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Names From My Family Tree- Girls

marvelous_things
By marvelous_things
Updated Wed Nov 03 2021
This list is pretty long because I come from a big family. The list covers over a century of naming in my family, starting with my great-grandparents generation, born in the early 1900s, to my cousins born just a few years ago.
  1. Agnes

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "pure, virginal"

    • Description:

      Agnes is the Latin variation of the name Hagne, which itself derived from the Greek word hagnos, meaning "chaste." In medieval times, St. Agnes was a very popular saint, leading to its popularity as a girl's name. Agnes Grey is the title of one of the two novels written by Anne Brontë.
  2. Alyssa

    • Origin:

      English variation of Alicia

    • Meaning:

      "noble"

    • Description:

      Alyssa was in the Top 20 from 1997-2010 and peaked as the 11th most popular girls’ name in 1998 and 1999 but has become less popular in recent years. It's related to the flower alyssum as well as to the classic Alice and variants. Alyssa Milano helped give it a bounce back when she was still a child sitcom star.
  3. Ann

    • Origin:

      English variation of Hebrew Hannah

    • Meaning:

      "grace"

    • Description:

      Ann, the name of the sainted mother of the Virgin Mary, was among the top girls’ names for centuries, in both the original English Ann spelling and the French Anne. Both left the Top 100 around 1970 and show no signs of returning, with Anne is the middle of the US Top 1000 and Ann dropped out of sight.
  4. Ashleigh

    • Description:

      Ashleigh is a feminine name that represents an alternative spelling of Ashley, which originated as an English surname derived from place names meaning "ash tree clearing" or "meadow of ash trees." This variant spelling gained popularity in the late 20th century as parents sought more distinctive ways to spell traditional names. While Ashley peaked in popularity in the United States during the 1980s and 1990s, Ashleigh offers a slightly more uncommon and visually distinctive option. The name carries associations with nature and has a fresh, contemporary feel despite its ancient roots. Ashleigh is particularly popular in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, where variant spellings are more commonly embraced.

  5. Barbara

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "foreign woman"

    • Description:

      Barbara is back and among the fastest-rising names of recent years! Credit goes to 2023's breakout movie Barbie, which gave a new stylish feel to the classic Barbara and set it up to rank alongside clunky, retro choices like Deborah, Marjorie, Marilyn, and Dorothy.
  6. Beth

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Elizabeth

    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"

    • Description:

      The sweetest and most sensitive of the pet names for Elizabeth, now also one of the most dated.
  7. Beulah

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "married"

    • Description:

      In the Bible, Beulah is a place, not a person, applied to the land of Israel by the prophet Isaiah. The land of Beulah has sometimes been considered a reference to heaven. Beulah began to be used as a given name in England at the time of the Reformation and was used by the seventeenth century Puritans.
  8. Brenda

    • Origin:

      Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "blade of a sword"

    • Description:

      First the heroine of Sir Walter Scott's 1822 novel The Pirate, then a glamorous 1940s debutante, then the troubled twin on Beverly Hills 90210, and now fading in favor of more modern Brenna, Briana, and Bryn. Much more likely to be worn by a mother or grandmother these days. The song "Brenda's Got a Baby" was late rap megastar Tupac's debut single.
  9. Brittany

    • Origin:

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

    • Description:

      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’ name in the country by 1989.
  10. Brooke

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "small stream"

    • Description:

      Brooke has long projected an aura of sleek sophistication, and can also be seen as a stylish water name.
  11. Carol

    • Origin:

      English, feminine variation of Charles

    • Meaning:

      "free man"

    • Description:

      A Caroline abbreviation that was wildly popular with Mom's generation...or Grandma's. At one time it was a name for baby girls born at Christmas. because of its association with Christmas carols.
  12. Catherine

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "pure"

    • Description:

      Catherine is one of the oldest and most consistently well-used girls’ names, with endless variations and nicknames. The Catherine form feels more gently old-fashioned and feminine than the more popular K versions. Most stylish nickname for Catherine right now: Kate...or Cate, a la Blanchett.
  13. Clare

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "bright, clear"

    • Description:

      This is the original, more prosaic spelling, but the airier Claire now dominates.
  14. Cynthia

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "moon goddess or, woman from Kynthos"

    • Description:

      Cynthia is an attractive name -- in classical mythology an epithet for Artemis or Diana -- that was so overexposed in the middle of the twentieth century, along with its nickname Cindy, that it fell into a period of benign neglect, but now is ripe for reconsideration in its full form.
  15. Donna

    • Origin:

      Italian

    • Meaning:

      "lady"

    • Description:

      Literally meaning "lady" in Italian, Donna was the perfect ladylike housewife mom name on The Donna Reed Show in the fifties and sixties. And there were plenty of namesakes: Donna was in the Top 10 in 1964. These days we'd be more likely to associate it with the emanciatpated clothes of Donna Karen than as a baby name.
  16. Elizabeth

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"

    • Description:

      Elizabeth is one of the most popular girls' names of all time, the female equivalent of James or William. Yet Elizabeth has so much going for it—rich history, broad appeal, and timeless style—that no matter how many little girls are named Lizzie, Eliza, and Beth, you can still make Elizabeth your own.
  17. Emily

    • Origin:

      Feminine variation of Emil, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "rival"

    • Description:

      Emily may have dropped somewhat in the current standings, but it was the most popular girls' name for over a decade because it appeals on many levels: Emily is feminine, classic, simple, pretty, and strong. Emily is Number 1 among Gen Z names. It also has those nice literary namesakes, like Emily Dickinson and Emily Brontë.
  18. Erin

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "from the island to the west"

    • Description:

      First-wave Irish name and place name—the poetic name for Ireland—now supplanted by newer alternatives such as Maeve and Delaney.
  19. Ethel

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "noble maiden"

    • Description:

      Ethel is a name we once declared as 'So Far Out They'll Probably Always Be Out,' but with the return of other names on that list and with its new starbaby cred via Lily Allen, its soft sound and admirable meaning, we're not so sure.
  20. Etta

    • Origin:

      English and Scottish, short form of any name ending with -etta: Henrietta, Loretta etc.

    • Description:

      Thanks to the surprise hit revival of Etta James' song At Last and because of recent interest in vintage style nicknames, Etta has established herself as a possible successor to Emma and Ella. While it is currently in the latter end of the US charts, the smart, snappy name is a rising choice in the UK, where it features in the Top 150.