Girl Names That Deserve More Recognition

Liora

Hebrew

"light"

A beautiful Hebrew name that would work perfectly for a child today.

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,…

Ellison

English

"son of Ellis"

Updates Allison—which everyone will misunderstand it as. But it's definitely a fresh spin on the Ellie names, and a rising surname name choice for girls. Ellison made its first appearance on the US…

Giada

Italian

"jade"

Popular in its native Italy, Giada has been quietly and stylishly used in English-speaking countries for several years now. Television cook Giada De Laurentiis made this a possibility — then…

Maven

Word name or Hebrew

"one who understands"

In English, the word 'maven' refers to an expert or connoisseur, someone who possesses deep knowledge. Comedian Tracy Morgan brought this name into the spotlight when he chose it for his daughter,…

Aviva

Hebrew

"springlike, fresh, dewy"

Aviva is vivacious and memorable, a fresh spin on the Vivian and Vivienne names that have been getting more popular since Angelina and Brad chose one for their twin daughter. Another A-beginning…

Aylen

Mapuche

"ember; clear"

A rising choice for baby girls in Uruguay.

Fia

Irish, Portuguese, Italian

"wild, weaver"

Fia may be most notable at this moment as the Anglicized version of the Irish Fiadh, one of the fastest-rising names in the Republic of Ireland. The meaning of Fia or Fiadh is sometimes given as…

Iva

Bulgarian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Slovak, Czech, English

"willow tree; God is gracious; yew tree; bow warrior"

Short, sweet, and sharp, this multicultural choice is currently popular in Croatia, Czechia, Slovenia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. While not in the charts elsewhere, it is familiar in English…

Zella

African, Bobangi, Libyan place name, diminutive of Rosella, Marcella, Gizella, or Isabella

"lacking nothing, one who knows the way"

Sunny, sassy, and stylish, Zella is a multicultural and versatile choice which works across multiple languages. Popular back in the early 19th century, Zella is now catching the attention of…

Adora

Latin

"adored"

A name that would lavish your child with adoration, a princess name--as in Princess Adora of She-Ra: Princess of Power .

Aziza

Arabic

"powerful and beloved"

Aziza is a zippy palindromic choice that is the female variation of Aziz and is found in several Middle Eastern and African languages and cultures. All in all, an attractive and interesting option; a…

Alethea

Greek

"truth"

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,…

Wrenna

English

"wren"

The Old English word for a male wren has now become an elaboration of the bird name for girls. Rising up alongside Wrenley, Renli, Wrenn, Wrenlynn, and so on, in the US, Wrenna was given to 67 girls…

Aven

Botanical name or Irish

"white flower, beautiful sheen"

Variant of Eaven, an Anglicization of Aoibheann. As a botanical name, it refers to a type of pretty white flower which thrives in mountainous regions.

Edelyn

Variant of Eadlyn

Avelyn

Avelyn is a feminine name that represents a modern variation of traditional names like Evelyn, Avalon, or Aveline. With likely Germanic and French linguistic roots, Avelyn blends elements that…

Naiara

Basque place name

Basque name for a Spanish city where the Virgin Mary appeared in medieval times, now a popular girls' name throughout Spain.

Annora

Latin

"honor"

Annora is a noble name, a distinctive twist on its most essential form: Honor. Other variations to explore include Honora and Nora.

Camelia

Romanian and Spanish form of Camellia

"camellia flower"

A floral name, used in Romania and popular in Moldova too. Camellia is the English form, while Camélia is used in France. The flower itself is named after botanist George Josef Kamel.