Names Girls Love Having
Many girls love having names that convey personality, whether that is fanciful and feminine or down-to-earth and tomboyish. Young girls may be particularly attracted to names that are recognizable to the under-10 set, whether as words or children’s characters from books, TV shows, or movies. What little girl wouldn’t want to be named Princess? Or, next best thing, Belle or Jasmine.
Along with Princess and Belle, other names girls love having in the US Top 1000 include Athena, Charlie, Eloise, Harmony, Leilani, Scarlett, Sunny, and Valentina. Names seen on popular children’s television series are sure to earn you parenting points — among them, Abby, Callie, Skye, and Sofia.
You can count on your young child to thank you for giving her one of these names, although some may not be appreciated by a teenage or grownup daughter. Search our full list of names girls want for themselves below.
Along with Princess and Belle, other names girls love having in the US Top 1000 include Athena, Charlie, Eloise, Harmony, Leilani, Scarlett, Sunny, and Valentina. Names seen on popular children’s television series are sure to earn you parenting points — among them, Abby, Callie, Skye, and Sofia.
You can count on your young child to thank you for giving her one of these names, although some may not be appreciated by a teenage or grownup daughter. Search our full list of names girls want for themselves below.
- Luna
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"moon"Description:
The name of the Roman goddess of the moon, Luna is derived straight from the Latin word for moon, luna. Luna’s divine complement is Sol, the god of the Sun. In Roman art, Luna is often depicted driving a chariot.
- Eloise
Origin:
French and English variation of HeloiseMeaning:
"healthy; wide"Description:
To some, Eloise will forever be the imperious little girl making mischief at the Plaza Hotel, while the original version Heloise recalls the beautiful and learned wife of the French philosopher Peter Abelard, admired for her fidelity and piety.
- Isla
Origin:
Scottish place-name or SpanishMeaning:
"island"Description:
Isla, the Spanish word for island, is also the name of a Scottish river, an island (spelled Islay), and the red-haired actress Isla Fisher, married to Sacha Baron Cohen. A top girls' name in the US, Isla is also popular overseas, especially in England, Wales, and her native Scotland.
- Aurora
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"dawn"Description:
Aurora is the name of the Roman goddess of sunrise whose tears turned into the morning dew. She was said to renew herself by traveling from East to West across the sky, announcing the arrival of the sun each dawn. Aurora is also associated with the scientific term for the Northern Lights, Aurora Borealis.
- Amelia
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"work"Description:
Amelia is derived from the German name Amalia, which in turn is a variation of Amalberga. The root, amal, is a Germanic word meaning "work," and in the context of female given names suggests themes of fertility as well as productivity. Aemilia, the name from which Emily is derived, is unrelated to Amelia.
- Freya
Origin:
NorseMeaning:
"a noble woman"Description:
Freya is derived from the Old Norse name Freyja, meaning "Lady, noble woman." It is the name of the Norse goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. Freya can be considered a feminization of Frey or Freyr, the name of the goddess’s brother.
- Violet
Origin:
English from LatinMeaning:
"purple"Description:
Violet is soft and sweet but far from shrinking. The Victorian Violet, one of the prettiest of the color and flower names, was chosen by high-profile parents Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck, definitely a factor in its rapid climb to popularity. Violet cracked into the Top 50 for the first time ever in 2015.
- Alice
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"noble"Description:
Alice was derived from the Old French name Aalis, a diminutive of Adelais that itself came from the Germanic name Adalhaidis. Adalhaidis, from which the name Adelaide is also derived, is composed of the Proto-Germanic elements aþala, meaning "noble," and haidu, "kind, appearance, type." Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland popularized the name in modern times.
- Penelope
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"weaver"Description:
Penelope is a name from Greek mythology; she was the wife of Odysseus in Homer’s Odyssey. It has two possible origin stories—Penelope was either derived from the Greek pēnē, meaning "thread of a bobbin," or penelops, a type of duck. Mythological Penelope was cared for by a duck as an infant, and later was known for delaying her suiters by pretending to weave a garment while her husband was at sea.
- Lucy
Origin:
English, variation of LuciaMeaning:
"light"Description:
Lucy is the English form of the Roman Lucia, which derives from the Latin word "lux" meaning "light." Lucy and Lucia were at one time given to girls born at dawn. Lucy can alternatively be spelled Luci or Lucie.
- Poppy
Origin:
English from LatinMeaning:
"red flower"Description:
Poppy, unlike most floral names which are sweet and feminine, has a lot of spunk. Long popular in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at #5 in 2014, Poppy is just starting to catch on in a big way in the US, where it entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2016 and – just three years later – the Top 500 in 2019.
- Chloe
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"young green shoot"Description:
Chloe appeared in Greek mythology as an alternative name for the goddess of agriculture and fertility, Demeter. She was referred to as Chloe in the spring months, due to the name’s relation to sprouts and growth. Chloe is also mentioned in the New Testament as the name of a Greek Christian woman.
- Willow
Origin:
English nature nameMeaning:
"willow tree"Description:
Willow came into use as a given name after the willow tree, whose name was derived from the Old English word welig, meaning "willow." Willow trees are associated with grace and elegance, which gave way to the adjective "willowy." Other names with meanings related to willows include Arava, Willoughby, Dozier, Wellesley, Selby, and Salton.
- Matilda
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"battle-mighty"Description:
The comeback of this sweet vintage name, one of the most stylish girls' names starting with M, has been prompted by a boomlet of starbaby Matildas, beginning with chef Gordon Ramsey's in 2002 and Moon Unit Zappa's two years later. But the renaissance of this name of the charming Roald Dahl heroine was assured when Michelle Williams and the late Heath Ledger chose Matilda for their daughter.
- Stella
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"star"Description:
Stella was derived from stella, the Latin word for "star." It was coined by Sir Philip Sidney in 1590 for the protagonist of his poem collection Astrophel and Stella. The title literally means "the star lover and his star," but unlike Stella, Astrophel did not catch on as a given name.
- Lily
Origin:
English flower nameMeaning:
"lily"Description:
Lily came into use as a given name as a direct influence of the flower. The floral name was derived from the Latin lilium, itself derived from the Greek leirion. Lily later became an adjective to describe whiteness and purity.
- Daisy
Origin:
Diminutive of Margaret or flower name, from EnglishMeaning:
"day's eye"Description:
Daisy, fresh, wholesome, and energetic, is one of the flower names that burst back into bloom after a century's hibernation. Daisy is now second only to Delilah among most popular girl names starting with D. Originally a nickname for Margaret (the French Marguerite is the word for the flower), Daisy comes from the phrase "day's eye," because it opens its petals at daybreak.
- Nova
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"new"Description:
Nova is a name that has the feel of both newness, from his meaning, and great energy from being an astronomical term for a star that suddenly increases in brightness, then fades.
- Ruby
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"deep red precious stone"Description:
Ruby, vibrant red, sassy and sultry, has definitely outshone the other revived vintage gem names, with its sparkling resume of cultural references.
- Adeline
Origin:
French, diminutive of AdeleMeaning:
"noble, nobility"Description:
Adeline originated as a French diminutive of Adele, which came from the Germanic root adal, meaning "noble." Adeline was introduced to England by the Normans in the eleventh century, was very common during the Middle Ages, then vanished until the Victorian Gothic revival. Common variants of Adeline include Adalynn, Adalyn, Adelyn, Adelynn, Adelina, and Adaline.