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21st Century Names for Girls

  1. Lilibeth

    • Origin:

      Combination name of Lily and Beth or nickname for Elizabeth, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"

    • Description:

      Queen Elizabeth's childhood nickname was Lilibet, the name of Prince Harry and Meghan's newborn daughter, and Lilibeth has the same kind of lilting charm. While many combo names are less attractive than either of their original parts, Lilibeth can make a nice compromise if you're stuck between Lily and Elizabeth or if you want a fresh variation of either.
  2. Lilou

    • Origin:

      Occitan pet form of French Liliane

    • Meaning:

      "lily"

    • Description:

      Lilou is a charming, rarely heard import. Occitan is a language spoken in Provence, in the south of France, in which the suffix "ou" denotes a pet form — thus, Lilou as a short form of Liliane or its Occitan form Liliana or Liliano. Its popularity in France--where it's currently Number 12--can be traced to the 1997 film The Fifth Element.
  3. Lisl

    • Description:

      Lisl is a charming feminine name of German and Austrian origin, primarily used as a diminutive of Elisabeth. This concise, one-syllable name carries the warmth and friendliness characteristic of Germanic nicknames while functioning beautifully as a standalone name. Many English speakers recognize it from 'The Sound of Music,' where Lisl was the eldest Von Trapp daughter. The name has a delicate, melodic quality despite its brevity, with the 'sl' ending creating a distinctive linguistic flourish. While never achieving widespread popularity in English-speaking countries, Lisl maintains steady usage in German-speaking regions and among families with Germanic heritage. It offers the appeal of being recognizable yet uncommon, simple yet distinctive, and carries the rich historical associations of its parent name Elisabeth, which means 'God is my oath.'

  4. Liv

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Olivia, English, Norse

    • Meaning:

      "olive tree; life, protection"

    • Description:

      Liv combines the succinct charm of a nickname—people might assume it's short for Olivia—with the solidity of being a classic stand-alone Scandinavian name with a life-force meaning. It was brought into the public eye (in the English speaking world that is) due to the fame of actress and Aerosmith daughter Liv Tyler.
  5. Lleyton

    • Origin:

      Variation of Leighton, English

    • Meaning:

      "meadow settlement"

    • Description:

      Lleyton is the novel spelling publicized by Australian tennis star Lleyton Hewitt. Other double 'L's are found in such Welsh names as Lloyd and Llewellyn. More popular forms of the name include Layton and Leyton.
  6. Locklyn

    • Origin:

      Variation of male name Lachlin, Gaelic

    • Meaning:

      "lake land"

    • Description:

      This phonetic spelling of a traditional Scottish male name wasn't seen until used by Vince Vaughn for his daughter. As Lachlan becomes more of an established boy's name in the US, more parents are turning to the Locklyn spelling on the girl's side.
  7. Lore

    • Description:

      Lore is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In German tradition, it's a shortened form of Eleanor or Lorelei, while in Spanish it can be a diminutive of Dolores. The name literally means 'knowledge' or 'wisdom' in Latin, giving it an intellectual connotation. In folklore contexts, 'lore' refers to traditional knowledge and stories passed through generations. This gives the name a mystical, storytelling quality. Though uncommon in English-speaking countries, Lore has a simple elegance and cross-cultural appeal. Its brevity makes it distinct while remaining easy to pronounce across language boundaries. The name's connection to wisdom and cultural traditions makes it appealing for parents seeking a name with depth and subtle sophistication.

  8. Lorelei

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "alluring, temptress"

    • Description:

      The lovely Lorelei, a name from old German legend, was a beautiful Rhine River seductress whose haunting voice led sailors to hazardous rocks that would cause them to be shipwrecked. And this siren image clung to the name for ages.
  9. Lorne

    • Description:

      Lorne is a name of Scottish origin derived from the region of Lorne in Argyll, Scotland. While traditionally used as a masculine name, it has crossed over to become a unisex option, though remains less common for females. The name evokes the scenic landscapes of its geographical roots. For girls, Lorne carries a gentle yet distinctive quality, offering an uncommon alternative to more popular feminine names. Its usage for females peaked in the mid-20th century but has remained relatively rare. The name sometimes appears as a variant spelling of Lauren or Laura, though it maintains its own unique heritage and character.
  10. Lourdes

    • Origin:

      Spanish, Portuguese, from French, meaning unknown

    • Description:

      This name of the French town where a young peasant girl had a vision of the Virgin Mary in 1858 vaulted into the spotlight when Madonna chose it for her daughter, but few other families except for devout Roman Catholics have followed her lead (any more than they've used Rocco for their sons).
  11. Lucia

    • Origin:

      Italian, feminine variation of Lucius, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "light"

    • Description:

      Lucia is a lush, rich Latinate equivalent of Lucy, popular in Spain and throughout Latin America and also a cross-cultural favorite. You might be surprised to know that Lucia has ALWAYS ranked among the Top 1000 girl names in the US, though she's really taken off only since the turn of this century.
  12. Milla

    • Origin:

      Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Hungarian

    • Meaning:

      "young ceremonial attendant, gracious people"

    • Description:

      Milla originated as a diminutive of names like Camilla and Ludmilla, but has since become well established as a name in its own right in several European countries. Milla Jovovich is a Ukrainian-born actress and supermodel, while Milla is also used for a character in the novel and musical adaptation, Wicked.
  13. Marilise
    • Neela

      • Origin:

        Hindi, Sanskrit

      • Meaning:

        "sapphire blue"

      • Description:

        A variation of Nila, a name spread through African by the substantial Indian population there. Also a variant of Neala and Neila.
    • Ottilie

      • Origin:

        German, French

      • Meaning:

        "prosperous in battle"

      • Description:

        Ottilie is trending in the UK, where the pronounced T helps the name sound pretty and delicate, rather like Amelie and Elodie. Ottilie is less popular in the US, where many Americans pronounce it as a near-homonym for "oddly".
    • Signy

      • Origin:

        Scandinavian

      • Meaning:

        "new victory"

      • Description:

        Signy — also spelled Signe — would make another distinctively offbeat alternative to Sydney. Signy appears in Norse mythology as the twin sister of Sigmund.
    • Saarinen
      • Scipio
        • Tempest

          • Origin:

            English word name

          • Meaning:

            "turbulent, stormy"

          • Description:

            Tempest is one of those names that could go either way. Cool, evocative modern word name? Or asking for trouble? Your call, but if you decide the former image is dominant, be warned that some people will see it as the latter.
        • Tenebrae