Three Letter Girl Names

As an English nickname, Emi can be short for anything beginning with (or containing) the popular "em" sound, such as Emily, Emilia, or maybe even Clementine.

Kya, a variation of the popular Kaia, the feminine form of the also-popular gender-neutral name Kai, was one of the fastest-rising girls' names of 2023.

An medieval English diminutive of Edith, which could make an unusual addition to simple vintage revivals like Eva, Ada and Ida. In Turkish, it means "well mannered".

This name of the first recorded dynasty of ancient China is short and simple enough to make a possible Asian-American alternative to Mia and Tia. British-Filipino child star Xia Vigor has invigorated the name in the Philippines.

Iga is virtually unknown in the US but ranks among the Top 1000 girls' names in the UK, undoubtedly because of the number of Polish immigrants there. It is one of those nickname-names, like Isa and Ella, that can stand in for a wide range of proper names such as Jadwiga or Hedviga.

Fig was the unlikely name of a beautiful character in Curtis Sittenfeld's Man of My Dreams. Better bets: Plum, Quince, or even Apple. Still, you might consider Fig as an unusual nickname for any more formal F-starting name, from Frances to Fiona.

Aza is an excellent Arabic choice: elegant and simple. Too simple for you? Consider Aziza.

A sweet and simple Japanese name with several possible meanings, depending on the kanji characters used.

The popularity of the Biblical Noah has led to a rise in Koa for boys, and since it boosted Noa up the charts for girls too, it was only so long before the rhyming Koa caught on as a unisex possibility. While it remains predominantly masculine and is given to boys 10 times more often in the states, a not insubstantial 114 girls were called Koa in a recent year.

A bright and bouncy micro name, far rarer than Mia or Gia.

Ino was one of the Queens of Thebes who, after her death, became an immortal. Ino raised her nephew, Dionysus (son of Semele and Zeus), provoking the wrath of Hera. In desperation Ino threw herself into the sea and was thereafter venerated as Leucothea (The White Goddess).

Meg, perennially one of the Little Women, is a Margaret short form that manages to be neither quite in nor quite out of style. Meg is sleeker and more sophisticated than Maggie, more contemporary than Peg, more stylish than Megan, and still one of the best diminutives of Margaret.

Meg Ryan was born Margaret Mary Emily Anne.

Cross-cultural winner.

Very popular girls' name in Japan not quite as easy to transport westward as the also-popular Rin.

Fox is a fast-rising name for boys, initially popularized by the character Fox Mulder on The X Files, and recently resurged by the TV show's revival.

It was reported that the TV character's first name was not a tribute to the Fox network which aired The X-Files, as often assumed; show creator Chris Carter said he had a childhood friend named Fox.

On a little girl, Fox would be a tailored and fiery choice.

Mio is a lovely Japanese name for girls that has migrated beyond its native country. One Berry reports several young girls named Mio in Australia, and the name has potential in the rest of the English-speaking world for parents who want to move beyond Mia and Maya.

One of those names with a wide array of meanings across different cultures; it's the Lithuanian form of Anna, for instance, and William Blake used it as the name of one of his mysterious, godlike characters. But it's found major popularity in Spain, where it's just outside the Top 50. It makes the Top 10 in Catalonia, being both a diminutive of Mariona and the word for "wave".

Dee is a slight midcentury nickname that might be short for Deanna or Denise, but might be too slight for today's strong, independent female.

A cool name, representing the Roman goddess of peace and offering a positive message to bestow upon a child. Pax is one of the most stylish new names that mean peace.

Short and slight, with great potential now that names like Ava, Ida and Orla are popular. Ora Beach is a tourist destination on Seram Island, Indonesia.