Adelaide is now heading straight uphill on the coattails of such newly popular sisters as Ava, Ada, and Audrey, and in the company of Adeline and Amelia. It was chosen by actress Katherine Heigl for the name of her second daughter.
 Adelaide gained fame as the noble German princess who married the British King William IV in 1830 and became known as "Good Queen Adelaide," inspiring the name of the Australian city and a craze for her name. Earlier, St. Adelaide was married to Otto the Great and became Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, described as "a marvel of beauty and goodness."
 When Aussie actress Rachel Griffiths (also mother of son Banjo) chose Adelaide for her daughter, she said she'd been inspired by the city, Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, and the Disney character in The Aristocats. Adelaide can also be found in works by Thomas Hardy and Agatha Christie.

Adelaide

Credit the award-winning single-named British singer for taking the <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ name</a> Adele from a quiet semi-retirement back into currency. Adele reentered the US Top 1000 <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular baby names</a> in 2011 and has remained there ever since. 
Adele is both a saint's and a royal name, having originated as the French version of the German Adela. It's one of the most stylish <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/a">girl names starting with A</a>. 
Molly Ringwald chose Adele for one of her twins, and Fred Astaire's first dancing partner was his older sister Adele.
 Historically, Adele was the name of the youngest daughter of William the Conquerer. Music lovers might associate the name with a character in Johann Strauss's operetta Die Fledermaus, while a prime literary reference is Jane Eyre's young charge.

Adele

Adelie

Emily gets a Bohemian spin and a French accent when it becomes Amelie. This favorite among <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/497/french-names-for-girls">French girl names</a> has been gaining notice here thanks to the charming 2001 French film Amelie; it entered the American popularity list in 2002 and is now solidly established in the Top 1000. 
 
There's definitely a lot of confusion over the roots of, and differences among, all these related names, but Emily, Emma, and Amelia all derive from different roots and have different meanings, and Amelie is a descendant of the Amelia branch. 
 Amelie is currently enjoying great popularity in abroad, especially in England and Wales, Australia, and Germany.
 Probably inspired by the name of French King Louis Philippe's consort Marie-Amelie, Balzac used the name for two of his prominent characters.

Amelie

The name of a woman who played a dramatic role in ancient Roman legend, it seems quite slight for modern use.
Variation: ARIA

Arria

Avis is a bird name that's been in hibernation for awhile, possibly due to the car rental association, but it could make a return on the wings of Ava. Baldwin brother Daniel chose it for his daughter.
 Avis Everhard is the fictional narrator of the Jack London dystopian novel The Iron Heel. In the Harry Potter books, Avis is not a character, but a spell.

Avis

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. 
 Azalea is the name of the princess heroine of the novel Entwined, and, most recently, is connected to musical artist Iggy Azalea.

Azalea

Aziza is a zippy palindromic choice that is the female variation of Aziz and is found in several Middle Eastern and African languages and cultures. All in all, an attractive and interesting option; a Turkish variation is Azize.
<p<>In African mythology, the Azizi are a supernatural race of forest dwellers who give practical and spiritual advice.
 Aziz is the male version, as represented by Aziz Ansari, one of the stars of Parks and Recreation.

Aziza

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.

Bailey

Blythe originated as a nickname for an upbeat person, coming from the Old English word bliðe, meaning "merry" or "cheerful." Today the homophone blithe shares the same meaning. Blythe was eventually adapted to a surname before it became a feminine given name.
 
Blythe embodies a cheerful, carefree spirit and could be the next Blair/Blaine/Blake/Brett/Britt, with the advantage that it's clearly pink. It joins other other light-hearted names for girls: Felicity, Hilary.
 Blythe is the middle name of Drew Barrymore—in her case a surname from her rich theatrical history.
 The title of the memorable Noel Coward play Blithe Spirit is taken from Shelley's poetic line, "Hail to thee, blithe Spirit"—a nice tribute to a baby Blythe.

Blythe

Brenna is a feminine form of the Irish surname Brennan, or perhaps a variation of Brenda or Brendan—all of which have different meanings. Whatever its derivation or authenticity, it's a modern sounding name which has steadily decreased in popularity since 1995 when it peaked at Number 235 in the United States.
 Brenna O'Brien is a Canadian actress.

Brenna

Unusual floral name which would be perfect for a spring baby girl, if you can pronounce the Welsh double L correctly. It's a tricky sound for non-native Welsh speakers, kind of halfway between an H and an L.

Briallen

A spin on Calia or Calla, with a lot of fashionable sounds.

Callaia

Has fallen off its Kathie Lee Gifford inspired peak in the 1990s, but since that notably celebrity baby is now a grownup and out of the limelight, Cassidy may once again reclaim its own Irish charm.

Cassidy

Cariad

Chenoa

Dorothea is a flowing and romantic Victorian-sounding name which was popular in the early decades of the twentieth century, but has been off the charts since 1970. Definitely on the brink of a revival!
 Dorothea has had a long literary tradition, including as a clever, beautiful character in Don Quixote and the idealistic heroine of George Eliot's Middlemarch.
 Worthy namesakes include Dorothea Dix, nineteenth century activist for the mentally ill and Civil War nurse, and the influential documentary photographer Dorothea Lange, known for her moving portraits taken during the Great Depression.
 Appealing nickname possibilities include Dorrie, Doro, Dodie, Dot, Dottie and Thea.

Dorothea

Does Fay really need that e at the end? We vote no, but modern parents disagree: The Faye spelling was used for nearly 300 girls in 2014, vaulting the name back onto the Top 1000 after a 35-year absence, nearly ten times as many babies as received the Fay spelling.
Some people may feel spelling it Faye makes the name more balanced and complete, as Anne of Green Gables famously said about her name. The original Fay, Morgan le Fay, was a sorceress of the Arthurian Legends. Faye may also be used as a short form of Faith.

Faye

Fia may be most notable at this moment as the Anglicized version of the Irish Fiadh, one of the fastest-rising names in the Republic of Ireland. The meaning of Fia or Fiadh is sometimes given as "deer" but that's in the sense of a wild deer, as the name relates to the ancient word for wild. 

In Portuguese, Fia means weaver, and Fia may also be a short form of the Italian or Spanish Sofia or Fiammetta or any other fia-related name.

Whatever its origin and meaning, Fia is a light and pleasant alternative to the mega-popular Mia.

That extra a adds a world of grace to this name.

Flavie

While Gwen may have originated as a short form of Gwendolen and Gwendolyn, these days it frequently stands on its own. Rocker Gwen Stefani has given it a shot of cool, and parents are choosing it as a standalone more and more often—Gwen hopped back onto the US Top 1000 in 2013 after an absence of over 30 years. Gwen could also be short for Guinevere.

Gwen

Sounds like a variant of Heidi or Hailey, but Haidee is actually a separate name with a literary history, used in Byron's epic poem Don Juan.

Haidee

Until the beautiful actress Halle Berry inspired hundreds of parents to emulate her name, it was the diminutive Swedish families used for their sons christened Harald. Now, in a complete turnaround, it couldn't be more feminine. It is worth noting, however, that its popularity has fallen dramatically since 2002 when it reached a high of 316.

Halle

Politics aside, the Cuban capital is one of the most rhythmic of place-names. The question is: can politics be put aside? 

Havana

Like twins Helene and Elaine, a relic of the 1930s to 40s French Renaissance of names. 

Helaine

A name used in the Caribbean, taken from the Rastafarian term that translates best to "positive and powerful."  Rastas often greet each other by saying, "Are you feeling Irie today?"

Irie

Thanks to two cultural influences, January has joined March, April, June and August as a plausible month name.
 The first was a character named January Wayne in a bestselling 1973 Jacqueline Susann novel, Once is Not Enough, which was later made into a movie. Then, five years later, the mother-to-be of January Jones – future Mad Men star – was inspired by that character to give the name to her baby daughter, as did enough other parents in 1978 to bring January to Number 639 on the list.
 So if you're looking for a cool namesake for an aunt Janet or Janice, January might be the perfect alternative. January, along with Snow and Frost, are also perfect <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/89/winter-baby-names">names for winter babies</a>.

January

Julia was an ancient Roman imperial name given to females in the house of a Julius, as in Caesar. 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".
 
An enduring classic, Julia has a lot going for it: ancient roots but a modern, fashionable feel, simplicity and sophistication, and connections to both saints and celebs, including actress Julia Roberts and Saint Julia of Corsica. The elegant Julia's one of the least problematic choices a parent could make. 
 
Julia is also Shakespearean, Dickensian, Orwellian, and Harry Potter-related. The ground-breaking 1960s TV show Julia was the first to feature a non-stereotypical African American woman. Celebrity chef Julia Child is a notable namesake.
 
Julia has been in the US Top 150 since Social Security records have been kept and is currently the only <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/j">girls' name starting with J</a> in the US Top 100. She's even more popular internationally, and is highly popular in the Netherlands in Spain, and in Germany, Belgium, France, Norway, and Sweden.
 
If you think Julia is too simple, you might want to move to Juliet, Juliette, or Juliana, or even the Italian Giulia. Sixties short form Julie has segued from cute to middle-aged. Jules is much more current.

Julia

Juniper is a fresh-feeling nature name -- it's a small evergreen shrub -- with lots of energy. A new favorite of fashionable parents, Juniper joins such other tree and shrub names as Hazel, Acacia, and Willow. 
 
Juniper has an interesting variety of associations -- it's mentioned in the Old Testament, was used in Renaissance paintings to represent chastity, has berries used to flavor gin, and Juniper is the Saint of Comedy. A male St. Juniper was a follower of St. Francis of Assisi. 
 Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny author Margaret Wise Brown sometimes used the pen name of Juniper Sage. And in the Junie P. Jones kids' books, Junie's full name is Juniper Beatrice. There also have been Junipers is cartoon series (The Life and Times of Juniper Lee) and comic strips as well.
 
The name got something of a hippieish vibe via the 1969 hit Donovan song, 'Jennifer Juniper.'
 
Juniper entered the U.S. Top 1000 for the first time in 2011 and has risen to the Top 150.

Juniper

Jennel

Kerensa, forever romantic, is a rare Cornish name spelled with an 's' or 'z', the most modern of the Karen family. Kerensa (or Kerenza) has ties to the Welsh Cerys.
 Kerensa is a name favored by novelists who are using a Cornish setting, such as Victoria Holt in The Legend of the Seventh Virgin.
 The Kerenza spelling has a bit more zip.

Kerensa

This feminine form of Mael has the distinctive "aelle" ending found in Brittany. In the French spelling Maëlle, it is a Top 100 girls' name in France.

Maelle

Millie is back. It's a Top 100 name throughout much of the English-speaking world, though not yet in the US. Millicent would be an appealing long form, but many people are using Millie all by its cute self -- so many, in fact, that it returned to the Top 500 in 2015 for the first time since World War 2 and continues to climb.
Millie is a winner with parents who like their girl names offbeat, frilly, and old-fashioned. Millie is one of the coolest <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/m">girl names starting with M</a>.
 Millie was in the Top 1000 here until 1966, peaking at Number 128 way back in 1881; it made its return appearance in 2009. The name got a lot of attention via the 1967 film Thoroughly Modern Millie, set in the 1920s, but today is more closely identified with the riveting young British actress Millie Bobby Brown who plays Eleven in the television show Stranger Things.
 Fashionable relative: Milla or Mila. Milly is also sometimes used. Tillie is another old-school nickname that, like Millie, sounds modern again.

Millie

Nola, a name with a sleek, enigmatic quality, was used for the much-pursued heroine of Spike Lee's 1986 breakout film, She's Gotta Have It, and again by Woody Allen in Match Point. It's a short form of the traditional Irish name Fionnuala. Nola reentered the US Top 1000 in 2008, for the first time in 50 years.
 
Nola is also a place name of an Italian town, associated by ecclesiastical tradition with the invention of church bells, leading some to give that as the meaning of the name. 
 Speaking of the map, Nola could also come from New Orleans, Louisiana, for which NOLA is a frequent acronym. This association lends the name a potentially Southern feel.

Nola

Nova has the feel of both newness, from its meaning, and great energy as an astronomical term for a star that increases suddenly in brightness before fading. 
 Nova had some reasonable degree of popularity at the turn of the last century, only to disappear for more than 70 years before making a, well, astronomical comeback. Nova now ranks in the US Top 50 for baby girls and also entered the UK Top 100 in 2022. 
 Nova Pilbeam, the star of one of Hitchcock's early British films, had family ties to Nova Scotia. Other Nova ties: the long-running science TV show and the finest kind of lox. 
Given to more than 5000 girls in the US each year - and to a not insubstantial 240 boys - Nova is a current star that doesn't look as though it will be fading any time soon.

Nova

Novaly

Olwen is a Welsh favorite, the name of a legendary princess in what is believed to have been the earliest Arthurian romance, and in fact one of the first recorded examples of Welsh prose.
 In this tale, Cuthwch and Olwen, the giant's beautiful and gentle daughter Olwen has the magical power to cause white clovers to spring up wherever she walked--an enchanting image. There's a darker side to the story too, in which Olwen's marriage curses her father to die.
 Olwen is a Bronwen alternative for those with a taste for the more unusual. Those who like Olwen might also want to consider such other Welsh girls' names as Anwen, Rhonwen, and Nolwenn.
 24's Xander Berkely and Sarah Clarke used the Olwyn spelling for their daughter.

Olwen

Lacks the vintage charm of the original Arabella, but with the love for all names Bella, it might appeal to some.

Orabella

Oria

Oriana is a dashing medieval name, with a meaning similar to Aurora. At this point, though, Oriana is much more unusual than Aurora and makes a unique choice if you're searching for <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/316/baby-names-that-mean-new-beginnings?all=1">names that mean new beginnings</a> or dawn. Strong and evocative, Oriana also has an admirable literary resume. In medieval tales, she was the beloved of the knight Amadis, she appears in at least three seventeenth century plays, and there is an early Tennyson poem called The Ballad of Oriana. Oriana was also sometimes used to refer to Queen Elizabeth I. Oriana Fallaci was a feminist Italian journalist who interviewed many world leaders in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s.

Oriana

Striking and glamorous, though perhaps just plain Zara is intriguing enough. 

Ozara

Pria

Chic in the fifties, now kept in the public eye mainly by actress Zellweger.  Variations include Rene, Renae, and Renny.

Renee

Rosalind has a distinguished literary history – used and popularized by Edmund Spenser and Shakespeare via one of his most charming heroines, in As You Like It. Along with a bouquet of other Rose names, Rosalind might be ready for a comeback.

 Despite appearances, Rosalind is not technically a true Rose name. It originally derives from the Germanic elements hros "horse" and lind "soft, flexible, tender", but the spelling was later influenced by the appealing Latin phrase rosa linda "beautiful rose".

 Rosalind was at its height in the 1940's, coinciding with the popularity of the acerbic movie star Rosalind Russell: it was Number 293 in 1943, but fell off the list in 1978.

 Uma Thurman gave her young daughter five names, the first of which is Rosalind – though she is called by her nickname Luna.

Rosalind

Ruelle

Rowanne

In the Old Testament, God changed Sarai's name to Sara, so this would make a clever and legitimate honor name for an ancestral Sarah. Sarahi is another pretty variation to make the connection even more clear.

Sarai

Peaceful and melodic, but a bit pretentious. 

Serenade

The young male star Shia LaBeouf has given this name a male image, but many would consider its sound soft and feminine.

Shia

To the non-Scandinavian ear, a cute and unusual nickname name, used by Finnish supermodel Suvi Koponen.

Suvi

Sylva

Although Sylvia seems to be having somewhat of a revival among trendsetting baby namers, we'd still opt for the even gentler and more unusual Sylvie. Despite being dated in its native France (where it was popular during the 1950s and 60s), in English-speaking regions it still feels fresh and international without being unfamiliar and has a cosmopolitan, international air. It debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2016.
 Jason Bateman chose it as the middle name of his daughter Maple. In one of Lewis Carroll's lesser known novels, Sylvie and Bruno, Lady Sylvie is the princess of Fairyland.

Sylvie

Serenova

Theadora

Willa has become increasingly fashionable, with its combination of Willa (born Wilella) Cather-like pioneer strength and the graceful beauty of the willow tree. 
Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas are the latest celebrities to welcome a daughter named Willa. Other stars who used this name include actress Keri Russell, who named her daughter Willa Lou and the late actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, who used Willa for the youngest of his three children. David Mamet and Brian De Palma also have daughters named Willa, plus it's the middle name of Meryl Streep's actress daughter Mary (called Mamie.) Young Willa characters have appears on Six Feet Under and True Blood.
 Willa originated as a short form of Wilhelmina. After a half-century hiatus, it reentered the U.S. Top 1000 in 2010 and soared to the Top 500, for the first time since 1949, in 2015. Willa might also work as an honor name for an ancestral William.

Willa

Willabelle

Classic Wilhelmina is still the dominant form of this name, but the more intuitive, streamlined Willamina is rising alongside it. The phonetic spelling eliminates some of Wilhelmina's bulk, taking it from geek-chic to modern feminissima.

Willamina

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 <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/501/english-names-for-girls">English names for girls</a>.
 Wren makes a particularly pleasing middle name choice, as does her newly discovered cousin Lark. But it's more popular as a middle name than you might think, the quirkier cousin of Rose.
 This petite bird was regarded in Ireland as the "magician of the birds" and the Druids considered it a bird of prophecy. Thanks to an early fable, it has also been known as King of the Birds.
 For architects there's the link to the great Sir Christopher Wren, the celebrated eighteenth century designer of London's St. Paul's Cathedral.

Wren

Xaria

Coolcombination's list "Absolutely fresh udiscovered girls names!" of 59 great name ideas: Adelaide - Xaria!