Girl Names

Aurora

Latin

"dawn"

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…

Elena

Spanish, Italian, German, Greek variation of Helen

"bright, shining light"

Elena is at its most popular point ever in the US, thanks to its cross-cultural appeal and the overall popularity of El- names. It's more international than Ellen or Eleanor, but still accessible. A…

Isabelle

French variation of Isabel

"pledged to God"

Isabelle is the French variation of Isabel, which emerged in the Middle ages as an Occitan form of Elizabeth. Medieval queens Isabella of Angoulême and Isabella of France helped popularize the name…

Camilla

Latin

"young ceremonial attendant"

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. In Roman myth, Camilla was a…

Laila

Spelling variation of Layla or Sami variation of Helga, Arabic or Finnish

"night; holy"

Beguiling and lovely, Laila is one of the lilting variations of Leila and Layla. It's the name of the former-boxer daughter of Muhammad Ali and of actor Shawn Wayans. In Finland, the Sami people use…

Nadia

Russian, Arabic

"hope; tender, delicate"

Nadia, an accessible Slavic favorite, has a strong run of popularity in the US in the early 2000s, partially thanks to the character on Lost called Nadia but actually named Noor, but it's since…

Jelena

Russian, Serbian, Croatian, Estonian

"light"

A pretty international form of Helena used in many Slavic languages, also sometimes spelled Yelena.

Kenza

Arabic

"treasure"

Kenza may feel perfectly in step with modern names like McKenzie and Kinsey and Kendra, but there was an 8th century Moroccan queen named Kenza so the name has deep roots. Kenza is that rare name…

Laleh

Persian

"tulip"

A pretty Persian name with an equally lovely meaning. It appears as Lale in Turkish, Lala in Bulgarian, and Lalə in Azerbaijani, though this Persian form feels internationally appealing.

Leonora

Italian diminutive of Eleonora or Eleanor, meaning unknown

Its mellifluous sound makes Leonora--which has a rich history and a tie to the popular Leo names-- a keen possibility for revival. Though it's been hiding below the Top 1000 since the 1940s, Leonora…

Natanya

Natanya is a feminine name with Hebrew origins, derived from 'natan' meaning 'gift' or 'he gave.' It's closely related to the Israeli city Netanya, which carries the same meaning. The name has…