girl names that go hard

One of the new word names, appealing to parents attracted to the idea of a spiritual -- or even an actual -- voyage. The Journee spelling is also being used. Unisex alert: Jenna Jameson used Journey for one of her twin boys, as did the Black Eyed Peas rock musician known as Taboo.

The biblical Judith, the fourth most popular name in 1940, may be getting ready for a comeback in its full, elegant, if somewhat solemn form. Many of those earlier Judiths were called Judy—some after Judy (born Frances) Garland—preferring it over their more formal proper name. Today, Judith, like Deborah, may have shaken off just enough to appeal to parents looking for a traditional, yet under-the-radar biblical name. And Jude would be a likelier nickname these days than the Judge Judy connection.

Justice is a fashionable word name, used for both girls and boys. Justice has the distinction of being a virtue name without the religious implications of Faith or Grace. It still feels more male than female, perhaps partly due to the classic Roman name Justus, but Justice has become a more common pick for girls in recent years.

This diminutive of Kimberley is gaining momentum as a standalone name. For our part, we're stumped by its rise.

Laguna Beach is a famous California spot -- though there's "goonie" teasing potential.

Lane is a unisex name equally accessible to boys and girls. As a common surname, Lane is attached to such celebrities as Diane and Nathan.

Lennox is one of the new breed of surname names on the rise as a Scottish name for girls as well as boys. The final x makes the name a bit masculine a la Max and Felix, but female inspirations include Eurythmics' Annie Lennox, Mary Lennox in The Secret Garden, and Lennox Scanlon in sitcom Melissa & Joey.

Leonie is a chic French and German form of a name that exists in a range of variations from Leona to Leonia to Leon to Leo to Lionel, all newly fashionable after a couple of generations in style limbo.

A condensed version of Elizabeth made more familiar by The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo's Lisbeth Salander.

Lorelai is the spelling used for the character played by Lauren Graham on The Gilmore Girls, as well as her daughter, who preferred the nickname Rory. The television show reintroduced this name to a new generation, but the Lorelai spelling could be confusing -- is it lor-ah-LAY? -- to those unacquainted with the Gilmores.

A loveday in medieval England was a day when people engaged in a dispute would come together and try to resolve their differences amicably. The name was sometimes given to babies, male or female, who were born on such a day. The etymology of Loveday is English, yet historical use was mainly relegated to Cornwall, and it is considered a traditional Cornish name. However, Loveday is rarely used today, however, when it is, it is typically used for baby girls.

Pretty, delicate and crystal clear, with the readymade nickname of Lucy.

Cutesy combination of Lula and Belle. Lula is a short form of names starting with the "Lu" sound, which may derive from Germanic hlud "famous", and Belle is French for "beautiful".

Lumi may be a rare girls' name in the USA and England, but it comes in the Top 50 in Finland, where it means snow. Given the popularity of Winter, Holly, Ivy and many other wintery-christmassy names, we think that short and spunky Lumi definitely has potential for greater usage outside its home country as one of the more unusual names for Christmas babies.

A particularly opulent way to get to the nickname Lux (or Luxe), Luxury was included in our trends report for 2023 and shot to the head of Nameberry's popularity list. Because our list is based on page views, being Number 1 tends to be a self-perpetuating status, so Luxury is getting perhaps more credit as a baby name than it deserves.

Pronounced LOOSE, this name that refers to the Virgin Mary—"Our Lady of Light"—is one of the most widely used Spanish name for girls. Its sleekness and stylish final z gives it a modern appeal, like sister name Lux. Nicknames and variations include Chitta, Lucecita, Lucelida, Lucelita, Lucha, Lucida, Lucila, Lusa, and Luzana.

Mabel is a saucy Victorian favorite rising in popularity in the US over the past decade, after a 50-year nap If you love offbeat old-fashioned names like Violet or Josephine, only sassier, Mabel is one for you to consider.

Madeline, a lovely name with a soft and delicate image, is an old-fashioned favorite that returned to favor in the 1990's, combining a classic pedigree with a cute nickname option: Maddy.