Abigail has been in for so long -- the name has ranked in the US Top 100 since the late 1980s -- it's amazing that it isn't more out by now. But Abigail's biblical and historic roots make it a fashionable classic rather than a passing fad.

The name Abigail comes from the Hebrew name Avigail and is derived from the Hebrew elements ab, meaning "father," and g-y-l, meaning "to rejoice." In the Old Testament, Abigail was the wife of David, said to be beautiful, wise, and prophetic. 

Abigail was well-used for centuries but In the early 1800s, abigail became a slang term for a lady's maid, which led to a fall from favor. It was well on its way down by the time the US Social Security office began keeping records on baby name popularity in 1880, and by the early 1900s fell off the Top 1000 completely.

Abigail's resurgence was tied to the rediscovery of many old biblical names starting in the 1960s. Abigail was in the first wave of the Old Testament names that were revived then, including Hannah, Rebecca, and Rachel for girls, Joshua, Aaron, and Benjamin for boys.

Abigail has been the name of two of our First Ladies—three, if you count the character on The West Wing—and Abby has been the name of a host of television and movie characters in everything from Mad Men to The Lovely Bones.
 
If you like Abigail but want something fresher, you may consider such other biblical choices as Lydia and Priscilla or names popular in Revolutionary Era America that have been neglected in recent years, such as Susannah and Hester.

Abigail

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.

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. 
Adeline originated as a French diminutive of Adele, which came from the Germanic root adal, meaning "noble." Adeline was introduced to England by the Normans in the eleventh century, was very common during the Middle Ages, then vanished until the Victorian Gothic revival. Common variants of Adeline include Adalynn, Adalyn, Adelyn, Adelynn, Adelina, and Adaline.
 Adeline was introduced to England by the Normans in the eleventh century, was very common during the Middle Ages, then vanished until the Victorian Gothic revival.
 The song "Sweet Adeline" Is an old barbershop quartet favorite. JFK's grandfather John F. Fitzgerald, mayor of Boston, made it his theme song, and Mickey Mouse serenaded Minnie with it in a 1929 cartoon.
 Pronounced ad-a-line in America, it's usually ad-a-LEEN in France.

Adeline

Agnes is the Latin variation of the name Hagne, which itself derived from the Greek word hagnos, meaning "chaste." In medieval times, St. Agnes was a very popular saint, leading to its popularity as a girl's name. Agnes Grey is the title of one of the two novels written by Anne Brontë.
 
Agnes, though it was the third most common English girls' name for four hundred years, has long been stuck in the attic. But now it looks like Agnes was so far out it's just about ready to come back in. It did look cute on a little girl in Despicable Me, and nickname Aggie has lots of retro appeal. 
 Agnes has also been making inroads in the celebrisphere—first actress Elisabeth Shue chose Agnes for her third child, and more recently Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany named their daughter Agnes Lark. 
 The French pronunciation—ahn-YEZ—could make it more attractive, but few Americans would comply. Other interesting variations: the Welsh Nesta, the Latin/Scandinavian Agneta, the Spanish Inez/Ines/Ynez, and the Scottish Senga—which happens to be Agnes spelled backwards.

Agnes

Amelia is one of the hottest <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls' names</a>, a successor to the megapopular Emma and Emily. Amelia, which spent several years at Number 1 in England, is now comfortably ensconced in the US Top 10.
 
Now the most popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/a">girl name starting with A</a>, Amelia is also a Top 10 girls' name in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland and Poland. So while Emilia and Emelia are sound-alike names, it's the Amelia version that's on the fast track. 
 
Amelia is derived from the German name Amalia, which in turn is a variation of Amalberga. The root, amal, is a Germanic word meaning "work," and in the context of female given names suggests themes of fertility as well as productivity. Aemilia, the name from which Emily is derived, is unrelated to Amelia.
 
Kids might associate Amelia with the wacky children's book character Amelia Bedelia, while adults could appreciate it as the eponymous heroine of the Henry Fielding novel. Amelia also appears in novels by Trollope and Thackeray, as a Harry Potter name, and as detective Amelia Peabody in the Elizabeth Peters series. Angelina Jolie played patrol cop Amelia Donaghy in The Bone Collector.
 
Amelia became a British royal name via the daughters of Kings George II and III. American heroes who have inspired a new generation of namesakes are aviatrix Amelia Earhart and feminist Amelia Bloomer.
 
Trivia tidbit: Amelia is the birth name of Minnie Driver.

Amelia

The name of the sainted mother of the Virgin Mary was among the top <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ names</a> for centuries, in both the original English Ann spelling and the French Anne. Both left the Top 100 around 1970 but Anne is still among the most <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/322/classic-baby-names-for-girls">classic names for girls</a>, although others are more likely to choose the original Hannah, the Anna variation, or even Annabel or Annabella.
Anne was on a long slide from the early 1980s until about 2010, when its popularity in the US stabilized around the middle of the Top 1000.
 Anne was the name of six queens of England, two of them wives of Henry VIII, as well as the name of the present Queen Elizabeth's only daughter plus French and Russian royalty. More recently, Mindy Kaling chose Anne for her second daughter.
 Anne has too many distinguished namesakes to enumerate--but among them are Anne Hathaway, (both Shakespeare's wife and the contemporary actress), Anne of Green Gables, Anne Bronte, Anne Frank, and Anne Morrow Lindbergh.

Anne

Once the most popular month names, April has been overtaken by June (for girls) and August (for boys), as well as the charmingly old-fashioned May. Literary reference: the heroine of the book and movie Revolutionary Road, and there have been Aprils on Parks and Recreation, Glee, and The Vampire Diaries. Trivia note: comedian Ralphie May named his daughter April June May.

April

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.

Clara is a strong, lovely girls' name that's always ranked among the US Top 1000 girl names but has been climbing since the turn of this century. It now ranks right around Number 100, making it a modern classic that's neither too popular nor unfamiliar.
 
Long relegated to an Olde World backwater, the European-flavored Clara was long less fashionable than sleeker sister Claire. Now, though the vintage chic Clara is still less popular, it's arguably the more stylish of the two names. 
 Clara was a Top 10 name in the 1880's, at one time associated with the silent screen 'It Girl,' Clara Bow, and before that with German musician and composer Clara Schumann and Red Cross founder Clara Barton, who was born Clarissa.
 Clara is beloved for her leading role in The Nutcracker ballet and as Heidi's invalid friend. Actor Ewan McGregor was an early celebrity adopter of the name for one of his daughters.
 Other Clara variations you might want to consider include Clarissa and Clarina, though Clarabelle seems still fit mainly for cows.

Clara

Daisy, fresh, wholesome, and energetic, is one of the flower names that burst back into bloom after a century's hibernation. Originally a nickname for Margaret (the French Marguerite is the word for the flower), Daisy comes from the phrase "day's eye," because it opens its petals at daybreak.

 Daisy has a colorful literary and pop culture history – as the innocent Daisy Miller in the Henry James novella, as Daisy Buchanan, the hero's object of desire in The Great Gatsby, and as many movie and TV characters, including in L'il Abner and The Dukes of Hazzard, as the older Daisy in Driving Miss..., as well as Julia Roberts's character in her breakthrough movie, Mystic Pizza.

 Meg Ryan has a daughter named Daisy True, chef Jamie Oliver has Daisy Boo, and Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom recently named their daughter Daisy Dove.

Daisy

Melodic and lively, Delilah has cut itself (mostly) free from its treacherous past to become a contemporary favorite. 
Though some people are naturally still put off by the deceptive Biblical figure, a large number of parents have been tempted by Delilah’s charms, meaning it now ranks in the Top 100 in the US, the UK, and Australia. 
Delilah is a Hebrew name, meaning “weak and languishing”, or, more appealingly, “delicate.” In the Old Testament, Delilah was the lover of Samson, but she betrayed him by cutting off the source of his strength – his hair – before handing him over to his enemies. 
Despite this negative namesake, Delilah has been occasionally used in the English-speaking world since the 1600’s when it was revived by the Puritans. 
It danced in and out of the charts during the 20th century, but by the mid 2000’s, it began to make significant gains. By 2018, it was in the Top 100, where it’s continued to rise ever since. 
With its alluring cadence, Delilah has been a hit in the music world. Camille Saint-Saens composed an opera based on the Biblical story in the 1880’s, while Tom Jones saw success in the 60’s with his song “Delilah.” 
Other artists who have sung about her include Queen, Chuck Berry, Sufjan Stevens, and Florence and the Machine, though it was after the release of the Plain White T’s song, “Hey there Delilah” that the name really jumped up the charts in 2007. 
Actors Harry Hamlin and Lisa Rinna were well ahead of the trend when they named their daughter Delilah back in 1998, and since then, it’s been a sparkling choice for celebrities. Kimberly Stewart, Benicio del Toro, Laurence Fishburne, Gina Torres, and Keira Knightley are among those who’ve selected Delilah for their daughters. 
Given to nearly 4000 babies every year, Delilah is still on the rise, while its international form, Dalila, remains popular in Italy and Bosnia and Herzegovina. 
If the sparkly, energetic sounds of Delilah do appeal to you, but the popularity or associations don’t sit right, then you could consider Tallulah, Keziah, Alaia, Azura, Talitha, or Fifer.

Delilah

Fresh, bright, and sunny, Della could be an alternative to Ella, Delilah, or Adeline. Familiar but not yet overused, it combines the elements of contemporary favorites with vintage charm.
 
With its noble meaning and associations with delight, Della was a popular choice in the 19th century and remained so up until the 1930s, when it slowly began to fall out of favor. It disappeared from the Top 1000 in 1978, but, after an absence of 40 years, it re-entered the charts in 2018.
 
This reappearance was perhaps partly inspired by actress and singer Della Reese, who died in 2017. This could have brought the name to the attention of a new generation of parents, and it has been climbing the US charts ever since. 
 
As a diminutive of Adela or Adelaide (or perhaps Delphine, Madeline, or Idella), Della fits into the trend of nicknames as proper names, blending well with the likes of Mila, Josie, and Nora.
 
As of 2023, it is given to around 450 girls in the US each year and may well be one to watch out for. A small caution, however, is that della does mean "from the" in Italian.

Della

Elise is one of those golden names that stylish but not TOO popular. Its appeal is due in large part to its French flair and to the love for El-names in general.
 
Elise originated as French diminutive of Elizabeth but is now most commonly used as self-contained name. In English and French speaking countries, Elise is pronounced with two syllables, but in countries with Germanic or Scandinavian languages it is pronounced with three syllables, closer to Elisa. 
 Elise was introduced into the English-speaking world in the late nineteenth century. Today, it can make an original, modern honor name for an ancestral Elizabeth.
Emily Blunt played a character named Elise in The Adjustment Bureau. Fur Elise is one of Beethoven's most popular piano pieces. Piers Morgan named his daughter Elise.

Elise

Ella is a sweet, simple name that owes much of its current popularity to the popularity of other names, from Emma to Bella to Emily to Ellie.

Ella is one of those names that just misses ranking among the US Top 1000 for its entire history, falling off the list for a handful of years in the 1980s before shooting straight back toward the top. Like many names from Liam to Finn to Emma that's easy to spell and pronounce, Ella is an international favorite, making the Top 100 throughout the Anglophone world as well as in a range of French and German-speaking, Scandinavian, and Eastern European countries. 

Which makes sense for a name with parallel derivations in several different languages and cultures. Ella is the Norman variation of the Germanic Alia—itself a nickname for names containing the element ali. In English speaking countries and Scandinavia, Ella developed as a diminutive for names beginning with El-, such as Eleanor and Elizabeth. Ella is also a Hebrew name, referring to a tree in the pistachio family or in modern Hebrew, "goddess."

Ella can also be a short form of names that begin with El, such as Eleanor and Elizabeth, as well as those that end with -ella, from Gabriella to Luella to Rafaella. And it can be one of the many routes to the super-popular nickname Ellie.

Ella has long been a favorite celebrity baby name, chosen by several stars for their now-mostly-grown daughters by John Travolta, Warren Beatty, Ben Stiller, Eric Clapton, Jeff Gordon, Ioan Gruffudd, Alex Rodriguez, and Mark Wahlberg.
 
Iconic singer Ella Fitzgerald adds a jazzy edge. And Ella Enchanted gave the name some princess-y pop.

Ella

Well balanced between sleek, sweet, strong, and vintage, newly chic Eloise re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2009, following a 50 year absence. In 2022, it broke into the Top 100 in the US and across the pond in the UK. Given to nearly 3000 babies each year, Eloise is showing no sign of stepping out of the spotlight. 
 
Eloise comes from the Old French name, Héloïse, which means "healthy" and "wide." The name was first used by Héloïse, a 12th century scholar, philosopher and Catholic Abbess whose work inspired a many French and English writers.
 There is contention over whether her name is a feminized variant of Eloi, meaning "to choose" or a French form of the Old German Helewidis meaning "healthy" and "wood" or "wise".
 
Eloise has also been linked to the name Louise, but despite their similarities, there is no evidence either derived from the other. But don't let that stop you from using Eloise as an updated honor for a family Louisa!
 
However it originally came to be, the name was revived in the 19th century as Eloise, making the pronunciation more obvious to English speakers and the spelling more in line with the familiar Eleanor and Eliza. 
 
To some, Eloise will forever be the imperious little girl making mischief at the Plaza Hotel, while others might think of the rebellious Eloise from the TV series Bridgerton - a popular show which first aired in 2020, and likely influenced the rise of Eloise. 
 With that popular El- beginning and the potential nicknames Ellie, Lolly, Lola, Elsie, and Lolo, it is no wonder Eloise is climbing the charts.

Eloise

Elsie is a sweet vintage nickname-name turned modern star. After a 30-year hiatus, Elsie started climbing the US popularity list 20 years ago and is still headed for the top.
 
In its native Britain, Elsie is even more popular, ranking in the Top 20. One reason for Elsie's popularity: She makes a fresh, charming honor name for all those grandma Elizabeths.
. Elsie was a popular name at the end of the nineteenth century until its image was damaged in this country by the association with Elsie the Borden cow. But it's rising now on the heels of Ella and Ellie, suddenly sounding fresh and frisky. Singer James Morrison picked it for his baby girl and Ioan Gruffudd has an adorably named little Elsie Marigold. Another youthful bearer is actress Elsie Kate Fisher, the voice of Agnes in Despicable Me.

Elsie

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!
 A popular medieval name, Emmeline was introduced to Britain by the Normans. It appeared as a character in Uncle Tom's Cabin, and is famous in Britain as the name of the illustrious suffragette, Emmeline Pankhurst. Way back in 1980, it was the name of young Brooke Shields's innocent character in The Blue Lagoon. More recently, Emmeline Vance was a witch in the Harry Potter series.
 Christian Bale has a daughter named Emmeline.

Emmeline

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.

Faith is one of the most straightforward of the virtue names popularized by the Puritans in the seventeenth century, many parents still choosing it as an indicator of their religious conviction. Faith peaked in 2002 at Number 48.
 Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban are the parents of a daughter they called Faith, little sister for Sunday -- a sibset suitable for a minister's brood. A prominent adult bearer is country singer Faith Hill.

Faith

Fleur is a generic, delicate flower name that emigrated into the English-speaking world when John Galsworthy bestowed it on one of the Forsytes in his celebrated saga. More recently, there was Fleur Delacour, a French witch and the Beauxbatons champion for the Triwizard Tournament in Harry Potter. 
 Fleur is currently in the Top 100 in Belgium and the Netherlands, home of the tulip and other fleurs.

Fleur

Flora, the name of the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, who enjoyed eternal youth, is one of the gently old-fashioned girls' flower names we think is due for a comeback— alongside cousins Cora and Dora. Florence, Fiorella, Fleur, and Flower are translations, but we like Flora best of all.
 
Also the name of a saint, Flora has long been a favorite in Scotland where it was the name of the young heroine who helped Bonnie Prince Charlie make his way to the Isle of Skye. In Gaelic, her name was Fionnghal nic Dhòmhnaill, but the Anglicized Flora caught on with the Scots, who used it disproportionately compared to the rest of the UK until the 20th century.
 
Flora was a Top 100 name in the 1880s and 1890s but gradually descended until it finally fell off the list in 1972. It is still popular in some European countries, including Hungary and France.

There have been a number of memorable Floras in literature, including the angelic little girl in Henry James's Turn of the Screw, the exasperating but charming Flora Poste in Stella Gibson's Cold Comfort Farm, Flora MacIvor in Walter Scott's Waverly, and one of the three Good Fairies in Disney's Sleeping Beauty.
Flora is the name of the eighth child and fifth daughter of Ballerina Farm Instastar Hannah Neeleman. Neeleman is one of the main inspirations for our Natural Glamour group of names that makes up one of the prime <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/baby-name-trends-2024">baby name trends</a> of the year, a trend that includes Flora.

Flora

Grace, a simple and pure virtue name which originally referred to divine grace, is a fashionable classic. In the early 2000s, it seemed headed for the Top 10 but pulled back from the upward trajectory, which you may consider a very good thing.

Grace is one of the most luminous of names, recalling the cool elegance of Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco. Embraced by Americans of the Victorian era, it was the eleventh most popular name in this country in 1875 and has always ranked among the Top 1000 girl names.

Currently, Grace is the Number 1 girls’ name in Ireland, and ranks highly in other English-speaking countries. In the US, it’s one of the most popular one-syllable middle names for girls.
 
Grace is derived from gratia, the Latin word for "grace." It existed as Gracia in the Middle Ages but was not in common use until the Puritans adopted it along with other Christian attribute names in the sixteenth century. It was used as a <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/373/virtue-names">virtue name</a>, in reference to divine grace — the love and kindness of God.
 
If Grace is too overused for you, consider an international variation like Engracia or Graziella. Some parents have even migrated into the gender neutral camp in search of Grace equivalents such as Gray or Grayson or even Gracelyn. Choosing the nickname Gracie for the birth certificate is a popular option.

Grace

Hazel has a pleasantly hazy, brownish-green-eyed, old-fashioned image that more and more parents are choosing to share. Former Old Lady name Hazel reentered the popularity lists in 1998 and now is near the top of the charts.
 
Hazel is a name that comes from the English word hazel, referring to the hazelnut tree. The word was derived from the Old English hæsel of the same meaning. Historically, a wand of hazel symbolized protection and authority.
 
When Julia Roberts named one of her twins Hazel in 2004, there was a great public outcry against "another one of those nutty celebrity names", though we saw it as the deserved revival of a lovely vintage name with roots in nature. Hazel was one of the botanicals that were all the rage at the turn of the twentieth century, when it was in the Top 25, then fell out of favor, off the list completely from 1976 to 1998.
 
Other celebrities with daughters named Hazel include Emily Blunt & John Krasinski, and Taylor Neisen & Liev Schreiber.
 
Hazel Motes is the protagonist of Flannery O'Connor's 1952 novel Wise Blood, and In The Hunger Games, one of the characters is the variant Hazelle. But the most influential Hazel of recent years is the heartrending heroine of Fault in Our Stars.

Hazel

The quirky, offbeat and energetic botanical name Ivy is enjoying a deserved revival, propelled even higher by its choice by high-profile parents Beyonce and Jay-Z for daughter Blue Ivy. Ivy is also traditionally used at Christmas, make this one of the perfect <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/577/names-for-december-babies">names for December babies</a>.
 Ivy is derived from the name of the ivy plant, which got its name from the Old English word ifig. Ancient Greeks presented an ivy wreath to newlyweds as a symbol of fidelity. In the language of flowers, Ivy signifies faithfulness.
 British novelist Ivy Compton-Burnett is a notable namesake and Ivy Baker Priest served as U.S. Secretary of Treasury. Another association is the prestigious Ivy League. 
Ivy has been a favorite of scriptwriters—she's appeared on everything from 90210 to Gossip Girl, Dollhouse to Downton Abbey, and is the name of a 1970's American Girl doll.

No, we don't consider Jane too plain. In fact, for a venerable and short one-syllable name, we think it packs a surprising amount of punch, as compared to the related Jean and Joan.
 A very old name, Jane has been around since Tudor times, in this country moving in and out of fashion. Jane was once so common that it became generic—as in Jane Doe and G.I. Jane—then spent a considerable time as the back end of such smooshes as Maryjane, Bettyjane, and Sarajane.
 We think it's time for a fresh look at Jane—and not only in the middle place. Just think of all the awesome Janes of the past, both real and fictive—from Austen to Addams to Eyre to Fonda. 
 Jimmy Kimmel recently named his baby girl Jane.

Jane

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.
 
Josephine is the feminine form of Joseph, a name ultimately derived from the Hebrew Yosef, meaning "Jehovah increases." In French it has an accent over the first E, which was omitted in the English, German, and Dutch translations of the name. Empress Joséphine du Beauharnais was born Marie-Josephe-Rose, but called Josephine by her husband, Napolean Bonaparte.
 
Josephine Baker (born Freda), the American-French singer, dancer, and civil rights activist, is a potential namesake.
 Some of the Josephines in literature and recent pop culture are known by their nicknames—the admirably headstrong Jo in Little Women, Joey Potter (played by Katie Holmes) in Dawson's Creek, and Josie of Josie and the Pussycats. In Some Like it Hot, Josephine was the nom de femme of Tony Curtis.
 Josephines have been the subjects of countless songs, performed by artists ranging from Fats Domino to Tori Amos to the Black Crowes.

Josephine

Joy is from an older generation of word names, which also included Merry, Bliss, and Glory -- all of which exert a certain amount of personality pressure on a child. One interesting name that means the same thing: Chara.
 Joy began to be used as a name by the seventeenth century Puritans, with the idea of "being joyful in the Lord." It came into more general use in the late nineteenth central, part of the revival of virtue names. Her high point was in 1974, when she reached Number 109 on the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular names</a> charts. Joy has also been often used as a middle name. Two recent bearers: comedian/TV personality Joy Behar and Joy Mangano, the inventor whose life was the basis of Oscar-nominated biopic Joy, starring Jennifer Lawrence.

One of the most romantic names, the lovely and stylish Juliet seems finally to have shaken off her limiting link to Romeo. In Shakespeare's play, it was Juliet who said "What's in a name?" 
 

 Juliet originated in the Middle Ages as a diminutive form of Julian, then a predominantly female name. It ultimately derives from Julius, a Roman family name. Its origin is shrouded in history, but possible roots include Latin iuvenis, meaning "youthfu"; Greek ioulos, meaning "downy-bearded"; or Jovis, a form of Jupiter, which means "sky father".
 
French version Juliette, pronounced the same by most English speakers though the French emphasize the last syllable, was more popular than Juliet for the first time in 2015. Both names have taken over for Jennifer and Jessica as fashionable <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/j">girls' names starting with J</a>.
 Juliet Burke was a character on Lost and Juliet Sharp on Gossip Girl. Juliet Low was the founder of the American Girl Scouts.
 Other ideas to consider: the original Julia, still lovely; Juliana; or even Jules.

Juliet

June, a sweetly old-fashioned month name derived from the goddess Juno, was long locked in a time capsule with June Allyson (born Ella) and June Cleaver, but is rising again especially as a middle name. 
 June was a Top 100 name from 1915 to 1941, peaking in 1925 at Number 39. It fell off the U.S. Top 1000 in 1987 and returned in 2008 after a two-decade hiatus. Now, we'd call it one of the vintage girls' names starting with J due for a comeback. Balthazar Getty has a daughter named June and Amanda Peet used it as her daughter Molly's middle name.
 Juni is the Scandinavian version; other related choices are Junia, Juno, Juna and Djuna.

June

Letitia is a delicate, once prim and proper sounding name whose staid image has been unbuttoned by numerous phonetic spellings. The original, often used in Spanish-speaking families, would still make an attractive, delicate choice. After a solid century on the Top 1000 list, Letitia fell off in the early 1980s and has not yet returned. 
 Letitia has a First Lady heritage, as the wife of President John Tyler. Letitia Baldridge, White House social secretary to Jacqueline Kennedy, was often known as Tish. These days, most parents would prefer the sweet, gold-locket pet forms Letty or Lettie.
 Spelled Laetitia, she was the Roman goddess of celebration, happiness and gaiety. The name appeared in the form Lettice in medieval England.

Letitia

Could Lilac be the next Lila or Lily or Violet? It certainly has a lot going for it--those lilting double 'l's, the fabulous fragrance it exudes, and the fact that it's a color name as well, providing a ready made nursery theme. In addition, the lilac is symbolic of first love.
 Actor Stephen Moyer was ahead of the curve when he named his daughter Lilac in 2002.

Lilac

Lily is the most popular of the popular delicate century-old flower names now making a return, thanks to its many irresistible attributes: a cool elegance and a lovely sound, a symbol of purity and innocence, and a role in Christian imagery.
 Lily's use as a given name was a direct influence of the flower. The floral name was derived from the Latin lilium, itself derived from the Greek leirion. Lily later became an adjective to describe whiteness and purity.
 
 Lily is a favorite of celebrity parents, including Chris O'Donnell, Kate Beckinsale, Greg Kinnear, Fred Savage, and Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis (who made it a double bouquet, with Lily-Rose). The more proper Lillian is also rising in popularity, though Lily has long stood on its own. 
 Lily is an authors' favorite, some notable example being Lily Bart, the main character of Edith Wharton's House of Mirth, Lily Owens in The Secret Life of Bees and both mother and daughter of Harry Potter. Other current bearers are Lily Tomlin, singer Lily Allen, and actress Lily James. Two one-time starbaby Lilys are now celebrities on their own: Lily Collins, daughter of Phil, and Lily Rabe, daughter of Jill Clayburgh and David Rabe.
 Lily is currently quite popular throughout the English-speaking world as well as in France, Denmark, the Netherlands, and other European countries. Other possible spellings are Lilly, Lili, and Lillie.

Lily

Louisa, a quaint vintage name, is an example of the idea that these days, old-style <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ names</a> are more fashionable when they end with an a rather than with an e, as in Julie/Julia, Diane/Diana. So for the next generation, Louisa may rise again, especially with the growing popularity of other Lou/Lu-starting names, like Lucy and Luna. Louisa reentered the US Top 1000 in 2014 after a 45 year absence.
 Very popular in the eighteenth century, Louisa was finally toppled at the end of the nineteenth by the French form Louise, which was a top name through the first quarter of the twentieth century.
 Louisa has many literary associations, including Louisa May Alcott, author of Little Women and Little Men; two Charles Dickens novels, Hard Times and Dombey & Sons; and two novels by Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion. 
 Louisa is a First Lady name, being the wife of President John Quincy Adams. One of Meryl Streep's daughters is named Louisa.
 Some international variations: Luisa, Lovisa, Ludovica, and Luigia. Nicknames include Lou, Lu, Lulu, and Ouisa.

Louisa

Lydia is one of the first place names, after an area of Asia Minor whose inhabitants are credited with strong musical talent great wealth. Always among the US Top 1000 girl names, Lydia is a quietly fashionable classic.
 Although mentioned in the New Testament (Lydia was the first European convert of Saint Paul), it didn't really emerge as a viable first name until the eighteenth century, promoted via the character of Lydia Languish in Sheridan's popular 1775 play The Rivals, and the youngest of the Bennett girls in Pride and Prejudice.
 Lydia continued to be a literary favorite, found in the novels of George Eliot and D. H. Lawrence. And there's also the iconic Groucho Marx ditty: "Lydia the Tattooed Lady."
 Lydia is increasingly appreciated for its history and haunting quality. Cute nickname: Liddy or Lydie.

Lydia

Mary is the English form of Maria, which ultimately was derived from the Hebrew name Maryam/Mariam. The original meaning of Maryam is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

 Mary, the quintessential New Testament name, was #1 for girls until the mid-twentieth century. Though still popular, Mary is used now mostly for religious or family reasons. If it's style you're after, Mary's many diminutives and derivatives such as Maire, Mamie, May, Mitzi, Molly, Maura, Marietta, and even Maria may seem more fashionable. 

 Mary was the most popular and enduring female Christian name in the English-speaking world (as were Maria and Marie in Spanish and French) until the 1940s. That was when in the US Mary was finally dethroned by such trendy upstarts as Linda and Karen.

 There are six Marys in the Bible, including the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene, Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and Mary the mother of Mark, and there have been British royal Marys beginning in the sixteenth century. In earlier times Mary was considered too sacred to be used; it finally gained usage in England in the twelfth century, and by the sixteenth had blanketed the female population, to the point where dozens of pet forms had to be contrived to distinguish one Mary in the family from the others.

 The poet Byron deemed Mary a "magic" name, and Bing Crosby proclaimed it "a grand old name." Mary has always been a good-girl name, as reflected by such mid-century icons of propriety and wholesomeness as Mary Poppins and Mary Tyler Moore. The lovely Lady Mary Crawley of Downton Abbey has restored some freshness to the name.

 Among the celebs who dropped their birth name of Mary are Meryl Streep, Debbie Reynolds, and Lily Tomlin.

 For more detail on the origins and possible meanings of the name Mary, see this <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/in-search-of-the-meaning-of-mary">excellent post on the subject</a>.

Mary

May is a sweet old-fashioned name that hasn't been on the national charts in several decades, but is definitely sounding fresh and springlike. Parents are beginning to see it once more as one of the prettiest middle name options. May was as high on the list as Number 57 in the 1880s; it's now 228 on Nameberry.
 May started as one of the innumerable pet forms of Mary and Margaret, as well as a springtime month name along with April and June. She's represented in literature by May Bartram in Henry James's The Beast in the Jungle and May Welland in Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence. 
 Actresses Emily Morton and Madeline Stowe named their daughters May, and Eric Clapton and Jodie Sweetin used it in middle place for theirs.

Mia is an appealingly unfussy multicultural name that has enjoyed a meteoric rise up the charts and is now firmly among the ten <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names/nameberry/girls">top girl names</a>. Mia has surpassed its mother name Maria as the Number 1 <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/m">girls' name starting with M</a>. 
 
Mia originated as a short form of Maria, which ultimately derived from the Hebrew name Miryam. In modern times, Mia has been used as a nickname for names including Amelia, Emilia, and Miriam. Mia is also an Italian and Spanish word meaning 'mine.'
 Mia's success is largely attributable to Mia Farrow--born Maria. Her name entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 1964, the very year that Farrow gained wide attention for her role on the nighttime soap Peyton Place.
 We see Mia as the daughter of Nina, or maybe Maya, and the granddaughter of Mary: a name that has something for nearly everyone. It works for the parent who wants a name that is simple and modern, and for those who seek a name with traditional roots. Mia sidesteps all the curlicues and ruffles attached to names like Isabella and Olivia, yet it's distinctly feminine.
 
And in some ways, Mia doesn't feel as trendy as its popularity standing might indicate. It's likable yet not really stand-out, a compromise choice for a lot of parents. Alternatives include a wide range of rhyming names that are less popular: Leah, Tea, Thea, Gia, Nia, Pia. 
 Kate Winslet is the mother of Mia Honey, and Ian Ziering is dad to Mia Loren.

Though greatly overshadowed by the trendy Olivia, Olive has a quiet, subtle appeal of its own -- and is now enjoying a remarkable comeback. Olive is one of only four <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/o">girl names starting with O</a> on the US Top 1000. Cool couple Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen chose it for their daughter, reviving the name to stylishness, and now Drew Barrymore has a little Olive too, as has country singer Jake Owen. 
Olive has positive associations to the olive branch as a symbol of peace and the ancient olive wreath that celebrated success.
 Olive was the name of the adorable Abigail Breslin character in the popular movie Little Miss Sunshine. Olive Chancellor is a major character in Henry James's The Bostonians and Olive Kitteridge is a Pulitzer Prize-winning Elizabeth Strout novel that was adapted into a TV miniseries in 2014. Kids might be familiar with Olive the Other Reindeer.
 Olive came into fashion at the end of the nineteenth century along with other botanical names, when it had a run in the Top 100.

Olive

Paige is more name, and less word than the occupational Page. Paige is also sleek and sophisticated a la Brooke and Blair and reached as high as Number 47 in 2003, when there was a very popular television show, Trading Spaces, hosted by the energetic Paige Davis.
 Paige Matthews was a witch played by Rose McGowan in Charmed; Paige McCullers appears on Pretty Little Liars. Back in the day, Nicollette Sheridan played a character named Paige Matheson on nighttime soap Knots Landing.
 Paige Rense was the long-time editor of Architectural Digest magazine.

Paige

Pippa, a peppy condensation of Philippa that turns it from serious to sprightly, has come into the public eye in a big way via the former Kate Middleton's sister. 
 
Pippa can and is given as a name in its own right, and may also be short for names other than Philippa: Penelope, for instance, or Patricia, or the more out-of-the-box Philippine.
 
Heard far more in the UK (where it's currently in the Top 200) than the US, Pippa has been used on its own since the nineteenth century, popularized by Robert Browning's dramatic poem, Pippa Passes. A recent book and film was titled The Private Lives of Pippa Lee.
 
Expectant parents should be warned, however, that the word pippa or pipa has an unsavory slang meaning in several European languages, including Italian, Swedish, Polish, and Greek.

Pippa

Poppy, unlike most floral names which are sweet and feminine, has a lot of spunk. Long popular throughout the rest of the English-speaking world, Poppy is finally starting to rise toward the top in the US, where it entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2016.

 British TV chef Jamie Oliver used the name for his eldest daughter, Poppy Honey Rosie, as did Anthony Edwards, Jessica Capshaw, and Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer. A notable adult Poppy is Australian Without a Trace star Poppy Montgomery (full name Poppy Petal Emma Elizabeth – she and her sisters are all named after flowers: Lily, Daisy, Marigold and Rosie).

 Due to the flower's bold crimson color, Poppy makes an especially good choice for a redhead. In the UK, it is a traditional <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/605/names-for-november-babies">name for November babies</a>, due to the flower's association with Remembrance Day (Nov 11), honoring the memory of members of the Armed Forces who have died in the line of duty.

 Other Poppy-like names to consider: Pippa, Piper, Posey and Petal.

Poppy

Rosalie hit its apex in 1938 and then slid straight downhill until it fell off the U.S. Top 1000 completely in the 1980s, only to spring back to life in 2009 as the name of a character in the Twilight series. The beautiful vampire Rosalie Hale has breathed fresh life back into this mid-century name, and the fact that the character is both sympathetic and relatively minor means Rosalie has the chance to thrive again as a baby name without feeling unduly tied to Twilight.
 For a long time Rosalie's main claim to fame was via the eponymous 1928 Broadway musical, which became a movie ten years later, both of which included a hit song.
 Rosalie was used as a character name in literature by Anne Bronte and Oscar Wilde. In the mid-twentieth century, Rosalie was the name of the daughter on The Goldbergs. More recently, Rosalie is a character on Grimm.

Rosalie

Ruth, with its air of calm and compassion, was the third most popular name in the 1890s, remaining in the Top 10 through the 1920s. It's still in use today as some parents tiring of Rachel and Rebecca are giving Ruth a second thought. Some see such Old Testament <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ names</a> as Ruth and Esther rising on the heels of boy equivalents Abel and Moses.
 The biblical Ruth was the loyal and devoted daughter-in-law of Naomi who, when electing to leave her people and stay with the older woman, speaks the famous lines, "Whither thou goest, I will go."
 Ruth has had numerous notable namesakes, from Supreme Court justice Ginsburg to crime writer Rendell to sexologist Dr. Ruth Westheimer.

Ruth

Sophie is the French form of the Greek Sophia, for which it is also commonly used as a nickname. Given Sophia's long standing among the Top 10 girl names in the US, Sophie may feel more popular than it actually is.
 
Sophies are scattered throughout European royal history, including Sophie of Thuringia, Duchess of Brabant, Princess Sophie of Sweden, and in modern times, Sophie, Duchess of Wessex, the wife of Britain's Prince Edward. German-born Catherine the Great was born Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst, but changed her name to Catherine upon her conversion to Russian Orthodoxy.
 
Sophie is Sophia's cuter, more irreverent near-identical twin. Which do you like better? And do you see them as virtually the same name or very different? While you definitely couldn't name sisters Sophie and Sophia, you may have both on your short list and consider them distinctly separate choices. Sophie is lively and down-to-earth, while Sophia is more sophisticated and buttoned-up. 
 
Sophie was the choice of both Eric Clapton and Luke Perry, as well as of Bette Midler for her now-grown daughter.
 Sophie Zawistowska is the Polish heroine of the iconic William Styron novel Sophie's Choice, played in the 1982 film by Meryl Streep—who would play the mother of a Sophie decades later in Mamma Mia!.

Sophie

With its solid Thomas Hardy background, Tess has a lot more substance, strength, and style than most single-syllable names, with an efficient yet relaxed image. 
 The iconic literary Tess is the beautiful heroine of Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles, the moral center of the novel. Other Tesses have been portrayed on screen by Katharine Hepburn, Julia Roberts, Shirley Maclaine, Melanie Griffiths, Kate Hudson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Cher, Della Reese and Malin Akerman. Novelist and fashion journalist Plum Sykes named her daughter Tess.
 Writer Tess Gerritsen was born Terry, but decided to feminize her name when she began writing romance novels.
 If you'd like to expand the name, you can consider Tessa--or even Tessie

Tess

Thea is a diminutive of names ending in -thea, including Dorothea, Althea, and Anthea. It is also the Anglicized spelling of Theia, the Titan of sight, goddess of light, and mother of the moon. She was the consort of Hyperion, and mother of Helios, Selene, and Eos. 
 
Whether pronounced THEE-a or THAY-a or TAY-a, Thea presents an appealing artistic image, sensitive and serene.

Thea

If you love Puritan virtue names and want to move beyond Hope and Faith and Grace, this is a wonderful choice, both for its meaning and its sound. A rare find here, though occasionally heard in England. It was used in Winston Graham's Poldark novels, was Madonna's name as James Bond's fencing instructor in Die Another Day, and made a brief appearance in Harry Potter. Not to mention being a fixture on British and Australian soaps. Verity also appears in one of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple mysteries.
 We love the newer sounding three-syllable, 'y'-ending virtue names, and Verity is one of the best.

Verity

Violet is soft and sweet, yet with a vivacious edge. 
The violet is a delicate, sweet-smelling spring flower, associated with faithfulness and modesty, and also the seventh color of the rainbow, named after the flower’s vivid purple hue. 
Today, Violet is the top flower name for girls, outranking Lily and Iris in the Top 100, and the second most popular color name for girls after Scarlett. 
A name that dozed quietly for decades, Violet was popular a hundred years ago, then began its steep descent, bottoming out in the early 1980s. But it started rising again in the late 1990s and climbed even more sharply after Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck chose it for their daughter in 2005. 
It is now well-used by celebrity parents, including the daughters of Christina Milian, Emily Strayer, Nathan Followill, Dave Grohl, and Emily Blunt. 
In children’s literature, Violet Beauregarde in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory does it no favors, but Violet Baudelaire in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events</em, and Violet Parr in the animated film The Incredibles, have helped to redeem it for today’s parents. 
Violet is also the first name of Dowager Bridgerton, the matricarch in the show Bridgerton, a reminder of the name’s genteel, vintage side. 
International variations of Violet include Viola, as in the heroine of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, French Violette, and snappy Violeta and Violetta.

Violet

ArtiePants's list "Alternatives to Rose" of 48 great name ideas: Abigail - Violet!

Alternatives to Rose

Sweet and classic alternatives to Rose perfect as either first or middle names.