Five Letter Girl Names
Across 300 pages
of 300
Maury
Diminutive of Maurice
Old-man name, soft as a fraying gray cashmere cardigan, that would be even cuter for a girl.
Percy
French surname from place name Perci-en-Auge
Percy is a traditional boys' name that could be cute and unexpected for a girl – perhaps as a short form for Persephone or Persis. Adventurous and literary Percy could follow in the footsteps of…
Nahla
Arabic
"a drink of water"
Nahla is a lovely name chosen by Halle Berry for her daughter. Not to be confused with the Disneyfied Nala.
Timea
Hungarian feminine variation of Timaeus or invented name
"honor; good spirits, cheerful"
Familiar in Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Czechia, and Slovakia, but rare elsewhere, Timea is a name with several possible origins. Some suggest is was a literary invention, created by the writer Mór…
Indah
Indonesian
"pretty"
An Indonesian name that is virtually unknown in the Western World but that is eminently portable, sister of India and Indre or Indra.
Putri
Indonesian
"princess; daughter"
A common name in Indonesia that would not work well in English-speaking countries, being too close to putrid or putty.
Ratih
Indonesian
"most beautiful; godlike"
Popular Indonesian name that may leave a young girl in an English=speaking country open to teasing.
Harum
Indonesian
"aromatic"
The English homophone "harem" means something very different, but Harum is a pretty name nonetheless.
Laras
Indonesian
"calm"
Everyone will misunderstand it as Lara, but if you're willing to put up with the confusion, this is a truly different yet simple option.
Ronia
Hebrew
"God's joyful song"
Hebrew name related to Ronit and Roni, also used in different cultures as Ronya, Ronja, and Roniya. Virtually unknown in the English-speaking world though certainly an easily-translatable choice.
Chiyo
Japanese
"thousand generations"
The childhood name of the heroine of Memoirs of a Geisha is pretty and accessible. Chiyiko is a pet form.
Meike
German variation of Mary
"bitter"
Pronounced MY-keh, this German form of Mary was very popular a few decades ago. Might make a fresh alternative to Mikayla and sisters. The Frisian version is Maike, and the Biblical male Micah sounds…
Elske
German and Frisian short form of Elizabeth
"pledged to God"
Elizabeth is a name of hundreds of variations, but this German name for girls , redolent of the Olde Country, is unfamiliar in the U.S. and likely to remain so.
Aenea
Greek, female variation of Aeneas
"the praised one"
This name found in the fantasy series Endymion/Rise of Endymion has a slightly physiological feel to it.
Eowyn
Literary name
"horse lover"
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…
Maaza
Amharic
"aroma or essence"
Pronounced mah-zah, Maaza means a pleasant scent, usually from a yellow daisy popular in Ethiopia. Hot young Ethiopian-American novelist Maaza Mengiste introduced the name to our shores.
Neele
German short form of Cornelia
"horn"
Cute tomboyish diminutive that's popular in Germany but has not spread far. An interesting choice for the parent who wants an elaborate feminine proper name with a modern short form.
Irati
Basque
"fern field"
For the parent who genuinely wants something different, this nature choice is popular in Spain. Downside: connection to words irate and irritation.
Leire
Basque place name
Also spelled Leyre and taken from the name of a monastery fortress, the popular and lilting choice in Spain will pose pronunciation problems elsewhere. Among the Top 100 girls' names in Spain, Leire…
Yaiza
Spanish place name
Not strictly Spanish but Guanche, the original inhabitants of the Canary Islands, this place name became popular as a first in Spain via a trilogy by Alberto Vazquez Figueroa. The Guanche meaning of…