Girl Names

Avery

English

"ruler of the elves"

Avery is a hugely popular name in the US, especially for girls. But while nearly four times as many girls as boys are named Avery today Avery's popularity is starting to soften for girls while it…

Melanie

Greek

"black, dark"

Gone with the Wind inspired a generation of girls named Melanie, though it looks as though Scarlett will triumph in the end. Melanie was the name of two Roman saints of the fifth century, a…

Everleigh

Variation of Everly

"wild boar in woodland clearing"

Like Ashley before it, on-trend Everly has been followed by a range of spelling variants, and among them, Everleigh is the most popular. Opinions are divided as to whether the "-leigh" ending makes…

Carmen

Spanish variation of Carmel or Latin

"garden or song"

Carmen has long been associated with the sensuous, tragic heroine of Bizet's opera, based on a novel by Prosper Merimee; more recently it has called to mind two other bombshells: Carmen Miranda (born…

Brynn

Spelling variation of Bryn, Welsh

"hill"

Brynn outshines the original Welsh Bryn in the popularity stakes. This simple, brisk name might be seen as a combination of Bree and Lynn, an androgynous-sounding choice that especially in this…

Reina

Spanish, Yiddish or Japanese

"queen; pure; wise"

An appellation for the Virgin Mary, "Queen of the apostles." After three years off the US popularity charts, Reina rejoined the list in 2014, though it lags behind alternate spellings Raina, Rayna,…

Thalia

Greek

"to flourish"

Thalia was one of the Three Graces in Greek mythology, and also the Muse of comedy and pastoral poetry, making this a Hellenic choice worthy of consideration. In the Rick Riordan series Percy Jackson…

Lara

Russian, diminutive of Larissa or Larisa

"citadel"

This is an alternative to Laura or Lauren made romantic by Dr Zhivago , and badass by video-game heroine Lara Croft. In mythology, Lara was a nymph in Ovid's Fasti known for her beauty and inability…

Karsyn

Variation of Carson, English and Scottish surname

"son of the marsh-dwellers"

Y is often used to feminize a variant spelling of a name, though of course there's nothing intrinsically gendered about it. The Karsyn spelling is slightly off its peak for girls, but rising for boys.

Tiffany

English variation of Theophania, Greek

"of divine manifestation"

One of the first luxury brand names and the quintessential Booming Eighties status-conscious moniker; used by Donald Trump for his daughter, Tiffany has plummeted far from its high in the Top 25.…

Cynthia

Greek

"moon goddess; woman from Kynthos"

Sleek and serious, yet bright and energetic at the same time, Cynthia appears in classic mythology as an epithet for Artemis or Diana. While it is now a more neglected choice, it was once hugely…

Austyne

Austyne is a feminine name that represents a modern, creative spelling variation of Austin or Augustine. The traditional Austin derives from the Latin name Augustus, meaning 'great' or 'venerable,'…

Bette

Diminutive of Elizabeth

Pronounced a la Bette (Betty) Davis or Bette (Bet) Midler, a twentieth-century relic. Though if the equally vintage Betty comes back, Bette may be close behind.

Nahla

Arabic

"a drink of water"

Nahla is a lovely name chosen by Halle Berry for her daughter. Not to be confused with the Disneyfied Nala.