1798 Four Letter Girl Names

Taru is both the Finnish word for "epic," making it a translation of the Swedish name Saga, and a pet form of Tarja, the Finnish form of Daria.

Raja is a widely-used Arabic or Sanskrit name that works for girls as well as boys. Five baby girls were named Raja and seven given the Rajah spelling in the US last year, where for boys the popularity of the spellings was reversed: 18 Raja to ten Rajah.

Carries a different meaning in American English. You may also like Sootima.

An lesser-known member of the John-Joan family, though popular in its native habitat, has never emigrated, possibly due to its non-intuitive pronunciation.

Hava is an anglicization of the Hebrew name Chava, which, like its English form Eve, means "life". In some accents, it may sound like "have a", so it's worth considering if this will be an issue combined with a last name. But overall, it's an elegantly simple name with a great meaning.

Idun is a modern transcription of Iðunn, the name of the goddess of apples — possibly representing fertility — and youth in Norse mythology. The similarity in pronunciation to Eden could add some points in favor of Idun or perhaps add some confusion.

Zain is a name usually given to boys -- nearly 500 with this spelling alone in the US in one recent year, vs. only 20 girls. But CNN newswoman Zain Asher, sister of actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, is a noted female bearer and may inspire more baby girl Zains.

This Old Testament name is traditionally masculine, but with its lyrical Ls, sounds just as nice on a baby girl.

Some sources say Mele is a South Sea Islander form of Mary, but it's also a name in its own right meaning song.

Enyo is the Greek goddess of war, the female counterpart to the god Ares. Enyo's Roman equivalent in Bellona.

Has a dotty, antic feel via dotty, antic Auntie Mame.

The well-known phrase "hale and hearty" gives this name a warm, positive feel. Hale is clean and straightforward but doesn't crack the top 1000 for either gender. For those in search of a namesake, Revolutionary War hero Nathan Hale would make a strong one.

Irit means "asphodel," which refers to a genus of perennial flower native to the Mediterranean and Middle East.

A newly hatched cousin of Bree and Brea.

Not many parents would want to use Tisa for its literal meaning in this era of smaller families, but Tisa is a name with much crossover appeal. Simple and straightforward, it's also both distinctive and feminine and relates to similar-sounding Western names such as Lisa and Trisha and Tea. If you're looking for an African name that can bridge cultures, Tisa is an excellent pick.

Rudy has been heard as a feminine name before — most notably on Rudy Huxtable, the young girl on The Cosby Show. This spelling makes it a bit girlier, although it's occasionally used for boys as well.