Animal Names for Girls

Aniya is a a cross-cultural choice with a bright, fresh sound. While alternative spelling Aniyah is in the US and UK Top 1000, Aniya dropped out of the charts in 2021, and is now given to around 250 girls each year.

We usually think of place-names as a modern invention, but in fact Arizona ranked on the US Top 1000 from its inception in 1880 until 1911, when it vanished below the surface. It peaked at Number 510 in 1882, before Arizona became a state. One notorious vintage bearer: criminal "Ma" Barker, born Arizona Clark.

A pretty Kazakh name derived from Turkish ayla, meaning "moonlight". The Hawaiian name 'Ailana (with the 'okina mark) means "loving".

Nine little goddesses got this lovely name in the US in 2021, making it a usable yet unusual entry in the popular mythological category. Devika is a diminutive of Devi, the head goddess of Hindu mythology. English speakers might make Devi the short form.

Rare surname name deriving from an old German word meaning "foreigner" or "stranger". Ellender is actress Blake Lively's middle name.

Rare but attractive female form of Basil.

Proof that one or two letters can make all the difference: Chapel is a nouveau spiritual word name while Chappell lands firmly in surname territory. They're both pronounced the same.

Edina is an infectious-sounding Minnesota place-name, featured in the British cult hit TV show "Absolutely Fabulous." Edina is also a poetic name for Edinburgh and is a common name in contemporary Hungary. Though some sources list its origins as Hungarian, more peg it as a variation of Edwina, the feminine form of Edwin, an English name.

A seriously classic name meaning love, Adelpha is also the name for a genus of butterflies.

Pop princess Amerie is half Korean, half African-American. Her name may relate to Amelia, Emily, Emery, or Amory, though there's no exact equivalent among historical names. But doubtless there will be more Ameries, starting now.

Analia is a melodic newcomer to the US Top 1000, a fresher spin on the Olde Worlde Anamaria. It charted in the US from 2009 to 2012, and then reentered the popularity list in 2015. El Rostro de Analia is a popular Spanish language telenova on the Telemundo channel, which probably greatly contributed to its initial entry to the US list in 2009 at Number 331 when it was unranked the previous year!

This name, from the picturesque town on the Italian Riviera, borrows a bit from Amelia and a bit from Emily.

Deriving from an old English surname or from the alder tree, whose wood is used to make electric guitars, Alder can mean "old" if considered a variation on the Germanic alter or "red, brown" when you follow the root of the tree name.

For years there was only one Cher, and then along came the charming heroine of the movie "Clueless." The world now officially has enough Chers in it.

Caledonia is a rhythmic and alluring place name used by singer Shawn Colvin for her daughter. It would make an interesting and apt choice for a girl with Scottish ancestry.

Soaring astral name has a great gender-free feel. It also has a pleasing christmas connotation, courtesy of the reindeer listed in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

On trend for boys but with plenty of unisex appeal too, the place name Cairo was put on the map for girls when model Beverly Peele chose it for her daughter. Given to around 50 girls each year, it hasn't caught on just yet but with its similar sounds to Kaia and Skyler, it might do in the future.

Cato may have risen to new prominence in the English speaking world as an ancient Roman boys' name, popularized by The Hunger Games. But in the Netherlands, it's most widely used as a short form for Catharina and other forms of Katherine, ranking close to the Top 100, higher than any formal variation of the name. Cato for a girl is a cute idea and a fresh way to shorten the ubiquitous Catherine.

Anahita is the name of the water goddess who rules, among other things, fertility and wisdom. Associated with Venue, Anahita is a stylish Iranian name for girls.