caitc19's list "Favorite Girls Names" of 3 great name ideas: Emily - Julia!

Favorite Girls Names

Emily may have dropped somewhat in the current standings, but it was the most popular American girl name for over a decade in the 90s and 2000s, likely because it appeals on many levels. It's classic, simple, pretty, and strong, with great literary namesakes (Emily Dickinson and Emily Brontë) and the potential for nicknames Emmy, Milly, Mimi, and Em.
 
A relative of Emil and Emilia, the name was derived from the Roman Aemilia, which likely evolved from the Latin word aemulus, meaning "rival". While this may feel like a negative meaning, you could interpret "rival" as meaning to "match, equal, or to emulate" something or someone — or you could even see it as a name to inspire a sense of hard work, ambition, and striving.
 
Despite their similarities, Amelia and Emma have separate origins to Emily: both are Germanic,, meaning "work" and "universal" respectively.
 
Modern Emilys in the spotlight include a number of actresses — Emily Blunt, Emily Mortimer, Emily Deschanel — and even Emma Stone was christened Emily. Outside of the spotlight, Emily remains a favorite, ranking in the Top 100 in Australia, Austria, England and Wales, Ireland, Canada, Italy, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Puerto Rico, Scotland, Switzerland, and the US in a recent year.
 
Love Emily but want a less popular choice? You could try Romilly, Emerence, Elodie, or Cecily.

Emily

Hannah is one of the nation's top biblical girls' names — it surpassed Sarah in 1998, and ranks in the Top 100 along with Elizabeth, Abigail, Chloe, and Naomi. Hannah is a name with many sources of appeal: Old Testament roots, soft and gentle sound, and a homey yet aristocratic image.
 
Hannah originated as a variation of the Hebrew name Channah, derived from the word channan, meaning "grace." In the Old Testament, Hannah is the mother of Samuel. 
 
Names including Anne, Anna, Nancy, Anya, Annika, and Annabel are all related to Hannah. Alternate spellings such as Hana, Hanna, and Chana are also used.
 
The TV show Hannah Montana was a huge TV teen sensation from 2006 to 2011, and more recently was the name Lena Dunham chose for her own character in her hit series Girls. Hannah Baker is a central character on the Netflix show 13 Reasons Why.
 
Hannah is also a name that in its varied versions, which include Hana and Hanna, has roots in many cultures, from Hebrew to Arabic, European to Asian. All in all, Hannah is still a wonderful, if widely used, name.

Hannah

Julia was an ancient Roman imperial name given to females in the house of a Julius, as in Caesar. Its origin is shrouded in history, but possible roots include Latin iuvenis, meaning "youthful"; Greek ioulos, meaning "downy-bearded"; or Jovis, a form of Jupiter, which means "sky father".
 
An enduring classic, Julia has a lot going for it: ancient roots but a modern, fashionable feel, simplicity and sophistication, and connections to both saints and celebs, including actress Julia Roberts and Saint Julia of Corsica. The elegant Julia's one of the least problematic choices a parent could make. 
 
Julia is also Shakespearean, Dickensian, Orwellian, and Harry Potter-related. The ground-breaking 1960s TV show Julia was the first to feature a non-stereotypical African American woman. Celebrity chef Julia Child is a notable namesake.
 
Julia has been in the US Top 150 since Social Security records have been kept and is still one of the most popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/j">girl names that start with J</a>. She's even more popular internationally, and is highly popular in the Netherlands in Spain, and in Germany, Belgium, France, Norway, and Sweden.
 
If you think Julia is too simple, you might want to move to Juliet, Juliette, or Juliana, or even the Italian Giulia. Sixties short form Julie has segued from cute to middle-aged. Jules is much more current.

Favorite Girls Names

The names

Emily

Hannah

Julia