Ancient Girl Names
Updated Mon Mar 04 2024
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There are so many ancient names for girls to be unearthed — from Rome and Byzantium, to Olde England and Germany, all the way to ancient Mongolia. Ancient, historical female names such as Persephone and Octavia are currently staging a comeback, while plenty more rare girl names wait in the wings.
Along with Octavia and Persephone, other ancient girl names in the US Top 1000 include Arya, Aurelia, Calliope, Hadassah, Itzel, Lucia, Valentina, and Valeria. We have our eye on Minerva, Juno, Honoria, and Cyra to be among the next wave of ancient girl names to be revived.
Cool names for girls from neglected ancient name cultures include Maaza (Amharic), Belig (Mongolian), and Niloufar (Persian).
Here's a selection of worthy ancient names for baby girls, from a range of eras and places, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.
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- Abelia
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"sigh, breath"
- Aeliana
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"sun"
- Akasha
Origin:
HindiMeaning:
"ether"
- Albia
Origin:
Latin
- Amica
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"female friend"
- Anahita
Origin:
PersianMeaning:
"immaculate"
- Annia
Origin:
Latin, female variation of AntoniusMeaning:
"priceless one"
- Aphra
Origin:
Hebrew, variation of AphrahMeaning:
"dust"
- Aquilia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"eagle"
- Argentia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"silver"
- Arria
Origin:
Latin, thin"
- Arya
Origin:
Sanskrit; Modern variation of AriaMeaning:
"noble; air/song"
- Asha
Origin:
Sanskrit; SwahiliMeaning:
"hope; life"
- Atarah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"crown"
- Athalia
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"the Lord is exalted"
- Aurelia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"the golden one"
- Avita
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"life"
- Bahaar
Origin:
Persian, Turkish, KurdishMeaning:
"spring"
- Basilia
Origin:
Greek, feminine variation of Basil
- Beata
Origin:
Swedish, German, Italian, from LatinMeaning:
"blessed"
- Belig
Origin:
Mongolian name meaning "clever, wise"Meaning:
"clever, wise"
- Calliope
Origin:
Greek mythology nameMeaning:
"beautiful voice"
- Calvina
Origin:
Latin, feminine form of Calvin
- Campana
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"bell ringer"
- Candida
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"white"
- Cassia
Origin:
Feminine form of Cassius or GreekMeaning:
"cinnamon"
- Clemencia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"mild, merciful"
- Columba
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"dove"
- Constantina
Origin:
Latin, female variation of ConstantinusMeaning:
"constant, unchanging"
- Crispina
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"curly-haired"
- Cyra
Origin:
Persian or GreekMeaning:
"sun or throne, or lord"
- Damaris
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"dominant woman"
- Damiane
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"to tame"
- Decima
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"tenth"
- Delicia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"delight"
- Dominica
Origin:
Italian, feminine variation of DominicMeaning:
"belonging to the Lord"
- Drusilla
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"fruitful"
- Elizabella
Origin:
Combination of Eliza and Bella
- Fabia
Origin:
Latin female variation of FabianMeaning:
"bean grower"
- Fannia
Origin:
Diminutive of Frances
- Fausta
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"fortunate"
- Faustina
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"fortunate one"
- Felicia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"lucky"
- Flavia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"golden, blond"
- Florentina
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"blooming"
- Fortunata
Origin:
Spanish variation of LatinMeaning:
"luck, fate, wealth"
- Gaia
Origin:
Greek and LatinMeaning:
"earth mother; rejoicing"
- Galla
Origin:
Spelling variation of Gala
- Gaynor
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"white and smooth, soft"
- Gwenore
Origin:
Variation of GuinevereMeaning:
"white shadow, white wave"
- Hadassah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"myrtle tree"
- Hilaria
Origin:
Latin, SpanishMeaning:
"cheerful"
- Honoria
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"woman of honor"
- Horatia
Origin:
Latin feminine variation of Horatio
- Indah
Origin:
IndonesianMeaning:
"pretty"
- Isolde
Origin:
Welsh, GermanMeaning:
"ice ruler"
- Itzel
Origin:
MayanMeaning:
"rainbow lady"
- Jennet
Origin:
Old English short form of Jean or JanetMeaning:
"God is gracious"
- Jonet
Origin:
Modern invented name
- Junia
Origin:
Latin, Feminine variation of JuniusMeaning:
"born in June"
- Juno
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"queen of the heavens"
- Justina
Origin:
Latin, feminine variation of Justin
- Kamala
Origin:
Hindi, HawaiianMeaning:
"lotus or pale red; or, a garden"
- Laelia
Origin:
Latin family name and botanical name
- Laurentia
Origin:
Latin, feminine form of Laurence
- Ligeia
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"clear-voiced, whistling"
- Livia
Origin:
Diminutive of Olivia or LatinMeaning:
"blue, envious"
- Lucia
Origin:
Italian, feminine variation of Lucius, LatinMeaning:
"light"
- Lucilla
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"light"
- Lucretia
Origin:
Latin, female form of Lucretius, meaning unknown
- Maaza
Origin:
AmharicMeaning:
"aroma or essence"
- Mahala
Origin:
Hebrew and ArabicMeaning:
"tender"
- Marciana
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"warlike"
- Marilla
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"shining sea"
- Maxima
Origin:
Latin, feminine variation of Maximus
- Melisent
Origin:
German, variation of MillicentMeaning:
"strong and industrious"
- Meriall
Origin:
English, meaning unknown
- Mila
Origin:
Slavic, RussianMeaning:
"gracious; dear"
- Minerva
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"of the mind, intellect"
- Mirabai
Origin:
SanskritMeaning:
"ocean"
- Mucia
Origin:
Latin, meaning unknown
- Nahara
Origin:
Aramaic and HebrewMeaning:
"light"
- Nefertiti
Origin:
EgyptianMeaning:
"the beautiful one has arrived"
- Nerilla
Origin:
Latin
- Nicasia
Origin:
Latin, female variation of NicasioMeaning:
"victorious"
- Niloufar
Origin:
PersianMeaning:
"lotus, water lily"
- Octavia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"eighth"
- Paccia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"peace"
- Palantina
Origin:
Latin, meaning unknown
- Parisa
Origin:
Iranian/PersianMeaning:
"like a fairy"
- Pema
Origin:
TibetanMeaning:
"lotus flower"
- Perpetua
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"perpetual"
- Persephone
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"bringer of destruction"
- Persis
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"Persian woman"
- Phillida
Origin:
Latin, spelling variation of PhyllidaMeaning:
"green bough"
- Placidia
Origin:
Spanish variation of PlacidaMeaning:
"quiet, calm"
- Prima
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"first"
- Quintia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"the fifth"
- Raziah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"the Lord's secret"
- Rufina
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"red-haired"
- Sabina
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"Sabine"
- Saraqa
Origin:
Persian
- Septima
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"seventh"
- Sergia
Origin:
Latin, female variant of Sergius and SergioMeaning:
"servant"
- Severina
Origin:
Latin, feminine variation of SeverinoMeaning:
"stern, serious"
- Silvia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"from the woods"
- Tanaquil
Origin:
EtruscanMeaning:
"gift of God"
- Tauria
Origin:
Latin, place name
- Tertia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"third"
- Titiana
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"title of honor"
- Tullia
Origin:
Feminine form of Roman family name Tullius, meaning unknown
- Tulsi
Origin:
HindiMeaning:
"basil"
- Turia
Origin:
Latin, meaning unknown
- Urbana
Origin:
Latin, feminine form of UrbanMeaning:
"of the city"
- Valentina
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"strength, health"
- Valeria
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"strength, health"
- Varinia
Origin:
Latin, meaning obscure
- Verina
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"true"
- Viviana
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"life"
- Zelina
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"zealous"
- Zenda
Origin:
PersianMeaning:
"sacred"