Five Letter Girl Names
- Chaya
Origin:
Feminization of Chayyim, Hebrew,"life"Meaning:
"life"Description:
A life-affirming choice — just beware pronunciation issues among the goyim in your neighborhood.
- Antha
- Beata
Origin:
Swedish, German, Italian, from LatinMeaning:
"blessed"Description:
Beata, a Latinate saint's name, has been widely used primarily by Roman Catholics in several European countries, but is rarely heard in English-speaking countries. Playground alert: could be mispronounced Beeta.
- Merle
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"blackbird"Description:
A sleek, smooth, understated name off the grid in the US but among the Top 100 girl names in Germany. In the US, it is a unisex name, while in Germany and the Netherlands, it is predominantly feminine.
- Clove
Origin:
Nature nameDescription:
Clove is a spice name that is a tad more piquant than Saffron or Cinnamon. It might get more attention now as a member of The Hunger Games family of names.
- Mirin
Origin:
Irish and Scottish, meaning unknownDescription:
The 6th century Irish saint Mirin emigrated to Scotland and now is the patron saint of both the Glasgow suburb of Paisley and the game of football.
- Moana
Origin:
Maori, SamoanMeaning:
"deep ocean, sea"Description:
This Maori name, often heard in New Zealand, is an attractive, evocative choice for lovers of the ocean made famous – perhaps too famous – by the Disney heroine. Moana was also an alternate name for the heroine Ofelia in Pan's Labyrinth. Moana may also be a color name for a deep ocean blue ("lanu moana"). Moana and other Disney Princess Names are the subject of a featured blog.
- Debra
Origin:
Spelling variation of DeborahMeaning:
"bee"Description:
When Deborah seemed too formal in the laid-back sixties, Debra stepped in as a pared-down alternative, but the pendulum is about to swing back.
- Irena
- Britt
Origin:
Swedish, contracted form of BirgitMeaning:
"high goddess"Description:
Brisk but rather brittle. Britt Eklund was a Bond Girl in the 1974 The Man with the Golden Gun. Britt is a contracted form of Birgit, but be aware that it does come with the strong possibility of being confused with Bret/Brett—or as a shortening of Brittany.
- Aliza
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"joyful"Description:
Aliza might seem like yet another variation of the eternal Alyssa/Alicia/Eliza loop, but it's a distinct name all its own. The z adds zip.
- Kaede
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"maple tree"Description:
No - not a creative spelling of Katy. This name, which can be used for boys or girls, means maple tree. Kaede is unusual in Japan although it has been gaining more popularity after it has been used for several anime and manga characters.
- Nydia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"home"Description:
Very rarely used, could provide a distinctive alternative to Lydia.
- Narin
Origin:
Turkish and KurdishMeaning:
"delicate, fragile, slender"Description:
Narin in Turkish and Narîn in Kurdish, this name has a sleek and sophisticated sound.
- Ryann
Origin:
Spelling variation of RyanDescription:
An attempt to make this name swing more to the feminine side, though the original Ryan is becoming perfectly acceptable for girls.
- Ismay
Origin:
Possible variation of EsmeMeaning:
"esteemed, beloved"Description:
The rise of the the various Isabel names may give a boost to this variation, which has a sunny, springtime feel.
- Mavie
Origin:
French, Spanish; diminutive of MavisMeaning:
"my life"Description:
Mavie is cute as can be, and feels stylish today as similar-sounding Maeve rising in popularity. Mavie may be inspired by the French phrase "ma vie" — meaning "my life". Mavie can also be a diminutive of classic Mavis. Soccer star Neymar Jr. and girlfriend Bruna Biancardi named their daughter Mavie in 2023.
- Jream
Origin:
Variation of Dream, English word nameDescription:
Families with a J-initial sibset may opt to spell Dream this way. While Dream has been climbing up the charts since its' entry in 2017 — attributed to the birth of a Kardashian baby by that name — alternative spelling Jream only just entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2022.
- Junie
Origin:
Diminutive of JuneDescription:
A cute nickname, but June is a much better bet for the birth certificate.
- Leidy
Origin:
Spanish, EnglishMeaning:
"lady"Description:
A phonetic spelling of the English word name Lady, popularized in Latin America after the marriage of Lady Diana Spencer, to Prince Charles in 1981 and her death in 1997. Could also be a nickname for Adelaide.