5 Letter Girl Names

The image of the lovely Lady Sybil, tragic youngest daughter of the Crawley family on Downton Abbey is likely to go a long way towards reviving this almost forgotten name, off the list since 1966 and most popular in the 1920s and '30s. 
 Sybil is the most common spelling of a name which the Ancient Greeks used as the generic word for a prophetess--a woman who claimed to be able to interpret the wishes of the gods through their oracles. The term was later transferred into Christian theology where the sibyls were celebrated as having divine knowledge, which in turn brought the name into common use in the Middle ages. 
 Benjamin Disraeli wrote an influential political novel titled Sybil, which increased the popularity of the name in Victorian times, its use having suffered after the Protestant Reformation. More recently however, the name was severely undermined by the eponymous book and 1976 movie based on the character of Sybil-- played by Sally Field-- whose multiple personalities have now been confessed as fake.
 There is also a Sybil in Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray and Sybill Trelawney is a witch and seer in the Harry Potter books, a Professor of Divination played on screen by Emma Thompson. Actress Cybill Shepherd, on the other hand, bears an invented name combining those of her Uncle Cy and Dad Bill.
 
Clunky-cute-and-cool, Sybil is a Nameberry gem, ranking in the Top 200 - and this popularity is beginning to reflect on the real world. Back in 2012, Sybil was given to less than 20 girls a year in the US; by 2013, it was chosen for nearly 70 -- and the most recent count, 136 girls were called Sybil, making it similar in popularity to Daenerys and Yesenia.

Sybil

Zarah is a feminine name with rich multicultural origins. It's a variant of Sarah, derived from Hebrew meaning 'princess,' but this spelling gives it a more exotic and distinctive character. In Arabic contexts, Zarah relates to 'brilliance' or 'flower,' while some associate it with 'radiance' or 'the rising of light.' The name appears in various cultures including Persian, Arabic, and European traditions, each adding layers to its meaning. The 'Z' initial and 'h' ending create a balanced, melodic quality that feels both ancient and contemporary. While less common than Sarah, Zarah has gained appreciation among parents seeking a name with cross-cultural appeal, spiritual significance, and a touch of uniqueness without being difficult to pronounce.

Zarah

Popular in its native Italy, Giada has been quietly and stylishly used in English-speaking countries for several years now. Television cook Giada De Laurentiis made this a possibility — then semi-subtly self-referenced when she named her daughter Jade.
 
Simply the Italian word for the green gemstone, jade is said to symbolise wisdom, confidence, and clarity. Often used in Chinese art and carvings, the gem gets its name from the Spanish phrase Piedra de la ijada, meaning "stone of the flank", owing to the once-held belief that it could cure renal colic. 
 
A Top 100 choice in Italy, Giada once featured on the US popularity charts, remaining there from 2007 to 2013. As of 2023, it has yet to make another reappearance but is nevertheless used consistently on around 150 girls each year.

Giada

Spelling variations rise and fall with the fortunes of the name they're based on, and so it is with Robyn, which ranked as high as the Top 200 from the late 1960s through the early 80s, but has dropped from national ranking in the past decade.  The original Robin is making something of a comeback...as a boys' name.

Robyn

The name of one of the most powerful Marvel superheroes — and the first major black female comic book heroine — is certainly a big one to live up to! Portrayed in the live-action X-Men movies first by Halle Berry and then by Alexandra Shipp, Storm is a mutant descended from a long line of African witch-priestesses, who can bend the weather and atmosphere to her will.
 Several high-profile parents have already braved this one, like Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx, whose daughter Storm Brieann was born in 1994. And now that Kylie Jenner has a little Stormi, we're forecasting a few more Storms on the horizon...

Storm

Phonetic spelling of Esme, popular in the UK.

Esmae

Overly-streamlined Leslie variation holding on at the bottom of the Top 1000.

Lesly

Concise but versatile, Hafsa is a popular name for girls among Muslims, that appears in the charts in the UK, France, Belgium, Turkey, and the Netherlands. It is a significant name in Islamic tradition, having been borne by the daughter of Umar, the second caliph, who was also the fourth wife of the prophet Muhammad. 
 
Also spelled Hafsah, the name means "young lioness" or "female lion cub", though it could also be associated with the Arabic hashd meaning "gathering, crowd", reflecting the idea of bringing people together.

Hafsa

Vayda is a feminine name with multiple potential origins. It may be a variant spelling of Vada, which has Italian roots meaning 'famous ruler,' or it could be connected to the Yiddish name Vaida. Some sources suggest it might be derived from the Russian word 'vida' meaning 'to know.' This contemporary spelling has gained modest popularity in recent decades as parents seek unique yet accessible names. Vayda has a melodic quality with its flowing vowel sounds, making it both distinctive and easy to pronounce. The name projects a sense of strength and individuality while maintaining a feminine quality that appeals to modern parents looking for something outside traditional naming patterns.

Vayda

Emeri is an alternate spelling of Emery which means industrious. Emeri offers a modern twist on traditional names like Emma and Emily. This spelling is used primarily for girls, with just under 200 girls given the name each year.

Emeri

Lainey is one of the many fast-rising nickname names of the last few years, and longer forms like Elaine, Alaina, and Delaney are enjoying their own bouts of popularity. Simple and tailored, but equally sweet Laine is not yet in the Top 1000, but feels stylish today.
 
As an Estonian and Latvian name, it is a word name connected to the ocean, but also pronounced with two syllables as LIE-neh.

Laine

Also written as Bayla, Baila is reminiscent of the Spanish word for "dance". Its meaning is debated: it may come from the Slavic root word for "white", or it may be a form of Bilhah, one of the four women who gave birth to the tribes of Israel. An offbeat approach to Bella. 


Baila

A literary name created by J. R. R. Tolkien for a Lord of the Rings noblewoman of Rohan. Properly spelled with an accent over the first E – Éowyn – it would make an interesting choice for literature lovers or fans of names like Elowen and Evelyn.

Eowyn

This creative spelling of Jade adds in the trendy y, but it remains much less popular.

Jayde

While Atlas is a decidedly male god and this name is in the US Top 300 for boys, it is used for an increasingly significant number of baby girls in the US. And undeniably, it's a name that imparts strength to any child.

 As well as the mythological connection, Atlas is a cool geographical word name – perfect for the child of parents who love traveling or who hail from different parts of the globe.

Atlas

Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher named their daughter Wyatt in 2014, making it a viable option for girls, and more recently NFL player Jason Kelce and podcaster Kylie Kelce used it for their older daughter. 

Last year, 80 baby girls were named Wyatt, which makes it rare but not unknown. But that's compared with over 6000 baby boys, so it doesn't come close to our ten percent standard for making a name officially gender-neutral.

Wyatt

Amiah is a feminine name with multiple possible origins. It may be a variant spelling of Amaya, which has Basque origins meaning 'the end' or 'high place,' or it could be related to the Hebrew name Ammiah, meaning 'God is my people.' Some see it as a modern variation of names like Amelia or Mia. The name gained modest popularity in the United States during the early 2000s, reflecting parents' interest in names with vowel-rich sounds and international flair. Amiah offers a balance of uniqueness and familiarity—uncommon enough to be distinctive, yet simple to pronounce and spell. Its melodic quality, with the soft 'm' sound and flowing vowels, gives it a gentle, feminine appeal that works well across cultures.

Amiah

Anora is a phonetic respelling of Honora, a longer form of the virtue name Honor. It also might qualify as a trendy Fast Fashion name, a composition of euphonious syllables without any specific provenance.

Anora is the name of a film whose lead character of the same name is a Russian-American escort who gets entangled with an oligarch's son. Names play an important symbolic role in the film, with the character insisting on being called the more American Ani.

About 80 baby girls were named Anora in the US last year while another 50 were given the Annora spelling, not many enough to make the Top 1000 nor few enough to be truly rare, which may make it a sweet spot name for you.

Anora

A cute nickname, but June is a much better bet for the birth certificate.

Junie

Lakyn is a modern feminine name that emerged in the late 20th century in the United States. It appears to be a creative variation of names like Laken (meaning 'from the lake') or a blend of the popular 'La-' prefix with a distinctive ending. Lakyn has a contemporary sound that appeals to parents seeking something unique yet accessible. The name has remained relatively uncommon, allowing those named Lakyn to stand out while still having a name that's easy to pronounce and spell. Its popularity peaked in the early 2010s but remains a distinctive choice for girls, often associated with attributes like individuality and modern sensibility.

Lakyn

Five letter girl names are led by the longtime top name Emily. Sofia, the Latinate spelling of Sophia popular in the US and throughout the Spanish-speaking world, is another top girl name with five letters.

girl names with five letters ranking in the US Top 200 

include Avery, Grace, Chloe, Layla, Riley, Ellie, Alexa, Hazel, and Sarah.


Classics Alice, Lydia, Clara, Julia, Edith, and Maria are all five letter girl names, as are the trendier Sadie, Piper, Kylie, and Quinn.

 on our recommended list include Anouk, Aziza, Celia, Darcy, Elsie, Mercy, Olive, Petra, and Tansy.


Browse our entire menu of five letter names for girls here, ranked according to their current popularity on Nameberry. 

Five letter names for baby girls, with top name Emily and both popular and unique girl names with 5 letters, including meanings, origins, and popularity (Page 18)

Five Letter Girl Names