Girls Names

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…

Daisy

Diminutive of Margaret or flower name, English

"day's eye"

Daisy, fresh, wholesome, and energetic, is one of the flower names that burst back into bloom after a century's hibernation. In 2024, it burst back into the Top 100 for the first time since 1908.…

Genevieve

English from French

"tribe woman"

Genevieve is derived from the Germanic medieval name Genovefa, or Kenowefa, which consists of the elements kuni , meaning "kin", and wefa , meaning "woman." The medieval saint Genevieve, patroness of…

Katherine

Greek

"pure"

Katherine is one of the oldest, most diverse, and all-around best names: it's powerful, feminine, royal, saintly, classic, popular, and adaptable. Long one of the top girls' names starting with K ,…

Ophelia

Greek

"help"

Floral, elegant, and bold, Ophelia re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2015 after more than 50 years off the charts. It has risen more than 700 spots since then and shows no signs of slowing down. Now in…

Beatrice

Latin

"she who brings happiness; blessed"

Beatrice is back. Stored in the attic for almost a century, the lovely Beatrice with its long literary (Shakespeare, Dante) and royal history is being looked at with fresh eyes by parents seeking a…

Marie

French variation of Mary

"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"

The ubiquitous French version of Mary came into the English-speaking world in the nineteenth century. In the United States, Marie was a huge hit at the turn of the last century and for the ensuing…

Cordelia

Latin; Celtic

"heart; daughter of the sea"

Cordelia is exactly the kind of old-fashioned, grown-up name for girls that many parents are seeking for their daughters today. The name of King Lear's one sympathetic daughter, Cordelia has both…

Annika

Swedish diminutive of Anna

"grace"

Annika is a surprise hit of recent years, inspired by golfer Sorenstam; for Trekkies, it was also the name of a 'Star Trek:Voyager' character. Some people's first memory of it might be as Pippi…

Marguerite

French variation of Margaret; also a flower name

"pearl; daisy"

Marguerite is a classic French name with a remnant of old-fashioned Gallic charm; and is also a variety of daisy. Chic again in Paris, it's definitely ripe for revival here. Another reason you might…

Oriana

Latin

"dawn; gold"

Oriana is a dashing medieval name, with a meaning similar to Aurora. At this point, though, Oriana is much more unusual than Aurora and makes a unique choice if you're searching for names that mean…

Beatrix

Latin

"she who brings happiness; blessed"

Beatrix has a solid history of its own apart from Beatrice, with that final x adding a playful, animated note to the name's imposing history and stately vibe. In the earliest sources it is recorded…

Imogen

Celtic

"maiden"

Imogen has long been fashionable in England and is gaining favor in the US among stylish parents. Pronounced the British way — the initial i is short as in Kim, as is the final E as in Ken — Imogen…

Danika

Eastern European

"morning star"

Spelling variation of Danica with a modern update.

Tamia

Modern invented name

Variation of Tamara, popularized by Canadian singer Tamia.

Lorraine

French

"from the province of Lorraine"

Sweet Lorraine might just be old enough to be ripe for reconsideration. This French place name has moved in and out of fashion in the few hundred years it's been used as a girls' first name, somewhat…

Linnea

Swedish

"twinflower, lime tree"

Linnea is an attractive Scandinavian name that derives from the renowned 18th century Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, who developed the Linnean system of classifying plants and animals. Linnea is…

Kristen

Danish and Norwegian variation of Christine

"a Christian"

Kristen may be somewhat past its fashion high point, but it remains forever crystalline clear. Possible problem: confusion with the similar Scandinavian names Kristin, Kirsten, Kirstie, et al.…

Minnie

Diminutive of Wilhelmina, German

"resolute protection"

Minnie was wildly popular at the turn of the last century — it was the fifth or sixth most popular name throughout the 1880s — but is completely obscure in the US today. Blame Mickey's girlfriend.…

Kjersti

Kjersti is a feminine Scandinavian name, primarily used in Norway, representing a variation of Kirsten or Kirsti. These names are Nordic forms of Christina, ultimately derived from the Greek word…