Short Adorable Girl Names

Tessa

Diminutive of Theresa

"to reap, to gather"

Tessa is one of those golden names that's been popular but not TOO popular for several decades now. Tessa has ranked in the Top 500 in the US since 1981 but has risen only once above Number 200.…

Zuri

Swahili

"good, beautiful"

A Swahili name with a positive meaning, Zuri came to the attention of American parents when an Ohio zoo used it for a female giraffe. It subsequently shot up the charts in 2010, peaking in 2022 when…

Winnie

English diminutive of Winifred

"holy peacemaking, gentle friend"

This pet form of such names as Winifred and Edwina and Gwendolyn has loads of vintage charm, a la Millie and Maisie, with a decidedly winning vibe. And it just got celebrity cred as the baby…

Ari

Diminutive of Ariel, Hebrew

"lion of God"

In 2010, baby boys named Ari outnumbered baby girls 4 to 1; today, there are nearly equal numbers of boys and girls named Ari. And that's only counting the babies who receive Ari as a full name. Ari…

Hana

Hebrew, Hawaiian, Maori, Japanese

"grace, work, glow, flower"

Many things to many peoples: a flower name, also spelled Hanae, to the Japanese; a Czech and Polish short form of Johana; and an alternate form of the biblical name Hannah in the US. It also means…

Chana

Hebrew

"grace"

Variation of Channah and Hannah making multiple appearances in the US popularity charts during the latter portion of the twentieth century, Chana has now remained in the Top 1000 since 2008.

Abby

Diminutive of Abigail, Hebrew

"my father is joyful"

Gently old-fashioned stand-alone nickname that owes its popularity to mega popular Abigail.

Scout

Word name

"one who gathers information covertly"

Scout, a character nickname from To Kill a Mockingbird (her real name was Jean Louise), became a real-life possibility when Bruce Willis and Demi Moore used it for their now-grown middle daughter,…

Rumi

Japanese

"beauty, flow, lapis lazuli"

Rumi is a Japanese girl name, with a sweet yet substantial sound. Reminiscent of other popular choices in the West — think Ruby, Remy, and Romy — it is currently achieving more notice thanks to…

Rio

Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese

"river or place of the cherry blossoms"

Rio is one of Japan's most popular girls' names, constantly sitting in that country's Top 10. Of course, Rio may also stem from the Portuguese and Spanish word for river, and the Brazilian city Rio…

Suri

Yiddish, Hebrew, Persian, Sanskrit

Suri, a once obscure name, hit the headlines when it was chosen by Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise for their daughter in 2006. A truly multi-cultural choice, Suri is a unique name with a variety of…

Lumi

Finnish

"snow"

Lumi may be a rare girls' name in the USA and England, but it comes in the Top 50 in Finland, where it means snow. Given the popularity of Winter, Holly, Ivy and many other wintery-christmassy…

Ren

Japanese

"water lily, lotus"

In Japan the lotus is the Buddhist symbol of purity and perfection. In the US, Ren can also be short for Lauren or Renee, but it could be misspelt as the more popular Wren.

Coco

Spanish and French pet name

Coco came to prominence as the nickname of the legendary French designer Chanel (born Gabrielle) and has lately become a starbaby favorite, initially chosen by Courteney Cox for her daughter Coco…

Asa

Hebrew, Japanese, or Scandinavian

"healer; morning; of the gods"

A male Biblical name meaning healer, Asa is also an international gem. In Japanese, it means "(born in the) morning". And in Scandinavia, where it's generally spelled Åsa or Ása and pronounced O-sa,…

Lou

Short form of Louise

"renowned warrior"

Lou is usually a short form of Louise, Louisa, or Lucy in English-speaking countries, when Lou is used for girls at all. But in France and Germany, it's a fashionable choice all on its own, sure to…

Nomi

Hebrew, Scandinavian, Japanese

"beautiful, pleasant, delightful"

This adorable cross cultural name updates Naomi and offers an accessible Japanese option. The Scandis were the first to contract Naomi to Nomi, once again being ahead of the trend. Nomi strikes the…

Maris

Latin

"of the sea"

Maris is an unusual and appealing name that has never appeared in the U.S. Top 1000, overshadowed by its twentieth century elaboration, Marisa/Marissa. It derives from the phrase "Stella Maris,"…

Zen

Japanese, form of Buddhism

Parents searching for a simple, peaceful name may be attracted to this one.

Ciel

French

"sky"

This simple yet evocative French word name was chosen for her daughter by model Niki Taylor. While Ciel may be pronounced in French with two syllables, many will pronounce it as "seal" and there may…