Girl Names That Mean Life

Like Penn Jillette, you can have your own little brash babe.

Banks as a girls' name was brought into the lexicon by actress Hilary Duff and musician Matthew Koma, who chose it for their daughter, Banks Violet. As both a surname and a word name, Banks refers to financial establishments as well as river banks.

Vivi is a short form of all the Vivian and Viveca forms that is sure to get a lot more attention now that a little Jolie-Pitt girl has been named Vivienne.

Shivani sounds fresh and powerful.

A spunky nickname name for parents with showbiz aspirations for their daughter.

This feminine form of Abel is also a flower name and makes a distinctive alternative to the widely used Abigail. There is a similar name, Adelia, that is beginning to be rediscovered thanks to the trend for all names Adel- related.

Viva la baby with this life-affirming name, one of the appealing group of girl names that mean life.! Singer Rufus Wainwright chose it for his baby daughter, perhaps in celebration of a new life entering the world the year after he lost his mother Kate McGarrigle. The baby's middle name is Katherine.

This name of the mortal girl loved by Eros is too loaded with psyche/psycho/psychic associations. The mythological Psyche became goddess of the soul.

Vivia, the fresh Italian version of newly popular name, streamlines and even vivifies the original.

Though it's used far more often for boys, Lyle has a lot in common with today's trending girl names that share the double L sound: Lila, Layla, and Lola.

In the New Testament this was exclaimed by those around Jesus when he first entered Jerusalem. An exuberant choice!

A life-affirming name of Hebrew origin, currently popular in Israel, Chaya has also risen up the charts in both the US and the UK in recent years. Used as a common name for leafy shrub in Mexico, it shares the same root as Chava, Eve, and Eva.

Appealing crosscultural choice.

A pretty name heard in the Louisiana Cajun community, Abella would fit right in with all the other, more familiar, bella names.

Avita sounds like a drug name. In fact, it is! (It's an acne medication.) While that may not be enough to stop you, you might want to consider Aviva, Vita, or Evita (which has issues of its own) instead.

A Top 10 name in Moscow. In Russian, the emphasis is put on the first syllable.

This name of a daughter of Zeus has an intriguing air of antiquity.

Omaira is an intriguing Middle Eastern possibility.

Crescent is an intriguing word name with a pretty sound and links to the moon. Cressie could make for a cute nickname, as used in the Worst Witch children's TV series, short for Crescentmoon.

Melodic and unusual, and she will outgrow any bib jokes.