Favorite Girl Names

Rania

Arabic, Greek

"to gaze, to look; heavenly"

As an Arabic name, Rania is a variation of Raniya, ultimately derived from the Arabic word ranā meaning "to gaze" or "side look". Other descendants of this root include Ranya and Rana itself.…

Tamsin

English, contracted form of Thomasina

"twin"

Tamsin is an offbeat name occasionally heard in Britain and just waiting to be discovered here. U.K. actress Tamsin Greig is a star of the show Episodes , Tamsin Olivier is the daughter of Joan…

Verity

Latin

"truth"

If you love Puritan virtue names and want to move beyond Hope and Faith and Grace, this is a wonderful choice, both for its meaning and its sound. A rare find here, though occasionally heard in…

Elira

Elira is a feminine name with multiple potential origins. In Albanian culture, it derives from the word for 'free' or 'freedom,' making it a name with powerful symbolic significance. Alternatively,…

Camellia

English flower name from Czech surname

"Kamel's flower"

Camellia is a rare flower name with distinct roots related to the Camille/Camila group and has varied associations to the moon, water, wealth, and perfection. It could be thought of as a floral…

Eowyn

Literary name

"horse lover"

A literary name created by J. R. R. Tolkien for a Lord of the Rings noblewoman of Rohan. Properly spelled with an accent over the first E – Éowyn – it would make an interesting choice for literature…

Inara

Arabic, Basque, mythology, "shining light, enlightenment; sunray; goddess"

"shining light, enlightenment; sunray; goddess"

Inara is an appealing choice with multiple origins, currently in the Top 500 in the UK and the Netherlands. Gentle looking but bright in feel, it is also on the rise in the US, possibly owing to its…

Rhoswen

Welsh

"white rose"

If you're looking for an unusual alternative to all those Rose names, Rhoswen might be a good choice. This name has the soft sounds we've come to love from the Welsh language but is still not as…