Animal Names for Girls

Popular Portuguese and Spanish name that refers to "dulce nombre de Maria" -- the sweet name of the Virgin Mary. English variant Dulcie has a different pronunciation.

Adah is a biblical name twice over—one was the mother of Jabal and Jubal, the other was a wife of Esau. The latter Adah and Esau’s descendants settled in Edom and became the Edomites. Adah is unrelated to the visually similar name Ada, which is Germanic in origin.

Possibility for a dark-haired babe.

This can be a short form of any Greek girls' name starting with 'Ef', such as Efstraria or Efrosini. It has also been suggested as a possible nickname for Elizabeth.

A felicitous combo of two sweet names; also a Queens, New York neighborhood.

Amaranth is a beautiful herb with bright fuchsia flowers and a tasty seed that flavors many Eastern dishes. The name is filled with potential for the more adventurous namer, with nickname potential (Ammy, Mara) and a fresh sound that still fits in with all the Amelias and Ambers in the playground.

Dionne is an Americanized version of the Greek Dione, with many sub-versions of its own, identified with singer Dionne Warwick. It was also the surname of the Canadian quintuplets born in 1934, who gained worldwide fame as the first kown quints to survive to adulthood.

Brinley was a surprise entrant to the US Top 1000 in 2009, however, in 2023, it doesn't feel surprising at all. In fact, alternative spellings Brynleigh and Brynlee also rank in the Top 1000, with Brynley not too far behind.

It may have a masculine sound and meaning, but Dawson is becoming increasingly popular for baby girls, too. Blame it on Dylan and Logan and the wider trend of surname names for both genders. Over 70 baby girls were given the name in 2020.

Elisheva was the original name of Aaron's wife in the Book of Exodus; Elisheva gains strength and distinction via the v sound.

While Elliott and Elliot are well-established for boys, parents are now considering both these boy names for girls, too.

Unusual but accessible Hispanic choice with stylish sound.

Now that Isla Fisher has pushed her once-obscure name into the Top 150, some parents are looking for similar-sounding Scottish names for girls that are further off the beaten path. This one is especially promising, with its cross-cultural appeal. Ayla, a common name in Turkey, is also worth considering.

A Biblical name with a modern feel, Azaria is a spelling variation of the Hebrew name, Azariah. Used as a masculine name in the Bible, this spelling is now more commonly used on girls.

Depending on which characters you use, this Japanese name can have many meanings. The first part can mean "love, affection" or "indigo", while kanji for the second element include those meaning flower, perfume, include, sing, and praise. Whichever you choose, this is a distinctive Japanese name that travels easily into other languages.

Arlet's is in the Top 100 in Spain, and this love is carrying over into the states as well, with Arlet being among the fastest-rising names of 2022. Related name Arleth is also red-hot, and was one of the fastest rising of the previous year in 2021, likely due to Telenovela star Arleth Teran. Arlet is also a character in the hit show "Infidels."

Corvina sounds quite similar to a car model, although it has a gorgeous meaning and could be an interesting dramatic full name for the nickname Cora.

This Australian name can have other spellings such as Allira, Alirah and Aleara. We prefer this spelling which keeps confusion and mispronunciation to a minimum.

Place-name and homonym of Bree, less popular than its enlargement, Brielle or Brianna. Brie Larson is a notable bearer.

This friendly Irish surname is catching on with girls, perhaps due to the easy Callie nickname.