Girl Names Lists

American Girl Names

American girl names tend to be US place-names, newly-minted names, American hero names, and of course Native American names.

Ancient Roman names are white hot right now. Stars such as Octavia Spencer and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, have brought attention to this attractive group of names. Roman names for girls have history but feel fresh. They are feminine but connote strength, such as Aurelia and Livia.

Attitude Names for Girls

Attitude names are cool baby names that project sass, spunk, and confidence. These cool-kid 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, such as Luna and Scarlett.

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.

Badass Princess Names

Badass princess is an image that appeals not only to contemporary little girls but to their parents when choosing a name. These unusual girls' names are attractive 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 Aurelia and Magnolia.

Beautiful Bohemian Names for Girls

Bohemian names for girls might be inspired by free-spirited heroines of the arts or politics, by the natural world, or by international cultures. While Bohemian names are by their very nature unique, some Bohemian girl names are finding new popularity.

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.

Best 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.

Best Girl Names Starting with Vowels

Girl names starting with vowels are the most popular and often the coolest names today. A is still the most frequently-used first initial for girls' names, with a third of all girl names starting with the letter A. Names for girls starting with E are the next most popular, but girl names that begin with I are holding their own, moving beyond the megapopular Isabella to cool girls Iris, Ivy, and Ida. O names for girls, led by Olivia, have an open, optimistic feel, while there are fewer girl names starting with U than with any other letter in the entire alphabet, though that includes a few choice picks. If you're looking for a vowel name for your baby girl, here are our top picks for girls names starting with A, E, I, O, and even U.

Best One-of-a-Kind Names for Girls

Unique names that nobody (yes, really!) is using for baby girls in the US include the following, all ranking below the five-baby cutoff necessary to make the Social Security extended list in 2018. Among these truly unique girl names are many classic choices as well as new and unusual name ideas. If you want a truly unique name for your baby girl, any of these are excellent suggestions.

Bible Names for Girls

Bible names for girls have been popular in the US since the beginning of name history, with the ultimate Bible girl name Mary dominating the number one spot until the early Sixties, and Sarah ranking among the top five throughout the Eighties.

Boy Names for Girls

Some of the coolest baby girl names are not girls' names at all but boys' names -- many of which have officially become unisex names. We're seeing more and more fomerly 100% boy names being used for girls, from nicknames like Sam and Charlie (now 50-50 by gender!), to occupational or surnames such as Sawyer or McKinley to formerly masculine names such as Quincy and Jude that have become truly unisex. Here, some boy names that can work for girls.

Classic Girl Names

Classic girl names include several of the Top 10 names for girls in the English-speaking world: Emma, Olivia, Charlotte, and Sophia. Along with Sophia and Emma, other classic girl names in the US Top 50 include Amelia, Abigail, Elizabeth, Victoria, Grace, Hannah, Eleanor, and Claire. Quirkier classic names for girls include Priscilla, Theodora, Georgia, and Felicity.

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.

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.

Cool Classic Girl Names — 100+ below the Top 1000

Classic baby names are not always popular names. These classic classic girl names are also unusual, hiding below the Top 1000. For a name to be cool and classic, it has to be both out-of-the-ordinary and used over centuries, and the 100+ girls' names here qualify on both counts. Our list of uncommon classic girls’ names includes gems like Echo, Delphine, and Sybil. If you'd like to give your baby girl a name with deep roots that also stands out from the crowd, one of these classic-but-distinctive names for girls could be the right choice for you.

Cool Cowgirl Names

Cowgirl names for baby girls, Western names with a bronco-busting outdoorsy feel, are pretty much always in style. Cowgirl names might be vintage, like Bonnie and Lula or newly-minted, such as Blaze and River. Additionally, they might be conventionally feminine or gender neutral.

Cool Girl Names

Cool girl names come from a range of sources and styles, from ancient to modern, classic to newly created.

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.

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, with names like Lucy and Jenna being swapped for Luciana and Gemma.

Crazy Nicknames for Girls

Looking for the wackiest nicknames used for girls? Here are some we think qualify.

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, such as Annie and Sophie, 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.

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:

Feminine Girl Names

If you like decidedly feminine girl names, consider this collection of names with (usually) soft sounds, (often) vowel endings, and (always) a decidedly sweet, dainty image. Of course, girls' names can also be strong, powerful, wise, and all these other positive qualities that can apply to both genders, but these girls' names have an overarching feminine image.

Feminizations of Male Names

Feminizations are feminine variations of male names rather than unisex baby names: Alexandra not Alex, Charlotte not Charlie. You may be attracted to these baby names because you want to name a daughter after dad or grandpa but give her a distinctly feminine name. Or maybe you simply love the traditional feel of many of these classic baby girl names, which are rooted in tradition.

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.

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.

Flower Names for Girls and Boys

Flower names for baby girls and boys too were first popular around the turn of the last century and have started to bloom again as modern baby names, with flower names Lily, Violet, Jasmine, and Rose ranking among the top names for girls.

Geek Chic Names for Girls

Cool names for girls come in all shapes, sizes and styles. There are some evergreen classic girls' names which — like the little black dress — never go out of style: think traditional mainstays of the US (and UK, NZ, and Austalian) Top 200 girl names, like Elizabeth, Katherine, and Hannah. Other cool girls' names — like thick black-rimmed spectacles and heavy oxfords — are so out they're in. These are the clunky, old-school vintage girls' names that are starting to feel fresh, funky and a little bit daring, but still rooted in tradition.

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.

Girl Baby Names Moving Up Fast

Baby girl names moving quickly up the popularity ladder include the following. Expectant parents who are looking for a girls' name for the first time, be warned: Many of these names may seem strange and unusual to you. But according to statistics, all these names for girls are becoming more popular in recent years.

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.

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.

Girl Names That Mean Life

Names meaning life may appeal to parents of babies of either gender, but the girls' names that mean life are particularly appealing. Life -- or lively or vivacious or energetic -- is a meaning not attached to a large number of names, but one that is inspiring and uplifting. We also include here names for girls that refer to the place where the person lives. Girl names with meanings that relate to life include the following.

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.

Girly Girl Baby Names

Girly girl baby names are the most elaborately feminine of baby names. They have become newly fashionable, as today’s brave parents are not intimidated by names that go beyond three syllables. Some girly girl baby names, such as Cassandra and Isabella, have been in use for decades. Others, including Valentina and Luciana, have more recently been discovered by American parents.

Goddess Names for Babies

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, such as Cora and Phoebe.

Gorgeous Greek Goddess Names

Greek goddess names are making an unlikely comeback for 21st century babies, combining ancient roots with august namesakes and distinctive style. Some names of the Greek goddesses are well-known in the contemporary Western world, such as Iris and Selene, while others are used occasionally or have been asleep for centuries. Greek mythology is a rich font of names of goddesses as well as sirens, titanesses, nymphs, and muses. The complete list of Greek goddess names usable for your baby is here. Go here for goddess names from a range of cultures.

Hipster British Baby Names for Girls

Hipster British baby names for girls are an exotic and eclectic bunch! From sweet vintage nicknames like Peggy and Posy, to elaborate choices like Pandora and Pollyanna, the Brits are renowned for bestowing quirky baby girl names on their daughters. All of these beautiful British girl names have serious style cred in London right now, but they hit the hipster sweet spot in terms of popularity — none rank in the Top 100 baby girl names in England & Wales, and most sit much lower down the list. If you're looking for a cool British girl name beyond Emma or Elizabeth, here are some of our favorite hipster picks!

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.

Literary Names for Girls

These literary baby names for girls are derived from characters in books from all genres and periods. Girl names from children's books are particular popular today, including Alice (in Wonderland) and Eloise (at the Plaza). Literary girl names from classic books such as Scarlett and Scout are fashionable. Literary names for girls that have become television shows or movies such as Game of Thrones or Hunger Games have also found widespread use. In the literary baby names category, as always, feel free to think about your own personal favorites.

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.

Middle Names for Girls

Middle names for girls run the gamut from the traditional connecting names such as Rose and Lee to family surnames to new names carrying deep meaning. Many parents these days look to the middle as a place to put family names that might be too old-fashioned or unusual to use in first place. Middle names for girls that are surnames, boy names, or word names expressing some desirable quality such as Heaven or Justice are also up-and-coming.

Most Common Names for Girls

Common names are different from popular names as they denote names found most widely amongst the entire population, not just used for babies in a single year. Names most common for females in the US over the past century are listed here, with Mary claiming the top spot, followed by Patricia, Jennifer, Linda, and Elizabeth. Some of the top names for baby girls today, such Sophia and Isabella, don't quite make it onto the Most Common Names list yet, but as older names such as Doris and Joyce fade away, they'll be replaced by newer popular names such as Ava and Charlotte. These are the 100 most common girl names of the past century.

Mythology Girl Names

Mythology baby names for girls can impart both tradition and strength to a child. The pantheon of Greek and Roman deities, such as Athena and Luna, along with figures from Celtic, Irish, Norse, Hindu and other classic myths and legends can provide an abundant source of audacious options, all combining deep history with not-heard-in-a-long-time freshness.

Nameberry's Top Girl Names 2010s

These are Nameberry's Top 100 girl names for the entire decade of the 2010s. Our top names list is calculated on which names received the most page views on Nameberry. These are not necessarily the most popular names received by baby girls over the decade, but the names parents searched for most on our site. While there may not be a direct correlation to the official popularity lists in the US or any other country, this represents a guide to the most stylish, intriguing names for girls of the past ten years.

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.

Names to Substitute for Alice

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.

Names to Substitute for Caroline

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.

Names to Substitute for Danielle

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.

Names to Substitute for Samantha

Samantha may have long been your favorite among baby girl names, but there are fresher substitutes you may want to consider today.

Names with Uplifting Meanings

Positive meanings are a plus for all baby names, creating something for your child to live up to. The girl names here include modern virtue names such as Peace and True that are literally inspirational words as well as more conventional names with meanings such as brave, strong, and beautiful. Baby names for girls with positive meanings could set your child on the right course for life. Consider these girl names with uplifting meanings for your daughter.

Nicknames for Baby Girls

Suddenly, nicknames are cool again for baby girls. The cool nicknames today are not the cutesy Cindys and Mindys, Candys and Randis of the '60s and '70s, but rather vintage diminutives or sassy nicknames with attitude. Some parents choose a proper name as a way to get to a nickname they like: Adeline for Addie, say, or Eleanor for Ellie. Or a baby girl nickname can lighten or soften a too-imposing family name. Wilhelmina turns cute when she's called Billie, and Daisy can be a wonderful nickname for Marguerite. More and more parents are electing to put the nickname straight on their baby daughter's birth certificate, and there's no reason that a nickname can't also be a formal name.

Old Lady Names

Old lady names are cool by virtue of their very disdain for fashion. These kind of old school girls' names are connected to tradition rather than modernity and gloss. What gets confusing is whether stylish vintage names like Adeline or Cora really qualify as Old Lady Names anymore, or if a name needs to be a bit dusty and unfashionable to qualify as Old Lady.

One-Syllable Middle Names for Girls

There's a reason one-syllable middle names for girls such as Ann and Lynn have been used to the point of cliché. 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. These one-syllable girl names transcend the basics like, nowadays, Rose and Grace. They could also work well as first names.

Popular English Girls' Names

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, such as Jolie and Belle.

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.

Rich Roman Goddess Names

Names from Ancient Rome are super stylish these days, and what better names from that era than Roman goddess names and Roman god names. These mythological names have survived the centuries, with some of the Roman goddess names -- Luna, for instance, and Aurora-- very fashionable now. Browse this list for Roman names for your little goddess. If you want to expand your search, check out our master list of goddess names for babies.

Romantic Baby Names for Girls

There has been an upturn in the use of romantic baby names for girls in recent years -- think Isabella and Sophia. Some of these romantic baby names are classic, some are popular, but we're also including several names here that are more unusual. Here's a list of girls' names that have a romantic image and feel.

Royal Names for Girls

Royal baby names on this list are those used by the British royal family over the centuries. Included on this list are names used in the middle, as for the little princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana.

Russian Baby Girl Names

Russian baby names for girls, long a style backwater, are coming into their own as a fashionable choice. Many of the top supermodels of recent years have been from Russia, Ukraine, and other parts of Eastern Europe and have imported their Russian names along with their willowy beauty. And a recent First Daughter had not one Russian name but two: Sasha Obama's nickname would usually be a short form in Russia for Alexandra, but her proper name was the classic Russian girls' name Natasha.

Saints' Names for Girls

Saints' names may no longer be required for a Roman Catholic baptism, but many parents choose to honor saints with their children's names anyway. Names of notable saints such as St. Catherine of Siena and St. Teresa of Avila are listed here, as well as those of lesser-known saints.

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

Spanish Baby Girl Names

Spanish baby names for girls include several choices familiar to non-Spanish speakers: Maria, Sofia, and Lucia, for instance. And then there are other girls' names, popular in Latin and South America as well as in Spain, largely unused outside Spanish-speaking cultures.. 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. The list of most popular names in Spain includes such girls' names as Vega, Laia, Candela, Aitana, and Jimena, all still very exotic in the English-speaking community. What follows is a select list of Spanish names for girls.

Strong Girl Names

Strong baby names for girls are a more rarefied group than strong names for boys, with fewer girls' names meaning strong, powerful, or brave. We've gathered all the girl names with meanings that denote strength or power here. Names for strong girls can be long and feminine, like Gabriella or Valentina, or short and unisex, like Drew or Casey. For more strong names for baby girls, consult our lists of Names of Great Heroines and Short & Strong Girls' Names. And you might also want to consult our list of strong boy names.

Stylish Girls' Names That End in Consonants

If you are searching for a stylish and undeniably feminine name but want to avoid that flowery vowel ending, here are 101 stylish girl names that end in consonants...or consonant sounds. This list mixes English traditional names (Margaret) and those with French chic (Delphine) with more unusual choices from across the world (Ceridwen, Pilar and Zerlin). If your last name starts with a vowel, these consonant-ending names for girls may be particularly appealing.

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.

Top Girl Names Today

The top girl names of 2020 are likely to be a mix of the girls' names most popular in the official ranks along with baby girl names rising quickly through the charts. We looked at the top girl names in the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, along with other countries and Nameberry's own statistics to compile this list of the leading names for girls.

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 Tami. While some of these may seem hopelessly dated (they are mom names, after all), many names of TV moms—especially ones from earlier sitcoms—would be quite charming on a modern baby girl.

For more, consider our list of TV character names

Uncommon Girl Names in the US

Uncommon girl names in the US may be well-liked and widely-used in other countries around the world. Astrid might be uncommon in Seattle, for instance, but standard in Stockholm, while Alba is unusual in Milwaukee but everywhere in Madrid. Restricting our search to the Top 100 names of European countries, on the theory that almost every name from Asian and African cultures will be rare in the US, these are the girl names uncommon in the United States but heard on every street corner from Manchester to Minsk.

Unique Girl Names: Unusual and Rare

Unique girl names come in many varieties, from ancient to modern, traditional to invented. The best 2020 unique names for girls are those unusual and rare choices that have deep roots, are attractive, and can fit into contemporary life.

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 or our master list of middle names.

Unique Vintage Names for Girls

Unique names don't have to be new and invented: They can also be vintage names revived from either the near or distant past.

Unisex Names for Girls

Unisex names for girls encompass those that originated as male names but migrated to the girls' side, names that feel gender-neutral but in fact are used mostly for girls, and truly unisex names that work as well for girls as for boys. On this list we have not included boys' names that are now used occasionally for girls, such as James or Owen, or once-unisex names that have become predominantly male, such as Kyrie. The unisex names here are among the most popular for baby girls.

Unisex Names for Girls

Unisex names for girls encompass those that originated as male names but migrated to the girls' side, names that feel gender-neutral but in fact are used mostly for girls, and truly unisex names that work as well for girls as for boys. On this list we have not included boys' names that are now used occasionally for girls, such as James or Owen, or once-unisex names that have become predominantly male, such as Kyrie. The unisex names here are among the most popular for baby girls.

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.

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. Some of these video game character names, such as Chloe and Mercy, are more name-worthy than others—can you imagine a baby girl named Bloodrayne?

Vintage Girl Names

Vintage girl names are back in a big way, as chic as vintage clothes and furniture. Of course, not every vintage girl name is stylish – we may never see the comeback of Ethel or Bertha – but many retro names such as Cora and Iris are being dusted off and restored to their former glory by modern parents.

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.

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.