Favorites - Girls

Clary

Botanical name or variation of Clare, Latin

"bright, clear"

There are many variations of Clare and Clara, but this might be one of the simplest and most surprising. Clary can be a diminutive of the Latin name Clara, meaning 'bright' or 'clear,' or it might…

Daelyn

Daelyn is a feminine name of modern creation, possibly derived as a variation of names like Dalen, Daelen, or a combination of the popular prefix 'Dae-' with the '-lyn' suffix common in contemporary…

Dasha

Diminutive of Dariya or Darya, Russian

"possessing goodness"

An energetic — dare we say dashing — Russian diminutive of Darya that hasn't caught on in the same way as Sasha has in the English speaking world. Singer Dasha (born Anna Dasha Novotny) , actress,…

Dominique

French, feminine variation of Dominic, Latin

"belonging to a lord"

Had a surge of popularity in the Dynasty days, now has subsided in the wake of fresher French choices like Destry and Delphine, though it retains its sense of sophistication. It's one of the most…

Elixane

Basque, diminutive or local variant of Elizabeth

"pledged to God"

A rare name even among Basque speakers (fewer than 20 women in Spain are called Elixane), this beautiful name has drawn some attention via Elixane Lechemia, the French pro-tennis player. With its…

Ellia

English elaboration of Ella

"all, completely; fairy maiden"

Ellia is one of the newer entries in the extremely popular El group of names for girls, which includes Ella, Ellie, Elle and so on, as well as L-starting names such as Lillia. Nearly 100 baby girls…

Eris

Greek

"strife, discord"

Eris was the goddess of strife and discord, turned fairy tale and then popular culture figure Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty. Ironic, as her name sounds so much like that of Eros, the god of love.…

Esmarie

English, modern combination of Esme and Marie

"loved, esteemed + drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"

Parents have been creating their own names from existing appellations since the beginning of time. So have authors, from Shakespeare to George R. R. Martin. As far as modern attempts go, Esmarie,…

Evan

Welsh variation of John

"God is gracious"

Evan is a boys' favorite that has been given the feminine touch by talented actress Evan Rachel Wood. If you want to move beyond Eva and Evelyn and like unisex names, this may be a good bet for you…

Halen

English or Scandinavian

"hero or from the hall"

Halen is a surname-name that will appeal to Van Halen fans, or simply those looking for an unusual yet simple surname name.

Janvier

French word name

"January"

Used in France as a male name, this would make an appealing and unusual choice, as would two other Gallic month names, Avril and Mai.

Johnnie

English, diminutive of John, Hebrew

"the Lord is gracious"

Using the 'ie' ending makes Johnny slightly more feminine, which must have been what Melissa Etheridge was thinking when she named one of her twins Johnnie Rose.

Jora

Hebrew

"autumn rain"

Unique possibility for a girl born between September and November.

Karalyn

Karalyn is a feminine name that blends elements of the popular names Kara and Lynn to create a melodious, modern-sounding choice. Kara has origins in multiple cultures, including Irish where it means…

Kayden

Variation of Caden

More feminine than the male Caden, which came in at Number 192 in 2015. We still think Cadence is a prettier version of the "Kay-" group of names which are so popular at present.

Kenley

English

"well-known clearing"

Kenley is an area in the burrough of Croydon in South London, making this a place name in a couple of senses of the term. Kenley and its twin sister Kenlee may be favored by parents looking to name a…

Kiley

Spelling variation of Kylie

"boomerang"

Kiley is one of the more reasonable of the Kylie variations, which also include Kilea, Kilee, Kileigh, Kili, Kilie, Kylee, Kyley, Kyli, ad infinitum. Despite its similarity to the popular Riley, the…

Leda

Greek

"woman, wife"

Succinct and simple in spelling, Leda is a currently rare choice from Greek mythology with that appealing four-letter, ending in -a format of Lyra, Maia, Vada, Veda, and Nora. Borne by a Spartan…

Leire

Basque place name

Also spelled Leyre and taken from the name of a monastery fortress, the popular and lilting choice in Spain will pose pronunciation problems elsewhere. Among the Top 100 girls' names in Spain, Leire…