Double exposure: 1970s rock sensation (Mamma Mia) and scholar/diplomat name in Israel. 

Abba

Ada is one of the classic <a href="https://nameberry.com/">baby names</a> for girls that is suddenly super stylish again. A favorite at the end of the nineteenth century, Ada is an alternative to the over-popular Ava. Ada is also part of the trend toward simple, old-fashioned names beginning with a vowel, like Ivy and Ella.
 
Ada is derived from the German name Adelaide, which came from the ancient name Adalheidis. The root, adal, is a Germanic word meaning "noble." Ada can also be considered a variation of the biblical name Adah, pronounced AH-da, one of the first <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ names</a> mentioned in the Book of Genesis. 
 
A worthy namesake is Ada Lovelace, mathematician daughter of the poet Lord Byron, who worked with Charles Babbage on the forerunners to the calculator and the computer. In his poem Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, Byron addresses her as "Ada! sole daughter of my house and heart."
 
Ada has a number of fictional references as well, appearing in Dickens's Bleak House and Nabokov's 1969 novel Ada; additional characters with the name were portrayed by Holly Hunter in The Piano and Nicole Kidman in Cold Mountain.
 
Ada returned to the Top 1000 in 2004, after being off since 1992; by contrast, Ada was a Top 100 name in the 1880s.
 
The Turkish name Ada means "island" and is unrelated — though it makes an excellent option for parents looking for a name spanning two cultures.

Adda

This name found in the fantasy series Endymion/Rise of Endymion has a slightly physiological feel to it.

Aenea

Aimia

Aisia

Aizia

Retro musical reference to classic Steely Dan rock album, but mostly for girls today. 

Sounds like and is often confused with Asia, though it has an air of retro cool via the seminal Steely Dan album. Or, pronounced eye-ah, it can be an alternate spelling of the international favorite Aya.

Ala is the Igbo earth goddess whose symbol is the crescent moon. In a very different vein, Ala can be a diminutive for Alicja or Alexandra or really any other name with an A at both ends and an L in the middle. Ala is also an Arabic name meaning "excellence, supremacy"; could be confused as a homonym for Allah, or as part of a phrase like a la mode.

This name of the mythological sister of Mars might be used for a girl born under one of the signs ruled by the planet Mars--Aries or Scorpio. She is the personification of the war cry.

Alala is pronounced ah-LAL-ah, like Malala. A rare name in the modern world, it fits right in with all the trends double-L names like Leila and Lola.

Alala

Lilting African name that translates perfectly into other cultures. 

Aleela

Alila

A short form of Alexandra and Alice used everywhere from Russia to Spain. A fresh alternative to Allie.

Alla

Alula, the palindromic name of the first double star to be identified as physically related to its twin, would make the perfect name for a first-born twin.  Ideas (we're only half joking) for the second born: Aviva, Aziza, Otto.  Alula is reminiscent of the unusual name chosen by Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen for their second daughter: Elula, a month name from the Hebrew calendar.

Alula

Ama is a day name used by the Akan people of Ghana for girls born on Saturday. Names that reference a baby's birth by day of the week, time of day, or season of the year are common in many African cultures. Ama is one that can be used happily by parents who live in English-speaking countries.
 
While there are many girls' names that contain Ama as an element and might use it as a short form — from Amalia to Amaryllis to Samara — there were only a handful of girls named Ama in the US in a recent year.

An anagram of Mama, in tune with its Tamil meaning.

 Amma is also a Ghanaian name. The Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born and the order in which they were born. Most Ghanaians have a name using this system (think Kofi Annan, whose name means born on a Friday). Amma is the name for girls born on a Saturday.

Amma

Confident and compact, Ana is a widely used variation of the Biblical Hannah. Favored in Spain, Slovenia, Bosnia, Portugal, and Croatia, this shorter spelling has the same substance and versatility of its longer counterparts. 
 
Derived from channah meaning "grace", Ana is one of the most popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/495/spanish-names-for-girls">Spanish names for girls</a> in the US.
 
While the Biblical Hannah still remains the preferred choice in the States, with classic Anna not too far behind, Ana is still given to more than 1300 girls every year - and occasionally to a handful of boys.
 
Notable namesakes include Cuban actress Ana de Armas of Knives Out and James Bond fame; singer Ana Matronic of The Scissor Sisters; tennis player Ana Ivanovic; romance writer Ana Huang and many more.
 
While its use as a slang term will put some parents off, its concise, international feel may be very appealing to others, especially with other 3-letter favorites like Ivy, and Mia ranking so highly.
 
If you do love Ana but want to explore more options, other Hannah variants include Anya, Annika, and Anouk. If it's the brevity of it that you like, Lia, Aya, Ida, and Lua might be places to start.

Anena

This pretty palindrome name is rarely heard in the US, but could make an interesting namesake for an aunt or grandma Ann. It's also a German diminutive form of Anna.

Anina

Anna has become the dominant form of the Ann family, offering a touch of the international to English speakers and a bit more style than the oversimplified Ann or Anne.
 Anna is the Latin form of Hannah, a Hebrew name that derived from root chanan, meaning "grace." European Christians embraced the name for its associations with the Virgin Mary’s mother, Saint Anna — known in English as Saint Anne.
Anna has been used for generations throughout Europe, from Russia to Italy, Spain to The Netherlands. While Hannah and Anna are the most common forms of the name, variations including Annie, Annalise, Anya, Anika, Nancy, and Anais also rank in the US Top 1000.
 
Classic and simple, Anna would be an excellent choice for parents in search of a name that will bridge two different cultures, say Jewish and Italian.
 
In literature, Anna is associated with Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. The name was given some fresh life when it was used for the adorable younger sister voiced by Kristen Bell in the animated film Frozen. Three current bearers are actresses Anna Kendrick, Anna Friel, and Anna Paquin.
 
Anya takes it more into international territory, and Anja, even further. Read more about Anna and other <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/disney-princess-names">Disney Princess Names</a> in our featured blog.

Anna

Name of the Roman goddess of harvest and grain, appropriate for a fall baby. And a palindrome too!

Anona

Ara is a <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">unique boys' name</a> that one of the most melodious in the Armenian name pool, familiarized by Notre Dame football coach Ara Parseghian. In Armenian mythology, Ara was a king so handsome that a rival queen went to war in order to make him her own. The name Ara is also known in the Arabic and Hebrew cultures.

Simple and yet distinctive, Ara is a mythological name of a famously handsome king. Although it originated as a boys' name, in the contemporary US, it's now much more commonly used for girls.
 Ara was one of the many vowel-heavy two-syllable names popular at the end of the nineteenth century and into the twentieth--it went as high as Number 481 in 1884. It's also used as a nickname for Arabella.

Arora

Arra

A short but strong biblical name with multicultural appeal, Asa is enjoying new visibility thanks to hot young actor Asa Butterfield of Hugo fame. 
 Asa was the name of an important biblical king of Judah, who reigned for more than forty years. In modern times, the name was long associated with the strong patriarch Asa Buchanan on the soap opera "One Life to Live," but since the character "died" in 2007, this gives the name plenty of room to rejuvenate. Popular with the Puritans, Asa can be found in the novels of James Fenimore Cooper and Theodore Dreiser. 
 A notable real-life namesake is the highly influential botanist Asa Gray, and Asa was the birth name of Al Jolson. Radiohead's Colin Greenwood has a son named Asa. 
 Asa could also be a path to the hip nickname Ace or an alternative to the rapidly rising Asher.

A male Biblical name meaning healer, Asa is also an international gem. In Japanese, it means "(born in the) morning". And in Scandinavia, where it's generally spelled Åsa or Ása and pronounced O-sa, it's a popular diminutive form of Old Norse names beginning with the element áss "god".

Ava is one of the prime examples of a modern classic name, rising thought the course of a generation into the Top 10, where it has lingered for nearly 20 years.
 
In medieval times, Ava was a diminutive of Germanic names beginning in Av-, in particular Aveline, from which the name Evelyn would eventually arise. It may derive from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "island" or "water". However, the medieval name eventually fell out of use entirely, only to resurface in contemporary times. 
 
This suggests that today’s Ava may be a modern variation of Eva. Alternatively, Ava could also derive from the Latin avis, meaning "bird." Ava has separate Persian roots as a name meaning "voice" or "sound."
 
Ava was given a huge popularity boost—Ava's currently among the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names/nameberry/girls">top girl names</a> and the top <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/a">girls' name starting with A</a>—when dozens of high-profile stars such as Reese Witherspoon and Hugh Jackman chose Ava for their daughters. Another reason for its appeal: It's one of the elite group of <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/607/girl-names-that-mean-life">girl names that mean life</a>. This Glamour Girl name via Hollywood beauty Ava Gardner is attractive but epidemically popular! 
 
Some parents who love Ava's simplicity and style have looked on to other choices that might take her place: Eva, Avery, Ada, Aveline and so on. The result, as with other popular names such as Hailey and Aiden that have spawned a raft of imitators, is that Ava is beginning to feel even more ubiquitous than it might otherwise based on its Top 5 standing. 
 
Ava seemed to be headed towards Number 1—it's no accident we titled one of our books on baby name style Beyond Ava & Aiden—but, though it seems to have been somewhat side-swiped by the Olivia-Isabella-Sophia group, it will still certainly stay in the Top 10 for years to come. It's a lovely name on many levels, but if you want something that will stand out, keep looking. 
 
One of the most fascinating things about Ava is that it's a much more ancient name than its modern-feeling sleekness would suggest. St. Ava was the daughter of King Pepin and was cured of blindness and became a nun. 
 
While Ava Gardner represents the Golden Age of Hollywood image of the name, director Ava DuVernay updates it to new Hollywood, together showcasing the name's attractive mix of glamor and strength.

Aviva is vivacious and memorable, a fresh spin on the Vivian and Vivienne names that have been getting more popular since Angelina and Brad chose one for their twin daughter. Another A-beginning palindrome name: Aziza. 

Aviva

Aya, barely more than a breath, is an international favorite, with origins in several languages and cultures. Popular throughout Europe, It debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2012.
 In the entertainment industry, Aya has two international bearers: Aya Korem, an Israeli singer-songwriter, and Aya Liu, a Taiwanese actress. And actress Hilary Swank named her twin daughter Aya (and her son Ohm).
 
Aya is also a Danish name (a creative spelling of Aja) and is a highly popular choice there.
 In Arabic, Aya means "sign, evidence" or "verse" and is a popular name in the Muslim community.

Aza's similarity to the biblical name Asa makes it ripe for adaptation. If you want something more elaborate, you might consider Azariah. Something simpler?  It doesn't get much simpler and that is the beauty of Aza (or Asa).

Aza is an excellent Arabic choice: elegant and simple. Too simple for you?  Consider Aziza.

Aziza is a zippy palindromic choice that is the female variation of Aziz and is found in several Middle Eastern and African languages and cultures. All in all, an attractive and interesting option; a Turkish variation is Azize.
<p<>In African mythology, the Azizi are a supernatural race of forest dwellers who give practical and spiritual advice.
 Aziz is the male version, as represented by Aziz Ansari, one of the stars of Parks and Recreation.

Aziza

Kids love Bob the Builder, but do they want to be Bob the Builder? Bob and Bobby have been out of style since the 1960s, but as vintage nickname-names -- Fred, Archie -- come back into vogue, Bob may tag along.  Charlie Sheen used it for one of his twin sons.

A Top 30 name in Sweden, derived from Eberhard (strength of a wild boar) or Esben (god bear) – either way, a strong meaning.

Ebbe

Combine the charming heroine of the movie Legally Blonde with supermodel Elle Macpherson and the trend toward all names beginning with "el"—Ellie, Ella, Eleanor—and you have one hit name.
 Elle Driver is the Darryl Hannah character in Kill Bill, Elle Bishop was Kristen Bell's in Heroes, and Elle Fanning (born Mary, sister of Dakota) is a rising young actress.

Elle

Introduced by "plus-size" model Emme (born Melissa) and now a legitimate member of the Em-starting girls' name group, especially since it was chosen by Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony for their twin daughter.

Emme

Eve, the oldest name in the Book, is now coming back into style, having the virtues of simplicity and purity, yet with more strength and resonance than other single-syllable names like Ann. British actor Clive Owen chose Eve for his daughter, as did Jessica Capshaw. 
 
While Eve is compromised by its similarity to trendy sisters Ava, Eva, Avery, Evelyn, Evie, ad infinitum, it still has them all beat with its streamlined classic style.
 The rapper born Eve Jihan Jeffers goes by the mononame Eve.
 Fictional Eves have figured prominently in the films All About Eve, Three Faces of Eve, and WALL·E, and on TV in Angel and Xena: Warrior Princess.
 Eve is the anglicized form of the Gaelic Aoife.

Habibah

Halah

Hanah

Hannah is one of the nation's top biblical girls' names—it surpassed Sarah in 1998, and ranks in the Top 50 along with Elizabeth, Abigail, Chloe, and Naomi. Hannah is a name with many sources of appeal: Old Testament roots, soft and gentle sound, and a homey yet aristocratic image.
 Hannah originated as a variation of the Hebrew name Channah, derived from the word channan, meaning "grace." In the Old Testament, Hannah is the mother of Samuel. 
 
Names including Anne, Anna, Nancy, Anya, Annika, and Annabel are all related to Hannah. Alternate spellings such as Hana, Hanna, and Chana are also used.
 The TV show Hannah Montana was a huge TV teen sensation from 2006 to 2011, and more recently was the name Lena Dunham chose for her own character in her hit series Girls. Hannah Baker is a central character on the Netflix show 13 Reasons Why.
 Hannah is also a name that in its varied versions, which include Hana and Hanna, has roots in many cultures, from Hebrew to Arabic, European to Asian. All in all, Hannah is still a wonderful if widely used name.

Hannah

Havivah

Adverse associations with the ruthless Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. 

This simple name has an animal meaning, like many Native American names, and can be used for either sex.

The double S is pronounced with a pause between like in "dress suit."

Issi

Spunky old vaudeville era nickname name suddenly sounds new again. 

A hum of a name occasionally heard. Madame Mim was a villain in Disney's "The Sword in the Stone." 

Bobbsey Twins-era nickname name that could find new life via Nan, heroine of The Nanny Diaries. Nan was also the nickname of Annabel St George, the protagonist of Edith Wharton's novel "The Buccaneers".

For jet-setting parents or those with many cultural backgrounds, a name that is workable across various languages is often a priority. Natan is a great option, as it is a familiar name in many European countries. It is currently most popular in Poland but seeing significant use in Israel as well. 
 
Symmetry lovers take note — Natan is a palindrome.

Natan

Nefen

Couldn't be simpler...or more worldly — though it could lead to some head-scratching. 

Neven

Better hold off and hope for a daughter so you can name her Anais. 

Nissin

The legendary St. Non was the mother of St. David, the patron saint of Wales. David was raised in a convent by his mother and went on to become a great teacher and bishop.  Non is also known as Nonna and Nonita, and is associated with Cornwall and Brittany along with Wales. While the name Non is well-used in Wales, it is largely unknown in the US and maybe be heard as the negative word "none" or prefix "non".

Noon

Okko

Ommo

Closely tied to the widow of John Lennon. 

Ororo Munroe is the civilian name of African-American comic book heroine Storm, from the X-Men series.

Ororo

Otto is cool again. Long a quintessential Old Man Name, Otto has been promoted to trending darling of adventurous baby namers. 
 Like most <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/160/german-names">German names</a>, Otto fell out of favor during and after the two World Wars – it had been a Top 100 name in the years preceding. Off the Top 1000 from the mid-1970s until 2011, Otto is now headed straight uphill.
 <br/
There were some distinguished Ottos before the imperial image of Prussian Otto von Bismarck colored the name. Otto the Great is generally considered the founder of the Holy Roman Empire and there were several German and Austrian royals with the name. 

 Otto Frank was the father of Anne Frank, the young Jewish girl who wrote her famous diary during her family's years in hiding from the Nazis during World War II. She was killed in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945 and her father Otto typed and edited the diary himself to prepare it for publication. 

 Otto Hightower is a character in the Game of Thrones universe, played by Rhys Ifans in the HBO prequel House of the Dragon.

 Feminine forms of Otto include Ottoline, Ottilie, Odilia and Odette, all fashionable in the UK along with Otto itself.

Otto

Pilip

The original Pip was the main character in Great Expectations (full name Philip Pirrip). Cute for a tike, maybe too cute for an adult.

Reinier

Rekker comes to us thanks to actor Cam Gigandet, who gave his son this phonetic spelling of badass word name Wrecker.  Use at your own peril.

Symmetrical Names