New Girl Names: 11 Fresh Choices
We at Nameberry are always combing works of literature, global popularity lists, and your suggestions to find new girl names to add to the Nameberry database. We thought we’d bring you the highlights of our most recent efforts. Here are 11 of our favorite recently added girls’ names.
Araluen – This Aboriginal Australian name, meaning ‘place of the water lily’, is ripe for more international usage with its cute nickname possibilities (Lulu being the coolest, but Ara or Ari or Lu are great too) and its trendy ‘en’ ending, which fits right in with all the Viviens and Adriennes out there.
Devika – This lovely Hindi name meaning ‘little goddess’ was given to only a handful of girls in the UK last year (and none at all in the US). But it’s both easy to pronounce and unusual, making it ripe for wider usage.
Dimity – Dimity is one of those new girl names that’s quite common in one country (in this case Australia) and yet rarely gets seen anywhere else. It’s a delicate and fresh name that fits in with names like Amity and Verity and deserves attention beyond antipodean shores.
Dorrin – Given its sweet and spunky sound, it may surprise you to discover that this Manx girls’ name stems from an Irish word meaning “sullen”. But in the Isle of Man, the sullenness is connected to the weather, rather than a personal trait, so it is often associated with storms and tempests.
Duska – This name has two origins and therefore two pronunciations. One is the English word dusk, leading to the pronunciation dusk-ah; the second is Czech name Duška, meaning ‘soul’ – this version is pronounced doosh-ka. Appealing no matter how you say it.
Ivalo – Berries have been asking us to add this ever since Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik chose this Greenlandic name as the middle name for their daughter. Pronounced EVE-ah-lo in Denmark and EVE-ah-loo in Greenland, this name has potential given the rise of both Eve-beginning — Eva, Evelyn — and o-ending names.
Madelief – Dutch name Madelief, meaning daisy, could be a breath of fresh air for parents wanting a name that’ll let them use Maddy as a nickname but is more original than Madeline or Madison.
Ornella – Like so many names before it, Ornella is a creation of literature. It’s a good choice for parents keen on nature names, being based on the Italian word “Ornello” known to English-speakers as the Flowering Ash Tree.
Rhoswen – Love Welsh names, but feeling a bit over Bronwen and need something more mainstream than Ceridwen? Rhoswen is a great choice for you! The name means ‘white rose’ and has a spelling and sound — it’s pronounced like rose-wen with a softer s — that isn’t too challenging for non-Welsh speakers.
Sadako – A sentimental favorite! Sadako is a Japanese name made most familiar to Westerners through the story of Sadako and the thousand paper cranes. The name has a beautiful meaning (child of integrity) and is easily pronounced by people in most languages.
Zerlin – Zerlin has all the spunk of a 21st century name and all the intrigue and romance of the Moorish middle ages. Thought to derive from Arabic and meaning “beautiful dawn” Zerlin has a sound that imparts both strength and exoticism and would make a great choice for parents looking for something unique but manageable for their baby girl.