Sweet Names for Girls

  1. Gertrude
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "strength of a spear"
    • Description:

      Could cute nickname Gertie, remembered as cute five-year-old Drew Barrymore in E.T., revive the long shunned Gertrude?
  2. Gloria
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "glory"
    • Description:

      Gloria is beginning to move beyond its de-glamorized Grandma image, most recently thanks to glamorous young Hollywood parents Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard, who chose it for their second daughter. Gyllenhaal was quoted as saying they had been inspired by Patti Smith's rendition of the Van Morrison song "Gloria" at a concert and thought " 'We'll name our daughter that one day'."
  3. Hailie
    • Description:

      This variation of Hailey and Halley -- one of dozens -- was used by Eminem for his daughter.
  4. Hedwig
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "war"
    • Description:

      An ancient German saint's name – and most famously the name of Harry Potter's snowy owl – but the combination of "head" plus "wig" feels a little too literal in English.
  5. Helena
    • Origin:

      Latinate form of Helen, Greek
    • Meaning:

      "torch; shining light"
    • Description:

      Helena is one of those classic names that just misses making the US Top 1000 girl names for its entire history, falling off for a single year in 1992. Since then it's been drifting lazily up the charts, and makes a perfect choice if you want a name that both fits in and stands out.
  6. Holly
    • Origin:

      English nature name
    • Description:

      Holly ranks just in British Top 50, but it's been out of favor here since the 1970s Era of Nickname Names. Still, the name may be on her way back as a rejuvenated nature pick.
  7. Ida
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "industrious one"
    • Description:

      Many vowel names stylish a century ago are coming back, and Ida seems like a possible, logical successor to Ada and Ava.
  8. Idabelle
    • Description:

      Idabelle is a feminine name combining the classic names Ida and Belle. Ida has Germanic origins meaning 'industrious' or 'hardworking,' while Belle comes from French, meaning 'beautiful.' This graceful compound name emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when such combinations were fashionable in America. Idabelle peaked in popularity during the early 1900s and has since become quite rare, giving it a distinctive vintage charm. The name carries associations with Southern gentility and old-fashioned elegance. With the revival of vintage names and the popularity of Belle as a component in names like Isabelle, Idabelle offers an uncommon alternative with historical roots that combines industriousness and beauty in its meaning.

  9. Idaline
    • Description:

      Idaline is a delicate feminine name with vintage charm. It likely developed as an elaboration of Ida, which has Germanic origins meaning 'industrious' or 'hardworking,' or possibly from the Old Norse meaning 'goddess.' The suffix '-line' adds a graceful, feminine quality. This uncommon name carries an air of antiquity and refinement, evoking images of the Victorian or Edwardian eras. Idaline has never been widely popular but represents the class of elaborate, ornate names that are occasionally rediscovered by parents seeking something distinctive with historical roots. The name offers several nickname possibilities including Ida, Lina, or Addie. With its flowing sound and romantic quality, Idaline combines old-world elegance with a distinctive character that stands out in contemporary settings.
  10. Isabella
    • Origin:

      Spanish and Italian variation of Elizabeth, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"
    • Description:

      Isabella has been a Top 10 name for girls in the US for two decades now. The Latinate form of Isabel, a variation of Elizabeth which originally derived from the Hebrew name Elisheba, Isabella reigned as Number 1 in 2009 and 2010.
  11. Jaqueline
    • Description:

      Jaqueline is a variant spelling of Jacqueline, a feminine name with French origins. Derived from the masculine name Jacques (the French form of James), it ultimately traces back to the Hebrew name Ya'akov, meaning 'supplanter' or 'holder of the heel.' The name gained significant popularity in the United States during the 1960s due to the influence of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, whose grace and style made a lasting impression on American culture. This particular spelling variant, Jaqueline, omits one of the 'c's found in the traditional French spelling, giving it a slightly simplified appearance while maintaining the same pronunciation. Though less common than the standard spelling, Jaqueline offers a subtle distinction while still carrying the sophisticated and elegant qualities associated with the name.
  12. Jennifer
    • Origin:

      Cornish variation of Welsh Guinevere
    • Meaning:

      "white shadow, white wave"
    • Description:

      Jennifer is the Cornish variation of Guinevere, which ultimately derived from the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar. It has been in use in the English-speaking world since the 18th century but came to prominence in the 20th. Playwright George Bernard Shaw chose Jennifer for the name of his leading lady in his play The Doctor’s Dilemma, which drew more attention to the name.
  13. Joana
    • Origin:

      Portuguese, Catalan
    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"
    • Description:

      A variant of Johanna.
  14. Kamilla
    • Origin:

      Scandinavian; Hungarian; Russian, variation of Camilla
    • Description:

      Kamilla is the usual spelling of Camilla throughout Scandinavia and in Finland, Hungary, Iceland, and Greenland. Kamma is an appealing short form.
  15. Katerina
    • Origin:

      Macedonian, Czech, Russian, Bulgarian, and Greek form of Katherine
    • Description:

      Katerina and its near-identical twin Katarina have a pleasingly lilting European sound, though for some Americans they may be uncomfortably close to Katrina, which will be linked for a long time to the hurricane that devastated New Orleans.
  16. Lana
    • Origin:

      English diminutive of Alana
    • Meaning:

      "rock or handsome"
    • Description:

      Popularized in the 1940s by Lana (born Judy) Turner, today Lana is synonymous with American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey. Although it has been rising steadily since the early 2000s, Lana still sits in the popularity "sweet spot" – familiar, but not overused. Simple, sleek and seamlessly international, it makes a great choice.
  17. Laura
    • Origin:

      English from Latin
    • Meaning:

      "from Laurentum or bay laurel"
    • Description:

      Laura is a hauntingly evocative perennial, never trendy, never dated, feminine without being fussy, with long-standing literary links. All this makes Laura a more solid choice than any of its more decorative counterparts and one of the most classic girl names starting with L.
  18. Layla
    • Origin:

      Variation of Leila, Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "night"
    • Description:

      A lovely musical name (remember the old Eric Clapton-Derek & the Dominos song?), Layla's seen a significant surge in popularity, partly partly all names with a double L are stylish, and partly because all the forms of the name push it into the Top 15 for girls.
  19. Leanor
    • Description:

      Leanor is a rare feminine name that appears to be a variant of Eleanor or Leonor, both of which have ancient Greek and Provençal origins. The traditional forms derive from the Greek name Helen, meaning "bright, shining one" or "light." The Spanish variation Leonor has connections to the word for "lion" (león), suggesting qualities of strength and courage. Leanor combines elements of these traditions with its distinctive spelling. While Eleanor has remained consistently popular throughout Western history, Leanor is much more uncommon, giving it a unique quality while maintaining connections to its classic roots. The name has a melodious flow with its three syllables and offers the familiar nickname options of Lea or Nora. Its rarity makes it an uncommon choice that still carries historical resonance.

  20. Lena
    • Origin:

      English, Scottish, Dutch, German, and Scandinavian, diminutive of various names ending in -lena
    • Description:

      This pet form of Helena and other ena-ending names, long used as an independent name, is attracting notice again as an option both multicultural and simple. Lena was a Top 100 name from 1880 to 1920.