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feminine names beginning with b

judy.newstead
By judy.newstead
Updated Fri Jan 29 2021
a cute collection of feminine names beginning with b ! middle names or first names work fine!
  1. Bailee

    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Bailey

    • Description:

      Like other "ee" names, Bailee is starting to lose its shine, slowly slipping down the charts.
  2. Bailey

    • Origin:

      Occupational name

    • Meaning:

      "law enforcer, bailiff"

    • Description:

      Bailey -- a jaunty surname -- was first used for a female TV character in 1978 in the show WKRP in Cincinnaati, then caught on big time. Bailey's still an appealing choice, though, and a celebrity fave. Parents of daughters named Bailey include Scot Baio and Stella McCartney.
  3. Barbara

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "foreign woman"

    • Description:

      Barbara is back! Among the fastest-rising names of 2023, Barbara came back from oblivion at the very bottom of the Top 1000, gaining nearly 100 places on the popularity list.
  4. Barbra

    • Description:

      Barbra is a feminine name that emerged as a variant spelling of Barbara, which comes from Greek origins meaning 'foreign woman' or 'stranger.' This spelling was particularly popularized by legendary singer and actress Barbra Streisand, who adopted this variant of her birth name Barbara. The dropped middle 'a' creates a more streamlined pronunciation that better matches how the name is commonly said. While less common than the traditional Barbara, this variant has maintained steady usage since the mid-20th century, largely due to Streisand's influence. Barbra carries the same classic, strong qualities as Barbara but with a slightly more modern feel. The name evokes sophistication and artistic talent, thanks to its famous namesake, while still connecting to the long history of Barbara as a traditional women's name.

  5. Bea

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Beatrice

    • Meaning:

      "she who brings happiness"

    • Description:

      Bea is a former old lady name that's cute again as a short form -- and is now beginning to stand on its own. Bee is a variation that, like Bea, can work as a diminutive for any name that starts with the letter B, or in the middle. Bea actually stood alone on the popularity lists for four years at the beginning of the twentieth century--and it could happen again.
  6. Beatrice

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "she who brings happiness; blessed"

    • Description:

      Beatrice is back. Stored in the attic for almost a century, the lovely Beatrice with its long literary (Shakespeare, Dante) and royal history is being looked at with fresh eyes by parents seeking a classic name with character and lots of upbeat nicknames, like Bea and Bee.
  7. Beatrix

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "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.
  8. Becca

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Rebecca

    • Meaning:

      "servant of God"

    • Description:

      The currently preferred replacement for Becky, sometimes used on its own.
  9. Becky

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Rebecca

    • Description:

      One of those casual down-home names last popular in the 1960s.
  10. Bella

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Isabella, Italian

    • Meaning:

      "beautiful"

    • Description:

      Everything ella, from Ella to Bella to Arabella, is red hot right now. Bella is one of the most, well, beautiful girl names starting with B. It carried a hint of a nice Old World grandmotherly veneer, until it became attached to Twilight's Bella Swan.
  11. Belle

    • Origin:

      Short form of Isabelle or French

    • Meaning:

      "beautiful"

    • Description:

      Belle has nothing but positive associations, from "belle of the ball" to "Southern belle" to the heroine of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. As if this weren't enough good things, Belle is also one of the most familiar and usable names that mean beautiful. Though it has been overshadowed by the Twilight-influenced Bella and longer forms like Isabella and Annabella, Belle has its own Southern charm and would make a pretty choice as a first or middle name.
  12. Bernadetta

    • Description:

      Bernadetta is the feminine Italian and Polish form of Bernard, derived from the Germanic elements "bern" (bear) and "hard" (brave, strong), meaning "strong as a bear." The name gained prominence through Saint Bernadette Soubirous, the French visionary of Lourdes, though Bernadetta represents a more formal variant of her name. This elegant name carries a classic European charm and remains in use particularly in Italy, Poland, and other Catholic countries. While not among the most common names internationally, Bernadetta offers a sophisticated alternative to the more familiar Bernadette. The name conveys both strength and femininity, with potential nicknames including Berna, Detta, or Etta, adding to its versatility.
  13. Bernadette

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "brave as a bear"

    • Description:

      Although feminizations ending in "ette" are not particularly popular now, Bernadette is a pleasant, feminine, but strong name that doesn't feel prohibitively dated. And though strongly associated with the saint who saw visions of the Virgin Mary—Saint Bernadette of Lourdes—it is now no longer strictly inhabiting the Catholic diocese.
  14. Berry

    • Origin:

      Nature name

    • Description:

      With the recent arrival of fruit names like Apple and Plum, this more traditional example, symbolic of fertility, might rise in popularity. Photographer Berry Berenson was born Berinthia.
  15. Bess

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Elizabeth

    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"

    • Description:

      Although she declared her independence as far back as the reign of Elizabeth I--Good Queen Bess, Bess now sounds less passé than Beth or Betsy.
  16. Bessie

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"

    • Description:

      After a century of association with horses and cows, this name just could be ready for revival by a fearless baby namer -- after all, it did happen to Jessie and Becky.
  17. Beth

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Elizabeth

    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"

    • Description:

      The sweetest and most sensitive of the pet names for Elizabeth, now also one of the most dated.
  18. Bethany

    • Origin:

      Biblical place name and Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "house of figs"

    • Description:

      Bethany is a lyrical name that still strikes many parents as a fresher, more substantial substitute for the overused Brittany/Brittney or the more antiquated Beth.
  19. Betsy

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Elizabeth

    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"

    • Description:

      This Elizabeth nickname has a decidedly retro feel--think Betsy Ross and the Betsy Wetsy doll-- once seen as a perkier, younger-sounding alternative to Betty. But with Betty on the brink of a comeback, pigtailed Betsy could return as well.
  20. Betty

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Elizabeth

    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"

    • Description:

      Combine the popularity of Betty White and Mad Men's glamorous Betty Draper Francis, with the residual sweetness of Ugly Betty's Betty Suarez, and the result is an impending return of the name. It's got presidential cred via Betty Ford and feminist history through Betty Friedan.