Cowgirl Names
- Alameda
Origin:
SpanishMeaning:
"cottonwood grove"Description:
Common California place-name that could work for a girl.
- Sparrow
Origin:
Nature nameMeaning:
"sparrow, a bird"Description:
With related choices such as Lark and Phoenix gaining popularity, why not Sparrow? Though it's usually thought of as a female name, Nicole Richie and Joel Madden chose it for their son.
- Sojourner
Origin:
French, EnglishMeaning:
"to stay a while"Description:
African-American and women's rights activist Sojourner Truth was born as Isabelle into enslavement. She adopted her new name when she began traveling and preaching abolition in 1843. Sojourner is a heroine name that may, with the rise of spiritual word names such as Journey and Genesis, finally be ready for prime time.
- Vivianna
Description:
Vivianna is a feminine name derived from Latin roots, elaborating on the name Vivian or Viviana, ultimately from 'vivus' meaning 'alive' or 'full of life.' This melodic four-syllable name carries connotations of vitality, energy, and vibrance. Vivianna appears across several European naming traditions, particularly in Italian, Spanish, and Latin American cultures. The extra syllable adds a flowing, romantic quality to the already lyrical Viviana. While less common than Vivian or Viviana, Vivianna has maintained steady if modest usage. The name's repeated 'vi' sound creates a pleasing rhythm, while the 'anna' ending connects it to classic feminine names. Vivianna offers the perfect balance of familiarity and distinction, conveying both timeless elegance and life-affirming meaning.
- Mickey
Origin:
Diminutive of Michelle or MichaelaDescription:
Mickey is a nickname-name redolent of the mid-20th century and best-known as a mouse name. While this spelling works for either gender, the girls' version is more often spelled Micki.
- Promise
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"a declaration that one will do or refrain from doing something specified"Description:
Promise is one of those word names with an uplifting meaning that is making inroads as a girls' name, like sisters Dream and Serenity. How promising is Promise as a first name? Our try at cleverness illustrates perhaps the biggest problem with naming your baby girl Promise: It will be difficult for people to resist making bad puns on the name. We promise (argh) you'll be tired of hearing them well before your baby Promise's first birthday.
- Montana
Origin:
Spanish place-nameMeaning:
"mountainous"Description:
Overly trendy western place-name, as stated in the title of our book Beyond Jennifer & Jason, Madison & Montana.
- Gertie
Origin:
Short form of GertrudeDescription:
Gertie has a certain homespun charm, summoning to mind butter-yellow braids and denim overalls, summoning mind the adorable character played by little Drew Barrymore in E.T. Is the world ready for the return of Gertie and Gertrude? Maybe?
- Mirabella
Origin:
Italian variation of MirabelleMeaning:
"wonderful"Description:
The short-lived magazine edited by former Vogue chief Grace Mirabella put this beautiful name off-limits for a while, but now it's perfectly fit to join the fashionable Bella pantheon. More distinctive than Isabella.
- Jeanie
Origin:
Short form of Jean or JeanneDescription:
Jeanie is a midcentury bobby soxer kind of nickname that might almost be so old it's new again.
- Riona
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"queenly"Description:
We'd opt for Fiona.
- Remember
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
No one will ever forget it. But Remember as a name came over on the Mayflower, so it has deep history as well as modern potential.
- Jodie
Origin:
Spelling variation of JodyDescription:
The Jodie spelling might be even more obscure, at this point, than the fading original, except actresses Jodie Foster and Jodie Sweetin have kept it in the public eye.
- Jolene
Origin:
Invented nameDescription:
While for some, it may feel stuck in the shadow of the Dolly Parton song, Jolene re-entered the charts in 2010 and has seen increased use in recent years, ranking in the US Top 700 in the latest count. Tuneful and spirited, it combines the 'Jo' sound of Joanne, Josephine, and similar, with the lene suffix. As such, it could be said to share their meanings, "God is gracious" and "Jehovah increases".
- Denver
Origin:
English or French place-name and surnameMeaning:
"green valley or from Anvers"Description:
Yet another creative character name from Toni Morrison, Denver was a daughter of Sethe's in the novel Beloved. Today Denver is most familiar as the name of the largest city in Colorado, used almost equally for girls and boys.
- Will
Description:
Will as a feminine name represents an interesting gender crossover from its traditional masculine usage. Typically a diminutive of William (meaning 'resolute protector'), Will has occasionally been embraced as a short form for feminine names like Wilhelmina, Willa, or Willow. This concise, strong name carries associations of determination and self-assurance—qualities reflected in its literal meaning. The trend of traditionally male names crossing gender boundaries has gained momentum in recent decades, with Will embodying this movement. Though still quite rare for girls, Will offers a distinctive option for parents seeking a name that's both familiar and unexpected. Its simplicity and strength make it appealing as both a given name and nickname.
- Sam
Origin:
Diminutive of SamanthaMeaning:
"told by God"Description:
Sam as a name standing on its own was given to only 18 girls in 2021, versus over 400 boys. But as a short form it's appealing and down-to-earth for both sexes, and heard far more often: There were over 2500 baby girls named Samantha in the US in one recent year and more than 8500 boys named Samuel, so you will hear the name Sam a lot more often than you might guess judging by the numbers for this short form. Like the wildly popular Charlie, Sam is a nickname that works equally well as a girls' name as a boys'. All forms considered, Sam is still one of the most popular names that start with S.
- Willodean
Origin:
AmericanMeaning:
"resolute protection + valley; resolute protection + high ranking priest; willow valley"Description:
The Social Security Lists show this name to have been used throughout the 1920s and 30s especially in Southern states, where it likely appealed alongside Clarabel and Marigold. It feels part double-barrel, part surname, and part nature-inspired, which may encourage more parents to consider it in the future.
- Isannah
Origin:
Origin and meaning unknownDescription:
A name that seems to be a combination of Isabel and Susannah, used in the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries, most notably for a daughter of Paul Revere. Isannah was also a character in the 1943 Revolutionary War novel Johnny Tremain. An unusual old choice with modern possibilities.
- Lizzie
Origin:
Diminutive of Elizabeth, HebrewMeaning:
"pledged to God"Description:
Lizzie was commonly used as an independent name in the last half of the nineteenth century. Today Lizzie is still one of the most stylish short forms of Elizabeth, but few U.S. parents put it on the birth certificate.
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