Girls Names Beginning With N

Nora

Diminutive of Honora or Eleonora, Latin

"honor or meaning unknown"

Nora is a lovely, refined name that conjures up images of Belle Epoch ladies in fur-trimmed coats skating in Central Park. Long seen as a quintessentially Irish name though its roots are not in…

Nova

Latin

"new"

Nova has the feel of both newness, from its meaning, and great energy as an astronomical term for a star that increases suddenly in brightness before fading. Nova had some reasonable degree of…

Naomi

Hebrew, Japanese

"pleasantness; straight, direct, beautiful"

A familiar name with a unique look and sound about it, Naomi combines a gentle cadence with classic strength. It was once a primarily Jewish name from the Old Testament, borne by the mother-in-law of…

Natalie

French variation of Russian Natalia

"birthday of the Lord"

Natalie — a Franco-Russian name — became Americanized years ago and is one of those surprising names that's always ranked among the girls' Top 1000 names in the US. An Old Lady Name in the 1950s,…

Natalia

Latin

"birthday [of the Lord]"

Natalia was derived from the Latin word natalis , meaning "birthday." It refers to the birthday of Jesus Christ, and thus originated as a name for girls born on Christmas Day. Related forms include…

Nevaeh

Modern invented name

Nevaeh: an already bold word name with the unusual twist of being spelled backwards; a nightmare for those who love traditional, classic names; a divisive option on name forums across the internet;…

Noelle

French

"Christmas"

Noelle is the feminine variation of Noël, a masculine given name derived from the French word for "Christmas." As a word, Noël originated as a variant of nael , which evolved from the Latin natalis ,…

Noa

Hebrew, Japanese

"motion; my love, affection"

This Old Testament name has been one of the most popular girls names in Israel over the last decade and is also a favorite in Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands. First appearing in the US charts…

Nyla

Arabic, Sanskrit, Irish, modern invention

"winner, one who achieves; hero; cloud; wind, air; dark blue"

Bright, spirited, and playful, Nyla shares sounds with the popular Isla, Lila, Layla, and Delilah, making it feel fresh and in style. A name with a number of possible origins, it made a brief,…

Nina

Short form of names that end in -nina

Nina is as multiethnic as you can get: Nina is a common nickname name in Spain and Russia, a Babylonian goddess of the oceans, and an Incan goddess of fire. Here and now, it's a stylish possibility…

Nicole

French feminine variation of Nicholas, Greek

"people of victory"

Nicole was derived from Nicholas, the English variation of the Greek Nikolaos, composed of the compounds nike , meaning "victory," and laos , "people." The variation Nicole arose in the Middle Ages…

Nellie

Diminutive of Helen, Ellen, and Eleanor, English, Swedish

"light, shining torch"

This sweet nickname name has seen a recent revival in the US, breaking the Top 1000 in 2019 for the first time in 40 years. By 2024, it became one of the fastest rising girl names, chasing sister…

Nadia

Russian, Arabic

"hope; tender, delicate"

Nadia, an accessible Slavic favorite, has a strong run of popularity in the US in the early 2000s, partially thanks to the character on Lost called Nadia but actually named Noor, but it's since…

Noor

Arabic; Dutch variation of Eleonora

"light"

An interesting name associated with the elegant American-born Queen Noor of Jordan. Noor is very popular among modern Muslim parents around the world and is beginning to cross over, perhaps because…

Nia

Swahili; Welsh form of the Irish Niamh

"resolve; brilliance"

Short but energetic and substantial, Nia has special meaning for African-American parents, as it's one of the days of Kwanza. Nia also benefits by its similarity to (yet differentness from) the…

Neriah

Hebrew

"light of Jehovah"

A version of a symbolic name given to girls born on Hanukkah, the festival of lights. It can also be spelled Neriya(h), but this spelling made it into the Top 1000 in 2013. Neriah was among the…

Nola

Gaelic

"white shoulder"

Nola, a name with a sleek, enigmatic quality, was used for the much-pursued heroine of Spike Lee's 1986 breakout film, She's Gotta Have It , and again by Woody Allen in Match Point . It's a short…

Natasha

Russian diminutive of Natalya

"birthday of the Lord"

Natasha, an appealing, still unusual name, entered the American mainstream post-Cold War but seems to have peaked in the eighties, replaced by the more straightforward Natalie. As is common for…

Nori

Japanese, English short form or Eleanor, Leonora, Nora, Honora, or North, form of Nor or Nuri, Arabic, Turkish

"ceremonial rites, doctrine, seaweed; unknown, honor, north; my light"

Nori is one of those names with several origins that would have no trouble assimilating into a variety of cultures. It might also be associated with the dried seaweed used to wrap sushi or with the…

Nelly

Variation of Nellie and Nell

"light"

Nelly or Nellie is an adorable nickname name that can be short for a wide range of more formal appellations or that can stand on its own, and is typical of the vintage nickname genre that is growing…