Girls Names
- Zuri
Origin:
KiswahiliMeaning:
"good, beautiful"Description:
Zuri migrated, at least to American sensibilities, to the feminine side when an Ohio zoo used it for a female giraffe. For either gender, Zuri is an attractive name with the usual Z-initial zest.
- Junia
Origin:
Latin, Feminine variation of JuniusMeaning:
"born in June"Description:
Juno is hot, June is showing signs of a comeback along with other month and day names, whereas Junia, the name of the the first century Christian referred to by the apostle Paul as an apostle (and who may have been male), is yet to be discovered.
- Tova
Origin:
Hebrew, SwedishMeaning:
"good, pleasing; beautiful, beloved"Description:
A lively feeling choice with multicultural origins, Tova is both a Hebrew name with a positive meaning and a Swedish variant of Tove, a modern Old Norse name meaning "beautiful, beloved". In Hebrew, it would be pronounced as TOH-VAH, while in Swedish, it would be said as TOO-vuh.
- Judy
Origin:
Diminutive of Judith, HebrewMeaning:
"He will be praised or woman from Judea"Description:
Judy was the nickname of choice for almost all the Judiths born in the 1940s and 50s; today's little Judiths are much more likely to be called Judith -- or, possibly, Jude.
- Solenne
Description:
Solenne is a feminine French name derived from the Latin word 'sollemnis,' meaning 'solemn' or 'ceremonial.' In French culture, it carries connotations of dignity, grace, and reflection. The name has been consistently used in France for generations but remains relatively uncommon elsewhere. Solenne gained some international recognition in the late 20th century as cultural barriers diminished, though it retains its distinctly French character. Those named Solenne are often perceived as thoughtful, dignified, and possessing inner strength. The name's beautiful sound combined with its meaningful etymology makes it an elegant choice for parents seeking something traditional yet distinctive.
- Merrin
Origin:
Variation of Merryn or Mirren, Cornish or Irish, meaning unknownDescription:
Is Merrin a real name or a melodic invention? Singer Bo Bice brought this merry name to the public's attention when he chose it for his daughter, but most reliable baby name sources don't list it. But there is a Cornish saint's name Merryn, thought to be a variation of the Irish names for girls Mirin and Mirren, and so we're going to call Merrin another twist on that ancient group of names.
- Zola
Origin:
African, Congolese; also literary nameMeaning:
"piece of earth"Description:
When the Eddie Murphys named their fourth daughter Zola, it affirmed the up-and-coming status of the name, which has African roots, but also literary links to Emile Zola. Zola may also be recognizable to some as the adopted daughter of Meredith Grey and Derek Shepherd on the hit, long-running show Grey's Anatomy.
- Reagan
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"little king"Description:
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 inevitably link it to President Ronald, but spell it Regan and it's a Shakespearean name: a daughter of King Lear.
- Adhara
Origin:
ArabicMeaning:
"virgins"Description:
Adhara is the name of one of the brightest stars in the sky. Also known as Adara, this name is perfectly suitable for a child.
- Cheyenne
Origin:
SiouxMeaning:
"people of a different language"Description:
The name of a courageous tribe, Cheyenne became quite popular in the 1990s, inspiring a wide range of spelling variations—Shyanne is one example that's still on the rise.
- Abilene
Origin:
English from HebrewMeaning:
"grass"Description:
Abilene is a rarely used place name, mentioned as such in the New Testament, that combines the cowboy spunk of the Texas city with the midwestern morality of the Kansas town where Dwight D. Eisenhower spent his boyhood. Abilene is a much more untrodden path to the nickname Abbie/Abbie than the Top 10 Abigail.
- Hollis
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"dweller at the holly trees"Description:
Hollis is a surname-name used quietly for both genders. At last count, it was given to over 200 baby boys and 160 baby girls in the US. Now a Top 1000 name for boys, it could well break into the charts for girls too in the coming years.
- Ginny
Origin:
Diminutive of Virginia, Ginevra, Genevieve, or ImogenMeaning:
"virgin, pure; white wave; maiden"Description:
A nickname to Latin Virginia, French Genevieve, Italian Ginevra, English Imogen, and any other name with the 'gin' sound in there, Ginny ranked in the latter end of the US charts in the mid 20th century. Made familiar again in the contemporary world by the show Ginny & Georgia, along with the Harry Potter character, Ginny has seen a small amount of attention in recent years, given to around 50 babies in the latest stats.
- Tanner
Origin:
English occupational nameMeaning:
"leather tanner"Description:
One of the hot two-syllable T names of the nineties (along with Tyler, Trevor, and Taylor), and well represented on soap operas; Tanner is still widely used, but its popularity is declining.
- Cambria
Origin:
Place name, Latin from WelshMeaning:
"Wales"Description:
Most names that start with Cam- are on the upswing, so why not this obscure term for Wales as well as for a prehistoric time period.
- Milla
Origin:
Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, HungarianMeaning:
"young ceremonial attendant, gracious people"Description:
Milla originated as a diminutive of names like Camilla and Ludmilla, but has since become well established as a name in its own right in several European countries. Milla Jovovich is a Ukrainian-born actress and supermodel, while Milla is also used for a character in the novel and musical adaptation, Wicked.
- Robyn
Origin:
Spelling variation of RobinDescription:
Spelling variations rise and fall with the fortunes of the name they're based on, and so it is with Robyn, which ranked as high as the Top 200 from the late 1960s through the early 80s, but has dropped from national ranking in the past decade. The original Robin is making something of a comeback...as a boys' name.
- Reva
Origin:
Hindi river name; HebrewMeaning:
"rain"Description:
Refers to one of the seven sacred rivers of India.
- Ginger
Origin:
English diminutiveDescription:
Originally a unisex nickname for a redhead -- red hair is called "ginger" in Britain -- or for the name Virginia, Ginger perennially wears pink gingham and spike heels.
- Maddie
Origin:
Diminutive of Madeline or Madison, EnglishMeaning:
"woman from Magdala or son of Matthew"Description:
Britney Spears' little sister Jamie Lynn was one of the first to put this nickname on the birth certificate. Cute for a child, but we recommend giving her the option of the full name for later use.