Three Letter Girl Names

This mild-mannered short form was Queen of the Prom in the fifties and sixties, but today is mostly heard on TV's The Office (and of course as one of the founders of Nameberry).

Moa is among the Top 100 Swedish baby names but virtually unknown in the US. Might Moa be a substitute for Mia or Maya? An intriguing idea. There is a Swedish author named Moa Martinson.

Dua is one of those names that has been popularized in English speaking countries by a single celebrity: British-Albanian model-singer Dua Lipa. It's simple, modern, appealing, and may find a wider audience thanks to its attractive namesake.

Frequently cited as an example of cruel baby naming, à la Ima Hogg.

Baby names that started off as diminutives -- Ena, Ita, Etta -- seem too insubstantial for a modern female.

A great middle name option to honor a Kathryn. Coco Rocha used it for her daughter Iley's middle name.

Though little used as a first name, Loa will be familiar to many from the name of Hawaii's most famous volcano, Mauna Loa, on the Big Island.

An Anglicized form of Medb borrowed by both Shakespeare and Percy Bysshe Shelley for the of queen of the fairies. Perfect if you want something both adventurous and simple - though you could use it as a nickname for Mabel, Mirabel, Mabli, or Amabel too.

Ayn is a nonconformist name associated with controversial Russian-born writer and philosopher Ayn Rand, (born Alisa) author of The Fountainhead, who adopted it when she moved to the US in 1926.

A bright and optimistic middle name choice.

A sweet, simple mini-name that fits into many cultures. The only drawback is the potential for confusion with Ella, Ayla, and other similar names.

Lynn was a Top 100 girls' name in the US from the 1940s through the 60s, and shortened form Lyn's popularity followed the same trajectory. Today, Lyn is far more often found as a name suffix, in popular names such as Evelyn and Brooklyn down to hundreds of invented choice from Timberlyn to Summerlyn. Big sister Lynn was given to only about 50 baby girls in one recent year, and Lyn to only six. While we don't foresee an imminent comeback, Lyn and Lynn could definitely rise in the coming decades via the Hundred Year Rule.

Commonly associated with Chinese supermodel Liu Wen.

An unusual possibility; Zea would fit right in with schoolmates named Tea and Leya.

A hum of a name occasionally heard. Madame Mim was a villain in Disney's "The Sword in the Stone."

This Catalan and Spanish surname is derived from the Spanish word "rueda" from the Latin "rota," meaning "arched wood that forms a bow."

Sweet short form of Riley. Nature lovers and whiskey fans alike can appreciate the androgynous simplicity of Rye.