Girl Names I Love That Hubby Wouldn't

The lilting name of a range of mythical mountains, with an extensive menu of spellings, and a more unusual way of fitting in with current favorites Lila and Lola.

Audrina is a name that owes its fame to overnight reality TV sensation Audrina Partridge, one of the original cast of the MTV reality series The Hills.

Jessamine, a charming name occasionally heard in England, is just beginning to be appreciated in the U.S. as a possible successor to all the Jess names of the past. It's also spelled Jessamyn, as in Quaker novelist Jessamyn West, author of Friendly Persuasion--who started life with Jessamyn as her middle name.

Yesterday's sensation that rose with the popularity of Whitney Houston. Whitney may have lost some of its style value, but it still sounds like one of the quintessential English names for girls. Today, you might want to shorten it to cool nickname Whit.

Less common than other virtue names, Liberty is nonetheless a name with a long American heritage.

Eliana and her spelling variations are multicultural favorites that have been rising across the English-speaking world since the turn of the 21st century. Popular in Netherlands, the UK, Canada, France, and Brazil, Eliana and sisters come with in-built nicknames Ellie, Elle and Ana which makes them versatile and appealing

Lovely, authentic name -- but any Kirsten will be condemned to a lifetime of hearing "Did you say Kristen?" They're both genuine Scandinavian names but too interchangeable.

In Tolkien's world, the derivation of this airy name is Elvish. Regular folks might consider it an artsier form of Erin, borne by cosmetics heiress and socialite Aerin Lauder.

Sorelle is a feminine name derived from the Italian word for 'sisters,' making it particularly meaningful for families with multiple daughters or for parents who value sisterhood. The name has a melodic, romantic quality typical of Italian names, with its soft consonants and flowing vowel endings. While uncommon in English-speaking countries, Sorelle has gained some visibility as parents increasingly look to international options for distinctive names. The name carries connotations of family bonds, togetherness, and feminine solidarity. Its three-syllable structure gives it a rhythmic, musical quality when spoken. Sorelle offers the appeal of a name that sounds familiar and accessible while remaining uncommon enough to be distinctive.

Once rare, this streamlined form of Jessica has been boosted by two very different television figures: the Jemima Kirke character on HBO series Girls, and reality television daughter Jessa Duggar.

An established place name, associated with a sunny island in the English Channel, the Garden State in the US, knitted pullovers, reality TV, and a Broadway musical. It peaked in the late 2000s and though it is now in decline, 130 girls and nearly 50 boys received the name in 2023.

-ey meaning "island". Alternative theories suggest it comes from jarl ,meaning "earl" or hjǫr meaning "sword".

Sariah is the perfect compromise name for when you say Sarah, and your spouse says Mariah. Spelled Saria, it's a character in the video game The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

A softly poetic surname name, associated with poet W.H., Auden is enjoying quiet but marked fashion status. It was chosen for his daughter by Noah Wyle and is definitely one to watch.

Ellia is one of the newer entries in the extremely popular El group of names for girls, which includes Ella, Ellie, Elle and so on, as well as L-starting names such as Lillia. Nearly 100 baby girls were named Ellia last year, but we're afraid that the name will not sound as distinctive as it should due to so many other girls with similar names.

The sort of oh-so-French name that's falling out of favor now.

The Greek mythological hunter who was turned into a constellation is much more often used for boys.

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 option that has been in slow decline since its peak in 2013. Conjuring up images of Big Ben, red phone boxes, and the London Eye for some, but perhaps the rush hour commute and grey skies for others, London is far less popular in the UK and other English-speaking countries.

An uncommon Irish-accented surname that seems particularly well suited to a girl. Tierney Sutton is a well-known jazz singer. Tierney, in its original Tiarnach form, was the name of several saints. It can also join the ranks of Old Hollywood names, via the haunting actress Gene Tierney. ER actress Maura Tierney is a current surname bearer. 

This is a soft and strong Arabic and Persian name commonly heard in the Middle East.

Graceful Indian choice that may sound feminine to the Western ear but is in fact the name of a male god. One form of worship of Surya that may be familiar to Westerners is the sun salutation in yoga.