BRIGHT AND BRAVE SPUNKY GIRL NAMES
- Poppy
Origin:
Flower name, English from LatinMeaning:
"red flower"Description:
Poppy, unlike most floral names which are sweet and feminine, has a lot of spunk. Long popular throughout the rest of the English-speaking world, Poppy is finally starting to rise toward the top in the US, where it entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2016.
- Vera
Origin:
RussianMeaning:
"faith"Description:
Vera was the height of fashion in 1910, then was for a long time difficult to picture embroidered on a baby blanket. Now, though, it has come back into style along with other old-fashioned simple names such as Ada and Iris.
- Maisie
Origin:
Scottish diminutive of Margaret, Mairead, or Mary, English, Latin, HebrewMeaning:
"pearl; bitter, beloved, drop of the seas"Description:
Sweet and sparky, youthful yet long-established, this Scottish nickname for Margaret, Mairead, or Mary, entered the US Top 1000 back in 2014 and has been on the rise ever since, replacing the once popular Macy which peaked back in the 2000s. Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams helped propel the name back into the limelight, along with the that of her character, Arya, while singer Maisie Peters has helped keep it in the charts.
- Juno
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"queen of the heavens; young"Description:
Juno is an ancient name that feels as fresh as if it had been minted, well, not yesterday, but in 2007. Since the release of the popular indie film Juno, this lively but strong Roman goddess name has held new potential as a baby name. Currently in the UK Top 500 and used in The Netherlands too, Juno is on the rise in the US - and is 15 times more popular than it was before the release of the film.
- Lottie
Origin:
English, diminutive of CharlotteMeaning:
"free man"Description:
Lottie is a nostalgic great-grandma name that conjures up lockets and lace, and — like Nellie, Josie, Hattie, Tillie, and Milly — has considerable vintage charm.
- Anastasia
Origin:
Greek, feminine variation of AnastasiosMeaning:
"resurrection"Description:
Anastasia is the feminine form on Anastasius, a Greek name derived from the word anastasis, meaning "resurrection." It was a common name among early Christians, who often gave it to daughters born around Christmas or Easter. There are handful of saints named Anastasia, including the patron saint of weavers.
- Clover
Origin:
Flower name, from Old EnglishMeaning:
"key"Description:
Clover is a charming, perky choice if you want to move beyond hothouse blooms like Rose and Lily, and it's recently become a new celeb favorite, chosen by both Neal McDonough and Natasha Gregson Wagner, who used it to honor her mother, Natalie Wood, one of whose most iconic films was Inside Daisy Clover.
- Blair
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"dweller on the plain"Description:
In the USA, Blair is gaining momentum, rising quickly for the last 10 years and likely to continue to climb. In England and Wales, where Blair has political connotations – calling to mind former prime minister Tony Blair – it is much less common, although it is in use for boys in its native Scotland.
- Scarlett
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"scarlet, red"Description:
Scarlett Johansson is doing more for this sparky southern name than Scarlett O'Hara ever did. Since the turn of the 21st century, Scarlett has gone from an obscure literary name to one of the most popular girls' names starting with S, right after longtime favorites Sophia and Sofia.
- Nova
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"new"Description:
Nova has the feel of both newness, from its meaning, and great energy as an astronomical term for a star that increases suddenly in brightness before fading.
- Gemma
Origin:
Italian, Catalonian, SpanishMeaning:
"precious stone"Description:
Gemma is a jewel of a name, an Italian classic that was very popular in 1980s England, but has only recently been started to be used here; it entered the list in 2008.
- Mila
Origin:
Slavic, RussianMeaning:
"gracious; dear"Description:
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.
- Emilia
Origin:
Feminine variation of Emil, LatinMeaning:
"rival"Description:
Emilia is the feminine form of the Roman clan name Aemilius, which derived from the Latin aemulus, meaning "rival." In Shakespeare’s Othello, Emilia is the wife of Iago and confidante of Desdemona. Amelia, although homonymous, has a different root and meaning.
- Gia
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"God is gracious"Description:
Gia is a cute if slight name that calls to mind stylish sisters Mia, Lea, Pia, Tia, and Nia. One of the most familiar Italian baby names in the US, Gia is a short form of Gianna, which in turn is a diminutive of Giovanna, the feminine form of Giovanni, the Italian equivalent of John—all of them meaning "God is gracious."
- Cleo
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"glory"Description:
Cleo, one of the few girls' names to boast the cool-yet-lively o ending, is of course short for Cleopatra, the name of one of the most powerful women in history.
- Zoe
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"life"Description:
Zoe is one of those surprising names that has been on the Top 1000 nearly every year since 1880, but it's only since the turn of this century that it's ranked in the Top 100.
- Beatrix
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"she who brings happiness; blessed"Description:
Beatrix has a solid history of its own apart from Beatrice, with that final x adding a playful, animated note to the name's imposing history and stately vibe.
- Piper
Origin:
English occupational nameMeaning:
"pipe or flute player"Description:
Piper is a bright, musical name that entered the list in 1999, one year after the debut of the TV series Charmed, which featured a Piper, and it's been a consistent riser since. Piper Kerman is the memoirist whose prison experiences provided the basis for the hit Netflix series Orange is the New Black.
- Ida
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"industrious one"Description:
Many vowel names stylish a century ago are coming back, and Ida seems like a possible, logical successor to Ada and Ava.
- Serena
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"tranquil, serene"Description:
Serena, a name used since Roman times, was given fresh life by tennis star Williams, and then again with the leading character on Gossip Girl, Serena van der Woodsen. There have also been Serenas on soap operas and other shows from Bewitched to Law & Order.
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