Girl Names Lists · Popular Names and Name Trends
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 19 pages
of 19
English surname, Scottish diminutive of William
"from Wylye, from the willow clearing; resolute protection"
Similar in sound to choices like Riley, Miley, and Kylie, Wylie has been sporadically featuring in the US stats for girls since the 1920s, though it has been more consistently used since the late…
Modern invented name
Ultimately, many parents attracted to Tinley's appealing -inley rhythm may decide they can do better with the first syllable than "tin" and move on to Finley, Brinley, or Kinley.
English from Latin tree name
"cedar tree"
A fresh and fragrant nature name, Cedar is one of the new tree/wood names that parents are starting to consider. While it is currently more popular for boys, it sounds similar enough to Selah, Celia,…
Place name
Kensington is a place name with a number of referents; there are cities by the name in Australia, Canada, South Africa, the UK, and the US. As a girls' name, it entered the US Top 1000 in 2015,…
American
"independent, nonconformist"
Free-spirited Maverick is no longer an innovative choice for a son, but by using it on a daughter, you could put the maverick back in Maverick. About 100 baby girls were named Maverick in the US last…
Numerical word name
Seinfeld's George threatened to name his future child Seven, and then singer Erykah Badu actually did it.
Latin
"light"
This name of a character played by Kirsten Dunst in the movie Virgin Suicides , originally a novel by Jeffrey Eugenides, is gaining attention, also thanks to the heroine Lux, Lady of Luminosity in…
Variation of Casanova, Senovia, or Sinova, Latin, Spanish, Russian
"new house; force of Zeus; blue"
A short form the Latin surname Casanova, a variation on Senovia, the Hispanic form of Zenobia, or an alternative spelling to Russian surname Sinova, this modern and international choice spiked in…
Invented name
Vanellope is a Disney creation, given to the protagonist of "Wreck it Ralph" and now a character on Sugar Rush. She is energetic, tomboyish and very sassy. Read more about Vanellope and other Disney…
Word name
Sunshine was seen as a quintessential hippie name of the 70s, reaching as high as Number 536 in 1975. Now such names are making a bit of a retro comeback, seen, for example, as a character on Glee .
English Surname
"town of Anis; Annie's town"
Actor couple Chyler Leigh and Nathan West added this one to the lexicon when they adapted the surname of actress Jennifer Aniston as their daughter's first name, Anniston. With its similarity to both…
Boston as a feminine name represents the growing trend of using place names for children. Originally known primarily as the Massachusetts city named after an English town (derived from 'Botolph's…
Deja is a feminine name that gained popularity in the United States during the 1990s. The name is connected to the French phrase 'déjà vu,' meaning 'already seen' or suggesting something familiar or…
Variation of Icelynn or Iceland, invented English name
"beautiful ice; frozen lake; Iceland"
Icelyn and its more popular sister Icelynn have been among the fastest-rising girls' names in the US in recent years. Icelynn entered the Top 1000 in 2024, while Icelyn was given to 54 girls.
Shaylee is a feminine name with Celtic and American influences, likely a creative variation of the Irish name Shelia (derived from Celia, meaning 'heavenly') or possibly related to the word 'shay'…
Irish
"son of the handsome one"
Although the Mc or Mac prefix always means "son of", the first names McKenna and MacKenna are used in the US exclusively for girls, with the McKenna spelling outpacing this one 14 to 1. There are no…
Variation of Harlow/e, English, "rock hill or army hill"
"rock hill or army hill"
With Harlow in the US Top 1000 and soundalikes, Willow, Halo, Marlo/w/e and Arlo/we on the rise, this contracted form saw more interest in 2023 for boys and girls.
Word name and surname
"wild, untamed, uncontrolled"
The name Wilder is still used more than 90 percent of the time for boys, but it's being used quietly for girls too. with 50 receiving the name in a recent year. Along with the rest of the Wild and…
Japanese, form of Buddhism
Parents searching for a simple, peaceful name may be attracted to this one.
Invented name, or variation of Kaiora
First appearing in the US charts back in 2017, Kaior could have a number of origins. One one hand, it may be an invented name, combining the popular Kai with the designer name Dior, giving it the…
