21st Century Names for Girls

Calista

Greek

"most beautiful"

Spelled with either one 'l' or two, Calista came to the fore in 1997 when Calista Flockhart hit it big as Ally McBeal. Flockhart, who bears her mother's middle name, didn't just introduce a name, she…

Calypso

Greek

"she who hides"

Melodic, rhythmic, and poetic in sound, Calypso is a name with connections to music, mythology, space, and pop culture. A distinctive was to nickname Callie or even Pip, it has that charming -o…

Cameo

Word name

This evocative term for a stone or shell carved in relief could make a striking first name for a girl, though she would have a starring role in her story, rather than a cameo.

Caraway

Nature name

An edible plant used in seed and spice form.

Cerise

French

"cherry"

Infinitely preferable to the tease-inspiring English version of the word.

Cerys

Welsh

"love"

Common name in Wales that's all but unknown in the U.S. Certainly an attractive choice ripe for export. In the UK it sits at Number 330.

Chrysanthemum

Greek

"gold flower"

One of the rarest of the flower names, that of the blossom celebrated in Japan as a symbol of the sun and a possible object of meditation. One of the rare flower names counted among names for autumn…

Cilla

Diminutive of Priscilla

"ancient"

Takes the priss out of Priscilla.

Coco

Spanish and French pet name

Coco came to prominence as the nickname of the legendary French designer Chanel (born Gabrielle) and has lately become a starbaby favorite, initially chosen by Courteney Cox for her daughter Coco…

Coral

English word name

"a rock like substance formed by sea creatures; pinkish-red; gemstone"

A color name, a gemstone name, and an ocean-inspired choice, Coral has a lot going for it with its sharp C sounds yet sweet vintage feel. Unlike Scarlett or Violet, however, it is only quietly used…

Coralie

French from Latin

"coral"

Coralie is a French name not often heard here, though she's gaining some recognition via Neil Gaiman's similar sounding spooky and lovely children's book, Coraline . Other literary appearances:…

Cosima

Italian feminine variation of Cosmo, Greek

"order, beauty, universe"

Cosima, the kind of elegant and unusual name the British upper classes love to use for their daughters, is given to a handful of baby girls in the US after being chosen by two high-profile celebs in…

Crescent

English, French, Latin

"waxing or waning moon; increasing, growing, springing forth"

Crescent is an intriguing word name with a pretty sound and links to the moon. Used to describe a curved shape more generally, it is heavily associated with the lunar calendar, with the moon forming…

Cressida

Greek

"gold"

Cressida is a golden, mythological, and Shakespearean name, much better known in Britain than it is in the US. Given to just 11 American girls in a recent year — though still the highest number on…

Cydney

Variation of Sydney, English from French

"Saint Denis"

Unnecessary complication.

Cypress

Botanical name

Lovely entry into the tree name genre, joining Juniper, Maple, and Willow. Nearly 200 babies were named Cypress in the US last year, about 40 percent of them female.

December

English word name

"tenth month"

Cooler than April, May, or June, but also a tad icy. December gets its name from the number ten as the old Roman calendar only had ten months, and as now, December was the last.