Favorite Names for Girls

Olivia

Latin

"olive tree"

Olivia, a lovely Shakespearean name with an admirable balance of strength and femininity, is one of the top girls' names around the world. 2025 marked its 7th consecutive year in the #1 spot in the…

Sophia

Greek

"wisdom"

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…

Hannah

Hebrew

"grace"

Hannah is one of the nation's top biblical girls' names — it surpassed Sarah in 1998, and ranks in the Top 100 along with Elizabeth, Abigail, Chloe, and Naomi. Hannah is a name with many sources of…

Leah

Hebrew

"weary"

Strong but sweet, Leah is a classic name that doesn't feel dull or dusty. It's got plenty of dignity, grace, and pluck, making it a solid choice in the 21st century. Leah was most likely derived from…

Ariana

Italian variation of Ariadne, Greek

"most holy"

The smooth, attractive Ariana is on the rise along with the fame of pop princess Ariana Grande. Also famous is twin spelling Arianna, which is associated with Greek-born online presence Arianna…

Savannah

Spanish

"flat tropical grassland"

A place name with a deep Southern accent, the once-obscure Savannah shot to fame, with others of its genre, on the heels of the best seller Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil , which was set in…

Vanessa

Literary invention; also a species of butterfly

Vanessa was invented by writer Jonathan Swift for a lover named Esther Vanhomrigh—he combined the first syllable of her last name with the initial syllable of her first. Swift used it in the poem…

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 ,…

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.…

Noel

French

"Christmas"

Noel, the French word for Christmas has been given to both boys and girls born on that holiday since the Middle Ages. For girls it's often spelled Noelle.

Caitlin

Irish variation of Catherine

"pure"

An Irish and Welsh form of Catherine, Caitlin was a boom name of the eighties, rocketing from obscurity (Americans first heard it via the wife of doomed poet Dylan Thomas) to the height of popularity…

Heather

English botanical name

"small shrub"

This flower name was one of the most popular in her class in the seventies and eighties, a fact reflected in the 1989 movie Heathers , in which every snobby girl in the high school clique bears the…