Girl Baby Names
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American Names for Girls
Many popular American names are in fact rooted in other countries -- England, often, thanks to our common English language, but also French, Spanish, Hebrew, Latin, Greek, and German. Names that are originally American tend to be place names, newly-minted names not used in more conservative England, and of course Native American names. In short, not all American names are English names are American names or vice versa. Popular American names for girls include the following.
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Attitude Names for Girls
Attitude names are those that project sass, spunk, confidence, and cool. These qualities may appeal for both girl and boy babies and are increasingly desirable for parents. Attitude names for girls may be inspired by amazing heroines, an unusual letter or sound, or simply a badass image. Here are some of the best girls' names with attitude.
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Attitude Nicknames for Girls
Attitude names are a new style that a lot of parents are searching for, and nicknames fit right into the confident, bright, badass image. Here are some attitude nicknames for girls to get you started.
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Baby Names That Mean Beautiful
What would a little girl like more than a name denoting beauty? Here are some baby names that fit that bill.
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Baby Names With Repeating Sounds
We're in a nickname-friendly era, and these adorable double baby names like Coco and Lulu are in keeping with that trend.
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Baby Names with Uplifting Meanings
These baby names for girls all have positive meanings that could set your child on the right course for life.
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Bad Girls
It may be difficult for people on the brink of parenthood to admit this, but it's cool to be bad. It was cool when you were younger . . . and it's still going to be cool when your baby-to-be is a lot, lot older. If these Bad Girl names are too much for you, check out the list of names for Good Girls. Among the baddest, coolest baby girl names:
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Badass Princess Names
Badass princess is an image that not only appeals to contemporary little girls but to their parents when choosing a name; They are appealing not so much because of their sound or their style but because of the complicated image they convey. These are rare baby girl names that are both decidedly feminine and rooted in tradition, but are not at all conventional or conservative. They’re creative and edgy, but not invented or unorthodox like Blue or Bellamy.
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Belles of the Ball
With Isabella in the Top Ten Girls' names, many other names that end with bel, belle, and bella (including Belle and Bella themselves) are under consideration by modern parents. Here, a roundup of the Belles among girls' names.
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Best Cool Unusual Girls' Names
This is a list of the best, cool unusual girls' names---those that have deep roots, are attractive, and can fit into contemporary life, yet are not on the brink of widespread discovery. And by unusual girls’ names, we mean those used for 25 or fewer baby girls last year. To see more, here is our full menu of girls' names and uinusual names.
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Bible Names for Girls
Bible names for girls have been popular for girls for more than a generation now, with early favorites Mary and Anna giving way to new favorites such as Ada and Abigail. Here's the complete collection of biblical baby names for girls. Click here for our list of Bible Names for Boys.
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Boy Names for Girls
Some of the coolest baby girl names are not girls' names at all but boys' names. We're seeing more and more 100% boy names being used for girls, from nicknames like Sam and Charlie, to occupational or surnames such as Sawyer or McKinley. Here, some boy names that can work for girls.
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British Girl Names
Do British baby girl names have a distinct style? You bet, and often the style of English names is a step or two ahead of the style of American names. Some of the hottest baby girl names in England, Scotland, and Wales are still cool -- and underused -- choices in the U.S.. Here, some of the most intriguing British baby names for girls.
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Classic Baby Names for Girls
Classic baby names for girls, those that have been well used in the English-speaking world over time, are an elite group. While many Biblical names certainly qualify, we've grouped most of those on their own list. Here are the classic girl baby names that remain.
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Classic Girl Names That Aren't Boring
If your tastes run toward classic baby girl names but you want a name that sounds interesting and distinctive, consider these girl names that are traditional but not boring.
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Colonial Names for Girls
Many colonial names have fallen out of favor for long enough now to sound fresh and even cool again. If you like historic baby names but want to move beyond the Victorian and biblical baby names we've heard so much of in recent years, consider these names culled from Revolutionary War rolls and eighteenth-century town histories. The only caveat: The choices are much wider and more appealing for boys than for girls.
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Cool Classic Girls’ Names — 100+ below the Top 1000
Classic baby names are not always popular names. These classic girls' names are also unusual, hiding below the Top 1000.
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Cool Girl Names from Ancient Cultures
There are so many ancient names for girls -- from Rome and Byzantium, from Olde England and Germany -- that deserve to be unearthed in the interest of cool. Here's a selection of worthy ancient names, from a range of eras and places, that make unique baby names for girls.
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Cool Girl Names From Around the World
Cool names for girls from a range of cultures and countries are ripe for the picking no matter where you live. As the world becomes a smaller place, baby names become more international. And if you're looking for a cool unusual name for your baby girl, choosing one from another country can be a way to combine tradition with innovation. Consider these cool girl names from around the world.
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Coolator for Girls' Names
Cool girls' names can sometimes be made from less-than-cool ones. Sometimes, all you have to do is add an a to the end to bump them up several coolness levels: Natalie to Natalia, Susan to Susanna -- you get the picture. The point is that with a bit of ingenuity you can ramp up a name you like to a similar one that's cooler, or tone it down if you want to go in a quieter direction. Here are some examples:
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Crazy Nicknames for Girls
Looking for the wackiest nicknames used for girls? Here are some we think qualify.
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Cute Baby Names for Girls
Babies are darling, so no wonder some parents opt for the cutest of cute baby names when it comes to naming their daughters. Some of these cute names do wear well, even into adulthood. Other cute baby names might be better as nicknames for formal names - or reserved for kittens and doll babies. For more information and many more names, check out our complete guide to cute baby names.
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Dutch Baby Names for Girls
Popular girl baby names in the Netherlands range from the familiar (to an English speaker) like Lisa and Kim through exotic baby names like Anouk to the intriguingly unusual. A sampling of baby names frequently heard in The Netherlands for girls:
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English Names for Girls
English names, meaning names that originated in the English language, sometimes get overlooked because we tend to think of all names used by English speakers as English names. But of course many of the names we consider English are actually Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and so on. So when which names for girls truly might be considered English? The English girls' names here are some of the best-known.
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Feminizations
Feminizations are, in the classic sense, feminine variations of male names rather than unisex baby names. You may be attracted to these baby names because you want to name a daughter after dad or grandpa, or maybe you simply love the traditional feel of many of these baby names.
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Fictional Princess Names
Fictional princess names -- from fairy tales to modern cartoons -- are well-known to little girls, most of whom would be delighted to have one for her very own. Here, the wide range of fictional princess names.
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Finnish Baby Names for Girls
Even though Finnish baby names are Scandinavian, they sound much quirkier to the American ear than Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish baby names do. Here are some of the most accessible baby names to the English speaker, though not all are popular in Finland itself.
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Flower Names for Girls
Flower names for girls were first popular around the turn of the last century and have started to bloom again as modern baby names. Flower names that work for babies range from the exotic from Amaryllis to Zinnia to the everyday, such as Daisy, Lily, and Rose. Flower baby names can suit every taste and sensibility, from the vintage to the modern, the unique to the familiar. Here, a large collection of flower names for girls.
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French Baby Girl Names
French baby girl names aren't limited to the same old noms--the Michelles and Danielles and Gabrielles. Here are some fresh French baby names for girls.
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Geek Chic Names for Girls
Cool names for girls come in all shapes and flavors. There are some baby names that, like thick black-rimmed glasses and heavy oxfords, are so uncool they're cool. Here are some geek chic names for girls.
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Geezer Names for Girls
Blame it on Sidney. This name, which conjures up images of thick glasses, a snowfall of dandruff on shoulders, and plaid polyester pants pulled up to the sternum, sounds (strangely enough) nothing less than charming, nothing short of cool when applied to a little girl. And so too can the other geezer names here. Caution: Most of these names should not be bestowed on a boy. The world is not yet ready for another generation of male Seymours and Sheldons, although keep in mind that among the hottest boys' names in the UK now are Harvey and Leon.
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Girl Baby Names Moving Up Fast
Baby girl names moving quickly up the popularity ladder include:
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Girl Baby Names That End With A
A may be the most fashionable beginning letter for names today, but it's also a hit at the end, especially with girl baby names. From top choices Isabella and Sophia and Olivia to more obscure names, the letter a has feminine appeal. Here, some out-of-the-box a-ending ideas.
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Girl Baby Names That End With S
Okay, all these girls' baby names don't literally end with S. Some just end with the S sound. But that S-sound ending may be all it takes.
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Girl Names ALWAYS in the Top 1000
These perennially popular girl names have all appeared on the Top 1000 list for every year since the U.S. government started keeping records in 1880. While many are names you'd expect to be classics, such as Elizabeth and Sarah, there are lots of surprises here.
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Girl Names from Africa
African names for baby girls hail from all around the continent and offer an exotic yet usable complement of choices. While these are some of our favorites, for even more African baby girl names, go to Supersearch and search by origin.
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Girl Names That Mean Brave or Powerful
An interesting group of names that just might empower your baby girl.
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Girl Names Trendier Than You Think
The trendiest baby girl names may be a very different group than you'd guess, especially for the first-time parent new to recent baby-naming fads and trends. Here, some surprisingly trendy names for baby girls.
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Girls' Names That End in Y
Y has gone from the standard to an almost quaint way to end a girls' names, with the ee sound today as likely represented by an i, an ey, or an eigh. But y is classic and serviceable. Here are a collection of girls' names that traditionally end in y.
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Girls' Names With Gravity
For many parents, girls' names (and boys' names too) should carry more than an attractive sound and appealing image; they should have real history behind them. These names relate to a range of impressive personages, real and imagined, and also have both breadth and depth in terms of the meaning they convey. Inspired by a fascinating discussion on our forums, here are some girls' names with history and weight.
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Girly Girl Baby Names
Girly girl baby names -- the most elaborately feminine of baby names -- have become newly fashionable. Here are some super feminine baby names for your own girly girl.
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Goddess Baby Names
Goddess names, the names of mythological figures from all over the world, seem more baby appropriate now that ever, with the rise of ancient Roman names and the discovery of many antique choices. Baby names for your own little goddess might include the following.
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Good Girls
Bad Girl names are hot, but Good Girl names -- sweet, innocent, feminine baby girl names -- are too. If these are too angelic for you, consult the Bad Girl collection.
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Heroine Baby Names
Great heroines of history, past or present, real or fictional, from politics or the arts, may provide the perfect inspiration If you want to give your little girl a strong names. For more Strong Baby Girl Names, consult this list of names that mean strong or powerful.
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Hollywood Glamour Girl Names
Names from the Golden Age of Hollywood Glamour are playing starring roles as baby names once again. While Dorothy (Lamour) and Rita (Hayworth) are not yet again ready for their closeup, here's a selection of the Glamour Girl names enjoying a revival.
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If You Like Alexandra, You Might Love...
Alexandra is one of the original elaborate feminizations, classy and classic. It's a gorgeous name, but there are an awful lot of little girls named Alexandra, Alexa, Alexis, Alex and so on around these days. If you want something more unusual, consider one of these Alexandra equivalents.
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If You Like Alice, You Might Love...
Alice is a lovely classic name that's getting more popular in recent years. If you'd like to explore more unusual alternatives that are like Alice but different, look to this list.
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If You Like Amanda, You Might Love...
Amanda was so well used in the last two decades of the 20th century that this lovely name feels a bit tired now. For some alternatives to Amanda, consult this list.
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If You Like Ava, You Might Love...
Ava is one of the hottest names of the past decade, rising from obscure Hollywood Glamour Girl appellation to sleek modern star. But after years in the Top Ten, Ava might feel too popular to you. Here, some Ava alternatives.
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If You Like Caroline, You Might Love...
Caroline is a beautiful classic name that demands no substitution, but if for some reason you need to look further, consider these worthy Caroline alternatives.
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If You Like Charlotte, You Might Love...
Charlotte is not quite overused, but you may want to search for alternatives for another reason. Here are some possible choices.
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If You Like Daisy, You Might Love...
Daisy is a charming name but has been rising quickly up the ranks in recent years. If you love Daisy but want something a bit less popular, consider one of these substitutes.
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If You Like Danielle, You Might Love...
Danielle is a feminization so popular in the 1980s and 1990s that modern parents will be looking for updates. Here, some ideas of girls' names that might be fresh substitutes for Danielle.
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If You Like Eva, You Might Love...
Eva is a lovely international classic that is overused mostly by association with its stylish cousin Ava. Some Eva alternatives you may want to consider:
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If You Like Samantha, You Might Love...
Samantha may have long been your favorite among baby girl names, but there are fresher substitutes you may want to consider today.
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International Variations of Christina
Christina, the feminine of Christopher, has many intriguing international variations.
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International Variations of Helen
Helen is a girl's name with a long and legendary history. Meaning "the bright one" in Greek, she was the beautiful queen in Homer's Iliad. Here are her many foreign variations.
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International Variations of Jane
Jane is one of the classic baby names for girls that has a wide range of variations around the world.
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International Variations of Julia
Julia is one of the most classic baby girl names, one that has a wide range of appealing variations around the world.
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International Variations of Katherine
Katherine is one of the most classic baby names for girls, one that has spawned a host of variations around the world.
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International Variations of Margaret
Margaret is among the most classic baby names, with a wide range of intriguing variations throughout the Western World.
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International Variations of Mary
Mary may not be exactly stylish among baby girl names now, but as the top girls' name for centuries, it's spawned many intriguing international variations.
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Irish Baby Names for Girls
Irish baby names have been well used for girls outside the Emerald Isle for decades, but there's a new wave of choices that sound fresh and intriguing. Here are some of our favorite Irish names for girls; or go here for a full list of Irish baby names.
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Italian Baby Girl Names Beyond Rosa & Rosetta
Looking for Italian baby names for a daughter? Here are some fresh choices for your little signorina.
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Jewel Baby Names
Jewel names were popular a century ago and they're back in style now as baby names. Among the jewel names you might want to consider for your little gem, er, girl, are:
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Literary Names for Girls
These literary baby names for girls are derived from characters in books from all genres and periods. Here, a list of the most distinctive literary baby names for girls. In the literary baby names category, as always, feel free to think about your own personal favorites.
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Mary's Stylish Variations
What can we say? There's still something about Mary -- even after a 400 year run -- that's made it a solid option for countless folks who adore its symbolic value. But don't be afraid to jazz things up a little. Here are some timely, fresh-faced variations of this traditional name.
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Mermaid Baby Names
Mermaid baby names of myth and popular culture are a lovely group and may prove inspiration for your little water baby. See our blog for more on mermaid baby names.
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Middle Names for Girls
Middle names for girls run the gamut from the traditional connecting names to family surnames to new names carrying deep meaning. These middle names for girls come from all these categories.
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Mythological Baby Names for Girls
Mythological baby names for girls can impart both tradition and strength to a child. The pantheon of Greek and Roman deities and other classical mythological figures can provide an abundant source of audacious options, all combining deep history with not-heard-in-a-long-time freshness.
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Names Girls Love Having
What little girl wouldn't want to be named Princess? Or, next best thing, Belle or Jasmine. You can count on your young child to thank you for giving her one of these names, though a teenage or grownup daughter may wish for something a bit less fanciful.
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Names No Girl May Be Cool Enough For
You have to be pretty darn cool to name your kid Hortense, cool in that I-like-it-and-I-don't-care-what-the-world-thinks kind of way. Except you're not the one who's going to have to deal with having the name Hortense when you play soccer. You're not the one who's going to have to introduce yourself as Hortense to boys at parties. In fact, if you think it's so cool, maybe you should change your own name to Hortense rather than laying it on a poor little kid. The point: While we can appreciate the contrarian cool inherent in these clunky names, we fear that few children at this point in time are cool enough actually to live with them.
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Nicknames for Elizabeth
Elizabeth is one of those classic, widely-used baby names that has an entire raft of nicknames, going in and out of style over time. There's a pet form of Elizabeth that's right for any child.
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Nicknames for Girls
Suddenly, nicknames are cool again. Not the cutesy Cindys and Mindys, Candys and Randis of the '60s and '70s, but rather older, funkier diminutives with a Victorian pedigree.
Looking for crazy nicknames for girls? Go here.
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Old Lady Names
Old lady names are cool by virtue of their very disdain for fashion. If you're interested in the baby names on this list, check out our blog on old lady names for more commentary and ideas.
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One-Syllable Middle Names for Girls
There's a reason one-syllable middle names like Ann and Lynn have been used to the point of cliche. These middle names don't distract from the dazzle of the first name and serve as a calm, quiet bridge between the two stars of the show. So what if you want to transcend the basics like, nowadays, Rose and Grace, but still want a one-syllable middle name for your daughter? Here, some fresh ideas for short middle names.
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Operatic Baby Names
You don’t have to be an opera buff to appreciate the rich variety of baby names found in the classic repertoire. It’s an especially appealing category because it contains such an interesting mix of languages: there are frilly French female names, unusual Italian mens’ names, as well as some usable German and Russian character names. These range from leads such as Aida and Tristan, to featured players to those with minor roles. So, omitting common names like Amelia, Norma and Susanna, and the more uber-the-top names like Brunhilde, here are some lyrical opera baby names:
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Popular Baby Names for Girls
The most popular baby names for girls in the U.S. are tallied every year by the Social Security Administration, but the government list counts each spelling separately, masking the true popularity of baby names with many variations such as Lily or Isabella. Here, the 25 baby names that in all their different forms are the most popular names for girls.
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Pretty Girl Names
Pretty girl names are pretty -- attractive, feminine, sometimes frilly -- in themselves. They also conjure the image of a pretty girl. And some of these names literally mean pretty or beautiful. While prettiness may ultimately be in the eye (and ear) of the beholder, we think these names say Pretty Girl. To go in a slightly different direction, we've also got a list of Cute Names for Girls.
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Princess Names
The princess names for girls here are those chosen by royal families around the world over the past decade or so. Your idea of princess names can be expanded to include those used over past generations -- Anne and Elizabeth and even Diana, say -- and to extend to fictional princesses such as Ariel and Aurora. Many of the real little princesses have three or four middle names.
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Roman Names for Girls
Names from Ancient Rome are enjoying a major style revival. Among the Roman choices for girls are the following, all at home in the modern world.
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Romantic Baby Names for Girls
There has been an upturn in the use of romantic baby names for girls in recent years, think Isabelle and Sophia. Some of these romantic baby names seem to coincide with classic names, and others are heard less often. Here's a list of romantic girl names chosen for their originality, use in literature and film, as well as romance novels:
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Royal Names for Girls
Royal baby names on this list come from those used by the British royal family over the centuries. Royal names for girls you might consider include:
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Russian Baby Girl Names
Russian baby names for girls, long a style backwater, are coming into their own as a fashionable choice. Here are some of the most appealing Russian baby girl names.
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Saints' Names for Girls
Saints' names are still required for a Roman Catholic baptism, but beyond religious strictures, you might be interested in saints as inspirational namesakes or as a source of unusual ancient names. This list includes a range of saints' names for girls, from the classic to the cool to the rarely-heard.
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Scottish Names for Girls
Scottish names for girls found in the Nameberry database include the choices here.
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Short & Strong Girl Names
Looking for girl names that are unfussy and straightforward? Here are some choice baby girl names that are both short and strong. If you're having a boy, check out our post on strong boy names
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Spanish Baby Girl Names
Spanish baby names for girls range far beyond the usual choices. Spanish girls' names popular in the US, Latin America, South America, and Spain include Lucia, Sofia (the Spanish spelling of the popular Sophia) and the classic Maria. Click here for the most popular names in Spain for girls as well as boys, and here are some other Spanish girl names you may not have considered.
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Strong Baby Girl Names
Strong baby names are appealing for both girls and boys, but it's more difficult to find baby girl names that mean strong (or powerful or valiant or brave). For more strong names for baby girls, consult our lists of Names of Great Heroines and Short & Strong Girls' Names.
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Supermodel Baby Names
It's not enough that supermodels are skinny, gorgeous, world-revered millionaires. They've got babies, too, and not just ordinary babies, but babies with incredibly cool names. Here is the recent crop of supermodel baby names:
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Supermodel Names
Supermodels provide a real international smorgasbord (excuse the expression, girls) of beautiful baby girl names.
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The International Variations of Catherine
Variations of the classic baby names Catherine and Katherine are found around the world.
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Toddlers & Tiaras Baby Names
The reality television show Toddlers & Tiaras chronicles the world of child beauty pageants. Along with a few yooneek spellings such as Brystol and Brittanie that don't appear in our database, the names of the girls, and a few boys, who've appeared on the show include these often glossy choices.
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TV Mom Names
TV Mom names take their inspiration from the perfect (and sometimes highly imperfect) television mothers who typically vacuumed in heels and cooked their children hot lunches. Names that honor these paragons of domesticity range from Alice to Winnie, with detours to Peg and Roseanne.
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Unique Middle Names for Girls
Unique middle names for girls appeal to even more conservative parents, who may look for an unusual middle name to set their little Emma or Elizabeth apart. Unique middle names may be unusual first names or can also be nature, word, or surname-names. When sifting through unique name choices for the middle, try to find one with personal meaning. If you want even more to choose from, see our full list of unique baby names.
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Unique Vintage Baby Names for Girls
Unique baby names don't have to be new and invented: They can also be vintage names revived from either the near or distant past. These unique vintage baby names for girls all lie outside the Top 1000 but have deep roots and rich histories. In case you're wondering how unique is unique, these names were given to 260 or fewer girls in the US in 2015. Check current statistics to make sure the name you like hasn't hopped back on the list.
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Unusual International Baby Girl Names
There are hundreds of unusual international baby girl names throughout this site. Here's a handful of the most appealing.
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Video Game Names for Girls
Movie- and TV-character names may seem both inspired and inspirational to parents at the beginning of the twenty-first century, but what of the next generation of parents-to-be, those raised not on movies and television but on video games? Their idea of a cool name is sure to be way wilder than that of parents today. These names from popular video games will give you an idea of the kind of choices that could inspire the names of your grandchildren.
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Vintage Baby Names for Girls
Vintage baby names for girls are as chic as vintage clothes and furniture. The vintage baby names for girls that are most stylish today include the following.
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Vintage Nicknames for Girls
There's a group of vintage nicknames for girls that were used in the distant past and are all but forgotten now. The following might be worth a fresh look. Check our larger Nicknames for Girls list for more choices. And if it's adorable you're after, check out this list of cute baby names, which includes lots of nickname-names.
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Vowel Baby Names for Girls
Many of the coolest baby names seem to start with vowels these days. Here are some cool baby girl names starting with A, E, I, O, and even U.
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Yupster Baby Names for Girls
Yupsters -- a blend of yuppies and hipsters -- prefer baby names that are to the left of the most popular list but far to the right of most choices on this site. The Yupster Baby Names are classic as well as cool, embodying style along with history. The only problem is that you may hear them far more than you want to in the years to come.
