Three Syllable Girl Names

A preppy surname and place name derived from the Anglo-Saxon personal name Ælfweard "elf guardian" + the -by suffix, meaning "village, homestead". Ellerby feels like a quirkier Ellery or Emery.

Urraca was the name of many infantas and queens of several medieval Iberian kingdoms (most notably Leon). Despite its royal roots, Urraca is one of the names best left to the history books.

Variant of rising star Soraya, with that cool Z initial.

Nitasha sounds exactly like Natasha but has a different origin and meaning. This makes it a good choice for parents looking to bridge Christian and Muslim or European and Arabic or Indian cultures. Down side: Endless and inevitable spelling confusion, but this is far outweighed by the name's cross-cultural grace.

Morvoren derives from the Cornish mor, meaning "sea," and moren, "maiden," taking on the meaning of "mermaid." The Mermaid of Zennor, a local mythological figure, was associated with morvoren, although it wasn't until after the 20th-century revival of the Cornish language that Morvoren became the mermaid's name rather than her species. In recent years, the name has been given to baby girls a handful of times in its native Cornwall.

Spirited and sassy, Lively could be a feminine leaning counterpart to the trending boy name Wilder. A modern virtue of sorts, it has more energy that Patience, Prudence, and Temperance, and is far less popular than Hope or Grace.

Orlanda is an intriguing feminization of Orlando, almost unknown in this country.

Form of Lucia currently popular in Slovenia and Croatia.

Lovely Hebrew name with distinctive double a's, but beware of possible "banana" teasing.

Tellervo is the Finnish goddess of the forest, who is often depicted milking and taking care of cows.

A warm and positive English word name, used by the Puritans for both sexes but now given to only around a dozen baby girls each year.

Also spelled Liselotte, this is a clunky-but-cute compound name of German, Danish, Swedish, and Dutch origin. It combines elements of popular Elizabeth with popular Charlotte to create a name with a very different feel: sweet and oldy-worldy.