My favorite girl names.

  1. Sophronia
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "sensible, prudent"
    • Description:

      Stately and elegant, but with the familiar sounds of Sophia and Sophie, Sophronia was a familiar choice back in the 19th century but has since fallen into obscurity. Derived from the Greek sophron, it means "sensible, self-restrained".
  2. Alethea
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "truth"
    • Description:

      Alethea, the name of the Greek goddess of truth, came into fashion in England in the 16th century, in tandem with the virtue names. Alethea may find new favor now, thanks to its similarity to Athena, Ophelia, and Alessia, and because it gets you nickname Thea.
  3. Galatea
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "she who is milk-white"
    • Description:

      This name's meaning derives from the material from which the mythical sculptor Pygmalion chiselled his ideal woman - she was carved from ivory. Pygmalion fell in love with his creation and Aphrodite, taking pity on him, brought the sculpture to life. The woman was named Galatea due to her incredibly pale skin. The Pygmalion myth was the inspiration behind the story of "My Fair Lady" starring Julie Andrews on stage and Audrey Hepburn on screen.
  4. Anwen
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "very fair, beautiful"
    • Description:

      Anwen is one of the simplest and best of the classic Welsh girls' names, more unusual than Bronwen but with the same serene feel.
  5. Fiammetta
    • Origin:

      Italian
    • Meaning:

      "little fiery one"
    • Description:

      Fiammetta, from the Italian word for flame, has both femininity and fire. Fiammetta could make a good alternative to more conventional Italian girls' names like Giovanna.
  6. Aeliana
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "sun"
    • Description:

      This female form of the ancient Latin Aelian has an appealing sound, though kids might have a hard time handling that initial "ae" spelling. Just remember that the "ae" is pronounced "ee" (think Aesop's fables).The Annals of Aeliana is a children's fantasy series by Ryan Watters. The meaning is uncertain but is thought to derive from the Greek helios, which means sun.
  7. Lesley
    • Origin:

      Variation of Leslie, Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "garden of holly"
    • Description:

      Lesley runs a distant second to more popular sister Leslie, used for about 30 baby girls in one recent year vs. Leslie's 400+. And interestingly, no baby boys were named Lesley though about 40 were named Leslie. Once one of the most widely-used girl names starting with L, Lesley and Leslie now trail behind trendy L-starting girl names like Layla and Lily.
  8. Amethyst
    • Origin:

      Gem and Color name
    • Description:

      As flower names become more unique, so can gem names move beyond Ruby and Pearl to names like Topaz, Sapphire, and Peridot. Amethyst, the purple birthstone for February, has never been in the Top 1000, but could have some appeal, joining similarly-hued Violet and Lilac, all of which make great names for Aquarius babies or names for February babies.
  9. Artemisia
    • Origin:

      Greek, variation of Artemis
    • Description:

      You might think Artemisia is the feminine form of the name, but in fact the original Artemis is feminine too, the name of the Greek mythological goddess of the moon. Artemisia Gentileschi was an esteemed Italian Baroque painter, unusual in an era when not many women were acknowledged. Artemisia is also a genus of plants which include sagebrush and tarragon.
  10. Daniella
    • Origin:

      Italian, Polish, Czech, feminine variation of Daniel
    • Description:

      Daniella, Daniela, and Danielle were among the hottest names for twenty years, but now, though still popular, they can no longer be considered stylish options, lagging behind the newer Ella, Stella, Bella, Gabriella, and Isabella.
  11. Kestrel
    • Origin:

      English, bird name
    • Description:

      A kestrel is a bird of prey. It has good potential as a strong girls' name, similar to Falcon for boys.
  12. Rosabel
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "beautiful rose"
    • Description:

      Rosabel, a vintage smoosh name created in the 18th century, feels slightly less frilly than her cousins Rosabelle and Rosabella. It could make for a more distinctive alternative to Isabel, or an unusual name that gets you to sweet nicknames Rosie or Belle.
  13. Theophania
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Description:

      This ancient name, belonging to a Byzantine empress, may be difficult for a modern child to carry, though it can be an original way to get to cute nickname Thea or even Theo or Teddie. The English variation Tiffany may be more wearable, but with a much less elegant image.
  14. Evangelina
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "bearer of good news"
    • Description:

      Why is Evangeline so popular -- close to Number 200 in the US -- while Evangelina hasn't charted in the Top 1000 since the early 1950s? The stardom of Evangeline Lilly has something to do with the relative popularity of that form, but Evangelina is just as pretty and romantic but given to only 10% as many baby girls.
  15. Melisande
    • Origin:

      French form of Millicent, German
    • Meaning:

      "strong in work"
    • Description:

      This old-time fairy tale name is rarely heard in the modern English-speaking world, but it's so, well, mellifluous, that it would make a lovely choice for a twenty-first century girl--a romanticized tribute to an Aunt Melissa or Melanie.
  16. Corinna
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "maiden"
    • Description:

      Delicate and gentle old-fashioned name, the kind found in early English poetry. While Corinna and the original Green Korinna are technically diminutives of the ancient Kore, now the popular Cora, this name will often be mistaken for other similar-sounding though unrelated names, such as Karenna. But it's pretty and is backed by more tradition than you'd guess.
  17. Celestina
    • Origin:

      Italian and Spanish variation of Celeste
    • Meaning:

      "heavenly"
    • Description:

      We are hearing more of such heavenly names as Celeste and Celia, which opens the door to the range of lovely variations rarely heard before. Celestina is one of them, though given the more accessible options, it may be gilding the lily.
  18. Calanthe
    • Origin:

      English from Greek
    • Meaning:

      "Christmas orchid"
    • Description:

      If you love Calliope and Callista, you'll love Calanthe, which combines the trendiness of the Greek 'cal' names with the equally fashionable "the" ending (like Xanthe and Evanthe) and a connection to the beautiful Christmas Orchid. Color Calantha one of the more unusual and captivating names for Christmas babies.
  19. Maire
    • Origin:

      Finnish, Irish variation of Mary
    • Meaning:

      "sweet; drop of the sea, bitter"
    • Description:

      Both Maire and Mare have begun making inroads with parents seeking novel yet authentic ways of honoring an ancestral Mary. The Finnish variation derives from the word mairea, meaning "sweet."
  20. Aloisia
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "famous fighter"
    • Description:

      Inventive female form of Aloysius.

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