Girls Names A Through E

Deborah

Hebrew

"bee"

Deborah has suffered from the fact that in the mid-twentieth century there were so many Debbies on the block that the beauty and meaning of the original name got lost. Deborah may no longer be among…

Eleanora

Latinate form of Eleanor, meaning unknown

Eleanor is back, Nora is back, and, as predicted, Eleanora is back too. Having left the charts in the 1930s, this elaboration of Eleanor has returned and blends the elements of its two more popular…

Aspyn

Variation of Aspen, tree name and place name

Divorces Aspen from its nature and ski resort associations. Aspyn first broke into the Top 1000 in 2020.

Adrianna

Feminine variation of Adrian

"man of Adria"

A popular spelling variation of Adriana.

Aviana

Variation of Avis, Latin

"bird"

Aviana is a name that's like the megapopular Ava and Ariana, but not quite as popular as either. It entered into the mainstream back in 2010 however, after actress Amy Adams chose it for her…

Berkley

English variation of Berkeley

"where birches grow"

Berkeley, with an extra E, is the more familiar variation of this name, associated with the California school. But it's the streamlined Berkley that has proven itself to be more popular as a baby…

Eliora

Hebrew

"the Lord is my light"

A pretty and melodic name of Hebrew origin that combines the elements el referring to God, li meaning "for me", and or meaning "light". The name entered the UK Top 1000 for the first time in 2023,…

Cheyenne

Sioux

"people of a different language"

The name of a courageous tribe, Cheyenne became quite popular in the 1990s, inspiring a wide range of spelling variations—Shyanne is one example that's still on the rise.

Emmeline

Old French form of archaic German Amal

"work"

Emmeline is an Emma relative and Emily cousin that is destined for greater use in the wake of the megapopularity of those two names. A recommended Nameberry fave, Emmeline hopped onto the US Top 1000…

Clare

Latin

"bright, clear"

This is the original, more prosaic spelling, but the airier Claire now dominates. If you're seeking a literary connection, look no further than Nella Larsen's 1929 novel Passing , which stars Clare…

Elisabeth

German, Dutch, Danish, English, variation of Elizabeth, Hebrew

"pledged to God"

This spelling of the classic name is found in France, Germany, Greece, and other cultures, and is worn by such notables as Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, Elisabeth Shue, Elisabeth Moss, and Elisabeth…

Brittany

English name of the French region Bretagne, meaning 'from Briton'

Brittany first arrived on the US popularity list in 1971, and rapidly zoomed up the charts, in the Top 100 a decade later. By 1986 it had entered the Top 10, becoming the third most popular girls’…

Etta

English and Scottish, short form of any name ending with -etta: Henrietta, Loretta etc.

Thanks to the surprise hit revival of Etta James' song At Last and because of recent interest in vintage style nicknames, Etta has established herself as a possible successor to Emma and Ella. While…

Aleia

Variation of Aliya, Arabic "heavens, highborn, exalted"

"heavens, highborn, exalted"

One of the many, many ways to spell Aliya. The "leia" component gives Aleia an extra pronunciation option, like Leia with an extra syllable.

Elara

Greek mythology name

"hazelnut, spear"

A bright, airy choice, Elara appears in Greek mythology and is borne by a lover of Zeus who gave birth to a giant son called Tityos. One of Jupiter's moons is named after her, adding a celestial feel…

Anika

Dutch, German, Slovene, and Polish diminutive of Anne, Hindi, Sanskrit

"grace; army, splendour"

Sweet but spiky, Anika is a multicultural choice with broad appeal. Familiar in the UK, Czechia, Poland, and the US, it is in the Top 100 in Slovenia. It is additionally popular in Bangladesh, India,…

Aadhya

Hindi

"first power"

This beautiful Hindi name made the US Top 1000 in 2016 and has been hopping on and off the bottom of that list since then. Aadhya is one of the many names for the Goddess Durga in Hinduism. Other…

Ainhoa

Basque place name

The name of the French town where a vision of the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared, this name is in the Spanish Top 100 and was, until recently, virtually unheard of elsewhere. Now however it is…

August

Latin

"majestic, venerable"

Though associated traditionally (and fashionably) with boys, it has been used occasionally for girls as well – by Garth Brooks, Nicolas Cage, and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, for example. But…

Amiri

Maori, Arabic, Hebrew

"the East wind; king, ruler; treetop"

The fastest-rising boy name of 2021 is now among the fastest-rising girl names of 2022, both thanks to the rise of luxury fashion brand AMIRI. A commonly used name in Māori culture, Amiri refers to…