By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 119 pages
of 119
Elie is a versatile name used for both boys and girls, though this entry focuses on its feminine usage. As a female name, it's often a short form of Elizabeth, Eleanor, or Ellen, originating from…
Latinization of Elke, Scandinavian diminutive of Adelheid
"noble one"
Much more manageable than the full form of the name. Possible international alternative to Ella.
Essa is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In Arabic, it's a variation of Isa (the Arabic form of Jesus) and means 'God is salvation.' In Irish contexts, Essa derives from the Gaelic…
Febe is primarily a feminine name derived from the Greek name Phoebe (Φοίβη), meaning "bright" or "pure." In Greek mythology, Phoebe was a Titaness associated with the moon and prophecy, and the name…
Welsh
"white, blessed"
A male name in Wales, Gwyn has been mostly feminine in the US thanks to its resemblance to the more familiar Gwen. It derives from the same Celtic root as the popular Finn family of names.
Word name
Smoky variation of Hayes.
Norse
Hela, another name for Hel, is the Norse goddess of death and the underworld. The Hela form has been appropriated by Marvel for its goddess of death.
English word name
Remove a letter from Holly and you get a religious virtue name. It first appeared on the charts in the 1970s, but more consistently in the 2010s.
English variation of Eisele, German
"blacksmith"
A trimmer version of Riley, Miley, Kylie, et al., used by model Coco Rocha for her daughter in 2020.
Illa is a delicate feminine name with diverse cultural roots. It may derive from Latin-based languages where 'illa' means 'she' or 'that,' giving it a simple yet profound feminine essence. In some…
"guarded by Ing"
Ing was a powerful Norse god whose name inspired several modern variations -- though Inga has become a caricatured Scandinavian choice.
Short form of Jessica, Hebrew
"behold or wealthy"
Many variations of Jessica, including Jessie and Jessa, are used on their own, but Jess is an exception, given to only a handful of baby girls last year. But Jess is certainly the name that many…
Kade is shown here as a feminine name, though it has traditionally been more common for boys. It has multiple possible origins, including being a short form of names like Kaden/Caden (from Welsh…
Tamil; Hawaiian
"Virtue; princess"
Modern variation of Kleio, Ancient Greek
"glory"
Klea was not used in ancient times, but can probably be connected to the Ancient Greek name Kleio, one of the nine Muses in mythology, and of couse also to Cleo. Meaning "glory", these names are…
Spelling variation of Cory or Corey
Kory was always the least-used version of this name, which was always used less often for girls than for boys. As Corey and Cory, the name still hangs on in the boys' Top 1000, but Kory dropped off…
Lera is a feminine given name with multiple origins. In Slavic countries, it functions as a diminutive of Valeria, meaning 'strength' or 'health.' In Greek contexts, it may relate to names derived…
Latin
"glad, joyful"
Leta has hipster cred as the daughter of cool mommy blogger Dooce. Related to the Greek mythological Leda, a great beauty who mothered another great beauty, Helen of Troy, Leta is a name that's as…
Spanish place name from Quechua
"speaker"
The capital of Peru makes a rare but attractive girl name.
Norwegian diminutive of Elisabet, English and Spanish diminutive of names ending in -lita, or Romanian variation of Leta, Latin
"pledged to God; little; glad, joyful"
Vivacious but lightweight.
