Southern Belle

Elegant, feminine names that will grace your baby's birth certificate. If you really want to get into the Southern mood, give your daughter a double-barreled first, like Lola Mae or Annie Jo.
  1. Annabelle
    • Origin:

      Combination of Anna and Belle or French form of Amabel
    • Meaning:

      "loving"
    • Description:

      This is a charming name that rose steeply along with other-belle names, such as Isabelle, until the horror film Annabelle and its sequels knocked it out of favor. Made famous by the Edgar Allen Poe poem Annabel Lee. Annabelle is saucy and stylish, a tad upscale, has a sense of humor, is melodious and lively, but is unfortunately off its peak.
  2. Annamae
    • Origin:

      Compound name, blending Anna and Mae
    • Meaning:

      "graceful pearl; grace and bitterness; grace of the mother"
    • Description:

      Combining two classic names, Annamae has both vintage charm and a playful spark to it. The meaning can vary depending on which of Mae's root you choose to follow; a diminutive of Margaret, Mary, and Maia, you can play around with the meaning to find the one you like best.
  3. Aurelia
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "the golden one"
    • Description:

      Aurelia is an ancient Roman name that's become a surprise hit in the contemporary world. A top favorite on Nameberry, it reentered the US Top 1000 in 2014 after a 70-year absence and continues to climb.
  4. Aurelie
    • Origin:

      French variation of Aurelia, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "the golden one"
    • Description:

      Aurelie is the delicate French variation of Aurelia, one of the most improbable popular names of recent years. Both versions of the name are lovely, but it might be difficult to insist that Americans pronounce Aurelie the attractive French way rather than like plain old orally.
  5. Beth
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Elizabeth
    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"
    • Description:

      The sweetest and most sensitive of the pet names for Elizabeth, now also one of the most dated.
  6. Bette
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Elizabeth
    • Description:

      Pronounced a la Bette (Betty) Davis or Bette (Bet) Midler, a twentieth-century relic. Though if the equally vintage Betty comes back, Bette may be close behind.
  7. Callie
    • Origin:

      Greek diminutive
    • Meaning:

      "beautiful"
    • Description:

      As 90s and early 2000s favorite Allie is starting to fall, Callie is feeling extra fresh. Callie is a nickname name that is currently more popular on its own than any of its longer versions. Callie was popular in the late 1800s when it was in the Top 200 for several years. However the name fell out of favor, eventually falling off the charts for some time. Callie has been rising again since the 70s, and it is now back in the Top 200 once again. In the popular show Grey's Anatomy, doctor Callie Torez's full name is the Greek Calliope.
  8. Camie
    • Caroline
      • Origin:

        French, feminine variation of Charles
      • Meaning:

        "free man"
      • Description:

        Caroline is a perennial classic, one of the elite group of girls' names that's ALWAYS ranked among the Top 1000 and that's been in the Top 100 since 1994. Elegant yet strong, Caroline calls to mind the Kennedy Camelot years and Princess Caroline of Monaco.
    • Charlotte
      • Origin:

        French, feminine diminutive of Charles
      • Meaning:

        "free man"
      • Description:

        Charlotte, the name of the young Princess of Cambridge, is the latest classic name to join Sophia, Emma, Olivia, and Isabella at the top of the popularity list. It is now among the most popular girl names in many English-speaking and European countries.
    • Donna
      • Origin:

        Italian
      • Meaning:

        "lady"
      • Description:

        Literally meaning "lady" in Italian, Donna was the perfect ladylike housewife mom name on The Donna Reed Show in the fifties and sixties. And there were plenty of namesakes: Donna was in the Top 10 in 1964. These days we'd be more likely to associate it with the emanciatpated clothes of Donna Karen than as a baby name.
    • Eleanor
      • Origin:

        English variation of French Provencal Alienor, meaning unknown
      • Description:

        Eleanor's straightforward feminine image combined with its royal medieval history is striking just the right note for parents in search of a girls' name that combines substance and style.
    • Elizabeth
      • Origin:

        Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "pledged to God"
      • Description:

        Elizabeth is one of the most popular girls' names of all time, the female equivalent of James or William. Yet Elizabeth has so much going for it—rich history, broad appeal, and timeless style—that no matter how many little girls are named Lizzie, Eliza, and Beth, you can still make Elizabeth your own.
    • Eulalie
      • Origin:

        French form of Eulalia, Greek
      • Meaning:

        "sweetly speaking"
      • Description:

        Eulalie hasn't ranked in the US Top 1000 since 1899, but its French roots might make it more appealing to modern ears than its sister Eulalia.
    • Eve
      • Origin:

        Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "life"
      • Description:

        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.
    • Evelyn
      • Origin:

        English from French and German
      • Meaning:

        "desired; or water, island"
      • Description:

        After decades of disuse, soft and feminine Evelyn has returned to the baby name stage in a huge way. It reached the Top 10 for the first time in 2017. Evelyn has now surpassed its former heights, joining a legion of contemporary little Evas, Avas, Eves, Evies, and Evelines.
    • Honora
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "woman of honor"
      • Description:

        Honora and Honoria are two ways of softening the severity of Honor, while retaining its righteous meaning. They were predominant until the Reformation, when the Puritans adopted the abstract virtue names, and were introduced to Britain by the Normans.
    • Leticia
      • Lettie
        • Origin:

          English, diminutive of Letitia, Latin
        • Meaning:

          "joy, gladness"
        • Description:

          Lettie, also spelled Letty, is a nickname name not heard in over a century, giving it the patina of a treasured antique. Lettie's style currency is rising with the trend for old-fashioned, down-to-earth nicknames. Lettie is right in step with Lottie, Hettie, Hattie, Josie, and Maisie.
      • Lola
        • Origin:

          Spanish, diminutive of Dolores
        • Meaning:

          "lady of sorrows"
        • Description:

          A hot starbaby name – chosen by Kelly Ripa, Chris Rock, Lisa Bonet, Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen, Carnie Wilson, and Annie Lennox, and used as the nickname of Madonna's Lourdes – Lola manages to feel fun and sassy without going over the top. Be warned, though: "Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets," to quote a song from the show Damn Yankees.