Friendly Classics- Girl Names

Charlotte

French, feminine diminutive of Charles

"free man"

Charlotte, the name of the young Princess of Cambridge, is the latest classic name to join Sophia, Emma, Olivia, and Isabella at the top of the popularity list. It is now among the most popular girl…

Evelyn

English from French and German

"desired; or water, island"

After decades of disuse, soft and feminine Evelyn has returned to the baby name stage in a huge way. It reached the Top 10 for the first time in 2017. Evelyn has now surpassed its former heights,…

Eleanor

English variation of French Provencal Alienor, meaning unknown

Eleanor's straightforward feminine image combined with its royal medieval history is striking just the right note for parents in search of a girls' name that combines substance and style. Big plus:…

Elizabeth

Hebrew

"pledged to God"

Elizabeth is one of the most popular girls' names of all time, the female equivalent of James or William. Yet Elizabeth has so much going for it—rich history, broad appeal, and timeless style—that no…

Penelope

Greek

"weaver"

As elegant and refined as it is sweet and energized., Penelope has been well and truly revived in the 21st-century. Off the Top 1000 for 25 years, Penelope jumped back on in 2001 and has been heading…

Lucy

English variation of Lucia, Latin

"light"

A versatile classic, Lucy is both sweet and solid, a saint's name, and the heroine of several great novels. First fashionable in England and Wales, Lucy is now a popular choice in the US, The…

Aria

Italian and Hebrew

"air; song or melody; lion"

Aria is a multi-cultural name with two extremely popular versions: this more word-like one along with Arya, the spelling used for the feisty young heroine of Game of Thrones . There were about 6400…

Scarlett

English

"scarlet, red"

Scarlett Johansson is doing more for this sparky southern name than Scarlett O'Hara ever did. Since the turn of the 21st century, Scarlett has gone from an obscure literary name to one of the most…

Abigail

Hebrew

"my father is joyful"

Abigail has been in for so long -- the name has ranked in the US Top 100 since the late 1980s -- it's amazing that it isn't more out by now. But Abigail's biblical and historic roots make it a…

Emilia

Feminine variation of Emil, Latin

"rival"

Emilia is the feminine form of the Roman clan name Aemilius, which derived from the Latin aemulus , meaning "rival." In Shakespeare’s Othello , Emilia is the wife of Iago and confidante of Desdemona.…

Eloise

French and English variation of Heloise

"healthy; wide"

Well balanced between sleek, sweet, strong, and vintage, newly chic Eloise re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2009, following a 50-year absence. In 2022, it broke into the Top 100 in the US and across the…

Stella

Latin

"star"

Stella is a name with star quality and sparkle, that manages to sound both ethereal and earthy. Celestial but not otherworldly, it lands somewhere between the popular Ella and bold Seraphina. The…

Josephine

French feminine variation of Joseph, Hebrew

"Jehovah increases"

Josephine, with its large measure of class and character and a gently offbeat quality, has been on a gentle uphill climb in the US for over 30 years, now ranking in the Top 100. With an intriguing…

Hannah

Hebrew

"grace"

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…

Clara

Latin

"bright, clear"

Clara is a strong, lovely girls' name that's always ranked among the US Top 1000 girl names but has been climbing since the turn of this century. It now ranks right at Number 78, making it a modern…

Alice

German

"noble"

Alice is a classic literary name that's both strong and sweet, ranking in the US Top 100 and popular throughout the Western world. Alice is derived from the Old French name Aalis, a diminutive of…

Vivian

Latin

"life"

Vivian, once an elderly lady name, is on the rise, along with all forms of girl names that mean life — from Zoe to Eva to those who share the vivid Viv syllable. It was one of the fastest-rising…

Millie

English diminutive of Mildred or Millicent

"gentle strength; strong in work"

Millie is back. It's a popular name throughout much of the English-speaking world, and broke the US Top 100 in 2024. Millicent would be an appealing long form, but many people are using Millie all by…

Madeline

English variation of Magdalen

"high tower or woman from Magdala"

Madeline, a lovely name with a soft and delicate image, is an old-fashioned favorite that returned to favor in the 1990s, combining a classic pedigree with a cute nickname option: Maddie. Madeline…

Audrey

English

"noble strength"

Audrey is one of the girls' names that have been rising due to their connection to Old Hollywood glamour — in this case the eternally chic and radiant Audrey Hepburn. Audrey has another very…