International Baby Girl Names (with Meanings & Popularity)

Amaia

Spanish or Basque

"high place or end"

This pretty and uncommon Basque name is all but unheard of in this country. Amaya is a spelling variation as well as a similar Japanese name meaning "night rain." With the newfound popularity of…

Noemi

Italian and Spanish variation of Naomi

"my delight"

Noemi is a charming Latin spin on Naomi; another twist is Neomi. A quiet mainstay on the US Top 1000 since 1957, Noemi was one of the fastest rising names in 2023.

Alejandra

Spanish variation of Alexandra

"defending men"

Alejandra, the Spanish form of this popular and multivaried name, has fans both in and outside the Latino community. Still, it has lost ground since its peak in the 1990s.

Estrella

Spanish

"star"

Bright and vibrant but elegant too, Estrella is a rising star among Hispanic families that would make a good cross-cultural choice too. A Spanish word name that literally means "star", it is similar…

Indie

Short form of India, Indigo etc

Indie is an independent-sounding nickname name that is in the Top 100 in Wales. As a diminutive, it's growing in popularity -- along with indie films, indie publishing -- and the reason some parents…

Hana

Hebrew, Hawaiian, Maori, Japanese

"grace, work, glow, flower"

Many things to many peoples: a flower name, also spelled Hanae, to the Japanese; a Czech and Polish short form of Johana; and an alternate form of the biblical name Hannah in the US. It also means…

Noor

Arabic; Dutch variation of Eleonora

"light"

An interesting name associated with the elegant American-born Queen Noor of Jordan. Noor is very popular among modern Muslim parents around the world and is beginning to cross over, perhaps because…

Marisol

Spanish, contracted form of Maria de la Soledad

"Mary of Solitude; sea and sun"

Bright and vivid, Marisol is a sunny name of Spanish origin and an excellent candidate to cross languages, a la Soledad, Paz, and Solana. Familiar in its native Spain (though no longer a top choice),…

Yaretzi

Nahuatl, Aztec

"you will always be loved"

This unusual name from the Nahuatl or Aztec language has one of the best meanings around. It sprang onto the US popularity list in 2006 and made a brief appearance in the Top 300 before sliding down…

Nia

Swahili; Welsh form of the Irish Niamh

"resolve; brilliance"

Short but energetic and substantial, Nia has special meaning for African-American parents, as it's one of the days of Kwanza. Nia also benefits by its similarity to (yet differentness from) the…

Paloma

Spanish

"dove"

Paloma is vibrant and ruby-lipped a la jewelry designer Paloma Picasso, but it also suggests peace, as symbolized by the dove. Paloma is a highly recommended striking but soft name, one of the best…

Zainab

Variation of Zaynab

Zainab—the name of a flowering tree and of a granddaughter, daughter, and two wives of the Prophet Muhammed—was a newcomer to the US Top 1000 in 2013. While simplified variations Zaina or Zayna are…

Livia

Diminutive of Olivia or Latin

"blue, envious"

Though it sounds like a chopped-off variation of Olivia, which means olive, the distinctively attractive Livia has been an independent name since the days of the ancient Romans, when it belonged to…

Amelie

French and German variation of Amelia

"work"

Amelia meets Emily, gets a Bohemian spin and a French accent when it becomes Amelie. This favorite among French girl names has been gaining notice here thanks to the charming 2001 French film Amelie…

Luz

Spanish

"light"

Pronounced LOOSE, this name that refers to the Virgin Mary—"Our Lady of Light"—is one of the most widely used Spanish name for girls . Its sleekness and stylish final z gives it a modern appeal, like…

Soraya

Persian

"Pleiades constellation"

Soraya is a Persian name made famous in the Western world by the one-time empress of Iran, who settled in Europe, primarily in France. Soraya is derived from Thurayya, the Arabic name of the…

Emi

English, Slovene, or Japansese

"rival; whole; beautiful favor, beautiful picture"

As an English nickname, Emi can be short for anything beginning with (or containing) the popular "em" sound, such as Emily, Emilia, or maybe even Clementine. As a Japanese name, it can be formed of…

Anika

Dutch, German, Slovene, and Polish diminutive of Anne, Hindi, Sanskrit

"grace; army, splendour"

Sweet but spiky, Anika is a multicultural choice with broad appeal. Familiar in the UK, Czechia, Poland, and the US, it is in the Top 100 in Slovenia. It is additionally popular in Bangladesh, India,…

Simone

French feminine variation of Simon, Hebrew

"listening, hearkening"

Simone, the elegant French feminization of Simon, strikes that all-important balance between unusual and familiar, and it's oozing with Gallic sophistication. A dated choice in its native France,…

Yamileth

Spanish variation of Jamila, Arabic

"beautiful"

Popular in Mexico and familiar in the US, Yamileth is an elaborate and fresh form of Yamila, ultimately derived from the Arabic Jamil. Meaning "beautiful", it shares sounds with other familiar and…