4 Letter Girl Names

One of the best-known <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/192/african-names">African names</a> in the Western World because of the Somali-born model and wife of the late David Bowie.

Iman

Riley is the most popular Irish girls' name in the US as well as the most popular baby girl name starting with R, so it's no surprise that it's spawned legions of variations.
Ryla is one of the rarer offshoots, though about 70 baby girls were called Ryla in the US last year, so it's hardly unique. But as with any name with this many forms, Ryla may feel less rare than you want it to.

Ryla

A short form for a whole variety of names, this short form has been used across Europe as a stand-alone since the 1920s. It spiked in popularity in the 1950s, owing to the fame of Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida but faded out of use in the 2000s. 
 
A sweet and sparky name akin to Nina and Mina, some parents in English speaking countries may be concerned about teasing potential , though it was still given to around 100 irls in the US in a recent year. Popular in Spain, it is borne by martial artist Gina Carano, and actresses Gina Gershon, Gina Rodriguez, Gina Torres, and Gina McKee. 
 
The name may be used as a sort form of: Eugenia ("well born"), Regina ("queen"), Georgina ("farmer"), Luigina ("famous in battle"), Virginia ("pure, virgin"), and Ginevra ("white wave"), among others.
 
Beyond this, the name has multicultural roots, and may be used as a Japanese name meaning "silver" and a Sanskrit name meaning "to live".

Gina

Kari and all her many sisters, from Carrie to Carey to Kerry and onward, originated for the most part as short forms of either Catherine Katherine or one of the Charles feminizations such as Carol or Caroline.

The Kari spelling may feel particularly contemporary and flexible in terms of its derivation.

Kari

Eiza is a feminine name with multiple possible origins. It may be a variant of Eliza (Hebrew, meaning 'God is abundance') or Aiza (Arabic, meaning 'powerful'). In some contexts, it could be a shortened form of Elizabeth or a modern invention inspired by similar-sounding names. Eiza has gained some recognition through Mexican actress Eiza González, helping to introduce the name to international audiences. The name has a contemporary feel with its concise form and melodic flow, making it appealing across cultural boundaries. Eiza combines simplicity with distinctiveness, offering an uncommon yet easily pronounced option that works well in multiple languages and cultural contexts.

Eiza

Ruhi is a charming, rapidly rising girl name used in Hindu culture. Its meaning refers to spiritual ascension and is mentioned in sacred Vedic texts including the Mahabharata and Rigveda. 
 
As a masculine name, Ruhi is Arabic in origin.

Ruhi

This spelling variation of the popular girls' nickname ranks behind the more traditional form—Allie (Number 255). This spelling could be hurt by the word name ally, which bears a different pronunciation.

Ally

A grounded Indian name, perfect for a daughter with an earth sign.

Avni

Originally a feminine of John, Jean was popular in Scotland long before it found favor elsewhere, and had its most shining moment here in the era of Jean Harlow (born Harlean), ultimate symbol of silver screen glamour. Now, though there are many grandmas and even moms with the name, it doesn't seem all that baby-friendly. Though that could change, and Jean could join Jane.
 A perennial on the popularity list until it finally dropped off in 1994, Jean was in the Top 20 from 1922 to 1936 and ranks among the 100 most <a href="/list/653/100-most-common-names-for-girls">common names for girls</a> of the past century. It was extremely well-used as a middle name, as in Michael Jackson's song "Billie Jean" and tennis champ Billie Jean King, not to mention Hermione Jean Granger from Harry Potter/. It was also the actual first name of Scout Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. Maggie Smith shone in the 1969 film The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, and nickname Jeanie was commemorated in the Stephen Foster classic song "I Dream of Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair," as well as in the early sitcom, I Dream of Jeannie.

Jean

Kaci is a feminine name with multiple origins. It can be an Irish variant of Casey, derived from 'Cathasaigh' meaning 'vigilant' or 'watchful.' It's also seen as a diminutive of Katherine or a modern spelling variation of Kasey. The name gained popularity in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s, reaching its peak in the early 1990s. Kaci is appreciated for its friendly, approachable sound while maintaining a distinctive quality. The name carries a youthful, energetic connotation and has remained a modest choice for parents seeking something familiar yet not overly common.

Kaci

Leya is a simple, attractive multicultural choice, but with some teasing peril. The "Star Wars" princess spelled her name Leia.

Leya

Associated with the first light of the day, and more figuratively with new beginnings and fresh starts, Dawn's heyday came in the 1960s and 70s in the US, Canada and the UK. It had been in the charts since around the end of the First World War but really began to take off in the 1950s.
 
Derived from the Old English dagung, the name peaked at peaked in 1971 in the US, when it was given to more than 14,000 girls and sat within the Top 20. Shortly after, however, it began to decline and has since been eclipsed by other names with the same meaning, such as Aurora or Roxana, or by options with similar sentiments, like Nova or Alba. 
 
Given to 108 girls in a recent year, Dawn hasn't faded entirely from sight, and if you put aside its dated image, it could one day be a meaningful word name again.

Dawn

A sweet short form of Esther that was recently seen as the name of the protagonist who leaves her ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in the Netflix series Unorthodox.
 
The Esti spelling was recently chosen by Chrissy Teigen and John Legend for their daughter.

Esty

A simple and pretty Arabic option that has been on the rise in the UK in recent years, possibly thanks to several famous Hibas, including telenovela actress Hiba Abouk from the hit show El Principe>, Lebanese singer Hiba Tawaji and Hindi TV actress Hiba Nawab. Derived from the Arabic wahaba, Hiba means "gift", and is a significant choice in Islamic tradition, as al-Wahhab is one of the 99 names for Allah. Hiba is therefore associated with a God-given gift or blessing, or more broadly, one given unconditionally. 
 
Also written as Hibah and Heba, this spelling climbed more than 80 places in England and Wales in a recent year, and subsequently entered the Top 300. Other notable Hibas include poet and novelist Hiba Abu Nada and journalist Hiba Abu Taha.

Hiba

Saint Eulalia was born in Spain and is the patron saint of Barcelona, so her name and its derivatives are popular throughout the land — especially in her native Catalonia.

Laia

Nuri might be a nickname for the place name Nuria, popular in Spain and Portugal as a honorific for the Virgin Mary. Nuri is also a usually-masculine name heard in the Middle East, but to the Western ear it might work for girls or boys.

Nuri

Aqsa is a feminine name of Arabic origin meaning 'the farthest' or 'distant one.' The name gained significant recognition through its association with Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, the third holiest site in Islam, making it a name with deep religious significance for many Muslim families. Beyond its religious connotations, Aqsa is appreciated for its melodic quality and distinctive spelling. The name has grown in popularity throughout Muslim communities worldwide, particularly in Pakistan, where it ranks among more common feminine names. Despite its increasing usage, Aqsa remains relatively uncommon in Western countries, though growing diversity has brought greater recognition. Parents may choose this name for its beautiful meaning, religious significance, or to honor their cultural heritage while giving their daughter a name that is both meaningful and distinctive.

Aqsa

This still attractive place name was one of the first to gain popularity, though it now probably owes some of its favor to the similar Aisha. Asia ranked as high as Number 195 on the US <a href="https://nameberry.com/">baby names</a> popularity list in 1997. 
 In Greek myth, Asia is the daughter of Oceanus and Tethys and mother of, among others, Atlas and Prometheus.
 One of the best known modern bearers of the name is Italian actress, singer, and director Asia Argento, who is probably responsible for its popularity in Italy, where it ranks Number 35. Asia Monet Ray is a dancer featured on the hit television shows Dance Moms and Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition.

Asia

This name of a Buddhist goddess, a possible alternative to the trendy Maya, was chosen for their daughter by Laura Dern and Ben Harper. Jaya is simple yet unusual, a winning combination, and one of the out-of-the-box <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/433/goddess-baby-names">goddess names</a> as well as one of the most easily translated <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/539/hindi-names-for-girls">Hindi names for girls</a>.

Jaya

Short, sweet, and sparky, Nava has been slowly climbing up the US popularity charts in recent years, owing perhaps to its similarity to Nova, Ava, Navy, and Nevaeh. Used quietly but consistently from the 80s onwards, Nava was given to nearly 80 girls in 2023.
 
A name with two separate origins, in Hebrew, it comes from the word navah meaning "beautiful, comely" or "comfortable". In Spanish, it is a place-inspired name, used as either a variation of Navarra meaning "from Navarre" or as a nod to Nava - the name of cities in both Spain and Mexico. Likely deriving from the Basque word naba, Nava is theorized to mean "plain or valley next to the mountain", and is used as both a given name and a surname.
 
Mexican actress Nava Mau, known for starring in the dark British comedy Baby Reindeer is a notable bearer and may have chosen her name to honor her mother, Rae-Ellen Levy Navarro.

Nava

, 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 14)

1798 Four Letter Girl Names