Girls Names K Through O

Maime

Maime is an uncommon feminine name that may have several origins. It could be a variant spelling of Mayme, which itself is often considered a diminutive of Mary or Mae. The name Mary derives from…

Mairead

Irish, shortened fom of Mairghread, variation of Margaret

"pearl"

Pronounced MAW-rayt or ma-RAYD, 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…

Maite

Basque

"beloved"

A top ten choice in Chile and a popular name throughout the Spanish-speaking world, Maite is a mighty-sounding name with a soft and sweet meaning. It is also found as a contracted form of María…

Maj

Maj is a concise feminine name with Scandinavian origins, particularly popular in Sweden and Denmark. Typically pronounced 'my' in Swedish and similar to 'mai' in Danish, this short but distinctive…

Maja

German, Slovene, and Scandinavian form of Maya; also, Arabic

"splendid"

Whether you pronounce it my-a, ma-zha or ma-ha, Maja is an intriguing choice. Sometimes associated with Goya's famous painting "The Naked Maja." As a cognate of Maya, it's a Top 10 name in Slovenia…

Majorca

Spanish place name

Pronounced my-ORK-a, the name of this lovely Balearic Island, located in the Mediterranean, is one of the prettiest and most feminine of place names. The Spanish spelling is MALLORCA.

Makala

Hawaiian

"myrtle,"

There are so many variations of this name in circulation, it makes it hard for any of them to feel as special as they might.

Makana

Hawaiian

"gift"

A nice meaning -- congruent with the recent vogue for names like Blessing -- helps offset this Hawaiian name's proximity to overused Makayla and McKenzie.

Makani

Hawaiian

"wind"

The sources that do list this name give it as a boys' name, but Woody Harrelson chose it for his daughter, and it does have a feminine lilt.

Makeda

Ethiopian

"greatness"

The name of a wise and beautiful 10th century BC Ethiopian queen, probably the same person as the Queen of Sheba, who visited Solomon in the Old Testament.

Makenzi

Makenzi is a modern feminine spelling variation of Mackenzie, which originated as a Scottish surname meaning 'son of Kenneth.' This particular spelling emerged during the late 20th century trend of…

Mal

Mal is a versatile feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In French, it derives from names like Malorie or Mallory, while in Irish it connects to Máire or Molly. In Vietnamese, Mal (often…

Mala

Sanskrit

"necklace, garland"

Mala is one of those names that's both simple and striking, easy to pronounce yet unfamiliar to many English speakers.

Malala

Pashto

"sad, grieved"

This name has a hauntingly appropriate meaning for its most famous bearer, Pakistani women and children's right activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Malala Yousefzai. The name itself is derived…

Mali

Welsh form of Molly or Thai

"jasmine flower"

Seems unfamiliar, till you realize everyone will just hear it as Molly. In Wales, Mali is a Top 100 name.

Malibu

Ventureño Chumash, Native American

"the surf sounds loudly"

Malibu, the name of a California beach city, evokes sunshine, surfing, and glamour. With its fashionable "oo" sound — as seen in names like Luna and Ruby — Malibu is an unexplored place name worth…

Malin

Scandinavian diminutive of Magdalene

"high tower or woman of Magdela"

The sleek Malin is a contracted form of Magdalene or Madeleine, used in Sweden, Norway, and Switzerland. A popular choice back in the 2000s, it has declined in popularity in recent years, but it…

Malka

Hebrew

"queen"

Nonbiblical Hebrew name used as an affectionate nickname since the Middle Ages.

Mallaidh

Irish

"bitter , beloved, or drop of the sea"

Irish Gaelic spelling of Molly, which derives from Mary.

Mallandra

Modern invented name

The name of a regular (if not central) character on Amazon's Catastrophe vaguely recalls Melanie, Melissa and Sandra.