Five Letter Girl Names

This animal-themed name is among the most popular for girls in contemporary Israel. Parents who want to move beyond the mega-popular Aliyah and sisters might want to consider Ayala. The male form is Ayal.

Meret is an interesting name found in several cultures. In Egyptian mythology, she was a goddess associated with singing, dancing and rejoicing and her meaning is 'beloved.' But the name also has significance in Hebrew, Danish and Norwegian. Close relatives include Merete and Maret.

Fashion designer surname that could make a dynamic first.

Akari is a gender-neutral Japanese name used fairly evenly between the sexes in the US.

Chris is one of the longest-running and still most appealing unisex short forms, still used nearly equally for boys and girls. Though no longer fashionable, Chris still feels crisp and appropriate for both sexes.

Esme and by extension Esmee have gotten more popular in the US in recent years, but that extra e can confuse an already-confusing pronunciation, especially if you start adding accents.

One of the first reality show-inspired names (he was a Texas hunk on an early season of "Survivor"); hugely trendy for boys but just starting for girls.

Starr today is more fashionably the plain-spoken Star or the more obscured Stella, Esther, or Estella.

A simple and beautiful Sanskrit name with a strong meaning, Aanya is made familiar by its similarity of Anya and Aine. It made a very brief appearance in the US Top 1000 in 2014 before declining in popularity slightly, and is now given to around 160 girls each year. A rare but straightforward choice, the name is featured in the popular animated series The Dragon Prince.

Queen Jadis, also known as The White Witch, is the main villain in The Chronicles of Narnia. She is the force responsible for freezing Narnia and creating the Hundred Year Winter.

Cute, distinctive diminutive for this regal-sounding name.

One of the most familiar and attractive Japanese names, though rarely heard outside that culture.

The Wylie spelling (with that feminine Y) is much more common among girls than Wiley, but both have been climbing the ranks. Could Wiley be the next Riley?

Beautiful meanings no matter which origin you want to go with. But either way, it rhymes with Paris.

The original Greek spelling of Rhoda, derived from the name of the goddess Rhodos. Variation Rhodé frequently comes and goes from the Netherlands' Top 500. This is pronounced like RO-dee, rather than like road or Rhoda.

Macey ranks in the Top 1000 thanks to big sister name Macy, ala Stacey and Stacy or Tracey and Tracy. The extra e also relates it to Lacey.