4 Letter Girl Names

Now that Zoe is getting wildly popular in the U.S. and the U.K. -- one poll puts it at number one in Wales -- parents may start hunting down fresh twists like this. 

Zoya

Likely boosted by its similarity to fast-rising names Rhea, Raya, and Freya, enough parents chose this sweet and simple name in 2023 to push it into the US Top 1000 for the first time. 

Reya

An English, Persian, and Turkish transcription of Arabic Safaa or Safaa', Safa is a a serene but strong choice and has proved popular among Muslim parents in the UK. Spritually significant, As-Safaa is the name of one of the two sacred hills near Mecca which Muslim pilgrims travel between when performing the pilgrimage of Hajj. 
 Also used as a surname and a masculine name, Safa is borne by reality TV star Safa Siddiqui of Dubai Bling fame and was one of the fastest rising names in England and Wales in 2023.

Safa

This name found in both Celtic and Scandinavian mythology has gone from all-boy to almost all-girl, retaining a strong, unisex quality. However, it has dropped following its three-decade heyday from the 1960s to the 1990s.
 Dana is the birth name of Queen Latifah.

Dana

Joining Lennon and Bowie in the realm of gender-neutral, classic rock-inspired names that feel fashionable today is Jovi — as in Bon Jovi. Jovi is a variation of the Latin Jove — another name for the Roman god of the sky, Jupiter.


Jovi

Eimy is an alternative spelling of the French name Amy and is used in parts of Latin America and the Caribbean. Currently popular in Chile, Eimy was also given to 124 babies in the US in 2023, having nearly doubled in use since 2021. 
 
It can also be used as an alternative spelling for the Japanese name Eimi, which can mean "eternity + beauty", though there are many other interpretations.

Eimy

Kara and the soundalike (though not necessarily related) Cara are among the most multi-cultural names around. Cara has roots in Latin, Italian, Irish, Spanish, and Portuguese, and Kara can be viewed as simply as K-starting version of Cara. 

But Kara is also uniquely a Norse mythology name, drawn from the name of a valkyrie meaning "wild stormy one".. Kara was a Valkyrie, lover of Helgi, who charmed his enemies in battle by enchanting them with song.

Both Cara and Kara peaked in the 1980s but Kara remains more popular than the Cara variant.

Kara

The Spanish and Portuguese form of popular Ruby is another addition to the list of attractive gem names for girls, that might sometimes be used by English speaking parents who want their child's name to stand out when written down. Rubi is also of Japanese origin, and associated with another gemstone: the lapis lazuli. 
 
Notable bearers include Paralympic badminton player Rubi Fernández, and rapper and model Rubi Rose. It also appears on a character in the long running British comic, The Beano, and in the animated TV series spin off — in this case, however, it is actually a nickname for Rubidium.

Rubi

Playful but concise, Aira has become a rising star in England and Wales in recent years. Light and well, airy, it has also been trending upwards in the US. while in the US. 
Short and simple as it may look, Aira has a number of different origins. It could be seen as an elaboration of the word name Air — similar to Kylie Jenner's son, Aire. Alternatively, it could be a variation of Ayra, meaning "worthy" and "noble" in Sanskrit. It can also be a Finnish name meaning "messenger", or a variation of the Armenian name Ara, meaning king. Finally, it may be a Lithuanian name after the Airė river.
 
We suspect a number of English parents who name their babies Aira had the former, pop culture inspiration in mind — likely enjoying it as an alternative to the likes of Skyla or River. Others might have been inspired by dancer Aira Casim or by lifestyle influencer Ashmita Srivastava, who has a daughter called Aaira. 
 
With the announcement of Jenner's baby Aire's name in early 2023, we suspect that Aira will continue to climb the charts, with nearly 180 parents choosing it in the US in a recent count.

Aira

Joan was the perfect name choice for one of the leading characters on Mad Men, being a quintessential girls' name of the period. A Top 10 name in the 30s, a Top 50 name from the 40s through the early 60s, it was the fifth most popular name in the country for three years running and ranks as one of the most <a href="/list/653/100-most-common-names-for-girls">common names for girls</a> in the 20th century. But alas, Joan hasn't even appeared in the Top 1000 for a dozen years, and these days it's primarily associated with Joans of the generation of Joan Crawford, Joan Collins and Joan Rivers--just a few of the noted Joans whose ranks also include the singers Joan Sutherland, Joan Baez, Joan Armatrading and Joan Jett. But it's possible that modern parents who are reviving Jane might move on to Joan, inspired by Joan Hollaway Harris.
 The first English bearer of the name was Henry II's daughter, Jhone, but the modern spelling was soon established, which is why Saint Jeanne d'Arc was translated as Joan, making her the most illustrious wearer of the name. By Shakespeare's time, Joan had become so overused that it was ripe for replacement by the newly coined Jane, the reverse of what happened in twentieth-century America.
 Some livelier foreign versions of Joan include Giovanna, Siobhan, Ione and Juana.

Joan

Lost in limbo for decades and decades, Elsa now stands a good chance of following along in the progression from Emma to Ella to Etta, thanks to the ice queen heroine who "Let It Go" in the wildly popular Disney movie Frozen. The name shot all the up to Number 286 (its highest ranking since the 1890s) in the year after the release of the movie, though it's now dropped back down the list in the US.

Elsa has international credibility, ranking in the Top 100 in countries as diverse as Sweden, Spain, and France. If Elsa, is just too Frozen for you, sister name Elsie is also on the rise, especially popular in English-speaking countries.
 Elsa came into English-speaking use in the nineteenth century, boosted by Wagner's operatic bride in Lohengrin&mdash;the first to walk down the aisle to the famous wedding march. For a while Elsa took on a leonine image via the lioness in the popular book and movie Born Free, but that's all but forgotten. Elsa has lots of varied and interesting human namesakes, including designer Schiaparelli, writer Morante, Bride of Frankenstein Lanchester (born Elizabeth). Read more about Elsa and other <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/disney-princess-names">Disney Princess Names</a> in our featured blog.

Elsa

This form of Agnes, Ines has always been popular since the true story of the thwarted lovers Queen Ines of Castro and King Peter of Portugal. This has to be one of the most heartbreaking and bloody true romances in history!

Prince Peter fell in love with the beautiful and lovely Ines, but their relationship was forbidden by his father King Afonso. Peter (who had been married) became a widow and planned to marry Ines, but this too was disallowed. When Peter followed her into exile, Afonso ordered Ines to be murdered in front of her own child. Distraught, Peter hunted her murderers down and ripped the hearts out of their bodies, claiming they did not have any hearts. When he later came to the throne, Peter made Ines his queen, exhumed her body and made the court vow allegiance to her.

In 2025, this historically royal name became new once again as Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia of Sweden chose it for their Princess Ines. In the US, Ines achieved new prominence after actors Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds named their second daughter Inez -- which is the Spanish spelling.

Ines

Dior has joined Chanel and Armani on the fashionista hit parade of names, appealing due to its designer quality, its succinct sound, and contemporary air. Nearly 400 baby girls were named Dior in the US last year.
 
The meaning of Dior is uncertain but it may be "golden", from the French doré

Dior

Though Dara was an (extremely wise) male figure in the Bible, this name feels mostly feminine to modern Americans. The Irish Gaelic version, Darragh, is well-used in contemporary times for boys.
 While Dara dropped out of the Top 1000 a couple of decades ago, it's one of those magic names that feels neither fashionable nor unfashionable. This timeless quality can be an advantage for a child over time. And Dara has the cross-cultural thing going for it as well. It's also a Slavic name, meaning "gift".
 The cousin-name Daria was featured a few seasons ago as the smart and cynical star of her own eponymous animated MTV show.

Dara

A multicultural name, that's currently on style and fits right in with Kaia, Maya, Raya, and Mia. Currently in the Top 500 in both the UK and The Netherlands, it has several different origins and meanings.
 
On one hand, Kaya is an elaboration of Kay or an alternative spelling to the Scandinavian Kaia (or Kaja), both of which ultimately derive from Katherine meaning "pure". 
 
Alternatively, it is a literary name, which drew inspiration from the Native American language, Nez Percé. It was used as a nickname for a Native American character in the American Girl books series, with her full name being Kaya'aton'my ("one who arranges rocks").
 
Also used as a Japanese name, it can meaning "perfume" or "reward" depending on which Kanji element you use.

Kaya

The short but solid Irish surname Shea works well for both genders thanks to its soft, succinct sound. The traditional Irish form is Séaghdha, though it could also be used as a short form of Séamus, connected to James. 
 
Kevin James has a daughter named Shea, while Shea Coulée is a drag queen who featured on season 5 of RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars. 
 For baseball fans: Shea Stadium was the home of The New York Mets until 2008, and has proved surprisingly influential as a namesake. Four of the players of the New York Mets named their children Shea in honor of the place, as did Jets player John Matlock and the aforementioned Kevin James. major League player Shea Spitzbarth also got his name from the stadium.
 
Another variation and the one that leans furthest toward the female side is Shae, for those who don't want the pronunciation confused with Shea Butter.

Shea

Ayat is a Quranic name for girls that literally translates to "sign" or "clue" but in the context of the name, it refers to signs of God, manifestations of the divine, or verses from the Quran. In Islamic tradition, Ayat al-Kursi, or "The Throne Verse", is considered the greatest in the Quran and is often displayed and memorised, giving this name a powerful feel.
 
Closely related to the name Ayah, Ayat currently ranks in the UK Top 300, while in the US, it has seen an increase in use over the last decade. While it is outranked by Ayah and Aya which are both in the Top 1000, Ayat was given to around 120 babies in a recent year.

Ayat

Sweet and sparky but maybe a little bit stuck in the 90s for some, Bria is a nickname-y style choice with various origins.
 
Unheard of until the 1970s, Bria only started to see substantial use in the 90s, when it rose up alongside its longer forms, Briana, Gabriella, and Sabrina. It fitted right in besides Brittany, Brooke, and Paige, and got a boost after comedian and actor Eddie Murphy used it for his daughter in 1989.
 
Peaking in 1993, Bria has been on the decline ever since. Given to 250 girls in a recent year, Bria has been replaced by the likes of Mia, Billie, Briar and Bridie.
 
Connected to poetry via its ties to the literary Briana, to the Bible through its link to Gabriel and Gabriella, to mythology through Brigid and Sabrina, Bria could holds an unexpected amount of meaning. It could also originate from the Italian word brio meaning "lively" or "confident" or from the Celtic Brigantī, meaning "high, exalted".
 
Namesakes such as basketball player, Bria Hartley, singer Bria Kelly, actress Bria Vinaite, and influencer Bria Myles help keep the name in the public eye - but what does the future hold for this short but punchy name? Only time will tell, especially with longer forms Briana and Brianna falling also down the charts in recent years.

Bria

An up-and-coming nickname-style name, hugely popular in Germany and on the rise in the UK, Leni is stylish but sweet. Chosen for her daughter by high-profile German supermodel Heidi Klum back in 2004, Leni with its concise spelling and European feel is also on the rise in the US, alongside Lennie, Lenny, Lennox, and Lennon.
 
Leni could be a diminutive form of a number of names, including Elena, Helen/e, Lenora, and Magdalena, and its similarity to trending Lainey may give it fresh appeal.

Leni

Nori is one of those names with several origins that would have no trouble assimilating into a variety of cultures. It might also be associated with the dried seaweed used to wrap sushi or with the nickname Kim Kardashian and Kanye West use for their daughter North.
 
As a Japanese name, it means "ceremonial rites", "doctrine", or "seaweed". depending on which kanji elements are used. As a name of Arabic origin, it could be a variation or nickname of Nor, Noor, or Nuri, meaning "light". As an English name, it likely emerged as a nickname, from Eleanor, Honora, or similar. 
 
Nori entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2022, following the trend of "traveling lite" names, or simple, 2-syllable names ending in i such as Zuri, Ezri, and Leni that are quickly gaining popularity.

Nori

, 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 7)

1798 Four Letter Girl Names