Short Greek Inspired Girl Names

Some of my favorite girls’ names, ending in “a” and “o”. Short and concise, but not lacking in meaning and delight.
  1. Andromeda
    • Origin:

      Greek mythology name
    • Meaning:

      "advising like a man"
    • Description:

      One of the stellar unique baby names from mythology, Andromeda was the beautiful daughter of Cassiopeia who, like her mother, literally became a star--the constellation that bears her name.The Bohemian Andromeda makes a dramatic and adventurous choice in a time when four-syllable mythological names are gradually making their way into the mainstream.
  2. Astra
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "stars"
    • Description:

      A starry-eyed, intergalactic name, far rarer than Stella or Esther. It's attached both to a comic book character and to Princess Astra on "Doctor Who".
  3. Beta
    • Origin:

      Greek, second letter of the Greek alphabet
    • Description:

      If you can't have an Alpha male, how about a Beta girl.
  4. Calista
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "most beautiful"
    • Description:

      Spelled with either one 'l' or two, Calista came to the fore in 1997 when Calista Flockhart hit it big as Ally McBeal. Flockhart, who bears her mother's middle name, didn't just introduce a name, she introduced a whole sensibility. Pretty and delicate, Calista is definitely worthy of consideration, especially for parents with Greek roots.
  5. Coco
    • Origin:

      Spanish and French pet name
    • Description:

      Coco came to prominence as the nickname of the legendary French designer Chanel (born Gabrielle) and has lately become a starbaby favorite, initially chosen by Courteney Cox for her daughter Coco Riley in 2004. At first it was the kind of name that the press loves to ridicule, but we predict Coco's heading for more broad acceptance and even popularity.
  6. Cleo
    • Hero
      • Origin:

        Greek
      • Meaning:

        "demi-god"
      • Description:

        Despite the possibility of gender confusion, the Hero in Greek myth was a woman. Myleene Klass got that when she chose Hero for her daughter, and Sam Taylor-Wood and Aaron Johnson used it as their daughter's middle--and we wouldn't be surprised to see more girls with this heroic name.
    • Indra
      • Origin:

        Sanskrit
      • Meaning:

        "possessing drops of rain"
      • Description:

        In the ancient Hindu religion, Indra is the warrior god of sky and rain, though in modern America, this might make a better girls' than boys' name. You can spell it Indre, like the French river, if you prefer.
    • Iola
      • Origin:

        Greek or Welsh
      • Meaning:

        "violet; beautiful lady"
      • Description:

        Isla is hot, Iona is cool – maybe it's time Iola got a second look? Last heard from on Carol Burnett's Mama's Family show, Iola feels like just the sort of uncommon, vowel-rich, vintage name that should be ripe for rediscovery.
    • Isla
      • Origin:

        Scottish place-name or Spanish
      • Meaning:

        "island"
      • Description:

        Isla is a hit name throughout the English-speaking world but hasn't found the same popularity in other western countries, perhaps because its spelling and pronunciation don't make sense for those whose native language is not English. Think island without the final two letters.
    • Juno
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "queen of the heavens; young"
      • Description:

        Juno is an ancient name that feels as fresh as if it had been minted, well, not yesterday, but in 2007. Since the release of the popular indie film Juno, this lively but strong Roman goddess name has held new potential as a baby name. Currently in the UK Top 500 and used in The Netherlands too, Juno is on the rise in the US - and is 15 times more popular than it was before the release of the film.
    • Leora
      • Origin:

        Diminutive of Eleanor, or Hebrew and Greek
      • Meaning:

        "light"
      • Description:

        Somewhat dated Hebrew name that appears more modern when spelled Liora.
    • Luna
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "moon"
      • Description:

        The name of the Roman goddess of the moon, Luna is derived straight from the Latin word for moon, luna. Luna may be the name most likely to surprise someone from an older generation by its Top 10 status in the US and its widespread international popularity.
    • Noura
      • Nova
        • Origin:

          Latin
        • Meaning:

          "new"
        • Description:

          Nova might be a much more commonly used a girls' name, but enough parents saw unisex appeal in it for it to debut on the US Top 1000 for boys in 2017. Nova is an astronomical term for a star that suddenly increases in brightness, then fades.
      • Ophelia
        • Origin:

          Greek
        • Meaning:

          "help"
        • Description:

          Floral, elegant, and bold, Ophelia re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2015 after more than 50 years off the charts. It has risen more than 700 spots since then and shows no signs of slowing down. Now in the US Top 300, could Ophelia one day become the next Olivia or Amelia?
      • Ocea
        • Petra
          • Origin:

            Greek
          • Meaning:

            "rock, stone"
          • Description:

            A strong Greek name with pan-European charm, Petra is a relatively recent feminization of Peter, though it relates back to an incredible ancient city in Jordan that was rediscovered in the early nineteenth century.
        • Thea
          • Origin:

            Greek
          • Meaning:

            "goddess, godly"
          • Description:

            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.