Modern Baby Girl Names

A recent addition to the name lexicon with some real potential.

Painter is among the most creative choices in this very fashionable category of names, with a particularly pleasant sound. Whereas most occupational names conjure up physical labor, this one feels like a gateway to the arts. Actor Chad Lowe used it as the middle name of his daughter Mabel.

Bryar is a respelling of Briar, a trendy botanical name that is used nearly equally for girls and boys. About 50 baby girls were named Bryar last year, compared with about 500 named Briar.

Luxury baby name associated with Jacques Cartier's eponymous jewelry company.

Reno Sweeney is the heroine of the Cole Porter musical Anything Goes, played on Broadway by Ethel Merman, Patti Lupone, and Sutton Foster. While Reno was not used for any baby girls in 2022, it's certainly a gender-neutral choice. Reno, Nevada is named for Civil War Union General Jesse Lee Reno. The name is said to be an anglicization of Reynaud or Reynold, which means "powerful counsel".

Effortlessly cool and preppy, but with a touch of outdoorsy ruggedness, McCall is a yet to be discovered last name choice. Unexpected, but enough like McKenzie, Mckinley, Nicole, and Callie that it doesn't sound outlandish, it is currently a gender-neutral choice in the US, given to 15 girls and 13 boys in a recent year.

With Harlow in the US Top 1000 and soundalikes, Willow, Halo, Marlo/w/e and Arlo/we on the rise, this contracted form saw more interest in 2023 for boys and girls.

Jalen was made popular for boys by basketball player, Jalen Rose, whose name was made up of his father and uncle's names, James and Leonard. Jaylynn emerged as a feminine form, as did Jaelyn, and Jaelin is another spelling variant.

Gem name Onyx entered the US Top 1000 for boys in 2018 and has since risen to the Top 400 with its cool X ending and sleek polished feel. For girls, it is also on the rise, given to just under 200 babies in a recent year. Spelling variant Aunyx is far more obscure and has only been appearing in the US stats since 2021. Given equally to both sexes, but used less than 20 times each year, it might appeal to those who also like August and Audrey.

This spelling variation of the color name Gray could also be a diminutive form of Graham — though it could also derive from Grace. Currently a gender-neutral choice in the US, it is borne by Olympic windsurfer Grae Morris, singer Grae Phillips, and baseball player Grae Kessinger.

With not one but two trendy letters, Maddyx is a modern variation of the already modern Maddox, predominantly used on boys, but given to nearly 100 girls in a recent year. Derived from Welsh, it means "son of Madoc", Madoc meaning "good, fortunate".