Girl Names Like Emily

Wed Jul 01 2020By Linda Rosenkrantz

Classic girl name Emily has ranked among the top names in the United States since the early 1970s, making it one of the most enduring modern classic baby names for girls. It has influenced the rise of many similar sounding, but fresher girl names, such as Emma, Amelie, and Mila.

Along with Emma and Mila, other girl names like Emily in the US Top 100 include Amelia, Audrey, Camila, Evelyn, Lily, Penelope, Mia, and Emilia. Rare names that share some of Emily’s lovable qualities include Aurelie, Elowen, Emiko, and Ottilie.

If you love the sound and style of Emily, but not its popularity, you might like to consider these more unusual alternatives to Emily, ranging from the up-and-coming Everly and Esme to the almost unique Romilly and Eulalie.

Eloise

Origin:
French and English variation of Heloise
Meaning:
"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.
Along with many other names with the El- beginning and featuring the L sound in any place, Eloise is newly chic. Eloise jumped back onto the popularity list in 2009, possibly thanks in part to the Eloise Hawking character on the popular TV series Lost. Eloise was the name of Jennifer Aniston's character in Love Happens. Denise Richards named one of her daughters Eloise.

Eloise Continued

Genevieve

Origin:
English from French
Meaning:
"tribe woman"
Description:
Genevieve is derived from the Germanic medieval name Genovefa, or Kenowefa, which consists of the elements kuni, meaning “kin”, and wefa, meaning “woman.” The medieval saint Genevieve, patroness of Paris, defended the city against Attila the Hun through her rational thinking, courage and prayer.

Genevieve Continued

Esme

Origin:
French; Persian
Meaning:
"esteemed, beloved; emerald"
Description:
Esmé comes from the past participle of the Old French verb esmer, meaing “to esteem” or “to love.” It can also be considered a derivative of the Spanish name Esmeralda. Esmé was traditionally as masculine name, as in its original bearer, Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox, and Esmée, with the same pronunciation, was the feminine form. Today both spellings are used as feminine given names.

Elodie

Origin:
French, variation of Greek Alodia
Meaning:
"foreign riches"
Description:
Elodie derives from Elodia, the Spanish variation of Alodia, a gothic German name associated with Saint Alodia. Saint Alodia was a child martyr in 9th century Spain, along with her sister Nunilo. In France, Elodie is spelled Élodie, with an accent over the E.

Elodie Continued

Evelyn

Origin:
English from French and German
Meaning:
"desired; or water, island"
Description:
Evelyn derives from the French feminine given name Aveline, which is from an obscure Germanic root which may mean "desired, wished for" or "water, island". The name Aveline was brought over to England by the Normans, but it first became popular as a masculine name – a transferred use of the surname Evelyn, which comes from the same source. Variations include Evaline, Evalyn, Evelin, and Eveline.

Evelyn Continued

Amelia

Origin:
German
Meaning:
"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.

Amelia Continued

Penelope

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"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.

Penelope Continued

Mia

Origin:
Italian word name or Scandinavian short form of Maria
Meaning:
"mine or bitter"
Description:
Mia originated as a short form of Maria, which ultimately derived from the Hebrew name Miryam. In modern times, Mia has been used as a nickname for names including Amelia, Emilia, and Miriam. Mia is also an Italian and Spanish word meaning 'mine.'

Adeline

Origin:
French, diminutive of Adele
Meaning:
"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.

Adeline Continued

Lily

Origin:
English flower name
Meaning:
"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.

Eliza

Origin:
Diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew
Meaning:
"pledged to God"
Description:
Eliza originated as a diminutive of Elizabeth and eventually became used as a name in its own right. Despite its similarity to the Hebrew name Aliza, meaning “joyful,” the two are unrelated. Eliza Schuyler Hamilton was the wife of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, recognizable today as one of the lead characters in the musical “Hamilton.”

Eliza Continued

Elena

Origin:
Spanish, Italian, German, Greek variation of Helen
Meaning:
"bright, shining light"
Description:
Elena, a pan-European version of Helen, has roots in Spanish, Italian, Slavic, and Romanian, among others. Helen, the name from which it derives, came from the Greek word helene, meaning “torch.” Alternate spellings include Elaina, Ellena, and Alena.

Elena Continued

Audrey

Origin:
English
Meaning:
"noble strength"
Description:
Audrey is derived from the Anglo-Saxon Aethelthryth, the name that later evolved into Ethelred. St. Audrey was a seventh century saint who was particularly revered in the Middle Ages. Her name led to the term tawdry, as cheap lace necklaces were sold at the St. Audrey fair. Shakespeare bestowed her name on a character in As You Like It.

Audrey Continued

Lila

Origin:
Arabic, Sanskrit
Meaning:
"night; play"
Description:
Lila was derived from the Arabic word laylah, meaning “night.” It has separate roots in Sanskrit with the meaning “play.” In Hinduism, Lila is a conceptualism of the universe as a playground of the gods. Lilah and Lyla are variant spellings.

Eliana

Origin:
Hebrew
Meaning:
"my God has answered"
Description:
The Hebrew variation of Eliana was taken from the elements el, meaning “God” and ana, meaning “answered.” Eliana also has roots as a variation of the Late Latin name Aeliana, a feminization of the male given name Aelianus, itself derived from the Roman family name Aelius. Aelius is related to the Greek word helios, which refers to the Sun.

Eliana Continued

Mila

Origin:
Slavic, Russian
Meaning:
"gracious; dear"
Description:
Mila is a given name with Russian and Slavic provenance. It began as the diminutive form for names such as Ludmila, Milena, and Milica. Mila can be a nickname for any name containing the element mil, meaning “gracious” or “dear.”

Esther

Origin:
Persian
Meaning:
"star"
Description:
Esther was derived from the Old Persian word stāra, meaning “star.” In the Old Testament, Esther, originally named Hadassah, was the captured Jewish wife of the King of Persia who risked her life to save her exiled people from annihilation. This story is celebrated by Jews on the holiday of Purim, so that it has traditionally been given to girls around that time.

Esther Continued

Ellie

Origin:
English, diminutive of Eleanor and Ellen
Meaning:
"bright shining one"
Description:
Ellie derived as a nickname for names beginning with El-, such as Eleanor, Ellen, and Elizabeth. It is increasingly being used as a standalone name, particularly in the UK. Ellie is the standard spelling, but Elly and Elli are occasionally seen as variations.

Ellie Continued

Sophie

Origin:
French variation of Sophia
Meaning:
"wisdom"
Description:
Sophie is the French form of the Greek Sophia, for which it is also commonly used as a nickname. Sophies are scattered throughout European royal history, including Sophie of Thuringia, Duchess of Brabant, Princess Sophie of Sweden, and in modern times, Sophie, Duchess of Wessex, the wife of Britain's Prince Edward. German-born Catherine the Great was born Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst, but changed her name to Catherine upon her conversion to Russian Orthodoxy.

Sophie Continued

Evie

Origin:
Diminutive of Eve or Eva
Meaning:
"life"
Description:
Evie was derived from Eve, which in turn comes from Chawwah, a Hebrew name related to the concept of life. Evie can be used as a nickname for any name that starts with Ev-, including Eva, Evelyn, and Evangeline, but also for names such as Genevieve and Maeve. Evie is typically pronounced with a long E sound, but a short E is also valid.

Emmeline

Origin:
Old French form of archaic German Amal
Meaning:
"work"
Description:
Emmeline is an Emma relative and Emily cousin that is destined for greater use in the wake of the megapopularity of those two names. A recommended Nameberry fave, Emmeline hopped onto the US Top 1000 in 2014 for the first time ever. While it is genuinely an old name, it was rarely used a century ago; only 17 baby girls were named Emmeline in 1915, the same number as were named Ernie!

Emmeline Continued

Amaya

Origin:
Spanish version of Amaia or Japanese
Meaning:
"mother city; the end; night rain"
Description:
The Spanish form of Amaya is both a given name and a surname, originating from the Spanish mountain and village of Amaya. In this context it means “mother city” or “the capital.” Amaya can also be considered a derivation of Amaia, a Basque name meaning “the end.” In Japan, Amaya is a surname.

Amaya Continued

Gemma

Origin:
Italian
Meaning:
"precious stone"
Description:
Gemma is a jewel of a name, an Italian classic that was very popular in 1980s England, but has only recently been started to be used here; it entered the list in 2008.

Gemma Continued

Millie

Origin:
Diminutive of Mildred or Millicent
Meaning:
"gentle strength; strong in work"
Description:
Millie is fashionable again in England, Wales and Scotland. In the USA it's a winner with parents who like the offbeat, frilly, and old-fashioned. Millicent would be an appealing long form, but many people are using Millie all by its cute self -- so many, in fact, that it returned to the Top 500 in 2015 for the first time since World War 2 and is one of the coolest girl names starting with M.

Millie Continued

Everly

Origin:
English
Meaning:
"wild boar in woodland clearing"
Description:
Everly originated as a toponymic surname derived from the Old English roots eofor, meaning “boar,” and leah, “clearing.” It is related to the Germanic name Eberhard, meaning “brave as a wild boar,” from which popular name Everett also derived. Wild boars represented strength and courage to ancient Germanic peoples, who often took on names with animal meanings.

Everly Continued

Rosalie

Origin:
French variation of Latin Rosalia
Meaning:
"rose"
Description:
Rosalie hit its apex in 1938 and then slid straight downhill until it fell off the U.S. Top 1000 completely in the 1980s, only to spring back to life in 2009 as the name of a character in the Twilight series. The beautiful vampire Rosalie Hale has breathed fresh life back into this mid-century name, and the fact that the character is both sympathetic and relatively minor means Rosalie has the chance to thrive again as a baby name without feeling unduly tied to Twilight.

Rosalie Continued

Emilia

Origin:
Feminine variation of Emil, Latin
Meaning:
"rival"
Description:
Emilia is the feminine form of the Roman clan name Aemilius, which derived from the Latin aemulus, meaning “rival.” In Shakespeare’s Othello, Emilia is the wife of Iago and confidante of Desdemona. Amelia, although homonymous, has a different root and meaning.

Emilia Continued

Elowen

Origin:
Cornish
Meaning:
"elm"
Description:
A beautiful modern Cornish nature name that is rapidly picking up steam in the States: even spawning variant spellings like Elowyn and Elowynn. In its native region, it wasn't widely used as a name before the twentieth century, when the Cornish language was revived. A (currently) unique member of the fashionble El- family of names, it has a pleasant, evocative sound.

Elowen Continued

Ottilie

Origin:
Feminine variation of German OTTO,
Meaning:
"prosperous in battle"
Description:
Ottilie and its diminutive Ottiline are a pair of names heard among the British upper crust, but have rarely been seen here since the 1880's. Though it has German roots via Otto, Ottilie has a distinctively delicate French feel.

Ottilie Continued

Amelie

Origin:
French variation of Amelia
Meaning:
"work"
Description:
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; it entered the American popularity list in 2002 and is now solidly established in the Top 1000.

Amelie Continued

Lillian

Origin:
English from Latin
Meaning:
"lily; pledged to God"
Description:
Lillian is having a remarkable revival, rising to a peak of Number 21 in 2010 (the highest it's been since the 1920's) before dipping slightly in recent years. It was a Top 10 name in its Lillian Gish-Lillian (born Helen Louise) Russell-Floradora Girl heyday at the turn of the last century.

Lillian Continued

Amalia

Origin:
German
Meaning:
"work"
Description:
Amalia is a widely cross-cultural name, heard from Italy to Romania, Germany to Scandinavia. The current heir to the Dutch throne is Princess Catharina-Amalia of Orange. It can be pronounced ah-MAH-lee-a or ah-mah-LEE-a. Like Amelia and Emilia, this name is likely to continue to climb. Frequently in the US Top 1000 in the early twentieth century, it spent nearly eighty years off the list until rejoining in 2011.

Amalia Continued

Ariel

Origin:
Hebrew
Meaning:
"lion of God"
Description:
Ariel is a male Biblical name, seen there as the messenger of Ezra, and also used as a symbolic name for the city of Jerusalem, while Shakespeare used it for a (male) sprite in The Tempest.

Ariel Continued

Isabelle

Origin:
French variation of Isabel
Meaning:
"pledged to God"
Description:
Isabelle is the French variation of Isabel, which emerged in the Middle ages as an Occitan form of Elizabeth. Medieval queens Isabella of Angoulême and Isabella of France helped popularize the name in the United Kingdom. Isobel is the Scottish version, Isabella the Italian, and Izabel is used in Brazil.

Isabelle Continued

Vivienne

Origin:
French variation of Vivian
Meaning:
"life"
Description:
Vivienne is an elaborated Gallic version of the name Vivian, chosen first by Rosie O'Donnell for her daughter and then catapulted to superstardom when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie used it for their twin daughter. An adult namesake is the British designer Vivienne Westwood. Rosie O'Donnell also has a daughter named Vivienne, known as Vivi.

Vivienne Continued

Camille

Origin:
French variation of Camilla,"young ceremonial attendant"
Meaning:
"young ceremonial attendant"
Description:
At one time just the sound of the name Camille could start people coughing, recalling the tragic Lady of the Camellias, the heroine played by Greta Garbo in the vintage film based on a Dumas story, but that image has faded, replaced by a sleek, chic, highly attractive one.

Camille Continued

Liliana

Origin:
Italian and Spanish variations of Lilian
Meaning:
"lily, a flower"
Description:
This melodious and feminine Latin variation of the Lily family is a favorite in the Hispanic community and would work beautifully with an Anglo surname as well. It's among the Spanish and Italian names for girls that make smooth transitions to the English-speaking world. The late Sopranos star James Gandolfini has a daughter named Liliana Ruth.

Liliana Continued

Emery

Origin:
German
Meaning:
"industrious"
Description:
The superpopularity of Emily and Emma has recently boosted the unisex Emery, especially since it's also a starbaby via Angie Harmon and Jason Sehorn. Emery now ranks among the girls' Top 100 names in the US, though Emma, Emily, and even Emilia are more popular. Emerson and Emmeline are two other popular girl names in the same vein.

Emery Continued

Valerie

Origin:
French variation of Valeria
Meaning:
"strength, health"
Description:
The name of a martyred medieval saint, Valerie has been on the popularity list since its earliest publication in 1880. Though it peaked in the 1960s, remaining in the Top 100 until 1988, it still doesn't sound terminally dated; the association with the word valor gives it a sense of boldness and makes it one of the special group of girl names that mean strong.

Valerie Continued

Leila

Origin:
Arabic
Meaning:
"night"
Description:
Leila was popularized in the West by the poet Byron, who used it in his poem Don Juan for a ten-year-old Turkish girl. Leila also appears as a fairy in the Gilbert & Sullivan comic opera Iolanthe.

Leila Continued

Juliette

Origin:
French from Latin
Meaning:
"little Julia"
Description:
Juliette, pronounced with the emphasis on the last syllable, adds a little something extra to Juliet. In the past years it has been rising up the chart.

Juliette Continued

Cecily

Origin:
Feminine variation of Cecil
Meaning:
"blind"
Description:
Cecily is as dainty as a lace handkerchief. Cecily has a wide assortment of namesakes. One Cecily was the mother of King Richard III, whose beauty gained her the title "the Rose of Raby," Cecily Parsley is a Beatrix Potter bunny, Cecily Cardew is a character in The Importance of Being Earnest, and the author of the Gossip Girl books is Cecily von Ziegesar.

Cecily Continued

Emerson

Origin:
German
Meaning:
"son of Emery"
Description:
The combination of Emily and Emma's popularity -- and the fact that Desperate Housewives star Teri Hatcher's daughter is named Emerson -- have put this formerly strictly boys’ name, embodying the gravitas of Ralph Waldo Emerson, in the limelight for girls.

Emerson Continued

Ember

Origin:
French variation of Amber
Description:
Unlike Amber, which is in decline, this name still has a bit of a glow left -- though confusions between the two will inevitably arise.

Ember Continued

Leilani

Origin:
Hawaiian
Meaning:
"a heavenly flower"
Description:
Leilani is derived from the Hawaiian elements lei, meaning “flower,” and lani, “heavenly.” It can also be translated as “royal child,” as lani is connected to high-birth and aristocracy, and leis—flower garlands worn around the neck—are associated with children. “Sweet Leilani” is an Academy Award-winning song by Bing Crosby.

Leilani Continued

Camila

Origin:
Spanish variation of Camilla
Meaning:
"young ceremonial attendant"
Description:
The Spanish Camila, pronounced ka-MEE-la, is the fastest rising version of this ancient Roman name, but recent royal Camilla may have helped promote the British brand. In Roman myth, Camilla was a swift-footed huntress so fast she could run over a field without bending a blade of grass. Pop star Camila Cabello used her first name for her debut album.

Camila Continued

Melody

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"song"
Description:
A melodious choice big in the sixties, Melody is now starting to pick up tempo again. It cracked the Top 150 for the first time ever in 2015.

Melody Continued

Briony

Origin:
Spelling variation of Bryony
Meaning:
"to sprout"
Description:
Briony may be the variation and Bryony the original, but many parents will see this as the more authentic-feeling version of this attractive botanical name. Still unusual in the U.S., Briony is in the British Top 100 and may appeal to parents as a fresh spin on Briana or Brittany or an honorific for a Brian, though it bears no relationship to the male name.

Briony Continued

Melanie

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"black, dark"
Description:
Gone with the Wind inspired a generation of girls named Melanie, though it looks as though Scarlett will triumph in the end.

Melanie Continued

Millicent

Origin:
German
Meaning:
"strong in work"
Description:
Combining the mild and the innocent, this sweet and feminine name is worthy of a comeback, in the mode of Madeline and Cecilia. Its original, also attractive form is Melisende, which came from Germany to France and was borne by a daughter of Charlemagne.

Millicent Continued

Loading ...