Girl names

Mila

Slavic, Russian

"gracious; dear"

Mila is a popular name that took a 125 year nap, ranking in the Top 1000 in 1881 and then not ranking again until 2006, after actress Mila Kunis appeared on That 70s Show . Ukrainian-born Kunis was…

Riley

English, Irish

"rye clearing; courageous"

Riley—an upbeat, friendly surname name—is red hot for girls and still going strong for boys. If you haven't been spending much time around babies recently, you may be surprised to learn that Riley is…

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…

Sawyer

English occupational name

"woodcutter"

Sawyer is one of the top unisex names , used for their daughters by such parents as Sara Gilbert, co-host of The Talk and former actress on Roseanne , currently on The Conners . Sawyer is is one of…

Colette

French, short form of Nicole, feminine variation of Nicholas, Greek

"people of victory"

Like the French author with whom the name is most closely associated, Colette is a chic and charming name, sharp, stylish, and feminine but without the frills of Nicolette. After disappearing from…

London

English place-name

"Capital city of England"

The capital of England makes a solid and attractive twenty-first-century choice in the US where it is currently in the Top 1000. Given to nearly 1000 girls and 200 boys each year, it is a unisex…

Lyra

Greek

"lyre"

Lyra is a name with ancient and celestial roots that's found new popularity thanks to its starring role in Philip Pullman's book series, His Dark Materials and its subsequent movie and TV adaptions.…

Adella

Variation of Adele or Adeline

Now that all names Adel- are the height of fashion, Adella is an unusual name that nevertheless sounds very trendy. Adella is one of Ariel's sisters in The Little Mermaid.

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,…

Kaya

Scandinavian, English, Literature, Japanese

"pure; one who arranges rocks; perfume, incense; fruit, reward"

A multicultural name, that's currently on style and fits right in with Kaia, Maya, Raya, and Mia. Currently in the Top 500 in both the UK and The Netherlands, it has several different origins and…

Riza

Hungarian short form of Rozalia or Terezia, Filipino diminutives of Clarissa or Rizal, Urdu, Arabic

"rose flower; to harvest; clear, bright; rice field; satisfaction, contentment"

As a diminutive name, Riza is used predominantly in the Philippines, though it also has its roots in Hungarian, and in Arabic. Spirited yet familiar, Riza could be related to the surname Rizal…

Senna

Botanical name; Arabic

"brightness"

Senna is a flowering bush common in the tropics, with bright yellow flowers. In herbal medicine, Senna has gained some notice as the active ingredient in so-called "dieter's teas," which works mainly…

Shoshana

Hebrew

"lily"

This is a rare and lovely form of Susannah commonly heard in Israel. Shoshana Shapiro — nicknamed Shosh — is the character played by Zosia Mamet on the hit HBO series Girls — a fact that could give…

Haidee

Literature, English

"modest, reverant"

While Haidee may sound like a variant of Heidi or Hailey, it's actually a separate name with a literary history. First appearing in Byron's epic poem Don Juan (1819), it was likely inspired by the…

Amélie

French variation of Amelia

"work"

French favorite gaining notice here thanks to the charming film of that name. Although to the English-speaking ear it sounds more like Emily than Amelia, it derives from the latter which has a…

Emeline

French form of German Amelina

"work"

An old name, with a history separate from Emily and Emma and a different kind of vintage feel, that's a possible alternative to top-of-the-pops names. More common spelling is Emmeline.

Clelia

Italian, Latin

"famous"

The obscure yet not unappealing name of a legendary heroine of Rome, likely derived from the Roman family name, Cloelius. It is believed to come from the Latin word cluere , meaning "to have renowned…