Girls: 3 syllables, 6 letters

  1. Acacia
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "thorny"
    • Description:

      Acacia is an attractive, rarely used Greek flower name enhanced by its popular beginning-and-ending-with 'a'-construct, and is gradually beginning to catch on as a new member of the stylish girl names starting with A.
  2. Amabel
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "lovable"
    • Description:

      Amabel is an older name than Annabel and a lot more distinctive. Amabel was a very common name in the twelfth and thirteen centuries, then was revived during the nineteenth century British fad for medieval names.
  3. Amaris
    • Origin:

      Variation of Amara or Amariah
    • Description:

      Amaris sounds like "amorous," which is a loving name for a child, but doesn't really have a clear derivation or meaning of its own. The popular Amara is one of the most international names on the charts, with derivations and meanings in cultures that truly span the globe. And Amariah is an ancient Hebrew name. Still, Amaris is unusual and pretty, and that may be enough.
  4. Amelia
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "work"
    • Description:

      Amelia is one of the hottest girls' names, a successor to the megapopular Emma and Emily. Amelia, which spent several years at Number 1 in England, is now comfortably ensconced in the US Top 10.
  5. Amoret
    • Origin:

      Literary name
    • Description:

      This lovely name from Spenser's The Faerie Queene is borne by a character who represents married love. A related unusual-yet-usable choice: Amabel.
  6. Ariane
    • Aurora
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "dawn"
      • Description:

        The goddess name Aurora has consistently been on the US popularity list since the nineteenth century, but has really taken off in the past 30 years. Aurora also enjoys remarkable international popularity, ranking in the Top 100 throughout the English-speaking world as well as in Italy, Spain, Norway, Switzerland, and several other European and Latin American countries.
    • Averil
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "boar battle"
      • Description:

        One of the rare English surname names originally derived from a female given name: Eoforhild (Everild), meaning "boar battle". Also spelled Averill, it's an extremely rare choice today, but shares sounds with fashionable Ava and Avery.
    • Camila
      • Origin:

        Spanish variation of Camilla
      • Meaning:

        "young ceremonial attendant"
      • Description:

        The Spanish Camila, pronounced ka-MEE-la, is the fastest rising version of this ancient Roman name, but recent royal Camilla may have helped promote the British brand.
    • Cecily
      • Origin:

        Feminine variation of Cecil
      • Meaning:

        "blind"
      • Description:

        Cecily is as dainty as a lace handkerchief. Cecily has a wide assortment of namesakes. One Cecily was the mother of King Richard III, whose beauty gained her the title "the Rose of Raby," Cecily Parsley is a Beatrix Potter bunny, Cecily Cardew is a character in The Importance of Being Earnest, and the author of the Gossip Girl books is Cecily von Ziegesar.
    • Chiara
      • Origin:

        Italian
      • Meaning:

        "light, clear"
      • Description:

        Chiara is a lovely and romantic Italian name that's familiar but not widely used here: a real winner. You might consider Chiara instead of Claire, Clara, Cara, or even Keira.
    • Elinor
      • Origin:

        Spelling variation of Eleanor
      • Description:

        Slimmed down spelling is well-established and makes an old name more modern, for better and worse. Katie Couric spells her Elinor's name this way.
    • Eloise
      • Origin:

        French and English variation of Heloise
      • Meaning:

        "healthy; wide"
      • Description:

        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 pond in the UK. Given to nearly 3000 babies each year, Eloise is showing no sign of stepping out of the spotlight.
    • Eudora
      • Origin:

        Greek
      • Meaning:

        "generous gift"
      • Description:

        Eudora is the name of five minor goddesses of Greek mythology and a major goddess (in the person of Pulitzer Prize-winning Eudora Welty) of modern American literature. Eudora is pleasant and euphoneous and a possibility for rejuvenation.
    • Geneva
      • Origin:

        Swiss place-name or French
      • Meaning:

        "juniper tree"
      • Description:

        Unlike its somewhat formal Swiss city namesake, this is a lively and appealing place-name that also has a real history as a female name.
    • 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.
    • Juliet
      • Origin:

        English from Latin
      • Meaning:

        "youthful or sky father"
      • Description:

        One of the most romantic names, the lovely and stylish Juliet seems finally to have shaken off her limiting link to Romeo. In Shakespeare's play, it was Juliet who said "What's in a name?"
    • Louisa
      • Origin:

        Latinate feminine variation of Louis
      • Meaning:

        "renowned warrior"
      • Description:

        Louisa, a quaint vintage name, is an example of the idea that these days, old-style girls’ names are more fashionable when they end with an a rather than with an e, as in Julie/Julia, Diane/Diana. So for the next generation, Louisa may rise again, especially with the growing popularity of other Lou/Lu-starting names, like Lucy and Luna. Louisa reentered the US Top 1000 in 2014 after a 45 year absence.
    • Mariel
      • Origin:

        Dutch diminutive of Mary
      • Meaning:

        "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
      • Description:

        Mariel Hemingway popularized this attractive and unusual variation of Mary. It's a fairly recent form, emerging in the twentieth century. Other variations include Marielle and Mariella, which is found in Italy.
    • Marina
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "from the sea"
      • Description:

        This pretty sea-born name was used to dramatic effect by Shakespeare in his play Pericles for the virtuous princess who says she is "Call'd Marina, for I was born at sea."