Three Letter Girl Names
- Sol
Origin:
Spanish, Portuguese, NorseMeaning:
"sun"Description:
A short and sweet Spanish and Portuguese name, meaning "sun". Sol has been used on its own for centuries (it belongs to one of the daughters in the 10th-11th century Spanish epic poem "El Cantar de mio Cid"), and it is also found as a short form of the Marian names María del Sol and María de la Soledad, and of the related names Marisol and Soledad. A famous bearer is Argentine TV presenter (María) Sol Perez.
- Ana
Origin:
Variation of HannahMeaning:
"grace"Description:
Confident and compact, Ana is a widely used variation of the Biblical Hannah. Favored in Spain, Slovenia, Bosnia, Portugal, and Croatia, this shorter spelling has the same substance and versatility of its longer counterparts.
- Fig
Origin:
Fruit nameDescription:
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 Francis.
- Kai
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"sea"Description:
This appealing multi-cultural name, pronounced KYE, is beginning to be used for girls as well as boys. Among its many derivations and meanings: "sea" in Hawaiian, "forgiveness" in Japanese, "willow tree" in Navajo, "food" in Maori, and "earth" in Scandinavian. For girls, it debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2010.
- Emi
Origin:
English, Slovene, or JapanseseMeaning:
"rival; whole; beautiful favor, beautiful picture"Description:
As an English nickname, Emi can be short for anything beginning with (or containing) the popular "em" sound, such as Emily, Emilia, or maybe even Clementine.
- Iva
Origin:
Bulgarian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Slovak, Czech, EnglishMeaning:
"willow tree; God is gracious; yew tree; bow warrior"Description:
Short, sweet, and sharp, this multicultural choice is currently popular in Croatia, Czechia, Slovenia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. While not in the charts elsewhere, it is familiar in English speaking countries, and in the Netherlands.
- Ama
Origin:
Ewe, Akan, Ghanaian, CherokeeMeaning:
"born on Saturday; water"Description:
Ama is a day name used by the Akan people of Ghana for girls born on Saturday. Names that reference a baby's birth by day of the week, time of day, or season of the year are common in many African cultures. Ama is one that can be used happily by parents who live in English-speaking countries.
- Ari
Origin:
Diminutive of Ariel, HebrewMeaning:
"lion of God"Description:
In 2010, baby boys named Ari outnumbered baby girls 4 to 1; today, there are nearly equal numbers of boys and girls named Ari. And that's only counting the babies who receive Ari as a full name. Ari can also be short for not only Ariel but Aria, Arya, Ariana, and any other name starting with Ari. Ari entered the US Top 1000 for girls in 2016.
- Rua
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"red"Description:
This Anglicized form of the Irish Ruadh is traditionally male, but has a unisex feel — in fact, Rua was given to a handful of girls in recent years, but not enough boys to make the charts.
- Max
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"greatest"Description:
If Sam can make it as a girl's name, why not Max? Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's eldest daughter Maxima goes by Max, but you could also use it as a short form for Maxine, Maximilienne or even Margaux.
- Tig
Origin:
English diminutive of Antigone, GreekMeaning:
"worthy of one's parents, in place of one's parents"Description:
The quirky nickname Tig is exceedingly rare, but historically has been used as a short form of Antigone. Today, many people are familiar with the name via comedian Tig Notaro. Notaro was born Mathilde — she was dubbed Tig by her brother Renaud when he had difficulty pronouncing her given name.
- Ira
Origin:
Hebrew, Russian, Greek, Finnish, Sanskrit, "watchful one; peace; protectress; earthDescription:
Truly multi-cultural, Ira can be: a Russian short form of Irina, meaning "peace"; a gender-switch of the Hebrew male name Ira, meaning "watchful"; a modern Greek and Finnish form of Hera, meaning "hero" or "protectress"; a Sanskrit name meaning "earth" or "enjoyment"; and a Basque nature name meaning "fern", from the word iratzea.
- Mai
Origin:
Japanese, French, Welsh, Vietnamese, NavajoMeaning:
"dance; May; cherry blossom; coyote"Description:
Cross-cultural winner.
- Leo
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"lion"Description:
Leo is of course a very popular name for boys and an equally rare one for girls. But 28 baby girls were named Leo in the US last year, and as feminine leonine names such as Leonora and Leonia find more widespread popularity, Leo is popping up as an adorable short form for girls as well as boys.
- Kim
Origin:
English diminutive of Kimberly; Vietnamese; Scandinavian diminutive of Joachima; Soviet nameDescription:
Kim was the coolest name... of the 1960s. Kim was popularized by actress Kim Novak, and its energy is still maintained by rapper Lil' Kim, but it holds lil' or no appeal for new babies. Parents who like Kim's short, sweet sound might look to a choice such as Sam, Lou, or Belle.
- Uma
Origin:
Sanskrit, HebrewMeaning:
"light, peace, nation"Description:
Uma is a sweet, strong name for a Hindu goddess... and a Hollywood one. But as popular as Uma Thurman is, other parents have not yet picked up on her name, making it a rarity.
- Ino
Origin:
Greek; JapaneseMeaning:
"mythological name; wild boar"Description:
Ino was one of the Queens of Thebes who, after her death, became an immortal. Ino raised her nephew, Dionysus (son of Semele and Zeus), provoking the wrath of Hera. In desperation Ino threw herself into the sea and was thereafter venerated as Leucothea (The White Goddess).
- Ica
Description:
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 cultures, including Indonesian, where it may be used as a nickname. The name has connections to the Ica region and river in Peru, potentially giving it geographic significance. Characterized by its brevity and melodic quality, Ica is remarkably simple yet distinctive. This short, two-syllable name carries a gentle sound while being easy to pronounce across many languages. Though uncommon in Western countries, Ica's simplicity gives it universal appeal. The name has never ranked among popular names in the United States, making it an unusual choice that offers individuality while maintaining an accessible, sweet quality.
- Ula
Origin:
CelticMeaning:
"gem of the sea"Description:
Ula is among the unusual U names that may have a range of origins and meanings, from the Celtic one given here to its possibilities as a short form of Eulalia or Ursula. Ulla is a Scandinavian name usually an abbreviation of Ursula or Ulrika.
- Mya
Origin:
Variation of Maia, Maya, or Mia, Greek, Scandinavian, Hebrew, BurmeseMeaning:
"mother; larger, greater; bitter, beloved; emerald"Description:
This distinctive spelling was popularized by the R&B singer Mya (Harrison) and entered the US Top 100 in 2009 after the singer appeared on Dancing with the Stars. While it has since declined in the US, it remains in the Top 100 in France, the Top 200 in Belgium, and the Top 300 in England and Wales.
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