Girl Names Lists · International Baby Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 14 pages
of 14
Dutch
"blackbird"
Merel is a soundalike of Meryl and may be thought of as a variation of that name, but it's also the Dutch word for blackbird and so you can make it more stylish as one of the flock of cool new bird…
Danish
"mint"
Minta would be easier to wear as an English-speaker.
Icelandic from Norse
"cloak"
This geographical name is in the Icelandic Top 20 , inspired by a volcano in southern Iceland. The volcano was named after the Icelandic word for a hooded cloak, since the summit is often covered by…
Hedvig is a feminine name of Germanic origin, derived from the elements 'hadu' meaning 'battle, combat' and 'wig' meaning 'war.' Despite these fierce origins, the name has developed a refined,…
Scandinavian, diminutive of Hedvig
Hedda is a card-carrying member of the league of older, slightly bohemian urban names like Nedda, Andra, and Petra; also linked to Ibsen heroine Hedda Gabler, as well as being the basis of cruel joke…
German diminutive of Cornelia
"horn"
Nele originated as a German nickname for Cornelia, but it superseded its mother name and has been a Top 50 name in Germany since 2000. Nell, or even the phonetic spelling, Nela, would be more…
Scandinavian
"god's rune; secret battle"
Difficult name familiar here mainly via D. H. Lawrence's Women in Love .
Feminine variation of Bjorn, Swedish
"bear"
Birna is unlikely to be a hit in the US, but it's a current favorite in Iceland. Birna is also used in Finland and Scandinavia.
Nordic variation of Alberta
Good choice if you want to avoid connections with the Canadian province, but the confusing spelling is probably not worth the hassle.
