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Names That Tickle My Fancy - Girls

  1. Waverly

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "meadow of quivering aspens"

    • Description:

      Waverly, with its literary resonance and lilting three-syllable sound, could well become the next generation's successor to Kimberly. Its upper-crusty surname feel places it among the new stylish English names for girls, successors to Ashley and Whitney.
  2. Spencer

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "keeper of provisions"

    • Description:

      Yes, Spencer makes a plausible and powerful female choice these days, though it's still used four times as often for boys as for girls. But Spencer does not swim that far beneath the Top 1000, used for nearly 250 baby girls last year.
  3. Aisha

    • Origin:

      Arabic; Swahili

    • Meaning:

      "living, prosperous"

    • Description:

      Aisha was Muhammad's favorite wife, making this lovely name and its myriad variations hugely popular among Muslims and also African-Americans. It's been energized by TV personality Aisha Tyler. Pronunciation is usually eye-EE-sha but some say ay-sha.
  4. Sawyer

    • Origin:

      English occupational name

    • Meaning:

      "woodcutter"

    • Description:

      Sawyer is one of the top unisex names, used for their daughters by such parents as Sara Gilbert, co-host of The Talk and former actress on Roseanne, currently on The Conners.
  5. Luca

    • Origin:

      Italian variation of Luke and Lucas, Hungarian variation of Lucia

    • Meaning:

      "light; man from Lucania"

    • Description:

      Very much a boy's name in Italy, it's beginning to be seen as a unisex possibility here: actress Jennie Garth used it for her daughter, as did influencers Alyssa and Dallin Johnson, When spelled Lucca as in the Italian city, it can also be considered one of the place names along with Venezia, Roma, and Milana that make great Italian names for girls.
  6. Aila

    • Origin:

      Finnish variation of Helga or Scottish Gaelic

    • Meaning:

      "from the strong place"

    • Description:

      Now that Isla Fisher has pushed her once-obscure name into the Top 150, some parents are looking for similar-sounding Scottish names for girls that are further off the beaten path. This one is especially promising, with its cross-cultural appeal. Ayla, a common name in Turkey, is also worth considering.
  7. Max

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "greatest"

    • Description:

      If Sam can make it as a girl's name, why not Max? Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's eldest daughter Maxima goes by Max, but you could also use it as a short form for Maxine, Maximilienne or even Margaux.
  8. Bo

    • Origin:

      Norse nickname

    • Meaning:

      "to live"

    • Description:

      This tiny but punchy name has multiple origins. It stands strong alone, but could be short for numerous names including Bonnie and Bodhi. In Mandarin Chinese, Bo means "wave".
  9. Milla

    • Origin:

      Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Hungarian

    • Meaning:

      "young ceremonial attendant, gracious people"

    • Description:

      Milla originated as a diminutive of names like Camilla and Ludmilla, but has since become well established as a name in its own right in several European countries. Milla Jovovich is a Ukrainian-born actress and supermodel, while Milla is also used for a character in the novel and musical adaptation, Wicked.
  10. Annabeth

    • Origin:

      Combination of Anna and Beth

    • Description:

      This is a long-recognized smoosh name merging Anna with the short form of Elizabeth, and is one of the prettiest combo names, a possible alternative to Annabel.
  11. Indiana

    • Origin:

      American place-name

    • Meaning:

      "land of the Indians"

    • Description:

      Indiana is one of those place-names (think Camden and Trenton) that sounds cooler than the place that inspired it. Its fashionable -ana ending certainly sounds eminently name-like, and Indie/Indy/Indi is one of the hottest nickname names for girls right now.
  12. November

    • Origin:

      English word name

    • Meaning:

      "month name"

    • Description:

      The menu of usable month names seems to expand every, well, month, with such choices as November, October, and January joining more established names like April, May, June and August. Logical November nicknames include Nova, Novi, or Ember, making this a natural (if adventurous) choice for a baby girl. November is also, obviously, one of the perfect names for November babies.
  13. Ever

    • Origin:

      English word name

    • Meaning:

      "always, eternally, constantly"

    • Description:

      A simple, unusual word name with an evocative meaning, Ever feels similar enough to Eva, Evelyn, and Everly that it shifts easily into name territory. Actor Robert Carradine was ahead of the trends when he named his now grown-up actress daughter Ever back in the 70s, while more recently, it was used by both Milla Jovovich and Owain Yeoman.
  14. Carter

    • Origin:

      English occupational name

    • Meaning:

      "cart maker or driver"

    • Description:

      One of the surname names for boys on its way to becoming unisex, this name broke into the Top 1000 for the first time in 2013 for girls. While it sounds masculine to us, because of its two-syllable er-ending sound so trendy with boys’ names, many parents apparently disagree.
  15. Caia

    • Origin:

      Latin, feminine variation of Caius

    • Meaning:

      "to rejoice"

    • Description:

      Caia Caecilia was the Roman Goddess of fire and women. The name Caia would make a truly fresh alternative to the flagging Maya, with which it rhymes.
  16. Callaia

    • Origin:

      English, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "beauty"

    • Description:

      A spin on Calia or Calla, with a lot of fashionable sounds.
  17. Mason

    • Origin:

      English occupational name

    • Meaning:

      "stoneworker"

    • Description:

      Mason is a supertrendy name for boys that's starting to cross over -- Kelsey Grammer used it for his daughter. Creative speller's delight.
  18. Ireland

    • Origin:

      Place name

    • Description:

      Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin put Ireland on the map when they chose it as a first for their daughter, saying that geographic names were a family tradition. And it seems they were a bit ahead of the curve (or trendsetting)—Ireland has been among the fastest-rising names of recent years. Other Irish place names include Shannon, Kerry, Galway, and Dublin.
  19. Alysia

    • Description:

      Alysia is a feminine name that represents a variation of Alicia, which itself derives from the Greek name Alice meaning 'noble' or 'of noble kind.' This elegant spelling variant emerged in the mid-20th century as parents sought more distinctive versions of classic names. The 'y' spelling gives the name a more exotic and visually appealing quality. Alysia experienced its peak popularity in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s but has never been extremely common, maintaining a pleasant balance between familiarity and uniqueness. The name has a melodic, flowing quality when spoken, with its soft syllables creating a gentle rhythm. Alysia offers the nickname options of Aly, Lysi, or Sia, providing versatility for different stages of life.

  20. Aspyn

    • Origin:

      Variation of Aspen, tree name and place name

    • Description:

      Divorces Aspen from its nature and ski resort associations. Aspyn first broke into the Top 1000 in 2020.