Favorite Girl Names

Willow

English nature name

"willow tree"

An ancient tree that figures in literature from Shakespeare to Harry Potter and is believed to possess magical powers, Willow is a lovely name, as graceful as its inspiration. Willow's use as a given…

Addison

English surname

"son of Adam"

Newly fashioned but familiar and with an on-trend, unisex feel, Addison seems like the perfect solution for anyone who can't decide between Madison, Adeline, and Alison. Addison really took off in…

Kennedy

Irish

"misshapen head"

This attractive surname name still projects that Kennedy family charisma. While it didn't come into widespread use until long after the deaths of martyred heroes President John F. or Senator Robert…

Emerson

English

"son of Emery"

The combination of Emily and Emma's popularity -- and the fact that Desperate Housewives star Teri Hatcher's daughter is named Emerson -- have put this formerly strictly boys’ name , embodying the…

Peyton

English

"fighting-man's estate"

Peyton is a unisex surname that rose to fame in the 90s, with parents drawing inspiration from football star, Peyton Manning, and, oddly enough, from "Peyton Flanders", the villainess of the 1992…

Arabella

Latin, Scottish

"yielding to prayer; lovable"

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…

Leighton

English

"meadow town"

One of those names that's suddenly on the map because of a celebrity's influence, Leighton Meester of the TV show Gossip Girl . She pronounces it LAY-ton but some will intuitively say LEE-ton.

Gracelyn

Modern invented name, combination of Grace and Lyn

"graceful + lake; pretty"

This name is a combination of the traditional Grace and the popular suffix -lyn. Gracelyn could work as an alternative to the popular Brooklyn while also sharing the modern feel of Emberlynn and…

Arden

English

"valley of the eagle; high"

Arden, the name of the magical forest in Shakespeare's As You Like It , is a stylish A name with a strong, straightforward image. Another reason to love Arden: its similarity to "ardent." Arden is…

Jacelyn

Modern invented name

A possible, and not too successful, attempt to individualize Jocelyn or formalize Jacey.