Fastest-Rising Girl Names 2023
- Brittany
Origin:
English name of the French region Bretagne, meaning 'from Briton'Description:
Brittany first arrived on the US popularity list in 1971, and rapidly zoomed up the charts, in the Top 100 a decade later. By 1986 it had entered the Top 10, becoming the third most popular girls’ name in the country by 1989.
- Azariah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"helped by God"Description:
Though this is a popular name for men in the Bible, today it's used with this spelling for nearly equal numbers of girls and boys. The Azaria variation is much more often given to girls.
- Blaire
Origin:
Spelling variation of BlairDescription:
Blair with a little something extra, though that's hardly needed.
- Marianna
Origin:
Italian, Polish, EnglishMeaning:
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + grace"Description:
While Marianna looks like a spelling variation of Mariana, the two names have different etymologies. While the one-N spelling derives from the Roman name Marianus, Marianna is a combination of two classics, Maria and Anna, used in many European languages.
- Lilian
Origin:
Alternate spelling of Lillian, EnglishMeaning:
"lily; pledged to God"Description:
Lilian is the far less popular than the ‘Lillian’ spelling. To avoid a lifetime of mistakes and misspellings, we suggest you go with the Lillian spelling, which also looks more polished on paper. Whichever spelling you prefer, these names are benefitting from the fashion for girls' names starting with L.
- Ila
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"from the island"Description:
A simple name occasionally heard a couple of generations back.
- Iliana
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"from Ilium or Troy"Description:
Iliana is one of the vaguely but usually undefinably international names that have a wide range of spellings and pronunciations. Ilium was the poetic name of the city of Troy, and variations of this name — especially Ileana and Ileanna — have been widely used, projecting a rather bohemian image.
- Arlette
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"noble, honor"Description:
Arlette is a French form of the Germanic name Herleva, which was the name of the mother of William the Conqueror. It peaked in France in the mid-1930s, but you might be surprised to learn that in the US, it's only just beginning to catch on now. It entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2018, and has dipped in and out in the years since then.
- Galilea
Origin:
Feminine variation of Galileo, after "Galilee"Meaning:
"Galilee"Description:
Like the masculine form Galileo, Galilea is a variant of Galilee, a region in Northern Israel of great Biblical significance. Given the current popularity of soft Italian girls’ names, this name’s long historical roots, its beautiful sound and the potential for cute nicknames (Leia, Lil, Ally, etc) it’s no surprise that this name has been on the rise in recent years.
- Amani
Origin:
Variation of Imani, ArabicMeaning:
"faith"Description:
Popular with Muslim and African-American parents, this virtue name also fits in with the trendy i ending names being seen at the moment. It debuted on the US Top 1000 in 1996.
- Milana
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"from Milan"Description:
This makes Milan sound like less of a place, more of a name.
- Maddie
Origin:
Diminutive of Madeline or MadisonDescription:
Britney Spears' little sister Jamie Lynn was one of the first to put this nickname on the birth certificate. Cute for a child, but we recommend giving her the option of the full name for later use.
- Zoya
Origin:
Russian and Greek variation of ZoeDescription:
Now that Zoe is getting wildly popular in the U.S. and the U.K. -- one poll puts it at number one in Wales -- parents may start hunting down fresh twists like this.
- Andi
Origin:
Diminutive of AndreaDescription:
Nickname name that seemed cool in the Ricki/Terri generation. However, it may be experiencing somewhat of a resurgence, evidenced by its first ever appearance in the US Top 1000 in 2015. This surprise entry into the popularity charts is almost certainly due to Andi Dorfman, the star of 2014's season of The Bachelorette.
- Sevyn
Origin:
American variation of Seven, number nameMeaning:
"seven"Description:
2019 was the year of seven, as both Seven (for boys) and Sevyn (for girls) broke into the Top 1000. Sevyn's use may be inspired by Sevyn Streeter, a singer and songwriter. She was born Amber Denise Streeter but chose Sevyn as her stage name — rather appropriately, since her birthday is July 7.
- Aitana
Origin:
Spanish place-nameDescription:
Aitana is the name of a Spanish mountain used by the poet Rafael Alberti for his daughter. He reportedly chose it because the mountain was his last glimpse of Spain when he went into exile after the Spanish Civil War. The name was popularized by Aitana Alberti's goddaughter and namesake, actress Aitana Sanchez-Gijan. It became one of the fastest-rising girls names in 2016, after entering the US Top 1000 in 2015, and is among the most popular Spanish names for girls in its native Spain and beyond.
- Fernanda
Origin:
Feminine variation of Fernando, Spanish and Portuguese version of German FerdinandMeaning:
"bold voyager"Description:
Fernanda is very popular in the Latino community, with a lot more charm than its male counterpart. The standard nickname is Nanda, and variations include Ferdinanda and Fernandina.
- Freyja
Origin:
Old Norse variation of FreyaMeaning:
"a noble woman"Description:
The original form of the name of the Norse goddess Freya, whose name is now a worldwide sensation. Freya is the most common variant, although Freja is preferred in Denmark and Sweden. Iceland still uses Freyja, the Old Norse spelling.
- Anahi
Origin:
TupiMeaning:
"maize or immaculate"Description:
The name of a Guaraní princess killed by Spanish conquistadors in Tupi-Guarani legend. A Ceibo tree – the national flower of Argentina – is said to have bloomed in the spot where she died.
- Zhuri
Origin:
Variation of Zuri, African, KiswahiliMeaning:
"good, beautiful"Description:
One of the fastest-rising names currently, thanks to LeBron James' daughter Zhuri. This spelling entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2022, following in the footsteps of red-hot Zuri.