Both powerful and pretty, with a melodic sound, Aaliyah joins Layla, Lila, Dana, and Farrah as a name of Arabic origin that is also popular in the English-speaking world. 
Back in 1993, the name was virtually unheard of in the US, given to only a tiny handful of girls each year. Then, the singer Aaliyah Haughton rose to fame, under her mononym “Aaliyah”. Known as the “Princess of R&B”, her debut album launched not only her career, but also her name. 
By 1994, Aaliyah was in the Top 300, where it stayed until the tragic death of the singer in 2001. Rather than the name becoming associated with tragedy, it jumped into the US Top 100, where it has remained ever since.
A feminine form of the Arabic name Aali, Aaliyah means “high, sublime, lofty” or “exalted.” With its distinguished but approachable feel, Aaliyah has seen widespread usage, and as a result, has a number of spelling variants, including Aliyah, Aliyyah, Alia, Aleah, Aliye, and Aleia. 
Distinctive but familiar, it is understandable why Aaliyah was able to break into the American charts. Given to over 3000 babies each year in the US, it also ranks highly in the UK and France, while other spelling variations are more popular across the world. 
Boosted to fame by the singer and her legacy, and a reflection of today’s multicultural societies, Aaliyah remains an elegant and popular choice. If you are interested in Aaliyah, you could explore other Arabic names, such as Nadira, Amal, Anisa, or Munira. If it’s just the sound you like, then Tallulah, Alara, and Alodia might appeal.

Aaliyah

Simple plus unusual is a winning combination. 

Abia

Adelaide is now heading straight uphill on the coattails of such newly popular sisters as Ava, Ada, and Audrey, and in the company of Adeline and Amelia. It was chosen by actress Katherine Heigl for the name of her second daughter.
 Adelaide gained fame as the noble German princess who married the British King William IV in 1830 and became known as "Good Queen Adelaide," inspiring the name of the Australian city and a craze for her name. Earlier, St. Adelaide was married to Otto the Great and became Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, described as "a marvel of beauty and goodness."
 When Aussie actress Rachel Griffiths (also mother of son Banjo) chose Adelaide for her daughter, she said she'd been inspired by the city, Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, and the Disney character in The Aristocats. Adelaide can also be found in works by Thomas Hardy and Agatha Christie.

Adelaide

Adelina is back in the Top 1000 after an absence of nearly a century, thanks to the meteoric rise of her sister name Adeline -- along with Adelaide, Adele, and Ada. Some parents choose Adelina because they want to get to cute vintage nickname Addie, but others favor it as a slightly more unusual form of this sweet vintage girls' name. A lot of attention was focused on it recently via the women's figure skating gold medal winner at the Sochi winter olympics--Adelina Sotnikova.
While Adeline is usually pronounced in the U.S. with a long i in the last syllable, to rhyme with mine, Adelina is pronounced with the long e sound at the end, as in 'lee-na'.

Adelina

Adelis

Agathe is a hugely popular name in contemporary France, even if it's English-speaking counterparts have not yet warmed to the usual English version, Agatha. The French pronunciation is sure to trip up non-French speakers.

Agathe

Lilting and lovely. Entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2016.

Ailani

Irish Aileen and Scottish Eileen may be pronounced the same way or Aileen can be pronounced with a long a at the beginning. While neither is particularly stylish, Aileen is slightly more popular and has reversed its downward slide to inch upward in the past few years, perhaps thanks to its stylish A beginning. Nicknames for Aileen include Isla, Ayla, Lee and Lena.

Aileen

Aisha was Muhammad's favorite wife, making this lovely name and its myriad variations hugely popular among Muslims and also African-Americans. It's been energized by TV personality Aisha Tyler. Pronunciation is usually eye-EE-sha but some say ay-sha.

Aisha

The extra n makes it feel less like an feminization of Alan and more like a name unto itself. Alanna is more common in Puerto Rico than the original Alana.

Alanna

Young Canadian pop singer Alessia Cara has given this spicy-sounding name a new lease on life, propelling it into the Top 1000 in 2016. (It was one of the year's fastest-rising girls' names.) The main risk is that it feels so close to Alexa, Alicia, Alexis and Alyssa-- all becoming overused -- that it could be mistaken for one of those more familiar names. 

Alessia

Aliza might seem like yet another variation of the eternal Alyssa/Alicia/Eliza loop, but it's a distinct name all its own. The z adds zip. 

Aliza

Almudena was derived from the Arabic word al-mudayyina, meaning "the citadel." The Virgin of Almudena is a medieval statue of Mary in Madrid. Almudena is the patron saint of the city.

Almudena

A Spanish TV show made this one popular, along with single-named Mexican singer, Alondra. 

Alondra

Alora feels like a hybrid name – part authentic, part synthetic – maybe because it is. It squeaked onto the Top 1000 in 2017 as part of the trend for girls' names starting and ending with A, but it has since dropped out again. It is likely a spelling variant of Elora, but also sounds a lot like the Italian word allora, meaning "so, then, therefore, well".

Alora

This Italian word with a positive meaning makes a pretty, unusual girl's name

Alzata

Amabella is an elaboration of Amabel, a popular medieval name.

Neil Gaiman and Liane Moriarty used Amabella as a character name in their novels, The Graveyard Book and Big Little Lies, respectively.

Amabella

Amadea is a strong and musical feminine form of Amadeus, as in Mozart. 

Amadea

Amalia is a widely cross-cultural name, heard from Italy to Romania, Germany to Scandinavia. The current heir to the Dutch throne is Princess Catharina-Amalia of Orange. It can be pronounced ah-MAH-lee-a or ah-mah-LEE-a. 
</br.
Like Amelia and Emilia, this name is likely to continue to climb. Frequently in the US Top 1000 in the early twentieth century, it spent nearly eighty years off the list until rejoining in 2011.
 Amalia's popularity was spread in eighteenth century Europe due to the fame of Anna Amalia, a Duchess who was a great patron of the arts.
 Amalia would make a lovely and more distinctive alternative to Amelia. Another spelling variation is Amalya.

Amalia

A variation on Emmeline, Ameline has not experienced nearly the same level of success in the US, though it was given to five girls in 2015. Whereas Emmeline lends itself to trendy nicknames Emme and Emmy, Ameline has a clearer path to the dated Amy.

Ameline

Is Amora a real name? It made a strong entrance to the US Top 1000 in 2017 so it's one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/495/spanish-names-for-girls">Spanish names for girls</a> that is obviously catching on, perhaps thanks to its similarity to Amara, a multicultural name that's achieving widespread popularity here and abroad. Amora sounds like the Latinate amore and is one of the romantic <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/434/baby-names-that-mean-love">names that mean love</a>, familiar via the classic Dean Martin song That's Amore ("When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie...). Amora also borrows something from Amanda, something from Maura, and makes an attractive choice no matter what its pedigree.

Amora

A pretty combination of Amy and Beth, borne by Anne with an E actress Amybeth McNulty.

Amybeth

Analia is a melodic newcomer to the US Top 1000, a fresher spin on the Olde Worlde Anamaria. It charted in the US from 2009 to 2012, and then reentered the popularity list in 2015. El Rostro de Analia is a popular Spanish language telenova on the Telemundo channel, which probably greatly contributed to its initial entry to the US list in 2009 at Number 331 when it was unranked the previous year!

Analia

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 around Christmas or Easter. There are handful of saints named Anastasia, including the patron saint of weavers.
 
Anastasia is no longer a forbidding regal Russian name, but is now seen as a viable—and increasingly popular—American option, elegantly beautiful.
 
Anastasia's greatest claim to fame is via the "lost" daughter of the last czar of Russia, whose story has been told and retold in books and movies.
 
Anastasia was well used in ancient Britain and in Ireland as well as Russia.

Anastasia

Anaya is a spelling variant of Inaya , a name that derives from the Arabic word "inayah", meaning "care, concern, help". It is an indirect Qur'anic name, and the strictly feminine form of the unisex Inayat. 
Following in the footsteps of Leila and Aaliyah, Anaya has been climbing the US charts since the early 2000s. Given to nearly 800 babies every year, it is a gentle but sparky name that feels like it could be an alternative to Anna, Amaya, Amara, or Ariana. 
 On the rise in France and England too, some of Anaya's popularity may be attributed to the fact it is a Spanish place name and a Spanish surname, and because of its similarities to the Biblical and Hebrew name Anaiah, the Basque name, Anaia, the modern invention Aniya and the international Anya.

Anaya

Angelica is by far the choicest form of the angelic names -- more delicate than Angelina, more feminine than Angel, more modern than Angela. But though Angelica is so lacy and poetic, it lags behind the bolder Angelina (probably for obvious reasons).
 Angelica was introduced to England from Italy in the seventeenth cenury, and is heard in early poetry and plays, including Romeo and Juliet. Angelica Schuyler, played by Renee Elise Goldsberry, is one of the most appealing characters in Broadway sensation Hamilton.
 Anjelica is a variant spelling, as in Anjelica Huston.

Angelica

Variously spelled Annalise and Annaliese as well as several other forms, this is not a modern smoosh but a traditional German combo-name with a definite Heidi-esque feel. 
 
 Anna of course is familiar and Liese or Lise is a short form of Elizabeth, ala Lisa, But though it may be seen as old style in Germany, it's a recent success in this country: Annalise jumped onto the popularity list for the first time in 1997.
 
Americans prefer the simpler spelling: There are about ten baby girls named Annalise in the US for every Annaliese. Another 100 baby girls were named Analise and Analiese is also found.
 
TV fans know Annalise as the first name of the lead character in ABC's "How To Get Away With Murder," played by Viola Davis, who won an Emmy for the role.

Annalise

Antonella is a feminine form of Anthony growing in popularity throughout Latin America as well as in the US.
It may feel fresher than the classic Antonia, and also gives you a wider range of possible short forms, including Nell.

Antonella

Anwyn

Anya is a Russian variation of Anna, which came from the Hebrew name Hannah. Anya is the form found most frequently in Russia, Poland, and other East European countries, while Anja is the spelling usually preferred in Germany Norway, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and The Netherlands. In the Hungarian language, Anya also means mother.
 
It is often used as a character name with a bit of foreign flair. Aside from its authentic use in Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard, Anya has appeared as Audrey Hepburn's name in Roman Holiday, on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and as the latest Spider-Girl, who is also known as Arana. In literature, Anya Seton is the pen name of Ann Seton, author of such best-selling mid-century historical novels as Dragonwyck.

Anya

An unusual Hawaiian nature name with an appealing vowel-rich sound.

Aolani

Aputsiak

Arabella, lovely and elegant, has long been well used in Britain and finally made it onto the American list in 2005. Its meaning may also be interpreted as "beautiful," thanks to -bella.
 
Arabella was used as a given name beginning in the 12th century with the birth of Arabella de Leuchars, granddaughter of William the Lion, King of Scotland. It is derived from the Latin orabilis, from which Arabella gets its meaning. Some scholars tie Arabella to Amabel, claiming that the former developed as a variation of the latter in Scotland, much like the name Annabel. 
 
Arabella has been a great favorite in English novels, dating as far back as Samuel Richardson's Clarissa and Henry Fielding's Tom Jones, and also appeared in The Vicar of Wakefield, Dickens's Pickwick Papers, George Eliot's Felix Holt and Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure, and more recently in Harry Potter.
 Arabella is the title of a lyric comic opera by Richard Strauss, and was chosen for their daughters by Ivanka Trump and Dr. Oz. A real life heroine is Arabella Mansfield (born Belle Aurelia), the first American woman to become a lawyer.
 Though off its 2017 peak, Arabella is a sophisticated choice especially recommended for parents who love the super-popular Isabella but want something more distinctive.

Arabella

Araminta is an enchanting eighteenth-century invention familiar in Britain and just beginning to be discovered here. It was used in 1693 by William Congreve in his comedy The Old Bachelor, and in 1705 by the versatile Sir John Vanbrugh, architect of Blenheim Palace as well as a playwright, for his comedy The Confederacy.
 In the Enid Bagnold novel National Velvet, Araminta is the name of the central character's mother.

Araminta

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

This variation of Ariel, with the extra-feminine suffix, has been on the rise in recent years and has now surpassed the original. The similarity to the name of the Little Mermaid gives Ariella a princessy flair. 

Ariella entered the charts in 2008, and has now risen into the Top 200. The cute nickname Ari is on trend as seen with the popularity of Ariana and Arianna, as are any girl names ending in "-ella", making Ariella a natural hit. Arabella is another name with the best of both of these trends. 

Ariella

The name of an ascending sequence of musical notes in Hindustani classical music, meaning "rising, evolving".

Arohi

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 name Ástríðr, which is made up of the Old Norse elements that mean "god" and "beautiful." 
Related names include Asta, a diminutive used throughout Scandinavia, and Astride, the French form. Despite their similarities, Astrid is unrelated to Astra, a Latin name meaning "of the stars."
 
Astrid has never really assimilated into our culture the way Ingrid did, but with the renewed interest in international names, Astrid might be worth consideration by parents with Norse roots. 
 
Astrid is the name of the teenage heroine of Janet Finch's 1999 novel White Oleander and has appeared as a character in How to Train Your Dragon and the TV shows Fringe and Once upon a Time.

Astrid

The given name Athena was derived from the city name Athens, which is of uncertain origins. In Greek mythology, Athena is the name of the daughter of Zeus who was the goddess of wisdom, warfare, handicrafts, mathematics, and courage, among others. She was the great patroness-goddess of the city of Athens. In the Odyssey, Homer describes her as 'sparkling-eyed Athena.'
 Athena is a distinctive name that could appeal to enlightened parents who particularly prize intelligence. It's one of the most widely used of the ancient <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/433/goddess-baby-names">goddess names</a> that are finding such favor in the contemporary Western world.
 Athene is another version, and Athena's Roman counterpart is Minerva.
 In the Disney movie The Little Mermaid, Athena is the mother of Ariel.
 Tina Fey turned to her Greek heritage for both of her second daughter's names: Penelope Athena—and this has spurred interest in Athena, even though it's in middle place.

Athena

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.
 
Aurelia is the female form of the Latin name Aurelius, an ancient Roman surname. Aurelius is derived from the Latin word aureus, meaning "golden," which was also the name of a gold coin used in Ancient Rome. Aurelius was a cognomen, a third name in Roman culture that often referenced a personal characteristic or trait, likely used for someone with golden hair.
 
The Roman classic Aurelius, from which Aurelia derives, was very common in the Roman Empire and is currently experiencing a resurgence in the US—it re-entered the Top 1000 list in 2012 after a 61-year hiatus. 
 
The name of several minor early saints, Aurelia's sound and feel can be credited for it being on the rise again. Aurora and Oriana are Aurelia cousins you might also want to consider. 
 
Aurelia was the name of the mothers of Julius Caesar, the writer Sylvia Plath, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, who, in her honor, made it one of his daughter Christina's <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/673/middle-names">middle names</a>.

Aurelia

The goddess name Aurora has consistently been on the US popularity list since the nineteenth century, but has really taken off in the past 30 years. Aurora also enjoys remarkable international popularity, ranking in the Top 100 throughout the English-speaking world as well as in Italy, Spain, Norway, Switzerland, and several other European and Latin American countries.
 
Aurora is the name of the Roman goddess of sunrise, whose tears turned into the morning dew. She was said to renew herself by traveling from East to West across the sky, announcing the arrival of the sun each dawn. Aurora is also associated with the scientific term for the Northern Lights, Aurora Borealis.
 The radiant Aurora, also the name of Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, would be sure to make any little girl feel like a princess. Aurora Leigh is the name of an epic poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Aurora Greenway was the moving Shirley MacLaine character in Terms of Endearment.
 An Aurora nickname possibility with a totally different feel: Rory. Read more about Aurora and other <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/disney-princess-names">Disney Princess Names</a> in our featured blog.

Aurora

Crisp and colorful, Autumn is the most popular season name now -- the only one in the Top 100 in recent years -- with Autumn's coolness only surpassed by Winter. Jennifer Love Hewitt named her daughter Autumn James.

Autumn is one of those unusual names that's been popular for many years without ever becoming wildly overused, which can be a real plus if you're looking for a name that's familiar without being too trendy.

Autumn

A beautiful A-heavy choice with international appeal.

Avana

Aynoor

Adamuna

Agriffina

Agriffine

Amarillys

Analuisa

Anandi

Anou

Araluna

Ariole

Asphodel

Atalya

Aubren

Avabella

A literary name used in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series by Shannon Messenger. Could also be a short form of Bibiana or a spin on stylish names like Tiana and Liana.

Biana

Bintou

Biancana

Brenina

Briellen

Also a masculine name in Ireland, this name denotes someone with good looks. Sounds like Kyla.

Cadhla

Caressa

An appealing, affectionate Italian word name, with several possible nicknames.

Carezza

Cloris is bad enough without shortening.  Consider FLOR instead, a beautiful Spanish name.

Clor

The French and Spanish word for "hummingbird" is lithe and charming as a girl name.

Colibri

Carlett

Caverna

The Latin word for "goddess" makes for a rarer, but equally stylish, spin on Thea. It may also be a short form of names such as Medea, Amadea, Dorotea or Andrea.

Dreda

A smoosh name of Dulce "sweet" and Maria, a reference to the Virgin Mary. Occasionally used in Latin America.

Dulcemaria

Dianetta

An evocative word name denoting a rare celestial phenomenon when the sun and moon are aligned so that the moon casts a shadow over the Earth (a solar eclipse), or when the moon is right in front of the sun, showing only a ring of light (a lunar eclipse).

Eclipse

A rare Welsh name deriving from the name of a stream in Ceredigion, plus the productive -wen suffix.

Eiddwen

This German name has a whimsical meaning- a combination of "elf" and Runo, meaning "secret lore".

Elfrun

Countless variations of Elizabeth have been used around the world for centuries, from Elspeth to Isabella to Betty. Elsabet is a version that is popular in Ethiopia, often with the sweet and stylish nicknames Elsa or Elsi.

Elsabet

Derived from the Hebrew phrase "El Shaddai" meaning God almighty, the beautiful Elshaday is used as a first name for girls in Ethiopia.

Elshaday

This weighty Anglo-Saxon name belonged to a 7th century English saint, also known as Etheldred. The chic classic Audrey is a modern French and English descendent.

Etheldreda

Emilisa

Estar

Estarilla

A fragrant, feminine, floral elaboration of Flora.

Floralie

Fatette

Flowerina

Flowerine

Flowerrina

Flowerrine

Floworina

Floworine

Genie

Like Silver, Golden is a shimmering metallic color name, almost too dazzling for an ordinary girl. 

Golden

Gracetta

Gracette

Griffina

Griffine

Harmonie

A combination of Heide, from Adelheid "noble" and Marie "bitter or beloved". It saw a small spike in popularity in the early 1940s in France and Germany, due to the Austrian actress Heidemarie Hatheyer.

Heidemarie

Derived from the Igbo elements ífé meaning "thing" and ọ́má, "good" or "beautiful."

Ifeoma

Apparently a smoosh of Isabel and Mara, this name is used in Brazil, but very rare in the USA. For parents looking for alternatives to Isabella and Isadora, it could be an undiscovered gem.

Isamara

alyshadragonfriend's list "Fantasy-Sounding Names For Females" of 164 great name ideas: Aaliyah - Zissy!

Fantasy-Sounding Names For Females

An assortment of names that sound especially awesome for females in fantasy novels. They range from ordinary to very very unique. 