Girl Names That End in Y

  1. Quincy
    • Origin:

      French from Latin
    • Meaning:

      "estate of the fifth son"
    • Description:

      Quincy is a Presidential surname name that actually sounds both cute and strong when used for a girl. For the first time ever, Quincy joined the Top 1000 roster for girls in 2023, given to over 250 baby girls that year.
  2. Cicely
    • Origin:

      English variation of Cecilia
    • Meaning:

      "blind"
    • Description:

      This frilly Victorian name is a variant of Cecilia and Cecily, with which it might well be confused. Cicely was a surprise choice for comedienne Sandra Bernhard.
  3. Liberty
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      Less common than other virtue names, Liberty is nonetheless a name with a long American heritage.
  4. Miley
    • Origin:

      Modern invented name
    • Description:

      One-time overnight success name, thanks to Hannah Montana actress and singer Miley Cyrus, Miley fell just as quickly from her peak of Number 127 in 2008 as the star entered her rebellious era.
  5. Waverly
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "meadow of quivering aspens"
    • Description:

      Waverly, with its literary resonance and lilting three-syllable sound, could well become the next generation's successor to Kimberly. Its upper-crusty surname feel places it among the new stylish English names for girls, successors to Ashley and Whitney.
  6. Ginny
    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Virginia, American place-name and Latin
    • Meaning:

      "virginal"
    • Description:

      Ginny was more common before Jenny and its myriad variants came along.
  7. Arrietty
    • Origin:

      Literary name, variation of Harriet
    • Description:

      A pretty, dainty name for one of the little characters in the children's book series The Borrowers. It was the basis for a later Studio Ghible animated film, The Secret World of Arrietty. While the connection to Harriet is tenuous, you might want to consider Arrietty as an honorific for an ancestral Harriet, Harry, or even Henry or Henrietta.
  8. Judy
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Judith, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "He will be praised or woman from Judea"
    • Description:

      Judy was the nickname of choice for almost all the Judiths born in the 1940s and 50s; today's little Judiths are much more likely to be called Judith -- or, possibly, Jude.
  9. Tully
    • Origin:

      Irish, Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "flood; quiet; hill"
    • Description:

      Tully is an Irish surname just waiting to be adapted as a first. Cute and lively, and reminiscent of Tilly or Tali, it's got a long history and a range of possible meanings, depending on which root you use.
  10. Destiny
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      If Destiny is your daughter's destiny, she probably won't be the only one in her school: until 2009, Destiny was in the Top 50, with three of its alternate spellings in hot pursuit. It has since dipped a bit in popularity but is still widely used. Destiny Hope was the birth name of Miley Cyrus and Destiny Jones is the daughter or rapper Nas.
  11. Mckinley
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "son of the fair hero"
    • Description:

      Presidential name that makes a fresh substitute for MacKenzie or McKenna. Possible spelling variations include MacKinley, MacKinlee, Makinleigh ad almost infinitum. McKinley is one of the Scottish names for girls that can work equally well for boys.
  12. January
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "month name"
    • Description:

      Thanks to two cultural influences, January has joined March, April, June and August as a plausible month name.
  13. Loxley
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "lynx glade"
    • Description:

      An English place and surname with a fierce natural meaning. Loxley is a village and river name from Yorkshire, England, famous for being the purported birthplace of Robin Hood. Loxley Chase was an extensive historic forest bordering Sherwood Forest in the Middle Ages.
  14. Tuesday
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "Tiu's Day,"
    • Description:

      When actress Susan Ker Weld changed her name to Tuesday, she opened up a whole calendar of possibilities. This was decades before the arrival of Sunday Rose Urban.
  15. Maeby
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Mae
    • Description:

      Maeby sprang into the modern consciousness via the cult TV favorite Arrested Development, in which the appealing teen character Maeby's name is a nickname for Mae. It's also a homonym for Maybe, which undercuts its inherent cuteness. Is Maeby prime for a real life baby name? Sorry, but we can't resist: Maybe.
  16. Journey
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "passage from one place to another"
    • Description:

      One of the new word names, appealing to parents attracted to the idea of a spiritual -- or even an actual -- voyage. The Journee spelling is also being used. Unisex alert: Jenna Jameson used Journey for one of her twin boys, as did the Black Eyed Peas rock musician known as Taboo.
  17. Flannery
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "descendant of Flannghal"
    • Description:

      Long before the vogue of using Irish surnames for girls, writer Flannery O'Connor gave this one some visibility. It has a warm (flannelly) feel and the currently popular three-syllable ee-ending sound.
  18. Kingsley
    • Origin:

      English surname
    • Meaning:

      "king's meadow"
    • Description:

      Regal Kingsley seems like an all-boy name, but a growing number of parents have bestowed this name on a girl. Credit the ever-trendier -ley suffix.
  19. Perry
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "pear tree"
    • Description:

      Perry fits right in with rising boyish nicknames for girls and cool picks like Frankie and Scottie. This relaxed name sounds novel compared to such former favorites as Kerry and Sherry.
  20. Holiday
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "holy day"
    • Description:

      Free and fun name if you don't want to be pinned down to Noelle, Pasqua, or Valentine.