feminine names beginning with g

Gianna

Italian, diminutive of Giovanna or feminization of Gianni, forms of John

"God is gracious"

The Italian Gianna undoubtedly owes much of its popularity in the US to its status as an honor name for John. Before the importation of Gianna, there was no truly workable feminine form of John, so…

Grace

English, virtue name

Grace, a simple and pure virtue name which originally referred to divine grace, is a fashionable classic. In the early 2000s, it seemed headed for the Top 10 but pulled back from the upward…

Georgia

English, feminine variation of George

"farmer"

Georgia is so rich, lush and luscious, it's almost irresistible. Georgia's now a rising star among the feminizations of George, helped by associations with the southern state (named for British King…

Gabriella

Italian feminine variation of Gabriel

"God is my strength"

Gabriella is the feminine form of Gabriel, a name derived from the Hebrew Gavri’el. Gavri’el is composed of the elements gever , meaning "strong," and ’el , referring to God. Gabriella is used among…

Genevieve

English from French

"tribe woman"

Genevieve is derived from the Germanic medieval name Genovefa, or Kenowefa, which consists of the elements kuni , meaning "kin", and wefa , meaning "woman." The medieval saint Genevieve, patroness of…

Gemma

Italian, Catalonian, Spanish

"precious stone"

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. Coming from a medieval Italian…

Gracie

English, diminutive of Grace

Cute Gracie is one of the more recently revived nickname names by parents who chose it over the more formal Grace--or variations like Graziella or Grania. Country singers Faith Hill and Tim McGraw…

Gia

Italian

"God is gracious"

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…

Gabriela

Italian and Spanish, feminine variation of Gabriel

"God is my strength"

This strong yet graceful feminine form of Gabriel is a modern favorite. The double L spelling is given to more than three times as many girls as the Gabriela version.

Gwendolyn

Variation of Gwendolen, Welsh

"white ring"

One spelling variation that's more popular than the original, this somewhat old-fashioned name might be in honor of poet Gwendolyn Brooks, the first African-American to win a Pulitzer prize for…

Giselle

German

"pledge, hostage"

Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen undoubtedly gave this name a boost. The French pronunciation (jiz-ELLE) gives it a more graceful, balletic, gazellelike feel. In the 2007 film Enchanted , Giselle…

Goldie

Anglicized form of Yiddish Golde or Golda

"gold"

Goldie is a shimmering new addition to the nickname name lineup, and became one of the fastest rising girl names in 2023. After peaking at Number 114 in 1904-1905, Goldie slid off the list completely…

Gabrielle

French, feminine variation of Gabriel, Hebrew

"God is my Strength"

The quintessentially elegant and worldly Gabrielle -- designer Coco Chanel's real name -- is on its descent after years on the rise. Gabrielle was a hit in the 90s and early 2000s, peaking at number…

Gloria

Latin

"glory"

Gloria is beginning to move beyond its de-glamorized Grandma image, most recently thanks to glamorous young Hollywood parents Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard, who chose it for their second…

Gwen

Diminutive of Gwendolen or Gwendolyn, Welsh

"white circle"

While Gwen may have originated as a short form of Gwendolen and Gwendolyn, these days it frequently stands on its own. Rocker Gwen Stefani has given it a shot of cool, and parents are choosing it as…

Giovanna

Italian, feminine variation of Giovanni

Like Galilea and Livia, one of the Italian names that fashionable American parents—with or without Italian roots—have started to choose for their daughters. It has endured ups and downs since…

Greta

German, diminutive of Margarethe

"pearl"

Greta is an Old World name long tied to the iconic Garbo, but now synonymous with environmental activism. In the early 2000s, Greta was showing signs of a comeback, along with other Old Hollywood…

Giuliana

Italian variation of Juliana

"youthful"

Italian names like Gianna, Giovanna, Ginevra, Giulia, and Giuliana are being used increasingly by trendy baby namers — whether they have Italian roots or not. The Gi standing in for the more…

Giana

Spelling variation of Gianna

This variant of Gianna has been in the US Top 1000 for most of the 21st century and hit a peak in 2010 at Number 568. The original spelling outranks the trimmed down version by far. Giana Roberge is…

Giulia

Italian variation of Julia

"youthful"

An Italian version of an English classic beginning to be adopted by cutting-edge American parents, including Entourage 's Debi Mazar.