Absolute Favourite Girls' Names

Luna

Latin

"moon"

The name of the Roman goddess of the moon, Luna is derived straight from the Latin word for moon, luna. Luna may be the name most likely to surprise someone from an older generation by its Top 10…

Ophelia

Greek

"help"

Floral, elegant, and bold, Ophelia re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2015 after more than 50 years off the charts. It has risen more than 700 spots since then and shows no signs of slowing down. Now in…

Astrid

Scandinavian

"divinely beautiful"

Astrid has been a Scandinavian royal name since the tenth century, and many people associated it with the Swedish author of the Pippi Longstocking stories, Astrid Lindgren. Astrid is derived from the…

Vienna

Place-name: the capital of Austria

"forest stream; white foundation"

Vienna is one of the more popular of the European place-names, with a particularly pleasant sound, evoking elegant images of the Blue Danube, of castles and cafes, sweets and sausages and Strauss…

Phoenix

Arizona place name and Greek

"dark red"

Phoenix is a New Age name symbolizing rebirth and immortality. It's also a place name, a color name, a mythological name, AND an animal name, combining several of today's hottest trends in one…

Indigo

Greek

"Indian dye"

Indigo is one of the most appealing and evocative of the new generation of color names. Color names have joined flower and jewel names -- in a big way -- and Indigo, a deep blue-purple dye from…

Agatha

Greek

"good woman"

Agatha until recently summoned up visions of martyred saints, mauve silk dresses, and high lace collars, but now that some dauntless excavators have begun to resurrect it, we're sure more will follow…

Agnes

Greek

"pure, virginal"

Agnes is the Latin variation of the name Hagne, which itself derived from the Greek word hagnos , meaning "chaste." In medieval times, St. Agnes was a very popular saint, leading to its popularity as…

Allegra

Italian

"joyous"

In music, the term allegro means "quickly, lively tempo," which makes this quintessential Bohemian ballet dancer's name all the more appealing. Allegra is one of the most distinctive yet accessible…

Amaryllis

Greek

"to sparkle"

If you love both unique baby names and flower names for girls, Amaryllis might be a perfect choice for you. A showier flower name than Lily, but in the same botanical family, Amaryllis is not as…

Antigone

Greek

"worthy of one's parents, in place of one's parents"

In Greek mytholgy, Antigone was the noble and courageous daughter of Oedipus, who acts as his guide after he blinds himself. Antigone is also the eponymous heroine of a play by Jean Anouilh. Despite…

Aquitaine

French place name

If you're looking for a really untouristed place name, Aquitaine could be it. Aquitaine is a region of France that includes both Bordeaux and Biarritz and is famous for such food and drink as its…

Asteria

Greek

"star"

Asteria is an Anglicized spelling of the Greek Astraea or Astraia, the goddess of justice and innocence. She became the constellation Virgo, so all forms of this name would be especially appropriate…

Astraea

Greek

"of the stars"

Astraea —also found as Astraia — is the Greek goddess of justice and innocence who left earth to become the constellation Virgo after she grew unhappy with the state of humanity. She was prophesised…

Cadenza

Italian, musical term

Cadenza takes the popular CADENCE and gives it a more operatic flourish.

Calantha

Greek

"lovely flower"

Another of the new Greek-accented Cal- names.

Calico

English word name

"cotton cloth imported from India; a blotched or spotted animal"

A word name with fashionable o -ending that has associations with both the homespun fabric and the mottled cat. Alice Cooper named his daughter Calico decades ago, while it was selected more recently…

Calixta

Greek

"most beautiful"

Calista Flockhart may have made her variation of this beautiful Greek name familiar to modern Americans, but the even-edgier x version was the name of an earlier feminist heroine: a character in Kate…

Cameo

Word name

This evocative term for a stone or shell carved in relief could make a striking first name for a girl, though she would have a starring role in her story, rather than a cameo.

Caoimhe

Irish, Scottish

"beautiful"

Caoimhe, pronounced (more properly) kwee-va or kee-va, is a pretty and distinctive Gaelic name but one that could well lead to no end of confusion outside the Irish community. Even in its native…