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Delightfully Frilly Girl Names

arabella77
By arabella77
Updated Thu May 25 2023
I have a deep weakness for adorable, frilly girls' names, the kind that you can easily picture with tutus and glitter. These are a few of my favorite.
  1. Anastasia

    • Origin:

      Greek, feminine variation of Anastasios

    • Meaning:

      "resurrection"

    • Description:

      Anastasia is the feminine form on Anastasius, a Greek name derived from the word anastasis, meaning "resurrection." It was a common name among early Christians, who often gave it to daughters born around Christmas or Easter. There are handful of saints named Anastasia, including the patron saint of weavers.
  2. Arabella

    • Origin:

      Latin, Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "yielding to prayer; lovable"

    • Description:

      Arabella, lovely and elegant, has long been well used in Britain and finally made it onto the American list in 2005. A Top 50 choice in the UK, in the US in remains in the Top 300, given to around 1300 babies each year.
  3. Aurora

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "dawn"

    • Description:

      The goddess name Aurora has consistently been on the US popularity list since the nineteenth century, but has really taken off in the past 30 years. Aurora also enjoys remarkable international popularity, ranking in the Top 100 throughout the English-speaking world as well as in Italy, Spain, Norway, Switzerland, and several other European and Latin American countries.
  4. Blantonlee
    • Cadenza

      • Origin:

        Italian, musical term

      • Description:

        Cadenza takes the popular CADENCE and gives it a more operatic flourish.
    • Cassia

      • Origin:

        Feminine form of Cassius or Greek

      • Meaning:

        "cinnamon"

      • Description:

        Cassia is related to the cassia tree, which has yellow flowers and produces a spice that can be a substitute for cinnamon. Keziah, the name of Job’s daughter in the Old Testament, derives from the name of the plant as well. Cassia also has ties to the Ancient Roman name Cassius, an Ancient Roman family name meaning "hollow."
    • Celestia

      • Origin:

        Variation of Celeste, Latin

      • Meaning:

        "heavenly"

      • Description:

        Celestia is a heavenly name that sounds more ethereal than Celeste, Celestia might make a distinctive, feminine choice if your taste runs toward names like Angelina and Seraphina.
    • Corissa

      • Description:

        Corissa is a feminine name that emerged as a variation of Cora or Corinne, with roots tracing back to the Greek name Kore, meaning "maiden." The addition of the suffix "-issa" creates a more elaborate, flowing version of these classic names. Corissa gained modest popularity in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s, when parents were exploring variations of traditional names with more contemporary sounds. While never reaching the top tier of popular names, it has maintained consistent usage. The name has a melodic quality with its soft consonants and rhythmic syllables. Corissa balances familiarity with uniqueness, making it appealing to parents seeking a name that is recognizable but not overly common.

    • Cressida

      • Origin:

        Greek

      • Meaning:

        "gold"

      • Description:

        Cressida is a pretty mythological and Shakespearean heroine name much better known in Britain than it is here — an imbalance the adventurous baby namer might want to correct.
    • Desdemona

      • Origin:

        Greek

      • Meaning:

        "ill-starred"

      • Description:

        Desdemona is as Shakespearean as a name can be, but because the beautiful and innocent wife of Othello came to such a tragic end, her name has been avoided for centuries. But at this point in time, there might be some adventurous parents willing to overlook that.
    • Eleanor

      • Origin:

        English variation of French Provencal Alienor, meaning unknown

      • Description:

        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.
    • Eloise

      • Origin:

        French and English variation of Heloise

      • Meaning:

        "healthy; wide"

      • Description:

        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 pond in the UK. Given to nearly 3000 babies each year, Eloise is showing no sign of stepping out of the spotlight.
    • Everleigh
      • Fiametta
        • Gardenia

          • Origin:

            Flower name, from English surname

          • Meaning:

            "Garden's flower"

          • Description:

            More uncommon and powerful than garden varieties like Rose and Lily. Named for Scottish botanist Dr Alexander Garden.
        • Ginevra

          • Origin:

            Italian variation of Guinevere or Jennifer

          • Meaning:

            "white shadow, white wave"

          • Description:

            This lovely alternative for the Jennifer-lover ranks among the most popular girls' names in Italy. At this point in the US, the legions of Jennifers born in the 1970s are starting to become grandmas, so Ginevra might make an apt honor name for granny Jen.
        • Guinevere

          • Origin:

            Welsh

          • Meaning:

            "white shadow, white wave"

          • Description:

            Guinevere was the name of the beautiful but ill-fated queen of Camelot, for so many years eclipsed by its modern Cornish form Jennifer. Today, Guinevere could be a cool possibility for adventurous parents intrigued by this richly evocative and romantic choice.
        • Idalia

          • Origin:

            Greek, Germanic

          • Meaning:

            "behold the sun; work, labor"

          • Description:

            A pretty, if unusual choice for a summer baby, particularly a girl with an ancestor named Ida. An epithet of the goddess Aphrodite, Idalia is derived from the Greek place name Idalion.
        • Ignacia

          • Origin:

            Latin

          • Meaning:

            "ardent, burning"

          • Description:

            This Spanish form of the yet-to-be-revived Ignatius was borne by an early and influential Philipina nun known as Mother Ignacia.
        • Isolde

          • Origin:

            Welsh, German

          • Meaning:

            "ice ruler"

          • Description:

            Now that Tristan has been rediscovered, maybe it's time for his fabled lover in the Arthurian romances and Wagnerian opera, a beautiful Irish princess, to be brought back into the light as well.