8 Letter Girl Names

Madelief is an uncommon name but not unheard of in the Netherlands, where 123 girls were called Madelief in one recent year. With its soft sounds and similarities to all those "Madeleine" type names as well as names ending in "eef/eev" sounds (Aoife, Eve, Genevieve), Madelief has potential in English-speaking countries to be a fresh and pleasant change from Daisy, Margaret and Madeleine.

Cytherea, a place-name that is the home of Aphrodite, seems stuck in ancient Greece.

Despite the strong association with the University of California, Berkeley, the more common version of this name omits the second E, Berkley.

The famous home of Hamlet in Shakespeare's great play is based on Kronborg Castle in eastern Denmark, which guarded the narrow entryway to the Baltic Sea for centuries. (The Danish word for it is Helsingør.) Elsinore may claim a rightful place among the Danish names for girls, vaguely akin to Eleanor, with Elsie a natural nickname, though some may find it a little pretentious. But as a middle name for the lover of Shakespeare or Denmark? Golden.

An incredibly poetic name that could be worn well in many cultures.

Out-of-the-way place name (it's an antiquated holiday spot on England's south coast) that might make a brilliant choice. Actor/director Jon Favreau named his daughter Brighton Rose.

Adds French flair to Victoria, though many Americans would find pronunciation a challenge.

When properly pronounced, has an alluring sound and harmonious meaning.

This name is the feminization of mythological name Lysander, which is best known to English-speakers as a character in Shakespeare's comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Stylish and boyish but could work for a girl -- especially one with brown eyes -- and Sully is a quirky and jaunty nickname.

Part of the trend for formerly canine royal names; this is one a little girl might love—up till the age of eight.

Kimimila is a trending choice among parents with Lakota heritage. It's especially popular in South Dakota, where many Lakota live today.

Popular Russian name, familiar here via author Svetlana Stalin, the dictator's daughter.

Oh, the many spellings of Rafaella. Those with Fs and double-Ls denote Italian origins, while an F and a single L is Spanish and Portuguese. The original Hebrew form is Raphaela.

Much fresher and more energetic than Dominique.

Popularized for girls after Kirsten Dunst portrayed high school cheerleading captain Torrance Shipman in the 2000 movie Bring it On. Tori is an easy nickname.

Originally a Dutch surname, imported by the early Dutch colonists, has been all but overpowered by the phonetic spellings in the US -- Skyler for boys and Skylar for girls. With the surnames-as-first-names trend, however, and the popularity of the Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical Hamilton, which features the Schuyler sisters, perhaps Schuyler might receive some more interest in the coming years.

Queen Elizabeth's childhood nickname was Lilibet, the name of Prince Harry and Meghan's newborn daughter, and Lilibeth has the same kind of lilting charm. While many combo names are less attractive than either of their original parts, Lilibeth can make a nice compromise if you're stuck between Lily and Elizabeth or if you want a fresh variation of either.

Otherworldly.