Alternatives to Mila
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Brief and modern, Mila is beloved by many. Here are some lovely alternatives if Mila doesn't quite work for you!
- Amaya
Origin:
Spanish version of Amaia or JapaneseMeaning:
"mother city; the end; night rain"Description:
The Spanish form of Amaya is both a given name and a surname, originating from the Spanish mountain and village of Amaya. In this context it means "mother city" or "the capital." Amaya can also be considered a derivation of Amaia, a Basque name meaning "the end." In Japan, Amaya is a surname.
- Amba
Origin:
SanskritMeaning:
"mother"Description:
No - not a creative spelling of Amber. Amba is an Indian name. Due to its meaning, Amba is a name often related with the Hindu goddess Parvati, who is a fertility deity.
- Amelia
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"work"Description:
Amelia is one of the hottest girls' names, a successor to the megapopular Emma and Emily. Amelia, which spent several years at Number 1 in England, is now comfortably ensconced in the US Top 10.
- Amila
Origin:
Sinhalese, BosnianMeaning:
"valuable; hard work, labor"Description:
Lilting and pretty, but with plenty of substance, Amila is a name that works easily in different cultures. Similar in sound to international favorites, Amelia and Mila, it feels familiar but with a twist.
- Bluma
Origin:
YiddishMeaning:
"flower"Description:
This floral name, related to bloom and Blossom, is common in the Jewish community, but not often heard outside it. Other Yiddish nature names are Ita (star), Masha (rising water), and Mayim (water).
- Bree
Origin:
Irish, from Brid, Brigh, BrigidMeaning:
"strength or exalted one"Description:
A short, breezy name with a sophisticated yet upbeat image, that doesn't betray its Irish roots. Bree first came to notice here in 1971 via the complex prostitute character in the movie Klute, which earned Jane Fonda an Oscar. More recently, it was tied to the character of Bree Van de Kamp on Desperate Housewives.
- Carmella
Origin:
Italian and Spanish variation of Carmel, HebrewMeaning:
"garden"Description:
Most familiar as the name of Tony Soprano's wife, but she spelled it Carmela. In the contemporary US, both Carmella and Carmela are used in near-equal numbers, given to a total of about 300 baby girls last year.
- Clea
Origin:
Literary nameDescription:
An attractive and unusual name that may be a variation of Cleo, Clea was possibly invented by Lawrence Durrell for a character in his Alexandria Quartet.
- Dia
Origin:
Mbama, Sanskrit, Latin, and SpanishMeaning:
"love; lamp; heavenly; day"Description:
A sweet and simple multicultural choice which has several different meanings and origins.
- Elma
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"will helmet"Description:
Historically a diminutive of Wilhelmina, Elma's parent name and soundalike sisters are slowly stirring back to life as the trend for vintage baby names continues. With Alma on the rise in the US, Thelma chic in France, and Selma hot in Scandinavia, Elma could be in with a shot at a revival – especially given the popularity of Emma and Ella. But Muppet Elmo and Looney Tune Elmer Fudd may cast a long shadow.
- Emilia
Origin:
Feminine variation of Emil, LatinMeaning:
"rival"Description:
Emilia is the feminine form of the Roman clan name Aemilius, which derived from the Latin aemulus, meaning "rival." In Shakespeare’s Othello, Emilia is the wife of Iago and confidante of Desdemona. Amelia, although homonymous, has a different root and meaning.
- Emily
Origin:
Feminine variation of Emil, LatinMeaning:
"rival"Description:
Emily may have dropped somewhat in the current standings, but it was the most popular girls' name for over a decade because it appeals on many levels: Emily is feminine, classic, simple, pretty, and strong. Emily is Number 1 among Gen Z names. It also has those nice literary namesakes, like Emily Dickinson and Emily Brontë.
- Emma
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"universal"Description:
Emma has now been among the top girl names in the United States for several years, claiming the Number 1 crown in 2008 and again from 2015 to 2018 before dropping back to second place.
- Esma
Origin:
Turkish, BosnianMeaning:
"supreme"Description:
Turkish and Bosnian form of the Arabic name Asma, with the powerful meaning of "supreme".
- Fia
Origin:
Irish or Portuguese or ItalianMeaning:
"wild or weaver"Description:
Fia may be most notable at this moment as the Anglicized version of the Irish Fiadh, one of the fastest-rising names in the Republic of Ireland. The meaning of Fia or Fiadh is sometimes given as "deer" but that's in the sense of a wild deer, as the name relates to the ancient word for wild.
- Fima
- Gemma
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"precious stone"Description:
Gemma is a jewel of a name, an Italian classic that was very popular in 1980s England, but has only recently been started to be used here; it entered the list in 2008.
- Gia
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"God is gracious"Description:
Gia is a cute if slight name that calls to mind stylish sisters Mia, Lea, Pia, Tia, and Nia. One of the most familiar Italian baby names in the US, Gia is a short form of Gianna, which in turn is a diminutive of Giovanna, the feminine form of Giovanni, the Italian equivalent of John—all of them meaning "God is gracious."
- Ila
Origin:
Scottish, Hindi, Hungarian, FinnishMeaning:
"from the island; earth, sacred speech; shining light; joy"Description:
A simple name that's rising fast in the US, likely inspired by the popularity of Isla and Ayla. This streamlined form might appeal to those who like Ana, Ivy, and Ada, and it brings a multicultural element to the name.
- Ily
Origin:
Modern EnglishMeaning:
"I love you"Description:
This sweet little acronym, popularized in the age of texting, has established itself as a baby name. The similarity to Ivy, Isla and Riley/Miley has undoubtedly played a role.