The name of a beautiful water fairy in Turkish mythology, who has the power to grant wishes and mend broken hearts. Alara is also a popular name in Armenia.

Alara

The original male name Alban is a lot sleeker and more usable. 

Albinia

Anwen is one of the simplest and best of the classic Welsh girls' names, more unusual than Bronwen but with the same serene feel. 

Anwen

Aria is a multi-cultural name with two extremely popular versions: this more word-like one along with Arya, the spelling used for the feisty young heroine of Game of Thrones. There were about 6400 baby girls named Aria in the US last year alog with 2400 named Arya, which counted together places the name in the Top 10.
 
The light and airy Aria entered the list in 2000 and now ranks among the Top 25 girl names in the US. In Italian, Aria's literal meaning is air, while in Hebrew it's a form of Ari meaning lion. An Aria is a musical term denoting a kind of song or melody, often in an opera.
Aria is a Top 100 name throughout the English-speaking world and also ranks highly in France and several European countries -- though notably not in Italy or Israel. In Persian, Aria is a male name, and in Indian it is considered unisex. 
Aria is also an improbably cool saint's name. Saint Aria (or Arria) of Rome was an early Christian martyr.

Aria

Rarely heard outside of Wales, Arianwen is one of many pretty wen-ending names prominent in ancient Welsh legend.

Arianwen

Arya was derived from an Indo-Iranian word meaning "Aryan" or "noble." It is a masculine given name in Iran, Indonesia, Bali, and Sanskrit-speaking regions of India. In Hindu- and English-speaking parts of the world, Arya is more often a feminine name, the latter influenced by the similar Italian name Aria, meaning "air" or "song."
 
The prime impetus of Arya's rise is the fiercely independent young character Arya Stark in the TV series Game of Thrones, based on the George R. R. Martin books A Song of Fire and Ice. Another influence is the Elven princess in Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle trilogy, basis of the movie Eragon. 
 
The name resembles the musical Aria and the male Aryan, both also growing in popularity in the US. Arya entered the popularity charts in 2010.

Arya

A nouveau elaboration of Arya that may have also been influenced by the rise of -ani ending names such as Leilani.

Aryani

An important name in Irish myth, belonging to a beautiful giantess who was both mother and wife of Brian Boru.  It is usually Anglicized as the phonetic Bevin, but also as Vivian.

Beibhinn

The traditional Irish girl's name Bevin – an Anglicization of Bébhinn – is rarely heard outside the Emerald Isle, but could make an fresh and fashionable namesake for an Aunt Beverly.

Bevin

Blair with a little something extra, though that's hardly needed.

Blaire

The unisex Blake, which indeed has two conflicting meanings, has a briskly efficient image when used for a girl. 
 Though in the eighties it was seen very much as a <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys’ name</a>, epitomized by the character of Blake Carrington, the silver-haired, powerful patriarch of the TV soap Dynasty, these days it's more apt to be associated with Blake Lively, the attractive lead of the Gossip Girl series and the film Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

Blake

Has fallen off its Kathie Lee Gifford inspired peak in the 1990s, but since that notably celebrity baby is now a grownup and out of the limelight, Cassidy may once again reclaim its own Irish charm.

Cassidy

Cesaria, a modern feminine form of Caesar or the Latinate Cesar, has been obscure in the Western World but may stir to life along with other names that have their roots in ancient Rome. Cesarina, Cesarie, and Cesarea are other options.

Cesaria

Though Isabel is a smash hit, Christabel still hasn't been fully embraced. It was originally popularized in England via the Coleridge poem Christabel ("whom her father loves so well") and was given to the poet's granddaughter. Christabel Pankhurst was a famous U.K. suffragist.


Christabel

Irish surnames are hot, and this one can successfully cross the line to work for girls, replacing the outdated Casey. And only a dozen girls were named Clancy in the US in one recent year (along with 27 boys), making it one of those rare Irish names that are both accessible and distinctive, classic and cool. Clancy is a winner for either gender.

Clancy

The pronunciation is different enough -- it's clar-EE-sa -- to make this feel like a distinct name.  But an improvement on Claire or Clarissa?  Not really.

Clarisa

Unfortunately, everyone will hear Crispina, the feminine form of Crispin, as Christina. 

Crispina

Delwen appears to be a modern invented name in Welsh, deriving from two common name components: del - meaning pretty and wen - meaning fair/white.  Similar names include  Delyth, also Welsh, and Elowen, which is Cornish.

Delwen

An elaboration of the month name, which is rare (though not unheard of) even in Wales.

Ebrillwen

This can be a short form of any Greek girls' name starting with 'Ef', such as Efstraria or Efrosini.  It has also been suggested as a possible nickname for Elizabeth.

Effy

Ella is a sweet, simple name that owes much of its current popularity to the popularity of other names, from Emma to Bella to Emily to Ellie.

Ella is one of those names that just misses ranking among the US Top 1000 for its entire history, falling off the list for a handful of years in the 1980s before shooting straight back toward the top. Like many names from Liam to Finn to Emma that's easy to spell and pronounce, Ella is an international favorite, making the Top 100 throughout the Anglophone world as well as in a range of French and German-speaking, Scandinavian, and Eastern European countries. 

Which makes sense for a name with parallel derivations in several different languages and cultures. Ella is the Norman variation of the Germanic Alia—itself a nickname for names containing the element ali. In English speaking countries and Scandinavia, Ella developed as a diminutive for names beginning with El-, such as Eleanor and Elizabeth. Ella is also a Hebrew name, referring to a tree in the pistachio family or in modern Hebrew, "goddess."

Ella can also be a short form of names that begin with El, such as Eleanor and Elizabeth, as well as those that end with -ella, from Gabriella to Luella to Rafaella. And it can be one of the many routes to the super-popular nickname Ellie.

Ella has long been a favorite celebrity baby name, chosen by several stars for their now-mostly-grown daughters by John Travolta, Warren Beatty, Ben Stiller, Eric Clapton, Jeff Gordon, Ioan Gruffudd, Alex Rodriguez, and Mark Wahlberg.
 
Iconic singer Ella Fitzgerald adds a jazzy edge. And Ella Enchanted gave the name some princess-y pop.

Ella

Elvi is one of those elusive names that fit in yet stand out. It's similar to currently trendy girl names such as Ellie and Evie but maintains distinction.

Elvi

The Finnish translation of Elvira, a Spanish name that ultimately derives from the Gothic name Guilvira.

Elviira

Before there was the campy TV Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, Elvira was the long-suffering wife of Don Juan, and remnants of those negative, gothic images still cling to it, though they are fading.
Other references include the romantic film Elvira Madigan, based on a real person, and the main ghostly character in Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit, as well as appearances in several operas.
 Elvira was in common use in the US in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, remaining in the Top 1000 until 1981; it's still popular in Scandinavia, ranking Number 39 in Sweden.

Elvira

Euphamia

Ancient martyr's name that, though not especially appealing, might still be mildly possible, especially for Anglophiles. It was widely used in early Scotland, but was overtaken by its nickname, Effie.

Euphemia

Evanthe is a pretty Greek name not often heard outside its native culture.  With its stylish Ev-begining, Evanthe could make an interesting choice if you're looking for a generic flower name.

Evanthe

Faerie is an Old French word used to describe the world of the fae (fairies), from which the English word "fairy" is derived. Edmund Spenser reintroduced it to English speakers in his epic poem The Faerie Queene, where he wanted to use an archaic variation of "fairy."
 
Faerie is homophonous with Fairy, which has been corrupted as a slur for gay men. If you want to use a name connected to Fairyland, we suggest Pixie or Faye.

Faerie

The ultimate ethereal name for lovers of fairies, pixies, and sprites.

Faerydae

Fairy's reputation as a slur directed at gay men takes it off the table as a baby name option. Go with Pixie or Faye instead.

Fairy

Calls to mind the twinkling strands of bulbs found during the winter holidays and in college dorm rooms.

Fairylight

Over-the-top whimsical — perhaps best suited as a middle name. Fairylithe is unrelated to Ferelith, a Scottish name meaning "true sovereignty."

Fairylithe

Fay, also spelled Faye, who had been napping quietly since the 1930's, has, like cousins May/Mae and Ray/Rae, sat up and started rubbing her eyes, ready for a mini-comeback, especially as a middle name. In 2014, Faye hopped back onto the US Top 1000, though Fay is used much more quietly as a first name.
 The original of the name, Morgan le Fay, was a powerful sorceress in the Arthurian Legends. Two prominent Fay W.'s are the British novelist Fay Weldon, and actress Fay Wray, most famous for sitting in the hand of King Kong, and there is a character named Fay in Nathanael West's The Day of the Locust. Most well-known Faye is actress Dunaway.
 Fay was most popular in the U.S. in the early decades of the twentieth century, reaching Number 202 in 1907, while Faye was Number 146 in 1934.
 Fay may also be a short form of Faith.

Does Fay really need that e at the end? We vote no, but modern parents disagree: The Faye spelling was used for nearly 300 girls in 2014, vaulting the name back onto the Top 1000 after a 35-year absence, nearly ten times as many babies as received the Fay spelling.
Some people may feel spelling it Faye makes the name more balanced and complete, as Anne of Green Gables famously said about her name. The original Fay, Morgan le Fay, was a sorceress of the Arthurian Legends. Faye may also be used as a short form of Faith.

Faye

Fei would make a great way to honor Chinese roots in the US, thanks to its similarity to the fast-rising Faye.

Fianna, a virtually unknown Irish name in the US, combines the best elements of Fiona and Brianna. In Irish and Scottish mythology, the Fianna were independent bands of warriors. It has ranked in Northern Ireland's Top 100 for girls several times over the past decade. The name also has potential political connotations: Fianna Fáil is a conservative Irish republican political party.

Fianna

Finlay is a Scottish royal name (it belonged to Macbeth"s father) that was revived by several celebrity parents. Angie Harmon and Jason Sehorn, Daniel Baldwin and Lisa Marie Presley all did a gender switch on Finlay when they named their daughters Finley. 

Finlay

This was a 100 percent <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys’ name</a> until celebs Jason Sehorn and Angie Harmon bestowed it on their daughter, recently followed by Lisa Marie Presley, who used it for one of her (female) twins. Finlay is also now among the most <a href="https://nameberry.com/unisex-names">popular unisex names</a>. 
At the most recent count, Finley was given 57 percent of the time to girls and 43 percent to boys, close enough to make it one of the truly gender neutral names.

Finley

The most enduringly popular hero of Irish myth was Finn McCool, whose name is one of the coolest ever. When used for the female protagonist of How to Make an American Quilt, it established its hipness for girls as well.

Finn

Finnegan has been growing in popularity for boys, thanks to the love for all things Finn-related. It's started to be used occasionally for girls, too.

Finnegan

Fiona entered the American consciousness with the opening of the 1954 Broadway musical Brigadoon, but didn't come onto the U.S. popularity list until 1990.
 
Fiona is the best known of a group of related Gaelic names, which is ironic because it's the only one without genuine traditional roots — it was found first in James Macpherson's Ossianic poems and then popularized in the late nineteenth century as a feminine pseudonym for William Sharp, a Scottish male writer. <a href="https://twitter.com/HJosephineGiles/status/1555216419721297922">Some researchers believe</a> that Fiona Macleod was Sharp's identity as a trans woman.
 
Its recent spike in popularity owes much to singer Fiona Apple and also possibly to Princess Fiona in Shrek. In fact, there have been numerous Fionas on the big and small screens, from The Thorn Birds to Josie and the Pussycats, Four Weddings and a Funeral to Nurse Jackie to Shameless.
 
Jennie Garth and Chad Lowe have daughters named Fiona. It's also Julia Roberts' middle name.
 
If you're looking for something more authentic, consider Fionnuala.

Fiona

Fionn is the Irish form of the name modernized as Finn, but popular in this form in Ireland, where it's in the boys' Top 20. A couple dozen baby boys in the US were named Fionn last year and no baby girls, though there were girls named Finn, Fionna, and Fionnuala, so Fionn may be thought of as a variation or short form of those names.

Fionn

Flanna is an uncommon name for a red-haired girl, not as familiar -- or some would say, as pretty -- as its nickname, Flannery. 

Flanna

While it is a familiar choice in West African countries such as Nigeria and Cameroon, Flourish has only been given to a handful of American baby girls in recent years. As lively virtue names like Verity and Reverie continue to thrive, we'd love to see Flourish, erm, flourish here in the States as well.

Flourish

A winning last-name-first Celtic choice, Flynn is still mostly used for boys, such as the son of Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr. Though Flynn is definitely one of the Irish surname names, from Quinn to Flannery to Makenna, that makes one of the trendy <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/79/boy-names-for-girls">boy names for girls"</a>.

Flynn

Related to Frida but with a softer sound, this name is Old Norse for "fair, beautiful" 

Fritha

Gauri the Brilliant is one of the many names for the Hindu goddess Parvati. 

Gauri

Glenda

Yet another member of the Gwyn/Gwen/Finn family of names ultimately deriving from a Celtic element meaning "white", Guin gets rare use in England and Wales; a notable bearer is Olympic-medal winning rower Guin Batten. Guin could also be a nickname or shorter, sharper form of the elaborate Guinevere. There’s also a literary connection, thanks to the hugely influential American fantasy novelist Ursula K. Le Guin.

Guin

Gwenda

The most modern choice in this group, and the most distinctive; the Gwyn form is a common male name in Wales. 

Gwynn

Pleasant sound, but too tied to the racetrack. 

Hialeah

Hiroko

A name that's unknown in the US and Britain but is popular as a nature name in Finland. May also be known as a Hungarian variation of Amelia and a Spanish form of Wilhelmina.

 Ilma also appears in Tolkien's legendarium as a Quenya name meaning "starlight". It could be a good choice for lovers of literature who want something less on-the-nose than Arwen or Éowyn.

Ilma

Sweeter and less serious than its parent name, Ilma.

Ilmi

The luminous Ingrid Bergman's appeal was strong enough to lend universal charisma to this classic Scandinavian name, which has been somewhat neglected in the US. Even today, a child named Ingrid would be assumed to be of Scandinavian ancestry, signaling the name has never been fully integrated into the English lexicon the way other European choices from the same era like Danielle or Kathleen have.
 Still popular in its native Scandinavia, where it is a royal name, its highest US ranking was Number 380 in 1967. 
 Its meaning refers to Ing, the Norse god of fertility, peace, and prosperity, and he's looked upon as the ancestor of the Swedish kings.
 Ingrid was the name of mother figures in both Spy Kids and White Oleander.
 Trivia tidbit: It's Scarlett Johansson's middle name.

Ingrid

Now that Tristan has been rediscovered, maybe it's time for his fabled lover in the Arthurian romances and Wagnerian opera, a beautiful Irish princess, to be brought back into the light as well. 
 This would make an artistic and romantic choice, as the medieval heroine is seen as a symbol of undying love. 
 In Marilyn French's novel The Women's Room, the character Isolde is nicknamed Iso. Isolde is currently a Top 500 name in the Netherlands. Variations include Iseult, Isolt, Isoud, Isolda and Yseult.

Isolde

Justine is a French name that's never reached the popularity we think it deserves. Like its far-more-common brother Justin, Justine is sleek, and sophisticated, but still user-friendly. 
 Justine has had a very erratic popularity path in this country. It first was noticed in the late 1950's via the eponymous novel that was part of Lawrence Durrell's Alexandria Quarter, but reached its highest peak--at Number 175-- in the eighties, during the TV run of Family Ties, featuring Justine Bateman. Justine is still a Top 60 name in its native France.

Justine

Keelan is the Anglicized, phonetic form of the more traditionally-spelled Caelan..  While this name is said by many sources to be unisex and might certainly feel unisex to Americans, in practice in modern Ireland it is only given to boys.  Keelin is also found.

Keelan

Keelin is a form of Keelan, the Anglicized phonetic form of Caelan or Caoilinn, said to be a unisex name but in practice used almost exclusively for boys.  Girls would more often be called Keela, Keeley, or Keely.

Keelin

Kerry is the name of one of the most beautiful and lush counties of Ireland was a seventies favorite. Related, updated versions might include Cerys and Keira.

Kerry

An unusual member of the "Lily" family of names, this one gives you the option for sweet vintage nickname Winnie, too. It's very unusual even in its native country, never given to more than 3 babies per year since naming records began in 1996.

Lilwen

Lilwenn

Although the accent in Linnet is on the first syllable, it could be confused with the dated Lynette. 

Linnet

Lynwen

Pronounced MAW-rayt or ma-REYD, Mairead is close enough to Maureen to be accepted here. The name became popular in Ireland due to admiration for the saint of that name. Peig and Peigi are its Irish-language nicknames.


Mairead

Masal

Somber, almost mournful name that still has a lovely sound. 

Maura

A modern update to Hilary, which is related to Gaelic Ealair.

Mckellar

Presidential name that makes a fresh substitute for MacKenzie or McKenna. Possible spelling variations include MacKinley, MacKinlee, Makinleigh ad almost infinitum. McKinley is one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/472/scottish-names-for-girls">Scottish names for girls</a> that can work equally well for boys.

Mckinley

Morenwyn

The popular Irish name Muireann comes from a mythical mermaid who was tranformed into a woman by a saint.  Pronunciation is like the surname of the actress Helen Mirren, but with the spin of a w sound after the initial M.

Muireann

Naseem

Traditional Arabic choice, used for both boys and girls.

Nasim

Associated with a spring festival, this name is used by both Muslims and Christians. 

Nasima

Multicultural name often heard in the Near East. Also spelled Neema.

Nima

Simple yet meaningful Iranian name that would make an excellent import to the English-speaking world.

Pari

Funny how one letter can turn a name from ordinary to special.  Parisa is so much more distinctive than either Marisa or Paris.

Parisa

Infrequently used relic of the Maureen-Colleen-Kathleen era, though it does seem to have a bit more energy than the others. 

Pegeen

This name used for both sexes in several cultures is quite well used in Israel.


Peri

Makes hot name Finley kind of Phyllis-like -- which is not a good thing.

Phynley

Pixie is a cute -- quite possibly too cute -- name that suddenly feels possible thanks to the craze for names that contain the letter x.  Though its origin may be uncertain, a pixie is internationally recognized as a sprite or fairy: tiny, sometimes green, usually pointy-eared.

Pixie

Sleek, unisex surname rarely heard for girls -- which could be seen as an asset. 

Reed

The Reid spelling is surprisingly more popular than the naturey Reed for both boys and girls, though more than 95% of little Reids are male.

Reid

A beyond unusual choice for a little redhead. 

The delicate and haunting Welsh Rhonwen is still a rarity in the U.S., where her English version Rowena is better known, but would be a lovely choice for any parent in search of a name that was both unusual and traditional, classically feminine yet strong.
 Though <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/168/irish-names">Irish names</a> have long been popular in America, <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/172/welsh-names">Welsh names</a> are just beginning to be noticed and we see them as a wave of the future. In medieval Welsh poetry, Rhonwen is called "the Mother of the English Nation," and Rhonwen Baganes was a heroine of Welsh folklore. A soft and gentle name, Rhonwen's meaning -- slender and fair -- evokes the image of a lovely, light-haired girl. Other appealing 'wen' choices include Aelwen, Arianwen, Branwen, Bronwen. Gwendolen, Olwen and Tanwen. Just don't be tempted to change the 'wen' to 'wyn', which would transform it into a male name.

Rhonwen

A feminine form of Rufus, which has potential in the current trend for ancient Roman names.

Rufina

Sameera

A rare Italian name with an operatic connection to the Milan opera house, La Scala.

Scala

Sigrid is a distinctly Scandinavian name that is starting to edge out into the wider world, a la cousin Ingrid. Unfortunately, short form Siri is now off the table, but Sigrid is still a possibility.

Sigrid

The most famous Sinclair was the (male) writer Lewis, but these days the name works at least as well for a girl. 

Sinclair

Siri is a charming and lively Scandinavian name that is no longer on the table given the ubiquity of Apple's digital Siri. Too bad, because Siri -- along with variations Syrie and Cyrie -- is unique, enchanting, and adorable. But now taken. 


Siri

Talwyn is a contemporary Cornish word name that can be pronounced with the emphasis on either syllable. With its fashionable -wyn ending, Talwyn could easily be used on an American-born baby.

Talwyn

As Meghan/Megan and Reagan/Regan show signs of wilting, along comes Teagan to take up the slack: definitely one to consider. The vast majority of American babies named Teagan are now girls. A variant spelling is Teaghan.
 St. Tegan was a Welsh saint, whose name came into general use in the late twentieth century, partly inspired by a character in Doctor Who Tegan may have different roots and a different meaning from the Irish Teagan, but it also can be used for both genders.

Teagan

Tailored Tegan comes from a Welsh saint's name. Teagan is just a little bit different, from an Irish surname. The ea spelling is much more popular.
 Musicians and twin sisters Tegan & Sara helped popularize the name, as did a character in Doctor Who.

Tegan

Tegwen is nowhere near as pretty as its meaning. Other -wen names -- Anwen, Bronwen, Rhonwen -- have more appeal.

Tegwen

Tiana gained a lot of popularity after Disney bestowed this pretty name upon its first African-American princess. Although it has declined in usage over recent years, Tiana’s connections to dainty Tatiana, Christiana and Bastiana should see it in continued usage for a while to come. Read more about Tiana and other <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/disney-princess-names">Disney Princess Names</a> in our featured blog.

Tiana

Vilina is derived from the Slavic component vila, meaning "fairy." Beware that rearranged, the letters almost spell "villain."

Vilina

A name made most famous by the operetta The Merry Widow which features "The Vilja's Song". A vila is a woodland spirit or fairy in Slavic mythology. Vilja also means "grain" in Finnish and "will, intent" in Swedish, and is very popular as a girls' name in Scandinavia, ranking in the Top 100 in both Finland and Norway.

Vilja

The origins of the nom de plume Voltaire are obscure - it is believed that it is an anagram of Arovetli (the Latin form of his surname Arouet). But the name was also chosen for its connotations of speed and daring (think volts and vaulting). American anarchist Voltairine de Cleyre was named after the French philosopher - giving this feminisation a double punch of intellectualism.

Voltairine

lina.111's list "girl names that mean AIR" of 107 great name ideas: Alara - Züleyha!