Five Letter Girl Names

An unusual and appealing name that is the origin of Evelyn, via the Norman French name Aveline. It derives from an obscure Germanic root, the meaning of which is not clear. Theories include "desired, wished for" and "water, island".

One of those names you may not even be aware of if you haven't been paying attention to recent naming trends, Alani was given to more than 700 baby girls in the US in one recent year, to be the second most popular feminization of Alan after Alana. It's certainly the most modern-sounding female version of Alan.

This lively Old Testament nature name (belonging to one of the three beautiful daughters of Job) may be missing from the current US Top 1000 list, but it ranks highly here on Nameberry — making it one to watch!

French form of Chloé. A popular choice with French-speaking parents, though people elsewhere may associate it most with luxury handbags.

A softly poetic surname name, associated with poet W.H., Auden is enjoying quiet but marked fashion status. It was chosen for his daughter by Noah Wyle and is definitely one to watch.

Likely a feminised form of Areli (one of Gad’s sons according to Genesis), Arely is a Spanish girls’ name with Hebrew roots meaning "the voice of God." Most common among Spanish-speakers (and a fairly popular name in Spain), Arely might be a great choice for parents looking for a name with Biblical roots that still sounds trendy and feminine and wears well across cultures.

This old man nickname feels remarkably fresh when applied to girls. Use it as a short form of Lena, Helena, Magdalena, Lennon or Lennox. The pan-European Leni is identical in sound yet feels a little lighter and fresher, and is a fashionable favorite in Germany.

Signe could make an offbeat, more unusual alternative to Sydney or Sigrid. In Norse mythology, Signe was the twin sister of Sigmund. Can also be spelled Signy.

This could make a hauntingly evocative name for an American child, striking the perfect balance of the unusual and the familiar. Imara's meaning adds further appeal placing it among the special class of girl names that mean strong, brave, or powerful.

Pretty name that hit the popularity charts in England in the late 1990s.

This Turkish name has some of today's most popular sounds - partly like Isla and Ayla with the well-loved -lin ending of Evelyn, Oaklynn, and Brooklynn. Used internationally, it's currently on trend in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Azerbaijan, and Mexico too. It also ranks in the US and The Netherlands Top 500s, and in the the UK Top 1000. With its glowing meaning and contemporary sounds but established feel, Aylin could make a lovely choice.

Enola was a precursor of Nevaeh: It's "alone" spelled backwards. But the name Enola is newly in the spotlight thanks to a Netflix film.

A variation of mega popular name Emma and all of her cousins, Emmie came back to the US Top 1000 for the first time in 80 years in 2016. It's phonetically the same as more popular Emmy, but this option may avoid the award show connection. We could see it rising in future years.

Hayes is a stylish surname name given to more and more baby girls -- nearly 100 in the US last year. That's a considerable number, but many fewer than the nearly 1800 baby boys named Hayes.

Romy and co. are more fashionable than ever, as evidenced by this recent addition to the UK Top 1000.

The name of a small, inhabited Shetland island in Scotland makes one of the unique Scottish names for girls. While it’s an uncommon name internationally, it's also a traditional girls’ name in its native country, where it ranks in the top 400 (though that still equates to fewer than 10 babies born in any given year).

A traditional Nordic name, Helga was extremely popular throughout Scandinavia in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In Germany, it was a Top 10 pick from 1924 to 1943. And it still ranks in the Icelandic Top 50 today.

Like Araceli, Cielo is a heavenly name associated with the Virgin Mary. Cielo, the Spanish word for "sky," began being used as a name in honor of María del Cielo, a title for the Virgin Mary meaning "Mary of the Sky."

In the contemporary US, Minka attracted notice via actress Minka Kelly, who played the gorgeous Lyla on Friday Night Lights.

The beguiling Darya is the name of a character in Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. As a Russian name, it's a spelling variation of Daria, while in Iran, it's a girl's name that means "the sea".