Five Letter Girl Names

  1. Zelma
    • Origin:

      German, diminutive of Anselma
    • Meaning:

      "God helmet"
    • Description:

      The Selma-Thelma-Velma connection dates it.
  2. Emony
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "great treasure"
    • Description:

      A medieval and early English variant of the Ismenia, which feels surprisingly on trend today.
  3. Elska
    • Origin:

      Norse
    • Meaning:

      "love"
    • Description:

      This name looks like a sister to the names Elsa and the Czech name for girls Eliška, a popular diminutive of Elizabeth — and sometimes it is (in German, for example). But it is also a word in Old Norse and some modern Nordic languages, meaning "love" or "to love".
  4. Khari
    • Origin:

      West African
    • Meaning:

      "kingly"
    • Description:

      Traditionally a West African boys' name, Khari is used quite often for girls in the U.S. as well, thanks to its similarity to the more familiar Carrie. Khari is one of the African names that easily bridges cultures.
  5. Merel
    • Origin:

      Dutch
    • Meaning:

      "blackbird"
    • Description:

      Merel is a soundalike of Meryl and may be thought of as a variation of that name, but it's also the Dutch word for blackbird and so you can make it more stylish as one of the flock of cool new bird names, joining Wren, Lark, and Sparrow.
  6. Damia
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "spirit"
    • Description:

      Greek nature goddess name that has a pleasing femininity. Damia is one of the more unusual goddess names newly fashionable for contemporary baby girls.
  7. Maryn
    • Origin:

      Variation of Mary
    • Meaning:

      "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
    • Description:

      Adds a modern spin to old-fashioned Mary.
  8. Elana
    • Kirin
      • Origin:

        Chinese mythological name
      • Description:

        Kirin is a unisex name by virtue of representing a mythological creature that is part horse and part dragon and combines qualities that are both male and female. This is one Chinese name that translates beautifully to the Western world, where it resembles Kieran for boys, Kyra or Karen for girls.
    • Hanne
      • Origin:

        Danish, Norwegian, German, Dutch
      • Meaning:

        "grace"
      • Description:

        This spin on the popular Hannah is widely-used in Europe and pronounced similarly to Hannah. It may also be a short form of Johanne, from John/Joan.
    • Iskra
      • Origin:

        Slavic
      • Meaning:

        "spark"
      • Description:

        A vocabulary word used as a name in many Slavic countries, Iskra means "spark" or "sparkle". It was the name of a revolutionary communist newspaper founded by Lenin in 1900. A famous modern bearer is English model Iskra Lawrence.
    • China
      • Origin:

        Place-name
      • Description:

        Long before the current place-name craze, a pair of the more daring pop singers of the Age of Aquarius picked this name for their daughters. Jefferson Airplane's Grace Slick used the conventional spelling, the Mamas and the Papas's Michelle Phillips went further afield with Chynna (of the group Wilson Phillips).
    • Fanya
      • Origin:

        Slavic and Russian diminutive of Frances
      • Meaning:

        "from France; free man"
      • Description:

        Fanya might make an international and unusual short form for the classic Frances, or could stand as a full name on its own. Definitely classier than Tanya but with the same Eastern European flavor.
    • Nevis
      • Origin:

        Place-name
      • Description:

        Highly unusual name of a small, tranquil island in the Caribbean; chosen for her daughter by singer Nelly Furtado.
    • Miara
      • Origin:

        Jewish surname, meaning unknown
      • Description:

        Miara is a Jewish surname that has sparingly been used as a first name since the 1990s. It is likely of Mizrahi Jewish origin — from North Africa and the Middle East — and evidence of the surname goes back to at least the 19th century.
    • Lorca
      • Origin:

        Spanish place name and surname
      • Description:

        The haunting Lorca is a place name from the Spanish province of Navarre, but far more famous as the surname of the eminent Spanish poet and playwright Federico Garcia Lorca, who was the direct inspiration for the name of Leonard Cohen's now-grown daughter Lorca.
    • Aurla
      • Agnia
        • Jools
          • Origin:

            English nickname for names beginning in Jul-
          • Description:

            Jules may be hot in France, but the Jools spelling is almost as familiar in the UK and US, thanks to celebrity bearers Jools Holland and Jools Oliver. Jools is a unisex name.
        • Cameo
          • Origin:

            Word name
          • Description:

            This evocative term for a stone or shell carved in relief could make a striking first name for a girl, though she would have a starring role in her story, rather than a cameo.