Heroines from Barbie

Isabella

Spanish and Italian variation of Elizabeth, Hebrew

"pledged to God"

Isabella has been a Top 10 name for girls in the US for two decades now. The Latinate form of Isabel, a variation of Elizabeth which originally derived from the Hebrew name Elisheba, Isabella reigned…

Sofia

Spanish variation of Sophia, Greek

"wisdom"

Sofia is a refined variation of the Greek name Sophia, which was derived directly from sophia , the Greek word for wisdom. It was the name of a Roman saint—the mother of Faith, Hope, and Charity—and…

Isla

Scottish place-name or Spanish

"island"

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…

Alice

German

"noble"

Alice is a classic literary name that's both strong and sweet, ranking in the US Top 100 and popular throughout the Western world. Alice is derived from the Old French name Aalis, a diminutive of…

Eden

Hebrew

"place of pleasure, delight"

Eden is an attractive, serene name with obvious intimations of Paradise, one of several place names drawn from the Bible by the Puritans in the 17th century. Eden entered the Top 1000 in 1989, and…

Hailey

English and Scottish clan name

"Hay's meadow"

There are no less than ten different variations of Hailey on the current Most Popular list, but this is the spelling that brought it into the Top 10 of 2010, although it has quickly fallen in…

Hadley

English

"heather field"

Hadley, most famous as the name of Ernest Hemingway's first wife, is more sophisticated, professional, and modern than cousins Harley, Haley, or Hayden. The hit book The Paris Wife , a novel by Paula…

Genevieve

English from French

"tribe woman"

Genevieve is derived from the Germanic medieval name Genovefa, or Kenowefa, which consists of the elements kuni , meaning "kin", and wefa , meaning "woman." The medieval saint Genevieve, patroness of…

Summer

Word name

The temperature is definitely rising for this popular seasonal name, which began being used in the seventies, and has been heard consistently ever since. Summers have popped up all over the big and…

Blaire

English variation of Blair, Scottish

"dweller on the plain"

Blair with a little something extra, which some parents may feel feminizes the name. The Blaire spelling was given to a surprising number of baby girls, with about a third of baby girls with the name…

Liana

Short form of -liana names, Portuguese, Italian, Georgian, French

"to climb like a vine"

Liana is a pretty, graceful and simple name that doesn't fall flat. The name of a flowering tropical vine that grows in forests, it's an international gem that works well in multiple languages. As a…

Annalise

German, combination of Anna and Lise

"grace and pledged to God"

Variously spelled Annalise and Annaliese as well as several other forms, this is not a modern smoosh but a traditional German combo-name with a definite Heidi-esque feel. Anna of course is familiar…

Willa

Feminine variation of William

"resolute protection"

Willa has become increasingly fashionable, with its combination of Willa (born Wilella) Cather-like pioneer strength and the graceful beauty of the willow tree. Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas are the…

Lacey

English

"from Lassy"

A unique combination of a surname feel and dainty femininity, Lacey is a favorite in the UK where it ranks in the Top 500. Likely derived from the name of a place in Normandy, it might occasionally…

Elina

Spanish, Italian, German, Greek, and English variation of Helen

"bright, shining light"

Elina is one of the many variations of mother name Helen to make the US Top 1000 list, and is given to around 300 girls each year. While it might blend in among the Helenas, Elenas, and Alinas, it…

Fallon

Irish

"leader"

Fallon is one of several boyish surname names introduced in the over-the-top 1980s nighttime soap Dynasty . Despite being a "mom" name, Fallon is making a surprise comeback. It returned to the US Top…

Rayna

Hebrew

"song of the Lord"

This spelling of the name has ties to Hebrew, Slavic, and Scandinavian cultures, in addition to being another alternative to Reina and Reyna. It is most recently attached to hit television show…

Chelsea

Place name, English

"landing place for chalk or limestone"

Chelsea is still being used, with about 400 baby girls named Chelsea in the US last year. But it was much more popular a few decades ago, peaking at Number 15 in 1992. Chelsea first entered the…

Kelly

Irish

"war"

Once the quintessential bouncy teenager name, Kelly helped launch the trend of unisex Irish names . But it now takes a backseat to more substantial surname names like Kennedy.

Ashlyn

Variation of Aislinn, Irish

"dream"

Though it relates to the Irish original, Ashlyn and its next most popular form, Ashlynn, owe more of their popularity as baby names in the US to the megastar Ashley, though all three have been…