Favorite Girl Names
- Ketzia
- Kyrie
Origin:
Short form of Kyra or GreekMeaning:
"Lord"Description:
Kyrie elieson is one of the oldest religious refrains, meaning Lord, have mercy. As a first name, though, Kyrie is less a name of God and more a nickname-name that might be short for Kyra or a diminutive that stands on its own, a la Kylie. The best-known Kyrie is the male basketball player Kyrie Irving, who pronounces the first syllable to rhyme with my rather than fear. He has inspired more than 1000 baby boys to be given this name one recent year in the US, while it was given to 178 baby girls. Impressive numbers.
- Lark
Origin:
English bird nameDescription:
Lark is getting some new and well-deserved attention as a post-Robin and Raven bird name. Although it was first recorded as a name in the 1830's, it has never appeared on the Social Security list.
- Lilyan
- Lyra
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"lyre"Description:
Lyra is a name with ancient and celestial roots that's finding new popularity thanks to its starring role in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series, seen in the movie The Golden Compass. Simple yet unique, Lyra hits the sweet spot between too popular and too unusual.
- Madrona
Origin:
SpanishMeaning:
"mother"Description:
A bit grown-up for a tiny baby.
- Magnolia
Origin:
Flower name, from French surnameMeaning:
"Magnol's flower"Description:
Magnolia, a sweet-smelling Southern belle of a name made famous via the iconic Edna Ferber novel and musical Showboat, is one of the latest wave of botanical names, along with unexpected blossoms Azalea and Zinnia. It is named for French botanist Pierre Magnol.
- Mariana
Origin:
Latin, Portuguese, Spanish, RomanianMeaning:
"related to the god Mars"Description:
Mariana is that unusual name that is more than the sum of its parts. While Mary or Maria and Ana or Anna are both perfectly nice classic names, Mariana achieves a lyrical elegance that transcends them.
- Milena
Origin:
CzechMeaning:
"love, warmth, grace"Description:
This popular name in various Slavic countries and in Italy holds considerable Continental appeal. It is the full name of Ukranian-born actress Mila Kunis, most noted for her award-winning role in the film Black Swan. Another actress bearing the name is Milena Govitch, of Law & Order.
- Noemi
Origin:
Italian and Spanish variation of NaomiMeaning:
"my delight"Description:
Noemi is a charming Latin spin on Naomi, with the accent on the last syllable; another twist is Neomi.
- Olesya
- Paola
Origin:
Italian and Spanish variation of PaulaDescription:
Paola is the Latinate version of Paula. Its intriguing sound could make it more appealing than the English standard.
- Rylee
Origin:
Spelling variation of RileyDescription:
This substitute spelling of Riley has been popular with parents for a decade. Rylee entered the charts in 1994, and is solidly within the Top 200 for the last 2 decades. Ryleigh is another spelling that has gained significant popularity. The "-Lee" ending is particularly trendy, and many parents are picking spellings such as Rylee (or Aubree, Everlee, and Marlee) over the originals.
- Safia
- Tacy
Origin:
American invented nameDescription:
Looks very much like it lost its first initial.
- Tansy
Origin:
Flower name, from GreekMeaning:
"immortality"Description:
Tansy is a flower name rarer than Rose, livelier than Lily and a lot less teasable than Pansy.
- Viera
Origin:
Czech and Russian variation of VeraMeaning:
"truth"Description:
With the rise of both Russian names and those that start with the letter V, this sharp Eastern European choice may become more familiar in the English-speaking world.
- Violet
Origin:
English from LatinMeaning:
"purple"Description:
Violet is soft and sweet, yet with a vivacious edge.
- Wren
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"small bird"Description:
Wren, a lilting songbird name, could be the next Robin. Wren entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2012 and is among the new wave of popular English names for girls.
- Yael
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"ibex"Description:
Yael is an Old Testament name often heard in Israel that could work well here: just remember that it's pronounced with two syllables...it is also spelled Ya'el. In the Bible she was a Kenite woman in the time of Deborah who killed the enemy general, Sisera.