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  1. Audrey
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "noble strength"
    • Description:

      Audrey is one of the girls' names that have been rising due to their connection to Old Hollywood glamour—in this case the eternally chic and radiant Audrey Hepburn. Audrey has another very different appeal as one of the elite group of girl names that mean strong, brave, or powerful.
  2. Belle
    • Origin:

      Short form of Isabelle or French
    • Meaning:

      "beautiful"
    • Description:

      Belle has nothing but positive associations, from "belle of the ball" to "Southern belle" to the heroine of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. As if this weren't enough good things, Belle is also one of the most familiar and usable names that mean beautiful. Though it has been overshadowed by the Twilight-influenced Bella and longer forms like Isabella and Annabella, Belle has its own Southern charm and would make a pretty choice as a first or middle name.
  3. Brianne
    • Elias
      • Origin:

        Greek variation of Elijah, Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "Yahweh is God"
      • Description:

        Strong, charismatic, and sleek, Elias has followed in the footsteps of Elijah and Eli to become a popular choice among parents today.
    • Elliot
      • Origin:

        Anglicization of Elijah or Elias
      • Meaning:

        "Jehovah is God"
      • Description:

        Elliot (which boasts several spellings depending upon how many 'l's or 't's you want to use) is a winner -- it has the ideal quality of being neither too common nor weirdly unique. Elliot had a style boost back in the early 1980s via the young hero of the movie E.T. , who was named Elliott. Since then there have been Elliots on Law & Order: SVU and Mad Men.
    • Henrietta
      • Origin:

        Feminine variation of Henry
      • Meaning:

        "estate ruler"
      • Description:

        Despite a return to such feminizations of male names as Josephine, Clementine, and Theodora, starchy Henrietta has not made it into that group. Still, if you look hard enough, you'll see that Henrietta has the same vintage charm.
    • Isla
      • Origin:

        Scottish place-name or Spanish
      • Meaning:

        "island"
      • Description:

        Isla is a hit name throughout the English-speaking world but hasn't found the same popularity in other western countries, perhaps because its spelling and pronunciation don't make sense for those whose native language is not English. Think island without the final two letters.
    • Jacob
      • Origin:

        Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "supplanter"
      • Description:

        Biblical Jacob ceded his Number 1 spot to biblical Noah, in 2013, after holding first place on the list of baby boy names from 1999 to 2012, given a huge boost by the Twilight phenomenon.
    • Julian
      • Origin:

        English from Latin, variation of Julius
      • Meaning:

        "youthful, downy-bearded, or sky father"
      • Description:

        Cool and charming, with plenty of flair and sophistication, Julian manages to strike the balance between being a sensible classic and contemporary choice. Appealingly international, it is no wonder Julian is a rising star.
    • Kendal
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "valley of the river Kent"
      • Description:

        Variant of Kendall
    • Kristen
      • Origin:

        Danish and Norwegian variation of Christine
      • Meaning:

        "a Christian"
      • Description:

        Kristen may be somewhat past its fashion high point, but it remains forever crystalline clear. Possible problem: confusion with the similar Scandinavian names Kristin, Kirsten, Kirstie, et al.
    • Layla
      • Origin:

        Variation of Leila, Arabic
      • Meaning:

        "night"
      • Description:

        A lovely musical name (remember the old Eric Clapton-Derek & the Dominos song?), Layla's seen a significant surge in popularity, partly partly all names with a double L are stylish, and partly because all the forms of the name push it into the Top 15 for girls.
    • Lila
      • Origin:

        Arabic, Sanskrit
      • Meaning:

        "night; play"
      • Description:

        Lila is one of the girl names with a double l sound — Lila, Lola, Layla, Leila, Lily et al — that have caught on in a major way., Delicate yet dynamic, Lila has a slightly international flair.
    • Sophia
      • Origin:

        Greek
      • Meaning:

        "wisdom"
      • Description:

        Sophia, which was the Number 1 girls' name in the US from 2011 to 2013, is among the top girl names in the Western World, with a sensuous sound and high-minded meaning. A real winner, Sophia reached the top of the charts without losing any—okay, much—of its sophisticated beauty.
    • Zara
      • Origin:

        Hebrew and Arabic
      • Meaning:

        "blooming flower; God remembers"
      • Description:

        Zara has multiple origins, but most notably is a variation of Zahrah, a name derived from the Arabic zahrah, meaning "blooming flower." Zara can also be a diminutive of the Bulgarian name Zaharina, a feminine form of the Hebrew Zechariah. Today, Zara is heavily associated with the Spanish fast-fashion empire of the same name.