Adorable Girl Names

Once rare, this streamlined form of Jessica has been boosted by two very different television figures: the Jemima Kirke character on HBO series Girls, and reality television daughter Jessa Duggar.

Demi appeared in the US as a baby name thanks to a single celebrity, actress Demi Moore, who put it on the Top 1000 throughout the 1990s. As her star faded, so did the visibility of the name, though now it is rising again on its own steam. It's popular in Europe, too, especially in The Netherlands. Demi may be that unusual name that's launched by a celebrity and then maintains its visibility all by itself.

A long-integrated French feminine form of Adrian, now overshadowed by the a-ending version, but still a valid option, with considerable substance and dignity—though these days more parents would probably choose Adriana.

Blending classic with contemporary elements, Alayna is considered a spin on the name Alana, which also draws inspiration from Elaine and Elena. An obscure choice until the 80s, it began to climb the charts after fencer Alayna Snell took part in the 1984 Olympics.

Presley is a much more popular name for little girls than you might think, entering the charts as a girls' name in 1998 and hovering around Number 200 for the last decade.

Parents of female Emersyns will say this Emerson variation's Y makes it more feminine -- and to some extent, it does. This, combined with the trendy Y, have flagged this name as on-the-rise. "Em" names have been hot for girls in recent years, from the classic Emma, Emily, and Emilia to the modern Emery and Ember — and both Emerson and Emersyn are no exception. Emersyn entered the charts in 2019 and has been rising since, all the way up to the Top 200.

Bristol Palin, the daughter of former Alaska governor and Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, grabbed her own share of headlines after her pregnancy and having appearing on Dancing With The Stars. She subsequently (almost) single-handedly propelled her distinctive name, derived from the name of a city in England, into the Top 1000 and up the charts.

Reign is one of a new, ahem, kingdom of word names that suggest a high-born child, joining Royal, Lorde, Titan, Saint, King, Princess, and Noble. We predicted this kind of defining name to be the Number 1 baby name trend of 2015...two weeks before Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick named their third child, a boy, Reign. Reign is as appropriate for girls as for boys. The female version is often spelled Rain -- or Raine or Rayne -- though that makes is more nature and less royal word name. Reign entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2016.

The third-most-popular spelling of this name, after Shea and Shay, is notable mostly for its connection to Game of Thrones. Shae is a "camp follower" -- AKA prostitute -- who becomes the loyal mistress to Tyrion Lannister while he is serving as Hand of the King.

Where Abraham took his son Isaac to sacrifice him. Taylor Hanson chose this as the middle name for his son Viggo, his fourth child, but most will see it as a girls’ name. Make life simpler and spell it Mariah.

A super diminutive nickname name, and sometime Madonna nickname – it was how the British tabloids referred to her when she moved to London in the 1990s, which she found annoying until then husband Guy Ritchie said it stood for 'Your Majesty'. Madge Undersee is Katniss's best friend in The Hunger Games books.

Honor is a somewhat more straight-laced virtue name than Hope or Grace, placing a high standard on any girl carrying it, but it's a goal worth setting. By choosing Honor for her daughter, Jessica Alba brought it very much into the modern world.

Unlike Pamela and Melanie, Mela feels fresh and unusual.

Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin's daughter Ireland opened up the map for names like Scotland, and now that it's been chosen by Kourtney Kardashian for her daughter Penelope's middle name -- in honor of daddy Scott Disick -- Scotland is sure to appear on more birth certificates. Can Scotlyn be far behind?

Oh dear! We can see where you were going with connecting this name to the classic "Leah," but it just doesn't work. We recommend sticking with the classic Malia.

Marah is where the Israelites camped right after they walked through the parted Red Sea. Marah is related to Mara and has the same "bitter" meaning.

Given a new shot of style by singer Lauryn Hill, this spelling of the name has fallen quite a bit in popularity since its peak of 167 in 1996.

Variant of Maris

Corrie is a feminine name with multiple origins. Primarily used as a diminutive form of Corinne, Cornelia, or Cora, it has a friendly, approachable quality. In Scottish usage, Corrie refers to a circular hollow in a hillside, giving the name a nature-inspired meaning. The name gained some recognition through Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch woman known for helping Jews escape the Holocaust. Corrie has a cheerful, unpretentious character that balances familiarity with relative uniqueness. While never among the most popular names, it has maintained consistent usage throughout the decades, particularly in the UK, Australia, and parts of the US. The name combines vintage charm with a contemporary short-form appeal many parents appreciate.

Caraline is a feminine name that represents a spelling variation of Caroline, which derives from the masculine name Charles, meaning 'free man' or 'strong.' This distinctive spelling maintains the melodic sound of the traditional form while offering a unique twist, possibly emphasizing the 'cara' element, which means 'beloved' in Italian and Latin. Caraline carries the same classic, elegant qualities as Caroline but with a slightly more contemporary feel. Though less common than the traditional spelling, Caraline has gained modest popularity as parents seek familiar names with distinctive presentations. The name projects warmth and sophistication simultaneously, appealing to those who appreciate traditional names with subtle personalization.