Animal Names for Girls

A life-affirming choice — just beware pronunciation issues among the goyim in your neighborhood.

The name of nine minor male biblical characters, this could easily make a gender switch as a singular substitution for the popular Mariah.

Popular name in Ireland -- it's pronounced ee-mer -- from the legendary wife of Cuchulainn who was supposed to possess the six gifts of womanhood: beauty, voice, speech, wisdom, chastity, and of course, needlework. Is found in the poetry of Yeats.

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

Anaya is a spelling variant of Inaya , a name that derives from the Arabic word "inayah", meaning "care, concern, help". It is an indirect Qur'anic name, and the strictly feminine form of the unisex Inayat.

Amal is an attractive name with a wonderful meaning that has long been used in many Middle Eastern countries, especially Lebanon (and migrant communities). It is of course getting a lot more coverage now since the fame of international human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin Clooney, who's singlehandedly made this one of the best-known Arabic names for girls.

Irish surnames are hot, and this one can successfully cross the line to work for girls, replacing the outdated Casey. And only a dozen girls were named Clancy in the US in one recent year (along with 27 boys), making it one of those rare Irish names that are both accessible and distinctive, classic and cool. Clancy is a winner for either gender.

Acadia, the French name for Nova Scotia and the name of a gorgeous national park in Maine makes a fresh, rhythmic choice for your little girl. Acadia is an original yet accessible member of the stylish girl names starting with A.

Bobby is a nickname-name that's long been used on its own for both girls and boys, though the Bobby spelling is more usually masculine while the girls' version is usually Bobbie. There were just over 50 baby girls named Bobbie in one recent year and only five named Bobby, compared with nearly 300 baby boys named Bobby. Robert F. Kennedy III and Amaryllis Fox named their daughter Bobby, continuing the family tradition across genders. And Millie Bobby Brown is a hot young actress.

A multicultural mini name with roots in three continents.

An ancient name soiled by toilet paper association.

Calah, also called Nimrud, is one of four ancient cities of Assyria, Noah's great-grandson. This unusual name suggests a woman open to opportunity.

The kind of French name that seemed daring -- and darling -- in the sixties.

Putting the emphasis on the "elle" softens a name that seems at once futuristic and medieval.

Aubree and its big sister name Aubrey are both very widely used names, and if taken together would be among the most popular girl names. The Aubree spelling came into the limelight on the show Teen Mom 2.

In Georgian mythology, Dali is the goddess of hunting. The origins of her name are disputed — some scholars claim it comes from the Georgian word for morning, dila, while others claim links to words for "demon" and "god".

In Norse mythology, Embla is the equivalent of the Bible's Eve. With a lovely nature meaning, and a soft but distinctive sound, Embla is one of the most popular girl names in Iceland.

The tree, not the charred bit of soot in the fireplace, usually used for boys, but, as a short form of Ashley, works for girls too.

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.

Bronagh, along with Anglicized form Brona, is a popular name in Ireland. It's the name of a sixth century mystic as well as a modern television character on Penny Dreadful.