My favorite girl names

Emma

German

"universal"

Emma has now been among the top girl names in the United States for several years, claiming the Number 1 crown in 2008 and again from 2015 to 2018 before dropping back to second place. Emma is simple…

Aurora

Latin

"dawn"

The goddess name Aurora has consistently been on the US popularity list since the nineteenth century, but has really taken off in the past 30 years. Aurora also enjoys remarkable international…

Lily

English flower name

"lily"

Lily is the most popular of the popular delicate century-old flower names now making a return, thanks to its many irresistible attributes: a cool elegance and a lovely sound, a symbol of purity and…

Hazel

English

"the hazelnut tree"

Hazel has a pleasantly hazy, brownish-green-eyed, old-fashioned image that more and more parents are choosing to share. Former Old Lady name Hazel reentered the popularity lists in 1998 and now is…

Madison

English

"son of Matthew"

Since we wrote a book called Beyond Jennifer & Jason, Madison & Montana , encouraging parents to move beyond overused names, it's no secret what we think of this trendy surname name, inspired by a…

Iris

Flower name; Greek

"rainbow"

Iris has so much going for it. It's a fashionable flower name. It's a mythological name, from the Greek goddess of the rainbow. And it's a classic name, always ranking in the girls' Top 1000 but now…

Clara

Latin

"bright, clear"

Clara is a strong, lovely girls' name that's always ranked among the US Top 1000 girl names but has been climbing since the turn of this century. It now ranks right at Number 78, making it a modern…

Madeline

English variation of Magdalen

"high tower or woman from Magdala"

Madeline, a lovely name with a soft and delicate image, is an old-fashioned favorite that returned to favor in the 1990s, combining a classic pedigree with a cute nickname option: Maddie. Madeline…

Addison

English surname

"son of Adam"

Newly fashioned but familiar and with an on-trend, unisex feel, Addison seems like the perfect solution for anyone who can't decide between Madison, Adeline, and Alison. Addison really took off in…

Everly

English

"wild boar in woodland clearing"

Sweet and stylish, with a sporty, energetic undertone, Everly is a name that ticks lots of boxes. It's a contemporary choice that doesn't sound invented; it's got unisex appeal but still sounds…

Emerson

English

"son of Emery"

The combination of Emily and Emma's popularity -- and the fact that Desperate Housewives star Teri Hatcher's daughter is named Emerson -- have put this formerly strictly boys’ name , embodying the…

Phoebe

Greek

"radiant, shining one"

Bubbly, bright, and versatile, Phoebe is a name with mythological, biblical, and literary ties. Used since the 17th century, it fell out of fashion in the US during the '60s, only to be revived after…

Isabel

Spanish variation of Elizabeth

"pledged to God"

Isabel derived from Elizabeth in southwest Europe during the Middle Ages. It was originally written as Elisabel, but the first syllable was dropped as it spread across the continent. In Spain and…

Reagan

Irish

"little king"

A strong, straightforward Irish unisex surname, with a merry glint in its eye, Reagan has been leaping up the popularity lists, to become one of the top girl names starting with R . Some will…

Juliet

English from Latin

"youthful or sky father"

One of the most romantic names, the lovely and stylish Juliet seems finally to have shaken off her limiting link to Romeo. In Shakespeare's play, it was Juliet who said "What's in a name?" Juliet…

Adelaide

Variant of Adelheidis, German

"noble, nobility"

Adelaide is now heading straight uphill on the coattails of such newly popular sisters as Ava, Ada, and Audrey, and in the company of Adeline and Amelia. It was chosen by actress Katherine Heigl for…

Esme

French

"beloved"

Esmé comes from the past participle of the Old French verb esmer , meaing "to esteem" or "to love." It can also be considered a derivative of the Spanish name Esmeralda, which means "emerald". Esmé…

Samara

Hebrew, Arabic

"under God's rule, companion in night conversation"

Alluring and lovely — and much more distinctive now than Samantha or Tamara. Samara is a city in western Russia, a winged seed like the whirlygigs that fall from maple trees, as well as a bona fide…

Sabrina

Celtic, Latin name for the River Severn

Sabrina, the bewitchingly radiant name of a legendary Celtic goddess, is best known as the heroine of the eponymous film, originally played by Audrey Hepburn, and later as a teenage TV witch; it…

Rebecca

Hebrew

"to tie, bind"

Rebecca is a name representing beauty in the Bible, an Old Testament classic that reached the heights of revived popularity in the seventies but is still a well-used choice. It derives from the…