented name
Australian writer Wendy Orr put this name on the map with her hit Nim's Island " series of children's books, about a smart young girl who lives on an island in the South Pacific. Abigail Breslin…
Ica
Ica is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In Slavic contexts, it may be a diminutive suffix added to create endearing feminine forms of names. It exists as an independent name in several…
Ilo
Finnish
"joy"
Lex
Diminutive of Alexis and Alexandra
"man's defender"
Lex is still used mostly for boys, but like Alex, may cross over with the rising popularity of all long forms of the name. Lexi is another, more feminine option.
Ayu
Indonesian
"very feminine, beautiful"
A common Indonesian name that is sometimes (as with Mary here) joined with another, as in 'Ayu' and 'Tyas,' which becomes 'Ayuningtyas' and means beautiful heart.
Rin
Japanese, Korean
"dignified, severe; jade, clear"
A very popular name for girls in Japan, though it is a unisex choice. It can mean "severe, cold", but also "dignified", "ethics" and "phosphorus", depending on the kanji used. It is notably used for…