Names That Tickle My Fancy - Girls

  1. Senna
    • Origin:

      Botanical name; Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "brightness"
    • Description:

      Senna is a flowering bush common in the tropics, with bright yellow flowers. In herbal medicine, Senna has gained some notice as the active ingredient in so-called "dieter's teas," which works mainly as a laxative. While that is a less-than-savory association, Senna has a pretty sound and is a fresh entry in the flourishing botanical names genus.
  2. Alaia
    • Origin:

      Basque
    • Meaning:

      "joyful, happy"
    • Description:

      Alaia, a fast riser in the US, sounds just like several other popular stylish names, many of them with different origins and meanings. There's Arabic Aaliyah, like the late singer, and the Hebrew Aliya and the Sanskrit Alaya. Azzedine Alaia is a high-fashion Parisian designer of Tunisian origin.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Luca
    • Origin:

      Italian variation of Luke and Lucas
    • Meaning:

      "light or 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. 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. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. Bree
    • Origin:

      Irish, from Brid, Brigh, Brigid
    • Meaning:

      "strength or exalted one"
    • Description:

      A short, breezy name with a sophisticated yet upbeat image, that doesn't betray its Irish roots. Bree first came to notice here in 1971 via the complex prostitute character in the movie Klute, which earned Jane Fonda an Oscar. More recently, it was tied to the character of Bree Van de Kamp on Desperate Housewives.
  10. Snow
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Description:

      There's definitely a cold front of names for winter babies moving in, with Summer, Spring and Autumn giving way to Winter--plus North, January, Frost--and Snow. This name feels brisk, fresh, pure, evocative -- and magical. A haunting middle name choice.
  11. Perrie
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "dweller near a pear tree"
    • Description:

      Perrie, a soft and playful twist on Perry, gained attention through Perrie Edwards, singer of the British girl group Little Mix. With its sleek -ie ending, Perrie fits right in with rising unisex names and stylish picks like Frankie and Stevie.
  12. 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.
  13. Ever
    • Origin:

      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. 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.
  15. 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.
  16. 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.
  17. Hali
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "the sea"
    • Description:

      Another culture's take on the Hailey/Halle phenomenon.
  18. 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.
  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. Lissa
    • Origin:

      African, Arabic mythological name; diminutive of Melissa, Greek
    • Meaning:

      "honeybee"
    • Description:

      Lissa might be an abbreviation of Melissa, but it's more substantial in its own right: Lissa is the name of a supreme mother goddess in African mythology and an Arabic symbol of rebirth.