Three Syllable Girl Names

  1. Holiday
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "holy day"
    • Description:

      Free and fun name if you don't want to be pinned down to Noelle, Pasqua, or Valentine.
  2. Naiara
    • Origin:

      Basque place name
    • Description:

      Basque name for a Spanish city where the Virgin Mary appeared in medieval times, now a popular girls' name throughout Spain.
  3. Imala
    • Origin:

      Native American
    • Meaning:

      "strong-minded"
    • Description:

      Distinctive Native-American choice with forceful meaning.
  4. Lovella
    • Origin:

      Feminine of Lovell
    • Meaning:

      "wolf"
    • Description:

      Lovella is most likely a feminine variation on Lovell, a surname. While it feels one of the invented-yet-antiquated girls' names, has the obvious attraction of containing the word "love" within it, as well as the opportunity to use "Ella" as nickname.
  5. Gwendoline
    • Origin:

      Variation of Gwendolen, Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "white ring"
    • Description:

      The Gwendoline form may introduce pronunciation confusion -- does that last syllable rhyme with wine or win or when? We vote Gwendolen as not only the most proper but the clearest spelling, followed by Gwendolyn, with Gwendoline a distant third.
  6. Rafaela
    • Origin:

      Spanish and Portuguese version of Hebrew Raphaela
    • Meaning:

      "God has healed"
    • Description:

      This euphonious and lovely name is an internationally appealing choice, that, like Gabriela and Isabela before it, is beginning to be drawn into the American mainstream. Also spelled Raffaella (Italian), Raffaela (German), or Raphaela (Hebrew), it was given to around 50 girls in the US in 2023.
  7. Atarah
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "crown"
    • Description:

      This name of a minor character in the Old Testament, also spelled Atara, has a softly pleasing sound. In the Old Testament, Atarah was a descendant of Judah.
  8. Lolita
    • Origin:

      Spanish, diminutive of Lola and Dolores, Spanish
    • Meaning:

      "lady of sorrows"
    • Description:

      In Nabokov's notorious novel, Lolita is the pet name given by the pedophilic narrator, Humbert Humbert, to his victim: a young girl called Dolores and nicknamed Lola or Lo by her mother. Still, it seems that a few parents are prepared to look past this problematic association, seeing this as a offbeat option for those who defy convention. We would recommend thinking seriously about the background of this name before bestowing it on your daughter.
  9. Galilee
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "the province"
    • Description:

      Galilee is a highly unusual place name, Galilee being a large region in northern Israel, the home of Jesus during at least thirty years of his life, and also where he cured a blind man. The Sea of Galilee gets its name from the area.
  10. Azura
    • Melania
      • Origin:

        Spanish and Greek variation of Melanie
      • Meaning:

        "black"
      • Description:

        The current wife of Donald Trump, Slovenian model Melania Knauss, brought this pretty version to the fore. Saint Melania was an heiress who freed thousands of enslaved people.
    • Demeter
      • Origin:

        Greek
      • Meaning:

        "earth mother"
      • Description:

        Demeter, the Greek goddess of grain, agriculture, and the harvest, growth and nourishment, was Zeus's sister and Persephone's mother. Variation Demetria is the full name of actress Demi Moore. Though familiar, Demeter is not one of the Greek goddess namesthat's finding widespread modern favor.
    • Monique
      • Origin:

        French variation of Monica
      • Meaning:

        "advisor"
      • Description:

        The sort of oh-so-French name that's falling out of favor now.
    • Polaris
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "pole star"
      • Description:

        The astronomical Polaris is better known as the North Star, the brightest star in the Ursa Minor constellation. It's also the name of a character in the Marvel Universe, as the daughter of Magneto. A handful of girls have been given the name in recent years.
    • Cicely
      • Origin:

        English variation of Cecilia
      • Meaning:

        "blind"
      • Description:

        This frilly Victorian name is a variant of Cecilia and Cecily, with which it might well be confused. Cicely was a surprise choice for comedienne Sandra Bernhard.
    • Malaya
      • Origin:

        Filipino
      • Meaning:

        "free"
      • Description:

        Deriving from the same East Asian root as Malaysia and Malay, Malaya is a name that recalls the more popular Maya and the name of 2014 Nobel Peace Laureate Malala Yousafzai. It first appeared in the US Top 1000 in 2006.
    • Imelda
      • Origin:

        Italian and Spanish from German
      • Meaning:

        "all-consuming fight"
      • Description:

        Saint's name made infamous by Philippine dictator's wife Imelda Marcos. A more positive famous bearer is the British actress Imelda Staunton, best known for playing Dolores Umbridge in the Harry Potter movies.
    • Aruna
      • Origin:

        Sanskrit, Japanese
      • Meaning:

        "reddish-brown; Asian moon"
      • Description:

        In Hinduism, the god Aruna is the charioteer who drives the sun god Surya across the sky. Aruna is both the traditional masculine form of the name (modernized as Arun) and its feminization.
    • Siofra
      • Origin:

        Irish
      • Meaning:

        "sprite, changeling"
      • Description:

        A relatively modern (18th C) Irish Gaelic name, Siofra or, more properly, Síofra with the fada has its roots in superstition. In the past, when babies were born in Ireland their families feared that the fairies would steal the baby and leave an elven changeling child in its place. It’s an uncommon name starting to pick up in its native country.
    • Everlyn
      • Origin:

        American invented name, variation of Evelyn and Everly, English
      • Meaning:

        "desired; water; island; wild boar in woodland clearing"
      • Description:

        Everlyn is one of the countless new spin on Evelyn and sisters, this generation's answer to Caitlin and Michaela. Evelyn, recently in the US Top 10, has been around as a name for a long time, once used for boys too. Ever and Everly are newer inventions, and Everlyn borrows something from them all. Nearly 70 baby girls were named Everlyn in the most recent year counted.