User-created list
Good Surnames
Across 15 pages
of 15
Prideaux
Cornish place name
"meadow of waters"
Prideaux is a Cornish place name and surname that is occasionally attested as a girls' first name. It likely stems from the French phrase "pré de eaux", meaning meadow of waters. For fans of Margaux,…
Simran
Sanskrit
"remembrance"
This Indian girls' name, in the Top 1000 in England and Wales, is virtually unknown in the US but has a pretty sound and is easily translated. If you're looking for a girl name with authentic Indian…
Snow
English word name
There's definitely a cold front of names for winter babies moving in, with Summer, Spring and Autumn giving way to Winter--plus North, January, Frost--and Snow. This name feels brisk, fresh, pure,…
Socorro
Spanish and Portuguese
"succour, help, relief"
Socorro is a Spanish and Portuguese word name taken from a title of the Virgin Mary, "Mary of Perpetual Succour." Its religious meaning makes it somewhat old-fashioned and not among the Spanish names…
Solange
French
"solemn"
This is a soft, soignée French girls' name that has become familiar here via singer Solange Knowles, younger sister of Beyonce. It is also the name of a martyred ninth century saint, a poor…
Sparrow
Nature name
"sparrow, a bird"
With related choices such as Lark and Phoenix gaining popularity, why not Sparrow? Though it's usually thought of as a female name, Nicole Richie and Joel Madden chose it for their son.
Tennille
Toni Tennille was one half of the musical group Captain & Tennille, which produced a number of huge hits in the 1970s, including "Love Will Keep Us Together."
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…
Wynn
Welsh
"fair, blessed"
Wynn is an attractive Welsh name, originally male but now also used for girls outside of Wales. The authentic feminine version would be Gwen, which derives from the same very productive gwyn element,…
Yeats
English
"gates"
Yeats, the strong name of the great Irish poet, would work better for a boy. Also has possible pronunciation problem with people who might think it rhymes with Keats. Yeats rhymes with the word from…
Gelsey
Persian
"flower"
This name was given a lithe and graceful image by ballerina Gelsey Kirkland, but was later far surpassed by Kelsey and Chelsea.
Ye
Chinese
"leaf"
Ye is a name with a lovely meaning, which is probably just a bit short for usage outside the Chinese community. Paired with Mei, however, it could work. Ye-Mei would mean beautiful leaf, a lovely…
Reed
English
"red-haired"
Sleek, unisex surname rarely heard for girls -- which could be seen as an asset.
Grove
Nature name
"grove of trees"
Fresh, evocative choice.
Monserrat
Spelling variant of Montserrat, Catalan place-name meaning "serrated mountain"
"serrated mountain"
Monserrat is a variant spelling of the Catalan name Montserrat. It is likely the better spelling in English-speaking countries given the correct pronunciation of the name. Monserrat/Montserrat is a…
Linden
English tree name
"tree of the genus Tilla"
Though this name of a sturdy tree that can live for centuries was quite popular for boys in the first half of the twentieth century, at this point in time we can see Linden as a fresh-sounding…
Vlinder
Dutch
"butterfly"
A known but not overused female name in Dutch-speaking countries and regions, Vlinder ranked in the top 400 girls’ names in the Netherlands from 2009-2012.
Vienne
Variation of Vienna, place-name
Vienne came to Western consciousness as the name of the French heroine of the popular 1990s book and then movie Chocolat . Vienne is a variation of Vienna, the name of the Austrian capital that has…
Elwell
English Surname
"healthy spring"
Elwell is an English surname as well as a place name. Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick used it as a second middle name for one of their twin daughters in 2009.
Rooney
English or Gaelic surname
"descendent of the champion"
Talented actress Rooney Mara (originally born Patricia Rooney) has single-handedly transformed this Gaelic surname into a wearable and elegant girls' name. Often said to mean "red-haired", the…