By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 119 pages
of 119
Sanskrit
"living"
A life-affirming sweet name is seen in both India and Nepal. The name is also sometimes spelled Jiah, as in the case of Jiah Khan - an Indian-American model and actress.
Variation of Maria or Mary, Basque, Japanese
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved; gift, mother; truth, genuine, villlage"
Mari enjoyed some mid-century popularity as a nicknameish version of Mary, but now deserves a second look as a multicultural classic. Popular in Norway and Armenia as a variation of Marie, it is also…
Greek
"strife, discord"
Eris was the goddess of strife and discord, turned fairy tale and then popular culture figure Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty. Ironic, as her name sounds so much like that of Eros, the god of love.…
Egyptian
"throne"
Isis has gone from magical, feminist name on the rise to the forbidden list because of the extremist terror group called ISIS, an acronym for Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Unsurprisingly, Isis was…
English, diminutive of Helen, Eleanor, et al
"bright, shining one"
Nell, once a nickname for Helen, Ellen, or Eleanor, is a sweet old-fashioned charmer that is fashionably used today in its own right. While Nell is perfectly in tune with contemporary vintage name…
Variation of Amy
This Amy/Mia combination debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2013. It could also be seen as a variant of Amaya.
Japanese, Slovene, Hebrew, English, Greek
"beautiful fragrance; who is like God?; follower of Demeter"
Mika is a sparky and stylish Japanese girls' name that translates easily to English. Also used as a Slovene and Hebrew diminutive for Mihaela and Michaela, as an alternative spelling to the Biblical…
Hebrew
"ibex"
Yael is an Old Testament name often heard in Israel that could work well here: just remember that it's pronounced with two syllables...it is also spelled Ya'el. In the Bible she was a Kenite woman in…
Anvi is a feminine name of Indian origin, primarily used in Hindu communities. The name carries beautiful meanings including 'complete,' 'full of love,' or 'someone who is wanted.' In Sanskrit, it…
Diminutive of Eliza and Elizabeth, Hebrew
"pledged to God"
Liza's heyday was the mid-1970s, following on the heels of super-popular sister Lisa. But thanks to the fact that it never became superpopular, Liza remains a name not especially tied to one…
Arabic
"replacement, substitute"
Popular among the Muslim community and currently in the UK Top 300, Aiza is a name with bright, zippy sounds and a short but substantial feel, making it an appealing choice. Though the exact…
Latin
"love"
The Latin word for love, Amor is a concise and strong choice that's currently on the rise in the US. Given to more than 150 girls in a recent year (along with 70 boys), Amor currently outranks the…
Diminutive of Emma and Emily
With the enormous popularity of Emily and Emma, we're sure to see more of Emmi, Emmie, Emme, and Emmy, whether as short forms or standing on their own.
"most desirable"
The eternal fiancee of Superman turned sweet gray-haired lady who's always available to babysit her grandkids turned....hot new baby name? True to the Hundred Year Rule, Lois is poised to climb the…
Variation of Mia or Maya; Japanese
"palace, shrine, temple"
Is it pronounced MEE-ah or MY-ah? Only the bearer knows for sure, which is one of the central problems with this hybrid name. Miya is also a Japanese name that comes from the word meaning "palace" or…
Welsh
"fair, blessed"
Wynn is an attractive Welsh name, originally male but now also used for girls outside of Wales. The authentic feminine version would be Gwen, which derives from the same very productive gwyn element,…
Mbama, Sanskrit, Hindi and Latin
"love; lamp; heavenly"
A sweet and simple multicultural choice which has several different meanings and origins. Widely used in Africa, it's a variant spelling of Dia, which means "love" in Lembaama. It's a Hindi name…
English spelling variation of Laurie; diminutive of Laura
"from Laurentium or bay laurel"
Lori, with this sleek modern spelling, was an extremely popular name in the middle of the 20th century, ranking among the Top 100 girls' names from the early 1950s until the early 1980s. But it was…
Zyra is a modern feminine name with several possible origins. It may derive from the Arabic 'Zahra' meaning 'flower' or 'blossom,' or it could be a variant of the Persian name 'Zara,' meaning…
"right guidance"
This gender-neutral Arabic name was a fast riser for girls in 2022, possibly in part thanks to a beauty blogger and influencer of the same name. The name can also be spelled Hoda or Houda.
