All about Girls
- Della
Origin:
Diminutive of Adela, Adele or AdelaideMeaning:
"noble"Description:
Fresh, bright, and sunny, Della could be an alternative to Ella, Delilah, or Adeline. Familiar but not yet overused, it combines the elements of contemporary favorites with vintage charm.
- Elina
Origin:
Spanish, Italian, German, Greek, and English variation of HelenMeaning:
"bright, shining light"Description:
Elina is one of the many variations of mother name Helen to make the US Top 1000 list, and is given to around 300 girls each year. While it might blend in among the Helenas, Elenas, and Alinas, it might be a good way to go if you want the eh-lee-nuh pronunciation or the potential for nicknames Elle, Ellie, or Ella.
- Ella
Origin:
German; EnglishMeaning:
"all, completely; fairy maiden"Description:
Ella is a sweet, simple name that owes much of its current popularity to the popularity of other names, from Emma to Bella to Emily to Ellie.
- Elna
- Emery
Origin:
English from GermanMeaning:
"industrious"Description:
The superpopularity of Emily and Emma has recently boosted the unisex Emery, especially since it became a celebrity baby name when it was chosen by Angie Harmon and Jason Sehorn.
- Emmaline
Origin:
Spelling variation of EmmelineDescription:
This iteration of the name makes the link to the ultra-popular Emma even more obvious. It lags behind alternate spelling Emmeline on the US Top 1000 list.
- Emmy
Origin:
Diminutive of Emily and EmmaMeaning:
"work; universal"Description:
Long a nickname for all the Em-names, as well as an annual award, Emmy is now being given on its own, as are soundalikes Emme and Emmi. Might be too identified with the TV awards--though that doesn't seem to have hurt Oscar or Tony. We think Emmy is a little too cutesey, and is probably best kept as a nickname for something that ages a little better.
- Eveline
Origin:
English or FrenchMeaning:
"desired; or water, island"Description:
Variant of Evelyn or Aveline
- Everly
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"wild boar in woodland clearing"Description:
Sweet and stylish, with a sporty, energetic undertone, Everly is a name that ticks lots of boxes.
- Felicity
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"good fortune, happy"Description:
Felicity is as accessible a virtue name as Hope and Faith, but much more feminine -- and dare we say, happier. The hit TV show did a lot to soften and modernize the once buttoned-up image of Felicity, and it got further notice as the red-haired Colonial doll, Felicity Merriman, in the American Girl series. A current bearer is actress Felicity Huffman.
- Feline
Origin:
Feminine form of Felinus, LatinMeaning:
"cat-like"Description:
This Top 100 girls' name in The Netherlands is unlikely to translate to the U.S., where it would undoubtedly pronounced fee-line and mistaken for the adjective that means cat-like. While the name Feline -- and Felina and Felinus -- do have the same root, the considerably more charming pronunciation in modern-day Europe is fee-LEEN-ah. Some websites mistakenly relate it to Felix and give its meaning as happy or fortunate.
- FIDELIE
- Finley
Origin:
Irish and ScottishMeaning:
"fair-haired hero"Description:
This was a 100 percent boys’ name until celebs Jason Sehorn and Angie Harmon bestowed it on their daughter, recently followed by Lisa Marie Presley, who used it for one of her (female) twins. Finlay is also now among the most popular unisex names.
- Flora
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"flower"Description:
Flora, the name of the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, who enjoyed eternal youth, is one of the gently old-fashioned girls' flower names we think is due for a comeback— alongside cousins Cora and Dora. Florence, Fiorella, Fleur, and Flower are translations, but we like Flora best of all.
- Gemma
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"precious stone"Description:
Gemma is a jewel of a name, an Italian classic that was very popular in 1980s England, but has only recently been started to be used here; it entered the list in 2008.
- Grace
Origin:
English, virtue nameDescription:
Grace, a simple and pure virtue name which originally referred to divine grace, is a fashionable classic. In the early 2000s, it seemed headed for the Top 10 but pulled back from the upward trajectory, which you may consider a very good thing.
- Gray
Origin:
Color nameDescription:
This color name, spelled either Gray or Grey is rapidly catching on. Actress Jenny von Oy recently called her daughter Gray Audrey.
- Haley
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"hay field"Description:
The second most popular spelling of this name is also the most straightforward.
- Hanna
Origin:
Spelling variation of HannahDescription:
This simplified version is not nearly as popular as the original (it also destroys a perfectly good palindrome), and has been on the decline in recent years.
- Harley
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"the long field"Description:
Once a macho biker name, Harley is now showing its softer side. In the UK, Harley is predominantly masculine, but it's currently more popular for girls than boys in the US.