Girls Names P Through T
- Pippie
Description:
Pippie is a feminine name that likely emerged as an affectionate diminutive of Philippa or Pippa, ultimately derived from the Greek name Philippos meaning "lover of horses." This playful, diminutive form with the '-ie' ending creates a perpetually youthful, charming quality. Extremely rare as a formal given name, Pippie has a whimsical, cheerful sound that evokes a friendly, spirited personality. The name shares connections with fictional characters in children's literature and may remind some of Pippi Longstocking, adding literary associations of independence and creativity. While seldom appearing on popularity charts, Pippie might appeal to parents drawn to nickname-style given names with an endearing quality, offering their daughter a distinctive name with built-in warmth and approachability.
- Pippin
Origin:
GermanicMeaning:
"awe-inspiring"Description:
Super-sweet name that was the title of a Broadway play -- but best known as a type of apple. Could also make a cute short form for names like Philippa or Penelope.
- Pippy
Description:
Pippy is a feminine name that originated as a diminutive nickname form, often derived from Philippa (meaning 'lover of horses' in Greek) or simply as an affectionate name inspired by the sound. The name has a playful, cheerful quality with its repeating 'p' sounds and diminutive '-y' ending. Pippy gained some recognition through children's literature, notably with the character Pippi Longstocking, though the spelling differs. As a given name rather than a nickname, Pippy remains quite uncommon, appealing to parents seeking something distinctively whimsical and informal. The name evokes qualities of spunkiness, youthful energy, and charm. While rarely appearing on popularity charts, Pippy has maintained steady, if minimal, usage throughout English-speaking countries over recent decades.
- Poe
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"peacock"Description:
Hip new middle-name choice, conjuring up the gothic tales of Edgar Allan, and current single-named pop singer Poe.
- Poem
Origin:
Literary name, English word nameMeaning:
"a composition in verse"Description:
A handful of baby girls were named Poem in the US in the most recent year, along with Poet and Poetry. But of course, these word names can work for boys too.
- Polina
Origin:
Russian and Basque, feminine variation of PaulDescription:
This version of the more familiar Paulina is occasionally used in the US, though some may see it as relating more to the word pole than to the classic Paul.
- Polly
Origin:
English variation of MollyDescription:
An alternative to the no-longer-fresh Molly, the initial 'P' gives Polly a peppier sound, combining the cozy virtues of an old-timey name with the bounce of a barmaid.
- Pollyanna
Origin:
English compound name, Polly + AnnaMeaning:
"beloved + grace"Description:
Has become a byword in English for an overly optimistic person, thanks to the eponymous children's book heroine. Polly is an antiquated short form of Mary.
- Polyxena
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"very hospitable"Description:
Polyxena was a minor figure in Greek mythology - a daughter of King Priam and a love interest of the famed warrior Achilles. The name is a bit clunky but could be pulled off by the right woman.
- Pomona
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"apple"Description:
This name of the Roman goddess of fruit trees is also associated with a suburban town in Southern California.
- Pompeia
Origin:
Feminine form of Pompeius, RomanMeaning:
"five"
- Poppaea
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"of the people"Description:
A cheerful-sounding name from ancient Rome that would be an offbeat route to Poppy as a nickname. Poppaea Sabina was the second wife of the emperor Nero.
- Poppy
Origin:
Flower name, English from LatinMeaning:
"red flower"Description:
Poppy, unlike most floral names which are sweet and feminine, has a lot of spunk. Long popular throughout the rest of the English-speaking world, Poppy is finally starting to rise toward the top in the US, where it entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2016.
- Posie
Origin:
Variation of Posy or short form of Mariposa, English or SpanishMeaning:
"a bunch of flowers or butterfly"Description:
Posie and its near-identical twins Posy and Posey are delicate old-fashioned flower names of the type that are stylish today: Think Poppy, Marigold, Clover.
- Posy
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"a bunch of flowers"Description:
A sweet, nostalgic nosegay kind of name, Posy has been long fashionable in England, a country of gardeners, but this pretty bouquet-of-flowers name is still rarely heard in the US, though it could be seen as a more unusual possible alternative to Rosy or Josie.
- Pretoria
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"official"Description:
Pretoria is a city in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa, named after its founder Marthinus Pretorius. The surname derives from from Latin praetor meaning "leader, official".
- Prim
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"first or demure"Description:
As a name, Prim is generally short for Primrose – as in the sweet younger sister of heroine Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games. But a word of warning: it also coincides with the English word "prim", meaning "disapproving, overly correct".
- Prima
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"first"Description:
Will assure your daughter she's numero uno.
- Primavera
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"spring"Description:
A bit syllable-heavy, but a pretty name for a springtime baby.
- Primrose
Origin:
English flower nameMeaning:
"first rose"Description:
A quaint and quirky flower name, until recently considered a bit too prim for most American classrooms but brought back to life in recent years by the attractive character of Primrose "Prim" Everdeen in the Hunger Games series. In the Top 300 girl names in England and Wales and on Nameberry, Primrose remains rare in the US, but is made more accessible by a raft of sweet nickname options, including Rosie and Posy.