future girl name

Naomi

Hebrew, Japanese

"pleasantness; straight, direct, beautiful"

A familiar name with a unique look and sound about it, Naomi combines a gentle cadence with classic strength. It was once a primarily Jewish name from the Old Testament, borne by the mother-in-law of…

Anastasia

Greek, feminine variation of Anastasios

"resurrection"

Anastasia is the feminine form on Anastasius, a Greek name derived from the word anastasis , meaning "resurrection." It was a common name among early Christians, who often gave it to daughters born…

Shiloh

Biblical place-name, Hebrew

"tranquil"

Cool meets Born Again meets Brad and Angelina, who made Shiloh an instant star when they chose it for their daughter. While Shiloh has risen from obscurity thanks to its celebrity baby use, it hasn't…

Samara

Hebrew, Arabic

"under God's rule, companion in night conversation"

Alluring and lovely — and much more distinctive now than Samantha or Tamara. Samara is a city in western Russia, a winged seed like the whirlygigs that fall from maple trees, as well as a bona fide…

Salem

Biblical place-name or Arabic

"safe"

Salem is a biblical place-name in Canaan, believed to be the same as Jerusalem. Americans may be more familiar with Salem as the name of the Massachusetts town famous for its witch trials in the late…

Calliope

Greek mythology

"beautiful voice"

Melodic and beautiful but with a touch of sass, Calliope is the name of the muse of epic poetry — and perhaps less glamorously, the musical instrument on the merry-go-round. Bold and creative, it…

Xiomara

Feminine variation of Guiomar, Spanish, Portuguese

"famous in battle"

The gorgeous and romantic name Xiomara popped into the Top 1000 from 2004-2011 after a contestant on America's Next Top Model increased interest in her rare name. Now Xiomara is back and more popular…

Angel

Spanish and English

"angel, messenger"

Angel is one of those names that has a very different trajectory for girls and boys. As a female name, it was most popular in the US from the 1970s until the turn of this century, almost breaking…

Anne

French variation of English Ann and Hebrew Hannah

"grace"

The name of the sainted mother of the Virgin Mary was among the top girls’ names for centuries, in both the original English Ann spelling and the French Anne. Both left the Top 100 around 1970 but…

Persephone

Greek

"bringer of destruction"

Magical and earthy, sophisticated but off-beat, Persephone appears as the daughter of Zeus by Demeter in Greek mythology. After she was kidnapped by Hades to be Queen of the Underworld, it was…

Amaris

Variation of Amara or Amariah

Amaris sounds like "amorous," which is a loving name for a child, but doesn't really have a clear derivation or meaning of its own. The popular Amara is one of the most international names on the…

Sahara

Arabic

"deserts"

A beautiful and evocative place-name that deserves wider use, Sahara brings to mind deserts and heat. Derived from Arabic, it is the name of the world's largest hot desert, located across the North…

Alanis

Female variation of Alan

"handsome, cheerful"

Singer Alanis Morissette made this twist famous. She was named for her father Alan, who is said to have spotted this version in a Greek newspaper. So far it has been pretty much a one-person name,…

Ilana

Hebrew

"oak tree"

Ilana is a name with seemingly endless variations, well used in Israel, sometimes chosen for little girls born on the holiday of TuB'Shevat, the New Year of the Trees. While some sources say Ilana is…

Raizel

Yiddish

"rose"

A diminutive of Raisa, a Yiddish name meaning "rose", Raizel is a sweet but sharp choice. Also written as Raisel, it is more likely to be used as a diminutive that appear on the birth certificate.

Fable

English word name

"a legendary story of supernatural happenings"

Fable, like Story, is a word name with real potential, combining enchanted tale-telling with a moral edge. And soundwise, it would fit right in with the likes of Abel and Mabel.

Nahara

Aramaic and Hebrew

"light"

Beguiling cousin of Sahara.

Israel

Hebrew

"he who struggles with God"

Israel joins the club of traditionally male names that celebrity parents have adopted for their daughters. Singer Andy Grammer welcomed daughter Israel "Izzy" Blue in 2020.

Katya

Russian, diminutive of Ekatarina, Russian variation of Katherine

"pure"

One of the warm and earthy Russian nickname names now coming into style. Denzel Washington gave his daughter the Katia spelling.

Raisa

Russian; Yiddish; Arabic

"easygoing; rose; leader"

Known in America via the wife of Soviet head Mikhail Gorbachev; a possibility for parents of Eastern-European descent wanting to move beyond Natasha and Nadia or for parents from the Middle East…