Unique Girl Names that Start With P

Perri

English

"dweller near a pear tree"

For boys, this name calls to mind old-school detective Perry Mason. But peppy Perri is coming around as part of a group of boyish nicknames for girls - along with favorites like Leni and Charlie. In…

Poet

English word name

A recently entered name on the roster, Poet was used for her daughter by Soleil Moon (Punky Brewster) Frye, who obviously appreciates the advantages of an unusual name. This is a possible middle name…

Perpetua

Latin

"perpetual"

A 3rd century saint's name sometimes used in Catholic communities, and in Western European countries like Portugal and Italy.

Penina

Hebrew

"pearl"

A jewel-encrusted choice, far more unusual than Pearl.

Pollyanna

English compound name, Polly + Anna

"beloved + grace"

Has become a byword in English for an overly optimistic person, thanks to the eponymous children's book heroine. Polly is an antiquated short form of Mary.

Poetry

Word name

"literary form with distinctive style, rhythm, and line breaks; as beautiful as a poem"

A lyrical choice with a similar feel to Story and Posy and a similar sound to Penelope. It might refer to either a work of poetry, a collection of poems, or something that is comparable to the beauty…

Prue

Short form of Prudence, English virtue name

"caution"

After a long time in limbo, Prudence is now so clunky it'a cool, and it's starting to make a comeback, along with other Puritan virtue names like Mercy, Patience, and Constance. Its short form, Prue,…

Paz

Hebrew; Spanish

"gold; peace"

Paz, currently represented by actresses Paz Vega and Paz de la Huerts, would make a sparkling middle name choice. It originated as a title of the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Peace, and is one of the…

Phaedra

Greek

"bright"

This name of a tragic figure in Greek mythology, the daughter of King Minos, sister of Ariadne and wife of Theseus, has a mysterious and intriguing appeal, and would make a dramatic choice. Phaedra…

Portia

Latin

"pig"

Portia is a perfect role-model name, relating to Shakespeare's brilliant and spirited lawyer in The Merchant of Venice , and is now also a Hunger Games name . Another Shakespearean Portia was the…

Prisca

Latin

"ancient"

The rarer long form of Priscilla, which comes from the Roman name Priscus, meaning "ancient".

Peggy

Diminutive of Margaret, Greek

"pearl"

Just when we had written off Peggy as the eternal perky, pug-nosed prom-queen she projected from the 1920s into the fifties, along came Mad Men , with intriguing mid-century characters with names…

Persia

Country name

"land of the Parsa"

The name Persia derives from Avestan Parsa , the name of the Indo-European nomadic people who migrated into southern Iran in about 1000 BCE. Persis or Persea, the feminine form of Perseus, feel more…

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…

Poema

English elaboration of Poem, Portuguese, Spanish, Tahitian

"poem; pearl of the deep seas, pure, clean pearl"

Poema is a a multicultural word name, working as an elaborate form of Poem in English, but as a direct word name in Spanish, Portuguese, and more. In an English speaking context, this may make it…

Providence

English

"divine protection or care"

A Puritanical virtue name and also a place name, belonging to the state capital of Rhode Island and several other towns and cities in the US.

Phyllis

Greek

"green bough"

Phyllis has been used by classical poets for the idealized pastoral maiden. A Greek mythological name of a woman who was turned into an almond tree, Phyllis was in the Top 100 from 1916 to 1958,…

Poem

Literary name, English word name

"a composition in verse"

A handful of baby girls were named Poem in the US in the most recent year, along with Poet and Poetry. But of course, these word names can work for boys too.

Pace

Word name

Unisex word and surname with an upbeat feel and a possible future as a more distinctive substitute for Grace or Page.

Peony

Flower name; Latin

"healing"

One of the rarest of the floral names, though not without some teasing potential. Peony is a historical 1948 novel by Pearl S. Buck.