Ada is one of the classic <a href="https://nameberry.com/">baby names</a> for girls that is suddenly super stylish again. A favorite at the end of the nineteenth century, Ada is an alternative to the over-popular Ava. Ada is also part of the trend toward simple, old-fashioned names beginning with a vowel, like Ivy and Ella.
 
Ada is derived from the German name Adelaide, which came from the ancient name Adalheidis. The root, adal, is a Germanic word meaning "noble." Ada can also be considered a variation of the biblical name Adah, pronounced AH-da, one of the first <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ names</a> mentioned in the Book of Genesis. 
 
A worthy namesake is Ada Lovelace, mathematician daughter of the poet Lord Byron, who worked with Charles Babbage on the forerunners to the calculator and the computer. In his poem Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, Byron addresses her as "Ada! sole daughter of my house and heart."
 
Ada has a number of fictional references as well, appearing in Dickens's Bleak House and Nabokov's 1969 novel Ada; additional characters with the name were portrayed by Holly Hunter in The Piano and Nicole Kidman in Cold Mountain.
 
Ada returned to the Top 1000 in 2004, after being off since 1992; by contrast, Ada was a Top 100 name in the 1880s.
 
The Turkish name Ada means "island" and is unrelated — though it makes an excellent option for parents looking for a name spanning two cultures.

This is a fresh new addition to the botanical list; comedian Gilbert Gottfried made it a real bouquet when he named his daughter Lily Aster. And the name of the little girl on television's Dexter sounds like Aster, but is actually spelled Astor, which brings it more high society name.
<->Aster relates to the Greek word for star.

In Ethiopia, Aster is pronounced "ah-STAIR", and is the Amharic variation of Biblical Esther.

Aster

Astrid has been a Scandinavian royal name since the tenth century, and many people associated it with the Swedish author of the Pippi Longstocking stories, Astrid Lindgren. Astrid is derived from the name Ástríðr, which is made up of the Old Norse elements that mean "god" and "beautiful." 
Related names include Asta, a diminutive used throughout Scandinavia, and Astride, the French form. Despite their similarities, Astrid is unrelated to Astra, a Latin name meaning "of the stars."
 
Astrid has never really assimilated into our culture the way Ingrid did, but with the renewed interest in international names, Astrid might be worth consideration by parents with Norse roots. 
 
Astrid is the name of the teenage heroine of Janet Finch's 1999 novel White Oleander and has appeared as a character in How to Train Your Dragon and the TV shows Fringe and Once upon a Time.

Astrid

Familiar in Wales and England, this name was introduced to America when Welsh-born Catherine Zeta-Jones and husband Michael Douglas chose it for their daughter in 2003. Light, pretty, and distinctive in appearance, it didn't catch on in the US, where it was only given to 22 girls in 2023.
 
A relatively modern name, it didn't come into use in Wales until the late nineteenth century. It reached the Top 200 in the early 2000s but has since fallen back to the latter end of the UK Top 1000. 
 Carys is one of that sweet group of girls' names with a loving meaning, and this has a subliminal link to the word 'caress.' 
 Cerys is also heard in Wales.

Carys

Cassia is related to the cassia tree, which has yellow flowers and produces a spice that can be a substitute for cinnamon. Keziah, the name of Job’s daughter in the Old Testament, derives from the name of the plant as well. Cassia also has ties to the Ancient Roman name Cassius, an Ancient Roman family name meaning "hollow." 
 
Cassia is one of the rare names that's truly unusual yet has a stylish feel. Cassia has the added attraction of the sweet smell of cinnamon, thanks to its botanical associations. We predict Cassia will become much more popular along with her brother names Cassian and Cassius. 
 
Keziah, the Biblical equivalent, is also due for rediscovery, while Kassia is the Greek spelling that ties the name to Saint Kassiani, a feminist heroine.

Cassia

Elara, a lover of Zeus who gave birth to a giant son (ouch); it's also the lovely name of one of the moons of Jupiter. 

Elara

The Elin variation makes an old favorite sleeker and more modern. Elin came to prominence via the ex-Mrs.Tiger Woods and is now perhaps best known via novelist Elin Hildebrand.. It entered the US Top 1000 in 2010, though it's now dropped off again.

Elin

A beautiful modern Cornish nature name that is rapidly picking up steam in the States: even spawning variant spellings like Elowyn and Elowynn. In its native region, it wasn't widely used as a name before the twentieth century, when the Cornish language was revived. A (currently) unique member of the fashionble El- family of names, it has a pleasant, evocative sound.

The traditional Cornish pronunciation is with stress on the middle syllable: eh-LOW-en. But most English speakers seem to pronounce it with first-syllable stress, perhaps on the example of more familiar names like Eleanor and Elodie.

Elowen

This Celtic goddess and Arthurian name may sound terminally old-ladyish to many ears--but so did names like Ella and Etta not so long ago. So Enid is yet another forgotten four-letter E-possibility: she's has been M.I.A since 1954. 
 You might not know it to look at her, but Enid is Welsh, from the word meaning 'life' or 'soul.' Back in the Age of Chivalry, to call a woman 'a second Enid' was the greatest of compliments, as she was a legendary romantic figure, revived in Tennyson's Idyll of the Kings. In more modern times, Enid is the title of a Bare Naked Ladies song and a quirky character in the quirky film Ghost World.

Enid

Thanks to the surprise hit revival of Etta James' song At Last and because of recent interest in vintage style nicknames, Etta has established herself as a possible successor to Emma and Ella. Back in the US Top 1000 as of 2023 and rising rapidly up the UK charts, where it sits in the Top 200, Etta is a snappy, smart and sparky choice.

Once a short form of Henrietta, Etta has long been used on its own, and like Nora it feels perfectly substantial as a standalone. It could however also be a nickname for Loretta, Annetta, Violet, Juliet - or, for the brave, Jamesetta, which was Etta James' real first name.
 
Once a Top 100 name in the last decades of the 19th century, it slid down the US popularity charts, as nickname-y choices were ditched in favor of putting a full name on the birth certificate. It has made appearances on the US charts since 2017, and with its vintage vibes and sharp-but-sweet sounds, it may well be here to stay this time. 
 
The name was recently been picked by a celeb, Carson Daly, who is said to have been inspired by soul singer Etta James. Meanwhile, Henrietta "Etta" Bishop was a character on the TV show Fringe and might have shone a new light on the name.
 
Given to nearly 300 girls in 2023, Etta joins Ruthie and Winifred as vintage-revival names to re-enter the US charts.

Etta

She was queen of the Greek gods, both sister and wife to Zeus, but the name of her Roman counterpart Juno has become much more fashionable these days. That said, we think Hera has possibilities today too, as so many ancient goddess names rise to prominence.

More than 50 baby girls were given the name last year, about the same number as were named Eugenia. About twice that many were named Juno. Another similar mythological choice, Hero -- yes, it's a female name -- was given to only 13 baby girls.

Hera

Hilary may feel too connected to a single personality, but this version offers a fresh and interesting alternative.
 
Alec and Hilaria Baldwin (born Hillary Lynn Hayward-Thomas) chose this variation of Hilaria's adopted name for their third daughter, Ilaria Catalina Irena.

Ilaria

Juna, a variation of the newly stylish month name June, goddess name Juno, or literary Djuna, is among the fresher-feeling <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/j">girl names starting with J</a>. While Juna has never been given to more than 50 baby girls per year in the US, it's a popular choice in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

Juna

Juno is hot, June is showing signs of a comeback along with other month and day names, whereas Junia, the name of the the first century Christian referred to by the apostle Paul as an apostle (and who may have been male), is yet to be discovered.


Junia

Linnea is an attractive <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/173/scandinavian-names">Scandinavian name</a> that derives from the renowned 18th century Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, who developed the Linnean system of classifying plants and animals.
 Linnea is megapopular in Sweden and Norway, ranking in the Top 8--it was the Number 1 name in Norway in a recent year, and actually appeared in the U.S. Top 1000 in 1903, reaching as high as 744 in 1945.
 There is a charming children's book called Linnea in Monet's Garden in which the protagonist visits the Giverny gardens that inspired the great Impressionist painter.
 All in all, Linnea is a lovely, lilting name that could make an interesting namesake for an Aunt Lynn or Linda.

Linnea

Maeve is a short and sweet name that has become one of the most stylish Irish names for girls in the modern US. Maeve would make an excellent first or middle name choice, with more heft than Mae/May and more modern charm than Mavis. 
 Maeve appears in Irish mythology in two forms, one as the powerful Queen of Connacht, the other as the queen of the fairies. Maeve of Connacht was a warrior queen, famous for starting a war in attempt to steal her ex-husband’s stud bull. Other spellings are Meabh, Medb and Meadhbh, which are connected to mead, a honey-based wine that was produced in many ancient cultures.
 
Chris O'Donnell, Lili Taylor and Kathryn Erbe used Maeve for their daughters. The Irish author Maeve Binchy also is a well-known bearer. Maeve is the name of one of the lead characters on the HBO show Westworld.
 Irish spelling Meabh is popular in Ireland, but not recommended in the US.

Maeve

Marian's (and sister spelling Marion's) image has gone through a sea change of late, recalling less middle-aged matron and more Robin Hood's romantic Maid Marian. Some influences: the SJ Parker-M. Broderick twin daughter Marion and the glamorous French actress Marion Cotillard.
 Marian was a Top 100 name from 1912 through 1934.
 Marian Anderson was a great African-American contralto singer and Marion (born Marian) Ross was the mom on Happy Days. And – trivia tidbit – Marion Tweedy was the maiden name of Molly Bloom in James Joyce's Ulysses.
At one time Marian was considered the female form and Marion the male – John Wayne was born Marion.
 The meaning of Marie is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

Marian

Maris is an unusual and appealing name that has never appeared in the U.S. Top 1000, overshadowed by its twentieth century elaboration, Marisa/Marissa. It derives from the phrase "Stella Maris," star of the sea, one of the many epithets of the Virgin Mary, and became familiar via the unseen (but unliked) character of sitcom Frasier's ex-sister-in-law.
 
As a surname, Maris is associated with legendary NY Yankee, Roger Maris.

Maris

An unusual and straightforward name with an attractive Scandinavian accent; a royal name in Norway. 

Marit

Merel is a soundalike of Meryl and may be thought of as a variation of that name, but it's also the Dutch word for blackbird and so you can make it more stylish as one of the flock of cool new bird names, joining Wren, Lark, and Sparrow.

Merel

One of those pan-European nickname names much more familiar in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe than in the US, though related name Mina is making a comeback here. Light and bright, it could be an alternative to Mila, Minnie, or Millie. 

Minna

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

omama's list "Uncommon Not Ostentatious Girls Names" of 22 great name ideas: Ada - Willa!