Cool girl names

Arlise

Irish

"pledge"

This feminine form of Arliss, is familiar via the recent HBO series. But why not just use Arliss?

Carbry

Irish

"charioteer"

Male name from Irish mythology makes stylish-sounding choice for girls.

Sela

Hebrew

"rock"

Sela is a Biblical place name, the original term for the city of Petra, which is finding new life through actress Sela Ward, star of several TV series. The young daughter of singer Lauryn Hill is…

Auden

English

"old friend"

A softly poetic surname name, associated with poet W.H., Auden is enjoying quiet but marked fashion status. It was chosen for his daughter by Noah Wyle and is definitely one to watch.

Flannery

Irish

"descendant of Flannghal"

Long before the vogue of using Irish surnames for girls, writer Flannery O'Connor gave this one some visibility. It has a warm (flannelly) feel and the currently popular three-syllable ee-ending…

Aisling

Irish

"dream, vision"

Aisling is currently a very popular Irish name for girls . Pronounced variously as ASH-ling, ASH-lin or ash-LEEN, it was part of the revival of authentic Irish names in the twentieth century, and is…

Arwen

Literature, Sindarin, Welsh

"noble maiden; fair, blessed"

Best known as the princess of the Elves in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings , Arwen is a fantasy-inspired choice that feels perfectly down to earth. In 2022, it entered the UK Top 400, making it one of…

Zinnia

Flower name, from German surname

"Zinn's flower"

Zinnia is an unusual floral choice with a bit more edge and energy than most and beginning to find its way onto namers' wish lists of botanical possibilities. Named after the 18th-century German…

Lorca

Spanish place name and surname

The haunting Lorca is a place name from the Spanish province of Navarre, but far more famous as the surname of the eminent Spanish poet and playwright Federico Garcia Lorca, who was the direct…