Favorite Girl's Names

Scarlett

English

"scarlet, red"

Scarlett Johansson is doing more for this sparky southern name than Scarlett O'Hara ever did. Since the turn of the 21st century, Scarlett has gone from an obscure literary name to one of the most…

Athena

Greek

"from Athens"

Magical and distinctive but grounded and familiar too, it's no surprise that Athena has become one of the most widely used ancient goddess names in the contemporary Western world. Derived from the…

Piper

English occupational name

"pipe or flute player"

Piper is a bright, musical name that entered the list in 1999, one year after the debut of the TV series Charmed , which featured a Piper, and it's been a consistent riser since. Piper Kerman is the…

Blake

English

"fair-haired, dark"

The unisex Blake, which indeed has two conflicting meanings, has a briskly efficient image when used for a girl. Though in the eighties it was seen very much as a boys’ name , epitomized by the…

Elodie

French, variation of Alodia, German

"foreign riches"

The lyrical and melodious Elodie, a Nameberry favorite, is starting to rise through the US popularity charts for the first time since the 1880s. This once uncommon member of the El- family is a Top…

Ariel

Hebrew

"lion of God"

Ariel is a male Biblical name, seen there as the messenger of Ezra, and also used as a symbolic name for the city of Jerusalem, while Shakespeare used it for a (male) sprite in The Tempest . For…

Andi

Diminutive of Andrea or Anderson, Greek or English from Scandinavian

"strong and manly, son of Anders"

Boyish nickname name that first heard in the Ricki/Terri era but finding new favor among parents who love names like Billie and Frankie, Scottie and Stevie. Sister spelling Andie has also been on the…

Liv

Diminutive of Olivia, English, Norse

"olive tree; life, protection"

Liv combines the succinct charm of a nickname—people might assume it's short for Olivia—with the solidity of being a classic stand-alone Scandinavian name with a life-force meaning. It was brought…

Aimee

Variation of Amy, French

"beloved"

Amy was a 1970s favorite, and French spelling Aimee peaked in the same decade. Today, about 1500 baby girls are still named Amy every year in the US, versus about 150 named Aimee. Aimee Teegarden is…

Avalon

Celtic

"island of apples"

Avalon, an island paradise of Celtic myth and Arthurian legend--it was where King Arthur was taken to recover from his wounds-- and also the colorful capital of the California island of Catalina--…

Cadence

Latin

"rhythm, beat"

The musical word name Cadence, seemed to come out of nowhere to zoom up the charts; it rose over 700 spots between 2002 and 2004, and showed up in the Top 200 in 2007. It's gone down in the popular…

Blythe

English

"happy, carefree"

Blythe is Nameberry gem — one of those names that visitors to the site are often searching for, despite the fact it's never ranked in the US charts as a given name. The name is derived the Old…

Blaise

Latin

"one who stutters"

Despite its modern sound, Blaise has plenty of history as a given name (for boys), from a Christian martyr to Arthurian legends. Today Blaise feels like the cool and edgy Blaze with a French accent.

Ever

English word name

"always, eternally, constantly"

A simple, unusual word name with an evocative meaning, Ever feels similar enough to Eva, Evelyn, and Everly that it shifts easily into name territory. Actor Robert Carradine was ahead of the trends…

Sicily

Place-name

Sicily is a lilting Italian place-name that sounds like the elegant British Cicely -- which you might consider a plus or a minus.

Clio

Greek

"glory"

Clio is the name of the ancient Greek mythological muse of history and heroic poetry, one that is rich with modern charm and would make an intriguing choice, especially thanks to its dynamic…