Animal Names for Girls

This name has become increasingly popular, though usually with the Addie spelling. In fact, Addy/Addie has taken over for Maddie and Allie as one of the most frequently-heard short forms for a range of also-popular formal names, including Adeline, Adalynn, Adeliaide, and Addison. As Addy, it's the name of an American Girls doll.

Abbreviated form of Harley that might also be spelled, for girls, Arleigh or Arlee.

Pop princess Amerie is half Korean, half African-American. Her name may relate to Amelia, Emily, Emery, or Amory, though there's no exact equivalent among historical names. But doubtless there will be more Ameries, starting now.

Somewhat light and silly on its own.

Alda's brother name Aldo has been a mainstay of the U.S. popularity chart for decades now, and the related Alden is soaring up as well. This version has never really caught on. (Maybe it's the association with Alan Alda: great actor, unlikely namesake for a little girl.) However, there is possible hope now that Alba and Alma are on the rise. Aida and Arden are more familiar alternatives.

A lot of parents claim to want a name that's different, but if you really do, Aquilina, modern-feeling but based on an ancient favorite, would be one good choice.

For a boy, Dash is usually short for Dashiell, but as a girl's name it just stands for energetic--and also the stores run by the Kardashian sisters..

Auriel is a Roman name that was revived during the nineteenth-century craze for unique names. Could make an interesting substitution for the popular Aurora or Ariel.

Clayton is a surprisingly traditional name on the boys' side, ranking among the US Top 1000 for boys for its entire history. Girls named Clayton have been fewer and further between, but there's no reason this this place name can't work for baby girls too, ala Payton.

A compound name with an old-fashioned ring. It only first appeared on the US Top 1000 in 2012. Annalie is a somewhat different name that is nevertheless pronounced the same.

Intriguing combo of elements.

Though Embry became famous as the name of a boy werewolf in Twilight, we think its Em- beginning and -y ending make it perfectly appropriate for a girl. You might consider it as an alternative to Emma, Emily, or Aubrey. Embry or Embury is an established English surname. 

Variation of Aniya.

Spelling variation of Ava, perhaps influenced by the biblical-style, ends-in-H names currently trending: Delilah, Alayah, Aniyah, et al. It entered the US Top 1000 in 2008 where it remained for 14 years, peaking in 2018 when it was given to nearly 680 girls. Now in decline, it was given to around 230 girls in 2023.

A rare Icelandic name with a lovely ethereal sound.

Cyan is an attractive color names, but for a girl, better go all the way to Cyane, the name of a Sicilian nymph who lived in a blue pool.

Baby is rarely seen as a given name — or even nickname — these days, although it did rank in the Top 1000 from 1989 to 2003. These instances can be accounted for in two ways. Firstly, infants whose birth certificates are not filled out on time are given generic placeholders for registration, such as Infant, Unknown, or Baby. But more influential during this decade was the 1987 movie Dirty Dancing, starring Jennifer Grey as Frances "Baby" Houseman. It's the origin of the famed line, "Nobody puts Baby in a corner."

Alura has an entirely different root from the similar Allura and shares the fairy tale tinge. It could be a great choice for a wise baby girl.

A daisy-esque flower, although chamomile is much more commonly associated with the tea that's made from it.

Parents of female Emerie's would argue the suffix -ie makes it more feminine. It may also add a feeling of French flair. Clearly, there are enough thinking this to popularize it—the name entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2013.