Animal Names for Girls

Italian form of Alexa, sometimes short for Alessandra, which sidesteps the Amazon Alexa issue.

One of the most classic smoosh names around, and very international, too.

Alcie and Alsie are antiquated short forms that feel more baby-ready now that names such as Elsie, Elsa, and Isla are becoming popular again. Mother name Alcina was an operatic sorceress who turned men into trees and animals.

Asma is an important name in the Muslim religion. Asma was a niece of Muhammad whose refusal to betray her uncle and father helped them escape to Mecca. Downside in English-speaking countries is that Asma sounds like asthma, the illness that blocks airways and makes it difficult to breathe.

There are a surprising number of baby boys named Barrett each year in the US -- nearly 1800 -- along with 30 baby girls. Which is more than many people might guess.

Devera was the name of a Roman goddess who protected midwives and laboring women. She would use a broom to sweep evil away, referenced in the meaning of her name.

Eadlyn Helena Margarete Schreave de Koskinen is the protagonist of Kiera Cass' Selection novels. Eadlyn and its variants Eadlin and Edelyn are uncommon in real life, but feel bang on-trend and shorten to the adorable vintage nickname Edie/Eadie. The name may derive from the Anglo-Saxon elements ead "wealth" or adal "noble".

Straightforward yet intriguing, a winning combination.

Cute but slight mix of stylish sounds Cam and Bree, chosen by Rick Schroder for his daughter.

Daya, popularized in the US as the name of a character on Orange Is The New Black, the variation Daia has recently been chosen as a name by Dutch rapper Willie Wartaal for his daughter, born in March 2016.

Popular in Israel, sounds a lot more current than Doris.Brings to mind Dickens' Little Dorrit, though Dorrit was the surname of its heroine Amy.

This simplified spelling of Claire does not improve on the more popular version.

Names that sound and/or are spelled like Dalilah exist in several languages, from the Swahili Dalili to the Arabic Dalil to the Hebrew Delilah. While all these forms have pretty sounds, you'll encounter less confusion if you go with one of the original forms rather than Dalilah.

A delicate name with strong roots, Aniceta is most often used in contemporary Spain. Saint Anicetus was an ancient pope and martyr.

Actress Daryl Hannah made this a girls' name in theory, though in the most recent year counted, about 75 baby boys in the US were named Daryl...and zero baby girls.

This name stems from the Latin term Avis, meaning bird. Related names include Avice, Aveza and Aveline.

A pretty smoosh name predominantly used by Italian Catholics.

61 Cygni is a star in the constellation Cygnus. It's pronounced similarly to the Scandinavian name Signe/Signy.