Girl Names
- Samaira
- Samira
Origin:
ArabicMeaning:
"companion in evening conversation"Description:
Shiny cousin of Samara with an intriguing meaning. Increasingly associated with the charming Samira Wiley, a perennial scene-stealer on "Orange is the New Black" and "The Handmaid's Tale."
- Sarai
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"princess"Description:
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.
- Scarlett
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"scarlet, red"Description:
Scarlett Johansson is doing more for this sparky southern name than Scarlett O'Hara ever did. Since the turn of the 21st century, Scarlett has gone from an obscure literary name to one of the most popular girls' names starting with S, right after longtime favorites Sophia and Sofia.
- Sequoia
Origin:
Native American, CherokeeMeaning:
"sparrow"Description:
This name of a giant tree, itself named for a nineteenth-century Cherokee who invented a way to write his tribe's language, makes a strong, stately statement.
- Simone
Origin:
French, feminine variation of Hebrew SimonMeaning:
"hearkening"Description:
Simone, the elegant French feminization of Simon, strikes that all-important balance between unusual and familiar, and it's oozing with Gallic sophistication. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has a daughter named Simone; Chris Rock used it in the middle place for his daughter, as did Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates
- Sloane
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"raider"Description:
Sloane is a sleek, sophisticated surname name that has gradually morphed over to the girls' side. With its distinctive and intriguing sound, Sloane has been in the US Top 1000 since 2009, and in 2022, it made its first appearance in the UK charts, jumping more than 400 places in a single year.
- Solana
Origin:
SpanishMeaning:
"sunshine"Description:
A bright and warm possibility for a summertime girl, Solana has been heard in a few video games. Solana Rowe is the real name of the singer known as SZA.
- Valentina
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"strength, health"Description:
Effortlessly stylish, with plenty of sweetness and strength, Valentina feels like a fresh alternative to Valerie, Victoria, or Vanessa.
- Vivienne
Origin:
French variation of VivianMeaning:
"life"Description:
Vivienne is an elaborated Gallic version of the name Vivian, chosen first by Rosie O'Donnell for her daughter and then catapulted to superstardom when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie used it for their twin daughter. An adult namesake is the British designer Vivienne Westwood. Rosie O'Donnell also has a daughter named Vivienne, known as Vivi.
- Yalena
Origin:
Greek and Russian variation of HelenDescription:
Slavic twist on a classic.
- Yasmeen
Origin:
PersianMeaning:
"jasmine flower"Description:
One of the less frequently seen spellings of this popular name.
- Yelena
Origin:
Russian variation of HelenMeaning:
"bright, shining one"Description:
One of many international versions of this classic.
- Yesenia
Origin:
Spanish tree nameMeaning:
"floral"Description:
This unique girls' name is a Latinx favorite popularized by a character on a Spanish-language soap opera. Jessenia is another variation. The name is drawn from the name of a tree in South America.
- Ysabel
Origin:
Spanish variation of IsabelDescription:
Ysabel is the original spelling of this ever-more-popular name, though to English-speakers, the initial Y may confuse pronunciation.
- Zahara
Origin:
Hebrew; SwahiliMeaning:
"to shine; flower"Description:
Zahara, a delicate but strong multicultural name, came into the spotlight when Angelina Jolie bestowed it on her Ethiopian-born daughter, and we predict other parents will adopt it as well. If you want something simpler than Zahara, consider Zara, a royal name in England--but also the name of a Spanish-based clothing store chain.