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Gorgeous Gals

Asphodel
By Asphodel
Updated Fri Apr 21 2023
Frilly, bohemian, androgynous, trendy, classic, international, words, modern inventions, and everything in between. Includes serious first and middle name considerations for our rainbow baby (due spring 2022) should we turn out to have a little lass on our hands, as well as guilty pleasures I just couldn't resist adding.
  1. Esme

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "beloved"

    • Description:

      Esmé comes from the past participle of the Old French verb esmer, meaing "to esteem" or "to love." It can also be considered a derivative of the Spanish name Esmeralda, which means "emerald".
  2. Ophelia

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "help"

    • Description:

      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 the US Top 300, could Ophelia one day become the next Olivia or Amelia?
  3. Aurelia

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "the golden one"

    • Description:

      Aurelia is an ancient Roman name that's become a surprise hit in the contemporary world. A top favorite on Nameberry, it reentered the US Top 1000 in 2014 after a 70-year absence and continues to climb.
  4. Phoebe

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "radiant, shining one"

    • Description:

      Bubbly, bright, and versatile, Phoebe is a name with mythological, biblical, and literary ties. Used since the 17th century, it fell out of fashion in the US during the '60s, only to be revived after it appeared in the 90's TV favorite, Friends.
  5. Iris

    • Origin:

      Flower name; Greek

    • Meaning:

      "rainbow"

    • Description:

      Iris has so much going for it. It's a fashionable flower name. It's a mythological name, from the Greek goddess of the rainbow. And it's a classic name, always ranking in the girls' Top 1000 but now at its highest point ever.
  6. Freya

    • Origin:

      Norse

    • Meaning:

      "a noble woman"

    • Description:

      Freya has long been popular in the U.K. but has only taken off in the US in the last decade, along with the entire category of mythological names. Derived from the Old Norse name Freyja, meaning "Lady, noble woman", Freya is the name of the Norse goddess of love, beauty, and fertility.
  7. Ottilie

    • Origin:

      German, French

    • Meaning:

      "prosperous in battle"

    • Description:

      Ottilie is trending in the UK, where the pronounced T helps the name sound pretty and delicate, rather like Amelie and Elodie. Ottilie is less popular in the US, where many Americans pronounce it as a near-homonym for "oddly".
  8. Imogen

    • Origin:

      Celtic

    • Meaning:

      "maiden"

    • Description:

      Imogen has long been fashionable in England and is gaining favor in the US among stylish parents. Pronounced the British way — the initial i is short as in Kim, as is the final E as in Ken — Imogen is as pretty and classy as it is distinctive.
  9. Lyra

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "lyre"

    • Description:

      Lyra is a name with ancient and celestial roots that's found new popularity thanks to its starring role in Philip Pullman's book series, His Dark Materials and its subsequent movie and TV adaptions. Simple yet starry, Lyra is familiar but not overused in the US, where it ranks in the Top 500.
  10. Seraphina

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "ardent; fiery"

    • Description:

      Seraphina is one of the most-searched name on Nameberry, destined for even greater popularity. The highest-ranking angels, the six-winged seraphim, inspired the lovely name Seraphina.
  11. Clementine

    • Origin:

      French feminine version of Clement, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "mild, merciful"

    • Description:

      Clementine is a Nameberry favorite that broke back into the US Top 1000 in 2014 after more than half a century off the list.
  12. Sadie

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Sarah

    • Meaning:

      "princess"

    • Description:

      Sadie started as a nickname for Sarah, but their images couldn't be more disparate. Where Sarah is serious and sweet, Sadie is full of sass and fun.
  13. Rowena

    • Origin:

      Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "white spear; famous friend; fame and joy"

    • Description:

      A fabled storybook name via the heroine of Sir Walter Scott's novel Ivanhoe (1819), which featured a heroine called Rowena of Hargottstanstede, and also a Harry Potter name, as Rowena Ravenclaw, founder of one of the Hogwarts houses, Rowena is a retro feeling choice with literary charm.
  14. Cordelia

    • Origin:

      Latin; Celtic

    • Meaning:

      "heart; daughter of the sea"

    • Description:

      Cordelia is exactly the kind of old-fashioned, grown-up name for girls that many parents are seeking for their daughters today. The name of King Lear's one sympathetic daughter, Cordelia has both style and substance along with its Shakespearean pedigree.
  15. Sloane

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "raider"

    • Description:

      Sloane is a sleek, sophisticated surname name that has gradually morphed over to the girls' side. With its distinctive and intriguing sound, Sloane has been in the US Top 1000 since 2009, and in 2022, it made its first appearance in the UK charts, jumping more than 400 places in a single year.
  16. Millie

    • Origin:

      English diminutive of Mildred or Millicent

    • Meaning:

      "gentle strength; strong in work"

    • Description:

      Millie is back. It's a popular name throughout much of the English-speaking world, and broke the US Top 100 in 2024. Millicent would be an appealing long form, but many people are using Millie all by its cute self.
  17. Saffron

    • Origin:

      Spice name

    • Meaning:

      "orange-yellow color; a type of crocus"

    • Description:

      Spice names are increasingly appealing to the senses of prospective parents; this one, belonging to a precious spice derived from the crocus has a vaguely orange-scented-incense sixties feel.
  18. Cleo

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "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.
  19. Delilah

    • Origin:

      Hebrew or Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "delicate"

    • Description:

      Melodic and lively, Delilah has cut itself (mostly) free from its treacherous past to become a contemporary favorite.
  20. Jane

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"

    • Description:

      Simple, classic, strong, and versatile, Jane has shrugged off her plain associations to become a short, punchy name with plenty of literary significance. Calling to mind Jane Austen and Jane Eyre, this charming choice is in the Top 300 in the US and The Netherlands, but a currently underused option elsewhere.