Bitchy Girl Names

Valentina

Latin

"strength, health"

Effortlessly stylish, with plenty of sweetness and strength, Valentina feels like a fresh alternative to Valerie, Victoria, or Vanessa, even if it does now rank ahead of them in the US charts.…

Victoria

Latin

"victory"

Victoria is the Latin word for "victory" and a feminine form of Victor. It is the name of the ancient Roman goddess of victory, the equivalent of the Greek Nike, and also a popular third century…

Sophie

French variation of Sophia, Greek

"wisdom"

Sophie is the French form of the Greek Sophia, for which it is also commonly used as a nickname. Given Sophia's long standing among the Top 10 girl names in the US, Sophie may feel more popular than…

Jade

Spanish

"stone of the side"

As a precious stone, Jade is known for its cool green hues, its importance in Chinese art, and its ability to transmit wisdom, confidence, and clarity. As a name, however, Jade is a 90s throwback in…

Ashley

English

"dweller near the ash tree meadow"

Ashley was a sensation in the 1980s and 1990s; it hit Number 1 in 1991. Ashley is still pretty but more and more parents are turning to newer names like Ashlyn and Aubrey, and spellings such as…

Paige

English, occupational name

"page to a lord"

Paige is more name, and less word than the occupational Page. Paige is also sleek and sophisticated a la Brooke and Blair and reached as high as Number 47 in 2003, when there was a very popular…

Lauren

English from Latin

"from Laurentum or bay laurel"

Lauren was derived from Laurence, an English name from the Roman family name Laurentius, meaning "from Laurentum." Laurentum, an ancient Italian city, got its name from the Latin word laurus ,…

London

English place-name

"Capital city of England"

The capital of England makes a solid and attractive twenty-first-century choice in the US where it is currently in the Top 1000. Given to nearly 1000 girls and 200 boys each year, it is a unisex…

Maddison

Spelling variation of Madison

"son of Maud"

While the traditionally spelled Madison has been among the most popular names in the 21st century, this version isn't exactly unpopular. Nevertheless, the second d is superfluous.

Michelle

French variation of Michael

"who is like God"

Michelle is the feminine form of Michel, the French variation of Michael. Michael was derived from the Hebrew name Mihka’el, meaning "who is like God." The alternate spelling Michele, with one "L,"…

Amber

Word name, English

Though perhaps not as currently stylish as Ruby, Jade, or Pearl, Amber has a colorful history (remember the notorious Forever Amber heroine?). Unfortunately, it does come with the "Amber Alert"…

Paris

French place-name

Paris, a one-time mythical and Shakespearean boys' name, peaked in 2004 at Number 157 at least in part due to the highly publicized Paris Hilton. Michael Jackson used it for his daughter.

Lexi

Diminutive of Alexandra, Greek

"defending men"

Lexi and Lexie, pixieish offshoots of the prolific Alex family, have come into their own. While it's on a gentle downslope, Lexi still ranks in the US Top 500.

Jessica

Hebrew

"behold or wealthy"

When Jennifer finally gave up her Number 1 place on the girls' popularity list, her crown was passed to Jessica, who reigned for not one but two decades. Jessica was the Number 1 name in both the…

Tiffany

English variation of Theophania, Greek

"of divine manifestation"

One of the first luxury brand names and the quintessential Booming Eighties status-conscious moniker; used by Donald Trump for his daughter, Tiffany has plummeted far from its high in the Top 25.…

Brittany

English name of the French region Bretagne, meaning 'from Briton'

Brittany first arrived on the US popularity list in 1971, and rapidly zoomed up the charts, in the Top 100 a decade later. By 1986 it had entered the Top 10, becoming the third most popular girls’…

Lindsay

English surname

"marshlands of Lincolnshire"

In the early eighties, Lindsay, in tandem with Courtney, approached the Top 10. Lindsey is one of the few truly unisex names (rather than being a name that has changed genders). Over time the ey…

Mercedes

Spanish

"gracious gifts, benefits"

Mercedes is one of the few names attached to luxury living that we can wholeheartedly recommend, it being a legitimate Spanish appellation stemming from one of the epithets given to the Virgin…

Missy

English, diminutive of Melissa

A name that works until your daughter is, say, six.