- My Favourite Girl Names -
- Avonlea
Origin:
Place nameMeaning:
"river by a field"Description:
As all good Anne of Green Gables buffs would know, Avonlea is the fictional Canadian town created by L. M. Montgomery that Anne Shirley considers home. The literary creation inspired a real Canadian town to adopt the name. Avonlea would make a lovely literary choice for any baby, and would fit in with the Ava and "-lee" naming trends right now.
- Azalea
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"azalea, a flower"Description:
Azalea is one of the fresher flower names, along with Zinnia and Lilac, that are new to the name bouquet — in fact, it entered the Social Security list for the first time in 2012. So if Lily and Rose are too tame for you, consider this brilliant pink springtime blossom with a touch of the unusual that has been growing in popularity.
- Atlie
- Bailey
Origin:
Occupational nameMeaning:
"law enforcer, bailiff"Description:
Bailey -- a jaunty surname -- was first used for a female TV character in 1978 in the show WKRP in Cincinnaati, then caught on big time. Bailey's still an appealing choice, though, and a celebrity fave. Parents of daughters named Bailey include Scot Baio and Stella McCartney.
- Belle
Origin:
Short form of Isabelle or FrenchMeaning:
"beautiful"Description:
Belle has nothing but positive associations, from "belle of the ball" to "Southern belle" to the heroine of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. As if this weren't enough good things, Belle is also one of the most familiar and usable names that mean beautiful. Though it has been overshadowed by the Twilight-influenced Bella and longer forms like Isabella and Annabella, Belle has its own Southern charm and would make a pretty choice as a first or middle name.
- Bethany
Origin:
Biblical place name and HebrewMeaning:
"house of figs"Description:
Bethany is a lyrical name that still strikes many parents as a fresher, more substantial substitute for the overused Brittany/Brittney or the more antiquated Beth.
- Blaire
Origin:
Spelling variation of BlairDescription:
Blair with a little something extra, though that's hardly needed.
- Blakely
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"dark wood or clearing"Description:
Blakely, along with Blakeley, Blakelee and Blakeleigh, is one of the post-Ashley surname names that end with the lee sound so stylish today. Reality stars Trista and Ryan Sutter named their daughter Blakesley. These surname-names are among the most stylish English names for girls.
- Blossom
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"to bloom"Description:
Now that parents have picked virtually every name in the garden, from the common Rose to the captivating Zinnia, some are reconsidering the old, more generic names like Flora and Posy and Blossom — which was last in favor in the 1920s and still has a Floradora showgirl aura.
- Bluebelle
Origin:
Word name, or compound name, combining Blue and BelleDescription:
An elaboration of the word and nature name Bluebell or a combination of the names Blue and Belle, giving the meaning "beautiful blue" or "blue and beautiful". While the Bluebell is the more popular spelling, Bluebelle is given to around 20 girls in the UK each year.
- Bria
Origin:
Diminutive of Briana or GabriellaDescription:
Sweet and sparky but maybe a little bit stuck in the 90s, Bria is a nickname-y style choice with various origins.
- Bridgette
- Brielle
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"hunting grounds"Description:
Though it sounds so modern, Brielle is, among other things, a traditional Cajun contraction of Gabrielle, but it has now spread far beyond that community. Brielle is also the name of a historic seaport in the western Netherlands.
- Bronwyn
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"white breast"Description:
One of the loveliest of the Welsh names, striking the perfect balance between being familiar and unusual. In Wales, the female spelling is always Bronwen, but Americans usually see a "y" as adding femininity.
- Brooke
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"small stream"Description:
Brooke has long projected an aura of sleek sophistication, and can also be seen as a stylish water name.
- Bryony
Origin:
Latin flower nameMeaning:
"to sprout"Description:
Bryony is an unusually strong plant name --the bryony is a wild climbing vine with green flowers --that caught on in the U.K. before sprouting here. The name of the young character in the Ian McEwan novel Atonement is spelled Briony, which is the variation and Bryony the original.
- Caia
Origin:
Latin, feminine variation of CaiusMeaning:
"to rejoice"Description:
Caia Caecilia was the Roman Goddess of fire and women. The name Caia would make a truly fresh alternative to the flagging Maya, with which it rhymes.
- Callie
Origin:
Greek diminutiveMeaning:
"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.
- Cammie
- Carlie
Origin:
Spelling variation of CarlyDescription:
The ie ending injects this late 20th century favorite with a bit of late 19th century charm. But not quite enough to make it a good 21st century choice.