313 Girl Names That End in een, ene, or ine
Updated Wed Jan 31 2024
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Girl names that end in -een, -ene, and -ine were very stylish in the US in the middle of the last century, the era of Kathleen, Eileen, Charlene, Maureen, and sisters.
These endings sometimes feminized a name, as with Josephine or Albertine. Sometimes they created a diminutive or pet name.
The -een names were to the 1950s and 1960s what the -ley names are today. Add the suffix to almost any name and boom, it's more unique and stylish.
Today, the -ine ending is the most popular of the three suffixes, maybe because it can be pronounced with a long I as in Caroline or a short one as in Katherine, more fashionable than the een sound. Though some names ending in -ine, such as the stylish Josephine and Celine, are pronounced like een.
Here is a wide selection of baby girl names ending in -een, -ene, and -ine, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.
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- Josephine
Origin:
French feminine variation of JosephMeaning:
"Jehovah increases"Description:
Josephine, with its large measure of class and character and a gently offbeat quality, has been on a gentle uphill climb in the US for over 30 years, now ranking in the Top 100. With an intriguing number of vivacious nicknames, from Jo to Josie to Fifi to Posy, Josephine is a Nameberry favorite.
- Clementine
Origin:
French feminine version of Clement, LatinMeaning:
"mild, merciful"Description:
Clementine is a Nameberry favorite that broke back into the US Top 1000 in 2014 after more than half a century off the list.
- Evangeline
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"bearer of good news"Description:
Evangeline is a romantic old name enjoying a major comeback, thanks to its religious overtones, Eva's popularity, and the star of the TV megahit Lost, Evangeline Lilly. Evangelia and Evangelina — two variants of Evangeline — are sure to tag along for the ride.
- Delphine
Origin:
French from GreekMeaning:
"of Delphi; womb"Description:
Delphine is a sleek, chic French name with two nature associations — the dolphin and the delphinium, a bluebell-like flower, a well as a link to the ancient city of Delphi, which the Greeks believed to be the womb of the earth. All of these derive from the Greek word delphus "womb".
- Caroline
Origin:
French, feminine variation of CharlesMeaning:
"free man"Description:
Caroline is a perennial classic, one of the elite group of girls' names that's ALWAYS ranked among the Top 1000 and that's been in the Top 100 since 1994. Elegant yet strong, Caroline calls to mind the Kennedy Camelot years and Princess Caroline of Monaco.
- Adeline
Origin:
French, diminutive of AdeleMeaning:
"noble, nobility"Description:
Adeline has a lovely, old-fashioned "Sweet Adeline" charm, but has become so popular in the US under so many spellings and variations -- with Adalynn and Adalyn also popular -- that considered together it is far more popular than it first seems. Adorable nickname Addie is also pervasive.
- Madeline
Origin:
English variation of MagdalenMeaning:
"high tower or woman from Magdala"Description:
Madeline, a lovely name with a soft and delicate image, is an old-fashioned favorite that returned to favor in the 1990's, combining a classic pedigree with a cute nickname option: Maddy.
- Emmeline
Origin:
Old French form of archaic German AmalMeaning:
"work"Description:
Emmeline is an Emma relative and Emily cousin that is destined for greater use in the wake of the megapopularity of those two names. A recommended Nameberry fave, Emmeline hopped onto the US Top 1000 in 2014 for the first time ever. While it is genuinely an old name, it was rarely used a century ago; only 17 baby girls were named Emmeline in 1915, the same number as were named Ernie!
- Catherine
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"pure"Description:
Catherine is one of the oldest and most consistently well-used girls’ names, with endless variations and nicknames. The Catherine form feels more gently old-fashioned and feminine than the more popular K versions. Most stylish nickname for Catherine right now: Kate...or Cate, a la Blanchett.
- Francine
Origin:
French diminutive pet form of FrancoiseMeaning:
"from France or free man"Description:
With the advent of Pope Francis, all forms of this ancient and saintly name came up for a fresh look. Along with most other -een and -ine (when pronounced like -een) names for girls, Francine has a dated midcentury Mad Men feel. But its choice for their daughter by modern glamour couple Casey Neistat and Candice Pool, respectively a video star and a jewelry designer, has made Francine chic again.
- Irene
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"peace"Description:
Serene Irene, the name of the Greek goddess of peace and one of the most familiar Greek goddess names, was hugely popular in ancient Rome and again in the United States a hundred years ago.
- Sabine
Origin:
French and German form of Sabina, LatinMeaning:
"Sabine"Description:
This slightly more compact version of Sabina has ties to France and Germany. Unlike its sister name, Sabine has never charted in the United States Top 1000. Today, both names are given to roughly the same number of baby girls in the US, about 70 each year.
- Jacqueline
Origin:
French, feminine diminutive of JacquesMeaning:
"supplanter"Description:
Jacqueline originated as a feminine form of Jacques, the French variation of James, and therefore Jacob. Jacob was ultimately derived from the Hebrew name Ya’aqov, and gets its meaning, "supplanter" from the story of Jacob supplanting his brother Esau as the first-born son in the Bible. Jacqueline was first used in France in the Middle Ages.
- Jasmine
Origin:
Flower name, from PersianMeaning:
"gift from God"Description:
Jasmine was derived from the Persian word yasmin, referring to the jasmine flower. Scented oil was made from the plant, and it was used as a perfume throughout the Persian Empire. Variants include Jazmin, Yasmin, Yasmine, and Jessamine.
- Katherine
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"pure"Description:
Katherine is one of the oldest, most diverse, and all-around best names: it's powerful, feminine, royal, saintly, classic, popular, and adaptable. Long one of the top girls' names starting with K, Katherine has now been unseated on the popularity list by upstarts Kennedy and Kinsley, but a dip in popularity only adds to its charm.
- Madeleine
Origin:
French variation of MagdalenMeaning:
"woman from Magdala or high tower"Description:
Sophisticated and sweet, delicate but substantial, Madeleine is the classic French variation of Magdalene.
- Maxine
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"greatest"Description:
With the success of all names Max, from Max itself to Maxwell to Maxfield to Maximilian, it's just possible that Maxine could be lured away from her mah-jongg game at the clubhouse and into the nursery. She's already been chosen by hip musician Nick Hexum for his daughter, sister to Echo.
- Celine
Origin:
French variation of CelesteMeaning:
"heavenly"Description:
French-Canadian singer Dion made us notice this variation. Although many parents would prefer the homonym Selene, which has a different derivation and means "moon," Celine has been a Top 1000 name every year since 2012, and was also on the list each year from 1994 to 2005. Celine is also a newly-chic French fashion label.
- Corinne
Origin:
French variation of Greek KorinnaMeaning:
"maiden"Description:
Corinne is one of the names that, it might surprise you to learn, has never been off the US popularity charts. Its most popular year was 1926, when it ranked Number 249. Corinna is another pretty ancient form of the name, technically a diminutive.
- Eileen
Origin:
Scottish variation of EvelynMeaning:
"desired; or water, island"Description:
The Scottish Eileen was a midcentury darling that was on a long downward slide for decades. And then, in 2012, it took an unexpected pivot and has been inching upward in the US. The unrelated but similar-sounding Isla may have revived the taste for Eileen. Isla along with Lee and Lena might be nicknames for Eileen. Eileen is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic Eibhlin or Aibhilin, which is technically a form of to Evelyn/Aveline, but is also sometimes considered part of the Helen family of names. Aileen is the Irish version, less popular now than Eileen.