By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 104 pages
of 104
Hebrew or Egyptian
"drop of the sea; bitter; beloved; love"
Mary is the English form of Maria, which ultimately was derived from the Hebrew name Maryam/Mariam. The original meaning of Maryam is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew…
Latin
"peaceful"
Peaceful, calm, and untroubled: these are qualities parents may be hoping for, either on their parenting journey or in their child’s life. The name Serenity encapsulates these hopes, conjuring up a…
English from French version of German Alberic
"elf ruler"
Almost like a fusion between vintage Audrey, bubbly Ruby, and unisex Avery, Aubrey has been a popular choice for girls since the mid 2000’s. Once an exclusively masculine name, Aubrey tipped towards…
English
"oak wood or clearing"
Oakley, with its nature name roots and its Annie Oakley charm, is a hot name for both genders but more than twice as popular for girls. This name made it into the Top 1000 for the first time in 2013,…
Modern invented name, English
"small songbird; wren's meadow"
Inspired by the sweet but solid bird name Wren, this longer form has been storming up the charts since 2018. Given to just 13 girls back in 2014, a decade later in 2024, it ranked in the Top 150 and…
"dweller near the ash tree meadow"
Ashley was a sensation in the 1980s and 1990s; it hit Number 1 in 1991. Ashley is still pretty but more and more parents are turning to newer names like Ashlyn and Aubrey, and spellings such as…
English surname
"dark wood or clearing"
Blakely, along with Blakeley, Blakelee and Blakeleigh, is one of the post-Ashley surname names that end with the lee sound so stylish today. Reality stars Trista and Ryan Sutter named their daughter…
Diminutive of Mary, Hebrew
"bitter"
Molly is one of the original nickname names, ALWAYS ranking among the US Top 500 girl names since statistics began, in 1880. Molly peaked in 1991 only to rise just as high again in 2011, and though…
English occupational name
"law enforcer, bailiff"
Bailey — a jaunty surname — was first used for a female TV character in 1978 in the show WKRP in Cincinnaati , then caught on big time. Bailey's still an appealing choice, though, and a celebrity…
"priest's meadow"
Presley is a much more popular name for little girls than you might think, entering the charts as a girls' name in 1998 and hovering around Number 200 for the last decade. Presley is one of a large…
Irish
"red king"
Rory is a buoyant, spirited name for a redhead with Celtic roots. The name Rory is getting more popular overall, but for the past few years has been trending decidedly toward the boys' side --…
"dark challenger; dark river"
Delaney has been a popular surname-style choice since 90s, when it joined other Irish surnames such as Cassidy, Kennedy, and Mallory on the US Charts. Buoyant, bright, and cheerful, it ranks in the…
Latin or English
"dew of the sea, or rosemary (herb)"
Despite appearances, Rosemary is not a "smoosh" name, not even a traditional one. The name derives from two Latin terms "Ros" meaning dew and Marinus meaning of the sea. The plant was termed dew of…
English flower name
"lily"
Lilly may contain one L too many for some people, though this secondary spelling of a name that's become wildly popular is still a popular choice. And the Lilly spelling does feel a bit less wispy, a…
French
"beloved"
Amy is the English variation of the Old French name Amée—Aimée in modern French. Amée was a translation of the Latin name Amata, which derived from amatus , meaning "beloved." Other spelling…
Word name
"harmony"
If Melody and Lyric are on your style sheet, the peaceful Harmony, popularized by Buffy the Vampire Slayer , should be too. Girls names starting with the "Har" sound like Harper, Harley, and Harlow…
Flower name, English from Latin
"red flower"
Poppy, unlike most floral names which are sweet and feminine, has a lot of spunk. Long popular throughout the rest of the English-speaking world, Poppy is finally starting to rise toward the top in…
English surname and place name
"Cyneburga's meadow"
Kimberly's heyday was in the 1960s and 70s, when it ranked among the Top 10. While it hasn't been stylish for decades, it's evidenced more staying power than some former hot girl names, remaining…
"pleasant seaside meadow"
Reggae master Bob's surname was one of the biggest risers on the popularity charts for girls in 2008, with spellings Marlee and Marely also leaping in favor. Also used for boys, Marley is one of the…
English, word name
"fleet of ships; sea-based branch of the armed forces; dark blue"
When R & B singer Nivea made this highly original choice for her daughter's name back in 2005, she claimed to have thought of it in terms of the color and not the seagoing armed service. As a word…
