Short, sweet and girly

Amelia

German

"work"

Amelia is one of the hottest girls' names , a successor to the megapopular Emma and Emily. Amelia, the Number 2 choice in England, is now also comfortably ensconced in the US Top 10, where it ranked…

Elena

Spanish, Italian, German, Greek variation of Helen

"bright, shining light"

Elena is at its most popular point ever in the US, thanks to its cross-cultural appeal and the overall popularity of El- names. It's more international than Ellen or Eleanor, but still accessible. A…

Alice

German

"noble"

Alice is a classic literary name that's both strong and sweet, ranking in the US Top 100 and popular throughout the Western world. Alice is derived from the Old French name Aalis, a diminutive of…

Eliza

Hebrew

"pledged to God"

Eliza is a name with a wonderful combination of streamlined zest and Eliza Doolittle charm and spunk. It's a classic that's popular right now -- but not too popular. Eliza has not been in the Top 100…

Aspen

Nature and place-name

"a poplar tree that quakes in the breeze"

Aspen is part of two groups of stylish and unique baby names: nature names and place-names. The name of a graceful tree in the poplar family with heart-shaped leaves so delicate they quiver in the…

Adele

French diminutive of Adelaide

"noble, nobility"

Credit the award-winning single-named British singer for taking the girls’ name Adele from a quiet semi-retirement back into currency. Adele reentered the US Top 1000 popular baby names in 2011 and…

Jorja

Modern American phonetic spelling of Georgia

This simplified form of the lovely name Georgia was spotlighted by the actress Jorja Fox, and seems to be making inroads; rocker Bret Michaels chose it for his daughter. Still, we'd opt for the…

Rea

Variation of Rhea

Short but substantial.

Jada

Spanish

"jade"

Long used in Spanish-speaking countries, this strong but feminine name was jump-started here by the rise of actress Jada Pinkett Smith. The Italian Giada is a popular variation. In the Bible, the…

Carissa

Greek

"grace"

Trending down, along with others of both the Car and the issa groups.

Brenna

Feminine form of Brennan

"descendant of the sad one; raindrops"

Brenna is a feminine form of the Irish surname Brennan, or perhaps a variation of Brenda or Brendan—all of which have different meanings. Whatever its derivation or authenticity, it's a modern…

Shea

Irish

"the stately, dauntless one"

The short but solid Irish surname Shea works well for both genders thanks to its soft, succinct sound. The traditional Irish form is Séaghdha, though it could also be used as a short form of Séamus,…