5 Letter Girl Names

Some parents are choosing this popular boys name for their daughters (in the US there were well over 100 female Ryders born last year). Is it the connection to Winona that makes this feel somewhat more feminine than some other <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys’ names</a>?

Ryder

A flower name containing both beauty and power, Lotus has significance in both Buddhism and Hinduism, symbolizing purity, grace and spiritual growth — not to mention a familiar yoga position.
 In ancient Greece, the lotus was a legendary plant, whose fruit was eaten by the mythical lotus eaters, causing them to go into a state of hypnotic forgetfulness. Lotus Flower is a Chinese character in the 1931 Pulitzer Prize-winning Pearl S. Buck novel, The Good Earth.
 
Lotus is gaining in popularity with over 120 girls receiving the name in a recent year. Rain Pryor, daughter of comedian Richard, named her daughter Lotus Marie in 2008; chef Richard Blais used it in the middle spot for daughter Emory Lotus in 2011; actress Teresa Palmer chose it for her daughter Lotus Bloom in 2025.

Lotus

In the slipstream of Luna, this everywhere-and-nowhere international name, with its attractive liquid sound, is popular in several European countries along with Hawaii.

Luana

An imaginative choice with an uptempo Cory/Rory/Tori sound, perfect for the child of a writer &mdash; or anyone with a good story to tell. Story has been finding some appreciation among celebs like Minnie Driver and others as a middle name. This is just one of the literary word names that have recently entered the realm of possibility, such as Fable, Sonnet and Poem.


Story

A vintage short form of Roberta or Barbara, Bobbi fits into the boyish nicknames for girls renaissance. It's already ranked in the England and Wales Top 1000 in recent years. 
 
Barbara "Bobbi" Morse is part of the Marvel universe as Mockingbird, an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. You may also be familiar with makeup artist Bobbi Brown, and her eponymous cosmetic line.

Bobbi

Marlo first came to prominence as a perky, pretty nickname name that seemed to have been invented by or for Marlo Thomas, who was born Margaret. But Marlow and Marlowe are English surnames meaning driftwood, are more popular forms of the name, giving it historical depth and a nature meaning. And Marlo is the most truly gender-neutral, given to about 100 babies of each sex last year.

Marlo

Mirha is a feminine name with multicultural origins. It may derive from the Arabic 'Mira' meaning 'princess' or relate to myrrh, the fragrant resin mentioned in ancient texts and traditionally given as a gift to Jesus by the Magi. In some Slavic contexts, it could connect to 'mir' meaning 'peace' or 'world.' The name has a gentle, flowing quality with its two syllables and subtle 'h' sound. Mirha offers cross-cultural appeal, being accessible in various language traditions while maintaining a distinctive character. Though not among the most common names, it provides an alternative to the more familiar Mira or Myra, appealing to parents seeking something both unique and melodic with meaningful historical and natural associations.

Mirha

The Spanish variation of the 80s and 90s American favorite Amber has an international flair.

Ambar

The French Canadian pop star Avril Lavigne put the spotlight on this name when she made the charts with "Sk8er Boi". It is simply the French form of April, the fourth month of the year, whose name might derive from the Latin aperire meaning "to open" in reference to the start of spring in the Northern hemisphere. Other sources suggest it comes from the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite.
 
With a spikier feel to it, Avril makes a distinctive yet familiar choice, which, as of 2024, has never made it to the US Top 1000.

Avril

This attractive Scottish surname choice, has a certain amount of glamour thanks to feisty British-born red-haired forties Academy Award winner Greer Garson, who was born Eileen Evelyn Greer Garson--Greer was her Irish mother's maiden name).
Greer was chosen much more recently by Kelsey Grammer for his daughter and by Brooke Shields in the Grier form. As a surname, it's associated with feminist writer/activist Germaine Greer.
 Greer makes a good, strong, sophisticated and distinctive middle-name prospect.

Greer

This character name from the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas has an ancient appeal, even though it seems to be a modern coinage. It may have been inspired by similar sounding names, like the Turkish Aylin ("of the moon") or the Irish Eileen, a form of Helen or Aveline.
 
First appearing on the US charts in 2016, following the release of the fourth book in the Throne of Glass series, it has been quietly on the rise with nearly 80 girls called Aelin in 2024.

Aelin

An early Christian martyr, a bespectacled MTV cartoon heroine, and Canadian supermodel Daria Werbowy: Daria is a name that manages to feel contemporary and usable without being exactly stylish.  Which may be a positive, in terms of Daria not being in danger of overpopularity.

Daria

Glory sounds fresh and uplifting and a lot more modern than Gloria (which is definitely feeling the stirrings of a revival, though some might still view it as a terminal Old Lady name).  Glory, as in "Glory Be" and "Old Glory," has both a religious and a patriotic flavor.

Glory

Jireh is a spiritual name that has been rising significantly for both sexes in recent years, although still remains quite rare. Jehoveh-Jireh was the location of the binding of Isaac, where Jehovah told Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering.
 
In spiritual contexts today, Jireh is a song performed by American contemporary worship bands Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music, ranking on the Billboards as the 4th biggest gospel song of 2022. Reading through the comments of the hit music video, you'll find countless parents' stories of how this song inspired them to name their own baby Jireh, representing hope and resilience.

Jireh

Pippa, a peppy condensation of Philippa that turns it from serious to sprightly, has come into the public eye in a big way via the former Kate Middleton's sister. 
 
Pippa can and is given as a name in its own right, and may also be short for names other than Philippa: Penelope, for instance, or Patricia, or the more out-of-the-box Philippine.
 
Heard far more in the UK (where it's currently in the Top 200) than the US, Pippa has been used on its own since the nineteenth century, popularized by Robert Browning's dramatic poem, Pippa Passes. A recent book and film was titled The Private Lives of Pippa Lee.
 
Expectant parents should be warned, however, that the word pippa or pipa has an unsavory slang meaning in several European languages, including Italian, Swedish, Polish, and Greek.

Pippa

A respelling of Casey, with a slightly softer look and a hint of classic Katie about it. It ranked in the US Top 1000 in the 80s and 80s, and the UK in the 2000s and 2010s. Less popular than it once was, around 100 girls are still given the name every year in the US, with actress Kacie Barrowman and TV personality Katie McIntosh being notable bearers. 

Kacie

Solei is a feminine name with multiple potential origins. It likely relates to the French word 'soleil' meaning 'sun,' offering an elegant variation with the same bright, warm associations. It may also connect to the Latin 'sol' (sun) or function as a creative spelling of Soleil. The name conveys luminosity, warmth, and radiance through its sunny etymology. While relatively uncommon, Solei has gained some traction among parents seeking distinctive modern names with positive natural imagery. Its brief length and flowing sound make it appealing in contemporary naming trends that favor short, melodic names. Solei offers a balance between uniqueness and intuitive pronunciation, making it accessible despite its uncommon status.

Solei

Aleya is a feminine name with diverse multicultural origins. In Arabic contexts, it can be related to 'aliya' meaning 'high,' 'exalted,' or 'sublime.' The name also appears in Indian cultures, possibly derived from Sanskrit elements meaning 'goddess' or 'divine.' Some associate it with Hebrew origins relating to 'to ascend.' This versatility across cultures has contributed to its growing popularity in the 21st century, particularly in the United States and multicultural communities. Aleya appeals to parents seeking a name that sounds contemporary yet has traditional roots. Its melodic quality, with the flowing 'l' and ending in a soft 'a' sound, gives it a feminine grace while remaining straightforward to pronounce and spell. The name strikes a balance between uniqueness and accessibility.

Aleya

Kasey was a modestly popular choice among Millennial babies, particularly girls.

Kasey

Akari is a gender-neutral Japanese name used fairly evenly between the sexes in the US.

There are several well-known female singers and actors named Akira in Japan, and Akira Watanabe is a popular anime character.

Akari

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 23)

Five Letter Girl Names