Girl Names I Love

Harper

English

"harp player"

You might think of Harper as the hottest name of the last decade, jumping from obscurity to the Top 10, where it remained until last year. Victoria and David Beckham's choice of Harper for their…

Hazel

English

"the hazelnut tree"

Hazel has a pleasantly hazy, brownish-green-eyed, old-fashioned image that more and more parents are choosing to share. Former Old Lady name Hazel reentered the popularity lists in 1998 and now is…

Penelope

Greek

"weaver"

As elegant and refined as it is sweet and energized., Penelope has been well and truly revived in the 21st-century. Off the Top 1000 for 25 years, Penelope jumped back on in 2001 and has been heading…

Luna

Latin

"moon"

The name of the Roman goddess of the moon, Luna is derived straight from the Latin word for moon, luna. Luna may be the name most likely to surprise someone from an older generation by its Top 10…

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…

Ayla

Hebrew or Turkish

"oak tree; halo, moonlight"

Bright, fresh, and sunny, Ayla is a fashionable and exciting international choice for girls. Reminiscent of other trending names such as Layla, Isla, and Ava, Ayla has recently found its place in the…

Juniper

Latin tree name

"young"

Juniper is a fresh-feeling nature name -- it's a small evergreen shrub -- with lots of energy. A new favorite of fashionable parents, Juniper joins such other tree and shrub names as Hazel, Acacia,…

Juliette

French diminutive of Julia, Latin

"youthful or sky father"

Juliette, pronounced with the emphasis on the last syllable, adds a little something extra to Juliet. In the past years it has been rising up the chart. Juliet originated in the Middle Ages as a…

Hadley

English

"heather field"

Hadley, most famous as the name of Ernest Hemingway's first wife, is more sophisticated, professional, and modern than cousins Harley, Haley, or Hayden. The hit book The Paris Wife , a novel by Paula…

Anastasia

Greek, feminine variation of Anastasios

"resurrection"

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…

Teagan

Irish or Welsh

"little poet or fair"

As Meghan/Megan and Reagan/Regan show signs of wilting, along comes Teagan to take up the slack: definitely one to consider. The vast majority of American babies named Teagan are now girls. A variant…

Raven

Word and animal name

Bird name Raven, once a symbol of pride for both African-American and Wiccan parents, is finding new life as a superhero name. Raven Darkholme is the real name of Mystique, heroine of the X-Men films…

Elle

French

"she"

Combine the charming heroine of the movie Legally Blonde with supermodel Elle Macpherson and the trend toward all names beginning with "el"—Ellie, Ella, Eleanor—and you have one hit name. Elle Driver…

Clover

Flower name, from Old English

"key"

Clover is a charming, perky choice if you want to move beyond hothouse blooms like Rose and Lily, and it's recently become a new celeb favorite, chosen by both Neal McDonough and Natasha Gregson…

Zora

Serbo-Croatian

"dawn"

Zora is a meaningful literary heroine name honoring Zora Neale Hurston, an important black writer and leader of the Harlem Renaissance. Spelled Zorah, it is a biblical place name, and is also the…

Brenna

Feminine form of Brennan

"descendant of the sad one; raindrops"

Brenna is a feminine form of the Irish surname Brennan, or perhaps a variation of Brenda or Brendan—all of which have different meanings. Whatever its derivation or authenticity, it's a modern…