My Favorite 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…

Hazel

English

"the hazelnut tree"

Hazel has a pleasantly hazy, brownish-green-eyed, old-fashioned image that more and more parents are choosing to share. Former Old Lady name Hazel reentered the popularity lists in 1998 and now is…

Layla

Variation of Leila, Arabic

"night"

A lovely musical name (remember the old Eric Clapton-Derek & the Dominos song?), Layla's seen a significant surge in popularity, partly partly all names with a double L are stylish, and partly…

Adeline

French, diminutive of Adele

"noble, nobility"

Adeline has a lovely, old-fashioned "Sweet Adeline" charm, but has become so popular in the US under so many spellings and variations — with Adalynn and Adalyn also popular — that considered together…

Addison

English surname

"son of Adam"

Newly fashioned but familiar and with an on-trend, unisex feel, Addison seems like the perfect solution for anyone who can't decide between Madison, Adeline, and Alison. Addison really took off in…

Eva

Latin form of Eve, Hebrew

"life"

Eva is a simple, classic Hebrew name for girls that recently slipped out of the US Top 100 for the first time in more than a decade. Pronounced either like her more popular sister Ava or less popular…

Gemma

Italian, Catalonian, Spanish

"precious stone"

Gemma is a jewel of a name, an Italian classic that was very popular in 1980s England, but has only recently been started to be used here; it entered the list in 2008. Coming from a medieval Italian…

Katelyn

Spelling variation of Caitlin

"pure"

One of the most popular of the trendy Caitlin variations, Katelyn points directly to components Kate and Lyn --making it a bit more traditionally feminine.

Beatrix

Latin

"she who brings happiness; blessed"

Beatrix has a solid history of its own apart from Beatrice, with that final x adding a playful, animated note to the name's imposing history and stately vibe. In the earliest sources it is recorded…

Madalynn

Variation of Madeleine, French

"of Magdala"

Too trendy and too prone to needing to be spelled every time. Just go with the classic (and classy) accepted spellings: Madeleine, Madelyn, or Madeline.

Zalia

Zalia is a feminine name with multiple possible origins. It may be a variation of Zahlia (Arabic for 'beautiful flower') or Zelia (Greek for 'zeal'). Some consider it a modern elaboration of Zara or…

Willoughby

English

"farm near the willows; willow town"

With Willow and Willa becoming more popular for girls, surname-style Willoughby could be a more unusual alternative. Meaning "farm near the willows" or "willow town", depending on how you interpret…

Ameline

Variation of Emmeline

A variation on Emmeline, Ameline has not experienced nearly the same level of success in the US, though it was given to five girls in 2015. Whereas Emmeline lends itself to trendy nicknames Emme and…

Treacy

Treacy is a distinctive feminine name with Irish origins, derived from an Irish surname meaning 'fighter' or 'more powerful.' As a given name, Treacy represents the modern trend of transforming…