Mom Names For Characters

Evelyn

English from French and German

"desired; or water, island"

After decades of disuse, soft and feminine Evelyn has returned to the baby name stage in a huge way. It reached the Top 10 for the first time in 2017. Evelyn has now surpassed its former heights,…

Eleanor

English variation of French Provencal Alienor, meaning unknown

Eleanor's straightforward feminine image combined with its royal medieval history is striking just the right note for parents in search of a girls' name that combines substance and style. Big plus:…

Elizabeth

Hebrew

"pledged to God"

Elizabeth is one of the most popular girls' names of all time, the female equivalent of James or William. Yet Elizabeth has so much going for it—rich history, broad appeal, and timeless style—that no…

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…

Lucy

English variation of Lucia, Latin

"light"

A versatile classic, Lucy is both sweet and solid, a saint's name, and the heroine of several great novels. First fashionable in England and Wales, Lucy is now a popular choice in the US, The…

Emily

Feminine variation of Emil, Latin

"rival"

Emily may have dropped somewhat in the current standings, but it was the most popular American girl name for over a decade in the 90s and 2000s, likely because it appeals on many levels. It's…

Abigail

Hebrew

"my father is joyful"

Abigail has been in for so long -- the name has ranked in the US Top 100 since the late 1980s -- it's amazing that it isn't more out by now. But Abigail's biblical and historic roots make it a…

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…

Eloise

French and English variation of Heloise

"healthy; wide"

Well balanced between sleek, sweet, strong, and vintage, newly chic Eloise re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2009, following a 50-year absence. In 2022, it broke into the Top 100 in the US and across the…

Stella

Latin

"star"

Stella is a name with star quality and sparkle, that manages to sound both ethereal and earthy. Celestial but not otherworldly, it lands somewhere between the popular Ella and bold Seraphina. The…

Josephine

French feminine variation of Joseph, Hebrew

"Jehovah increases"

Josephine, with its large measure of class and character and a gently offbeat quality, has been on a gentle uphill climb in the US for over 30 years, now ranking in the Top 100. With an intriguing…

Victoria

Latin

"victory"

Victoria is the Latin word for "victory" and a feminine form of Victor. It is the name of the ancient Roman goddess of victory, the equivalent of the Greek Nike, and also a popular third century…

Hannah

Hebrew

"grace"

Hannah is one of the nation's top biblical girls' names — it surpassed Sarah in 1998, and ranks in the Top 100 along with Elizabeth, Abigail, Chloe, and Naomi. Hannah is a name with many sources of…

Lillian

English from Latin

"lily; pledged to God"

Lillian has ranked among the US Top 100 for the past 20 years, making it Lily's less popular but more grown-up cousin. A Top 10 name at the turn of the last century, the heyday of Lillian Gish and…

Clara

Latin

"bright, clear"

Clara is a strong, lovely girls' name that's always ranked among the US Top 1000 girl names but has been climbing since the turn of this century. It now ranks right at Number 78, making it a modern…

Alice

German

"noble"

Alice is a classic literary name that's both strong and sweet, ranking in the US Top 100 and popular throughout the Western world. Alice is derived from the Old French name Aalis, a diminutive of…

Vivian

Latin

"life"

Vivian, once an elderly lady name, is on the rise, along with all forms of girl names that mean life — from Zoe to Eva to those who share the vivid Viv syllable. It was one of the fastest-rising…

Millie

English diminutive of Mildred or Millicent

"gentle strength; strong in work"

Millie is back. It's a popular name throughout much of the English-speaking world, and broke the US Top 100 in 2024. Millicent would be an appealing long form, but many people are using Millie all by…

Maria

Hebrew or Egyptian

"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"

As a highly popular girls' name in all Spanish-speaking countries, this saintly Latin variation of Mary retains a timeless beauty. Through the centuries, Maria remains one of the most widely-used…

Sarah

Hebrew

"princess"

Sarah was derived from the Hebrew word sarah , meaning "princess." Sarah is an Old Testament name — she was the wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac. According to the Book of Genesis, Sarah was…