Animal Names for Girls

If you don't want your daughter to be a Diva, try this Hindu moon goddess name that was chosen by actress Monica Bellucci for hers.

A felicitous combo of two sweet names; also a Queens, New York neighborhood.

Adah is a biblical name twice over—one was the mother of Jabal and Jubal, the other was a wife of Esau. The latter Adah and Esau’s descendants settled in Edom and became the Edomites. Adah is unrelated to the visually similar name Ada, which is Germanic in origin.

Amaranth is a beautiful herb with bright fuchsia flowers and a tasty seed that flavors many Eastern dishes. The name is filled with potential for the more adventurous namer, with nickname potential (Ammy, Mara) and a fresh sound that still fits in with all the Amelias and Ambers in the playground.

Dionne is an Americanized version of the Greek Dione, with many sub-versions of its own, identified with singer Dionne Warwick. It was also the surname of the Canadian quintuplets born in 1934, who gained worldwide fame as the first kown quints to survive to adulthood.

Trending down, along with others of both the Car and the issa groups.

It may have a masculine sound and meaning, but Dawson is becoming increasingly popular for baby girls, too. Blame it on Dylan and Logan and the wider trend of surname names for both genders. Over 70 baby girls were given the name in 2020.

Elisheva was the original name of Aaron's wife in the Book of Exodus; Elisheva gains strength and distinction via the v sound.

While Elliott and Elliot are well-established for boys, parents are now considering both these boy names for girls, too.

Unusual but accessible Hispanic choice with stylish sound.

Brinley was a surprise entrant to the US Top 1000 in 2009, however, in 2023, it doesn't feel surprising at all. In fact, alternative spellings Brynleigh and Brynlee also rank in the Top 1000, with Brynley not too far behind.

Popular Portuguese and Spanish name that refers to "dulce nombre de Maria" -- the sweet name of the Virgin Mary. English variant Dulcie has a different pronunciation.

Now that Isla Fisher has pushed her once-obscure name into the Top 150, some parents are looking for similar-sounding Scottish names for girls that are further off the beaten path. This one is especially promising, with its cross-cultural appeal. Ayla, a common name in Turkey, is also worth considering.

A Biblical name with a modern feel, Azaria is a spelling variation of the Hebrew name, Azariah. Used as a masculine name in the Bible, this spelling is now more commonly used on girls.

Caprice is a word name with an appealing sound and a light-hearted meaning. Caprice is a rare name, used for only ten baby girls in the US in 2023.

Corvina sounds too much like a car model.

Midcentury Irish-American favorite, never used in Ireland itself, being the generic word for "girl"; rarely given today.

Bristol Palin, the daughter of former Alaska governor and Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, grabbed her own share of headlines by having a baby out of wedlock and then appearing on Dancing With The Stars. She single-handedly propelled her distinctive name, inspired by a city in England, into the Top 1000 and up the charts. Bristol's ascent ended a few years back.

The entire congregation of Alissa-related names—from the classic Alice and Elise to newer forms like Alicia, Alyssa, and Elissa—have faded somewhat from their heyday in the late 20th century but maintain some appeal as a member of the popular class of girl names starting with A. Their major disadvantage is their similarity to each other and the resulting confusion.

A name with a bit of glamor but also cowgirl vibes, Dallas entered the US Top 1000 for girls in 1992. It fell out of style during noughties, but reappeared in 2012 when other gender neutral names like River, Sawyer, Rowan, and Blake were also climbing fast.