User-created list
By CaliRN4kids · Updated May 2023
Across 10 pages
of 10
Sanskrit
"beloved"
Priya originated in India as a name derived from the Sanskrit word for "beloved." In India, where names are often given based on one's birthday and horoscope, Priya is traditionally given to girls…
Arabic
"deserts"
A beautiful and evocative place-name that deserves wider use, Sahara brings to mind deserts and heat. Derived from Arabic, it is the name of the world's largest hot desert, located across the North…
English, Lithuanian
"noble strength; storm"
Used primarily in Scotland, and represented here by singer Audra McDonald, the girls' name Audra has been overshadowed by the return of the classic Audrey. Audra may be to Audrey what Jenna is to…
Scottish variation of Amabel
"loving"
Annabel is a spirited name that embodies quirky British gentility. Appearing in Scotland as early as the twelfth century, where it was a royal name, it also recalls the romantic Edgar Allan Poe poem…
Place name
Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin put Ireland on the map when they chose it as a first for their daughter, saying that geographic names were a family tradition. And it seems they were a bit ahead of the…
Short form of Jessica, Hebrew
"behold or wealthy"
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.…
Variation of Audrey
"noble strength"
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 .
English elaboration of Ella
"all, completely; fairy maiden"
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…
Arabic, Hebrew
"deserts; dawn, morning; crescent, moon"
Sahari has been in the US stats since 2008, but 2025 saw it more than double in usage when it was given to 70 girls — the highest number of Saharis on record. A name with a number of possible…
Eastern European
"morning star"
Spelling variation of Danica with a modern update.
English
"old friend"
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.
French from German
"desired; or island, water"
Aveline is a name that's long been an obscure cousin of more widely-used choices, but may come into its own riding the tail of the megapopular Ava, which may derive from the same root. Although…
Nordic, German
"grace"
Melodious and unusual form of a name with an uncountable number of variations. Many will understand it as the more down-to-earth Annalee.
Hindi
"sun god"
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.
German
"godly helmet"
Selma has recently been given a more youthful spin via actresses Selma Blair and Salma Hayek. But while Selma has not yet become popular again in the US, it is widely used in both Sweden and Norway.…
Scandinavian variation of Christine
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.
Latin feminization of Christian, Greek from Latin
"follower of Christ"
Not cutting edge, but still graceful and feminine. Parents who care about style may pass on all names Chris (or Kris) related, which were so popular in the second half of the 20th century. But…
Greek
"hospitable, welcoming, guest"
The name of a Christian saint and a city in Ohio, Xenia is one of the more accessible and intriguing x names. It is the name of one of the Bond Girls--played by Famke Janssen in the film "GoldenEye."…
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.
Variation of Ezra, Hebrew
"help"
Ezri is one of the cool new unisex names starting with E , except as a Biblical name, it's not so new. Used for both genders in Israel, in the US it's currently running five to one in favor of girls,…
