Cool girl names, much like cool girls themselves, often travel in packs. Once one cool girl name gets popular, similar ones tend to follow.
These names often share sounds, but they can also be connected by a theme such as color names, bird names, or virtue names.
Certain name groups can become emblematic of entire generations. Girls with names ending in -ney (think Courtney, Whitney, Sydney) are easily tagged as Millennials.
Popular Girl Name Groups
The generation currently being born will be identifiable by their Lil- and Ev-, -ley and -lani names, as well as their aspirational word names, nicknamey names, and surnames-turned-first-names.
These are some of the cool girl name groups currently among the "in" crowd. Each individual name varies in popularity, but as a bunch they represent many of the trending girl names of the moment.
Names That End in -lani
Lyrical Four-syllable Girl Names
Names That End in -ley
Names That End in -iana
Punchy X Names
High-energy Nicknames
Bird Names for Babies
Names That End in -ton
Flower Names
Names That End in -ora
Names That Start with El-
Traveling Lite Names
Names That Start With Ev-
O Ending Sound
Names That End in -er
Color Names
Whimsical Word Names
L Sandwich Names
Goddess Names
Mae Names
Old Man Nicknames
Sophie Kihm
Sophie Kihm has been writing for Nameberry since 2015. She has contributed stories on the top 2020s names, Gen Z names, and cottagecore baby names. Sophie is Nameberry’s resident Name Guru to the Stars, where she suggests names for celebrity babies. She also manages the Nameberry Instagram and Pinterest.
Sophie Kihm's articles on names have run on People, Today, The Huffington Post, and more. She has been quoted as a name expert by The Washington Post, People, The Huffington Post, and more. You can follow her personally on Instagram or Pinterest, or contact her at sophie@nameberry.com. Sophie lives in Chicago.