Carissa's Favorite Girls' Names

Juno

Latin

"queen of the heavens; young"

Juno is an ancient name that feels as fresh as if it had been minted, well, not yesterday, but in 2007. Since the release of the popular indie film Juno , this lively but strong Roman goddess name…

Ridley

English

"cleared wood; reed clearing; channel clearing"

Can one prominent character affect the gender identity of a name? Definitely, as has supernatural bad girl Ridley Duchannes of the Beautiful Creatures series-turned-movie, played by the gorgeous Emmy…

Dinah

Hebrew

"God will judge"

Dinah is a charming, underused Old Testament name with a rich literary and musical resume. In the Old Testament, Dinah was the beautiful daughter of Jacob and Leah and while some conflate her with…

Aggie

English, diminutive of Agatha and Agnes

Mauve-tinted nickname with vintage charm that could just follow in the footsteps of ABBIE. More prominent now as the nickname for the Texas A&M sports teams.

Tess

English, diminutive of Theresa

"to harvest"

Cosy and warm but with plenty of substance and strength, Tess is a literary diminutive that works perfectly well as a stand-alone name. Stylish in the Netherlands, it currently sits outside the Top…

Nell

English, diminutive of Helen, Eleanor, et al

"bright, shining one"

Nell, once a nickname for Helen, Ellen, or Eleanor, is a sweet old-fashioned charmer that is fashionably used today in its own right. While Nell is perfectly in tune with contemporary vintage name…

Gwynn

Welsh

"fair, blessed"

The most modern choice in this group, and the most distinctive; the Gwyn form is a common male name in Wales.

Carlin

Irish

"little champion"

Stronger and more contemporary twist on Carla or Carly, Carlin was used just about equally for girls and boys in the US last year.

Shilo

Shilo is a name with Hebrew origins meaning "peaceful one" or "gift." While traditionally associated with the biblical location Shiloh, as a personal name it has been used for both boys and girls,…

Thisbe

Greek mythological name, meaning unknown

Thisbe, the name of a beautiful but tragic lover in mythology, is lively and cute -- in a slightly thistly, prickly way. Ovid retold the story of Thisbe and Pyramus, young lovers in ancient Babylon…

Bryony

Greek

"to sprout, to swell"

Bryony is an unusually strong plant name --the bryony is a wild climbing vine with green flowers --that caught on in the U.K. before sprouting here. The name of the young character in the Ian McEwan…

Payson

English, meaning unknown

Surname-sounding unisex cousin of Peyton is gaining in popularity, especially for girls.

Madigan

Irish

"little dog"

An unusual, energetic surname choice that would make a good Madison alternative. Madigan was a typical police detective series of the 1970s, starring Richard Widmark.

Hermione

Feminine version of Hermes, Greek

"messenger, earthly"

Hermione's costarring role in Harry Potter has made this previously ignored, once stodgy name suddenly viable. Hermione could really take off once today's children start having kids of their own. In…

Tris

Diminutive of Beatrice, Latin

"she who brings happiness; blessed"

In the Divergent series, Tris was used as a short form of Beatrice, but it could also be given as a nickname for names like Tristan, Patricia, or Demetris.

Marlow

English

"driftwood"

This old English surname is gaining popularity, especially for girls. Though the Marlowe spelling is both the most popular and most feminine form of the name, second-place Marlow is 75 percent…

Embry

English surname

"flat-topped hill"

Though Embry became famous as the name of a boy werewolf in Twilight , we think its Em- beginning and -y ending make it perfectly appropriate for a girl. You might consider it as an alternative to…

Avis

Latin

"bird"

Avis is a bird name that's been in hibernation for awhile, possibly due to the car rental association, but it could make a return on the wings of Ava. Baldwin brother Daniel chose it for his…