European Girl Names

The exact origins of Tiril remain a mystery, but it is generally considered to be a name from Norwegian poetry. The heroine of Johan Sebastian Cammermeyer’s fantastical poem "Lokkende Toner" is Tirilil Tove.

Siv, or sometimes Sif, was the name of Thor's wife and is popular in modern Scandinavia. In Norse mythology, Siv was the goddess of fertility and agriculture.

Charming French endearment, first used as a name by Goethe, that now makes an appealing choice -- though the proper feminine form is Mignonne. Note, though, that this is not actually used as a name in France, where Manon would be the closest choice.

Widespread popularity in the Latino community has propelled this name up the charts in the US. Ximena is the more popular version, given to about three times as many baby girls as Jimena, maybe because of that edgy initial X.

Manuela is one feminine form that's more energetic than the male original, and is worth considering if you're seeking an easily assimilated Spanish name.

Saar is a very popular girls' name in The Netherlands, where it's an abbreviated form of Sarah. The Dutch feminine Saar, pronounced sahr, is distinct from the Hebrew place-name Saar used for boys in Israel.

Mafalda is nearly unknown in the English-speaking world, despite an appearance in Harry Potter. Indeed, it does have a witchy feel. Matilda itself is preferable, or her French form Mathilde, Spanish Matilde, or abbreviation Maud.

Fien is a popular enough girls' name to make the Top 100 in The Netherlands. Dutch parents love nickname-names taken from the last vs. the first syllable of a name, like Sanne for Susanne or Lotte for Charlotte.

This unisex name ranks among the most popular girl names in Norway, though it has a number of different roots.

The modern Greek form of Arete, a minor Greek goddess of excellence, virtue and righteous morals. With its fun I ending and the trendy nickname Ari (or Art, for something more unisex), Areti could easily leave the Greek mythology books and be used as a rare but stylish baby girl name.

Dutch supermodel Doutzen (pronounced doubt-son) Kroes has introduced us to a name from the Netherlands that might have a hard time in an American classroom and is nowhere near as glamorous as its bearer.

Hilma is heard in Germany and the Scandinavian countries, and sometimes used as a shortening of Wilhelmina--though there are more appealing German names for girls. to be found. Hilma Wolitzer is an American novelist and the mother of author Meg Wolitzer.

A cute Slavic name that feels familiar because of its similarity to the more well-known Anja. Janja is the regional variant of Agnes in Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia, and it's also connected to the word janje, meaning "lamb".

The saintly Italian form of the saintly Latin Benedicta.

This feminization of Arnold (based on the Dutch variant Arend) feels fresh and sweet, and comes with the cute nicknames Ari, Aria & Dina. An airy, feminine choice that can be used outside of the Netherlands.

Femke is a diminutive version of the Dutch or Frisian name Fem, which in turn is a feminine form of the masculine name Femme (still with us?), which is a diminutive of several Old German names names containing the syllable "frid" which means peace.

Oline is an old school feminization of the classic Scandinavian Ole or Olaf that is still popular enough to rank among the Top 100 girl names in Norway.

This Dutch name derives from the old Germanic name, Farahild. It is quite common in the Netherlands.

Not-so-attractive short form of a lovely name.

This charming feminine form of Thaddeus is based on the Slovene variant Tadej. Its melodic sound and stylish nickname Teja make it an attractive possibility, even outside of its native country.