4 Letter Girl Names

This Welsh nature name that can be pronounced exactly like the male Ira. Or, to avoid confusion, you could just name her Snow. 

Eira

Myah

A sweet, simple Sanskrit name which would work in many languages and has an sparkling, colorful meaning. 
 
Fitting in besides Nina, Mila and Nola, Nila was one of the fastest rising names for girls in the UK in 2022. Social media influencer Nila Nambiar may have brought new attention to the name, as could the Indian-Tamil TV series Nila which aired between 2019 and 2021. 
 
Meaning "dark blue" in Sanskrit, Nila also means "moon" in Tamil, "water hyacinth" in Egyptian, and "river" from the Polish Nilus. Alternatively, parents may be using Nila as a variation of the modern invented name Nyla, for a more concise looking spelling, in tune with Lila. 
 
Used steadily but quietly in the US, Nila is given to around 100 girls each year, though the name did feature in the Top 1000 back in the 1930s, when parents may have taken inspiration from radio director Nila Mack, who created the long-running series Let's Pretend. Mack's own name might have come about as a feminine form of Neil/Neal and as an alternative to the once popular Nealie.

Nila

Misk is a feminine name with Arabic origins, meaning 'musk' – the valuable, aromatic substance long prized in perfumery and traditional medicine throughout the Middle East and Asia. The name evokes sensory richness, fragrance, and natural beauty. Compact and distinctive, Misk has a crisp, modern sound despite its ancient roots. While relatively uncommon globally, it enjoys some usage in Arabic-speaking regions and Muslim communities. The name's brevity gives it a contemporary appeal, aligning with the trend toward short, meaningful names with cultural significance. For parents seeking a name that's both distinctive and meaningful, Misk offers the rare combination of simplicity, cultural depth, and a beautiful sensory association, making it a subtle yet evocative choice.

Misk

Eila is a Hebrew name heard in Israel. The name also has roots in Finland and Norway, where it's derived from Elina, a variation of Helen, or from Aila, a form of Helga. Eila could gain attention as a cross-cultural name and fresh alternative to popular sound-alike choices like Ayla, Ella, and Isla.

Eila

Cosy and warm but with plenty of substance and strength, Tess is a literary diminutive that works perfectly well as a stand-alone name. Stylish in the Netherlands, it currently sits outside the Top 1000 in the US, where Tessa and Teresa are currently preferred. 
 Perhaps the most iconic and memorable Tess is the heroine of Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles, the moral center of the tragic novel. Typically derived from Theresa, the name is associated with harvest time, though it may also be used as a nickname sunny Welsh Tesni, aristocratic Contessa, and rare Otessa. 
 
The name ranked in the US and UK charts back in the 2000s and 2010s, but has since been displaced by longer form Tessa, but we could easily see it returning to the charts in coming years. Chosen by fashion writer Plum Sykes in 2010 and by actor Luke Macfarlane in 2023, other notable bearers include writer Tess Gerritsen and presenter Tess Daly. 
 
International alternatives include Swedish Tessan and Dutch Tessel.

Tess

Lengthens the popular Ivy, but why? About 100 baby namers in the US last year found a reason.

Ivie

Iconic folk singer Joni Mitchell lends this vintage nickname a cool, bohemian feel, while the streamlined spelling feels more contemporary and confident than the sweeter, cosier Joanie. While it may have disappeared from the US charts back in the 1980s, over in the nicknaming-loving UK, Joni has ranked in the Top 500 in recent years. 
 
Used as a nickname for Joan (the feminine form of John, meaning "God is gracious"), Joni could also work as a diminutive for Joanna or Josephine. Given to 106 babies in the US in a recent year, it has serious potential to rise along with other cute and spunky retro nicknames like Sadie and Edie, Billie and Birdie.

Joni

Lane is a unisex name equally accessible to boys and girls. Breezy, cool and contemporary, it might equally put in mind country lanes and banks of wildflowers. 
 
As a word name, Lane means "small roadway or path", however, it could easily be used as a nickname or diminutive of Delaney, ("dark river"), Elaine ("shining torch"), or similar. Currently as a given name, it is used nearly 14 times more often on boys than it is on girls, however, the Layne spelling is used more evenly, the Laine form leans feminine, and Lainey is a Top 1000 choice for girls. 
 
As a common surname, Lane is attached to such celebrities as Diane and Nathan, while as a given name, it it used in the English translated version of the novel Concerning My Daughter by Hye-Jin Kim.

Lane

Hawa is the Arabic equivalent of Eve in that it is the name used for the wife of first man Adam. More than 100 baby girls were named Hawa in the US last year.

Hawa

Adah is a biblical name twice over—one was the mother of Jabal and Jubal, the other was a wife of Esau. The latter Adah and Esau’s descendants settled in Edom and became the Edomites. Adah is unrelated to the visually similar name Ada, which is Germanic in origin.
 
Pronounced AH-dah, this unusual biblical name—the first female name in Genesis after Eve and given to a number of women in the Old Testament—is a softer Ada equivalent.

Adah

As an Arabic name, Leen is a relative of Layan and Lina, and is one of the most popular girl names in the Arab world. Meaning "soft, tender, delicate", it is a gentle choice that works across multiple languages. Leen may also be used as an Estonian and Dutch short form of Heleene and Heleen. 

Leen

Judy was the nickname of choice for almost all the Judiths born in the 1940s and 50s; today's little Judiths are much more likely to be called Judith -- or, possibly, Jude. 

Judy

The longer Isabella stays in the Top 10—and it's been there for more than a decade—the more we hear the nickname Izzy (especially if we watch Grey's Anatomy). it's just a matter of time before it stands on its own, as it has as a first name for the daughter of Eddie Murphy and Paige Butcher.

Izzy

Elif is the Turkish form of Alif, the name of the first letter of the Arabic alphabet. Actor Natalie Portman gave another spelling to her son, Aleph. 

In Turkey, Elif is unisex but especially popular for girls – it's been a Top 5 choice there since the early 1990s, and also ranks highly in such other European nations as Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. 

Along with its alphabetical meaning, Elif can also mean "slender", from the Turkish phrase elif gibi, literally "shaped like Elif."

Elif

Haya

Toby is an early unisex name with a Shakespearean pedigree; when used for a girl it retains its tomboyish quality. Fits well with the growing trend of boyish nicknames for girls -- alongside rising choices like Frankie and Stevie. Toby peaked as a girl's name in 1936 and was last on the charts in 1975. Though, it's been slowly rising in recent years with nearly 100 baby girls named Toby in 2023. 

Toby

Cori is a versatile name used for both girls and boys, though more commonly feminine. It emerged as a shortened form of names like Corinne, Corinna, or Cora for girls, and Cornelius or Corwin for boys. These roots trace back to Greek origins, with meanings relating to 'maiden' or possibly 'heart.' Cori gained modest popularity during the 1970s and 1980s, reflecting the trend toward shorter, gender-flexible names. The spelling variation Kori is also common. The name's brevity and friendly sound make it approachable while maintaining a hint of spunk and individuality. In recent decades, Cori has been overshadowed by other short names but maintains steady usage. It appeals to parents seeking a simple yet distinctive name with a friendly, unpretentious quality.

Cori

Cove is an up-and-coming nature name whose cool sound and peaceful image saw it rising for both sexes until COVID-19 hit. It decreased slightly for boys in 2020 and remained steading in 2021, but it has actually increased for girls, although it remains a seriously rare and distinctive choice.

Cove

Lula is one of the livelier nickname-names with the fashionable double-L sound: It joins Lulu, Lila, Lily, and Lou among the trendiest names today. Lula might be short for Talula and sisters or for Lucy or Louise, or may stand on its own two adorable feet. Lula was actually a Top 50 name in the late 1880's and continued in the Top 100 for a couple of decades more.
 Bryan Adams named his second daughter Lula Rosylea, sister of Mirabella Bunny, and master character namer J. K. Rowling has a Lula in her novel The Cuckoo's Calling.

Lula

, one of the top names for girls not only in the US but around the world.

, other four letter names for girls in the US Top 100 include 

, the most-used girl name of all time, also contains four letters, as do such classics as 



Unique four letter names for girls we recommend include 



Browse our entire collection of four letter names for girls below, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry. 

Four Letter Girl Names, with origin, meanings, and popularity, including top four letter girl names Emma and Luna and unique four letter girl names Echo and Romy (Page 12)

1798 Four Letter Girl Names