Congratulations! If you’ve discovered you’re expecting a precious little girl, choosing a fitting name can be one of the most important decisions you’ll make at the start of her life. Researching the endless possibilities of names (and their many unique spellings!) can be a fun experience for you and your partner. Here are some things to consider and a list of baby girl names for every letter of the alphabet to get you started.
Smart combinations
When you’re considering all of the names out there, it’s a good idea to think of what your future daughter’s initials might spell. Jennifer Moss, founder and CEO of BabyNames.com suggests parents consider how your child’s initials will look monogrammed on a preschool backpack or printed on a college application one day. “You don’t want them to spell anything that could be embarrassing for your child,” says Moss. She lists the “teasing potential” of names and initials as one of her top seven tips for choosing a baby name in her “The One-in-a-Million Baby Name Book.” You might want to avoid initials that spell PMS or EWW and common text phrases like OMG or LOL.
Conversely, if you like the idea of giving your little girl a ready-made nickname, you might want to pick initials that go well together. For example, Emma Viviene could be shortened to E.V. (pronounced “Evie”) or Avery Jane might be called “A.J.” Calling your yet-to-be-born baby by the initials you intend to bestow can be a fun way to keep friends and family guessing if you’re not sharing the whole name prior to birth.
Meaningful names
You naturally want your daughter to treasure the name you choose for her. While a cute or cool name might sound great, it’s nice to consider the meaning of your favorite names. You might choose to honor a family member by naming your daughter for them or you might pick a name with qualities you hope your little girl will possess. For instance, Farrah means “happy” and Mila means “industrious, hardworking.” Learning about a name’s history and others who have had the same name throughout history might help you decide between your top contenders. Looking for something specific? Check out our
convenient baby name finder for more inspiration.
Here are some great girl’s names to consider, from A to Z.
Alexandra
This name is of Greek origin and means “helper, defender of mankind.” If you choose this name, your daughter might enjoy nicknames including Allie, Alex, Lexie or Alek.
Other pretty A names for girls include: Amara, Amelia, Adriane, Abigail and Avery
Brianna Meaning “high, noble, exalted” and possibly “strong,” this girl’s name has Celtic, Irish and Gaelic roots. If you’re looking for nicknames, there are plenty including: Bri, Anna and Bria.
Other cute B names for girls are Brooklyn, Bailey, Bethany, Bridget and Beatrice
Charlotte This little girl’s name got a major boost when the U.K.’s Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (otherwise known as Prince William and Kate Middleton) named their daughter Princess Charlotte. The name, with its French origins, means “petite, feminine.”
Other popular C names for girls are Claire, Chloe, Catelyn, Catherine and Cora
Delaney This name got its start as an Irish last name, but it’s seen a surge in popularity of late as a little girl’s name. It means “dark challenger,” and Laney or Dela would be cute nicknames.
Other nice D names for girls include Diana, Darcy, Delilah, Daphne and Daniella
Eva This name with Hebrew origins means “life,” a lovely sentiment for a baby girl starting her life.
Other sweet E names for girls are Ella, Eleanor, Emma, Elizabeth, Emery and Eliza
Fiona Animation fans will recognize this name from Princess Fiona in the popular movie Shrek. With its Scottish roots, it means “fair” and “white.”
Other cool F names for girls include Farrah, Felicity, Fatima, Finley, Flora Faith and Freda
Gemma Italian for “precious stone,” this would be appropriate for a little girl because she’s sure to be a precious addition to your family.
Other sweet G names for girls are Grace, Gia, Georgia, Giselle and Gabriella
Harper This name started out as an English last name that meant “harp player,” but it’s had a huge rise in popularity as a little girl’s name, earning a place on the United States’ top 10 most popular list in 2015 and sticking near the top ever since.
Other cool H names for girls include Hallie, Hazel, Harlow, Hannah, Hadley and Haven
Isabelle “Devoted to God” and “God is my strength” are the meanings of this name with Hebrew origins. Popular nicknames include Belle, Bella, Elle, Izzy and Isa, so your daughter would have lots to choose from!
Other fun I names for girls are Isla, Ivy, Iris, Ivory and Imani
Josephine The French feminine form of Joseph, this girl’s name means “Jehovah increases.” It was made more popular by Napoleon’s wife, Empress Josephine. Josie is a cute way to shorten it.
Other lovely J names for girls include Juniper, Jennifer, Juliette, Jasmine and Jade
Kalila Meaning “heap of love,” this girl’s name with Arabic origins could be shortened to Lila or Kali.
Other neat K names for girls include Kennedy, Kyla, Kelsey, Karina, Kinley and Kiara
Lyla This name with English origins means “island beauty.” You could also choose to spell it Lila instead.
Other lovely L names for girls are Leighton, Laurel, Lorelei, Layla, Lucia, Liberty and Lydia
Malia This girl’s name with Hawaiian roots means “beloved,” an appropriate name for any much-loved daughter.
Other sweet M names for girls include Mackenzie, Mia, Mila, Margot, Madison and Mira
Nora “Shining light” is the meaning of this previous girl’s name with Greek roots. Fans of romantic comedies will recognize this name from Nora Ephron, one of the greatest rom-com filmmakers in Hollywood history.
Other neat N names for girls are Nova, Nadia, Nola, Nicole, Noelle, Natalie and Nahla
Ophelia Some think that Shakespeare invented this girl’s name for the female lead character in Hamlet, while others insist that its Greek roots mean “help.” Regardless, this name is a melodic and sweet choice for your daughter.
Other charming O names for girls include Opal, Olive, Olivia, Oakley, Oksana, Odette and Olympia
Paloma If you’re hoping your little girl’s life is peaceful, this name with Spanish roots could be a winning choice. Meaning “dove” (a symbol for peace), the name was popularized by jewelry, fashion and perfume designer Paloma Picasso, the daughter of famed artist Pablo Picasso.
Other cool P names for girls are Phoebe, Peyton, Piper, Paisley, Paris, Phoenix, Paige, Poppy and Pearl
Quilla This girl’s name has Middle English origins and means “feather,” a natural implement that made a quill pen. Its popularity peaked in the early 1900s, so this name would be an unexpected choice for your daughter.
Other unexpected Q names for girls are Quinn, Quincey, Queenie, Quiana and Quillian
Reveka This girl’s name is the Hebrew precursor for Rebecca. It means “to tie or bind” but some also translate it as the more gentle “captivating.” Either way, it could be a charming name for your daughter, who is sure to captivate you and your family.
Other pretty R names for girls are Riley, Rose, Ruby, Rachel, Remi, Raven, Rosemarie, Ruth, Raya, Raina and Rhea
Shayna Meaning “God is gracious” or “beautiful” in Yiddish, this would be a sweet name for your daughter, who is sure to be a blessing. Shay would be a sweet way to shorten this name.
Other smart S names for girls are Susannah, Sophia, Stella, Sarah, Sonia, Sonorah, Safiya, Saba and Sage
Talia This sweet name for girls has both Aboriginal and Hebrew roots, but the consensus is that it means “gentle dew from heaven” and “by the water.”
Other fun T names for girls include Thea, Tessa, Tia, Tianna, Tinsley, Theresa, Trinity and Teagan
Uma “Light” and “peace” are the Sanskrit meanings of this girl’s name, but in Hebrew, it means “the nation.” American actress Uma Thurman is probably the most well-known bearer of this unusual name.
Other U names for girls are Ursula, Una, Unity, Undine, Ulrica, Umi and Umbrielle.
Vivienne Vivianne or Vivian are alternate spellings of this French name that means “life.” This could be a sweet idea for your daughter, with nicknames including Viv or Vivie.
Other fun V names for girls include Valentina, Vanessa, Vera, Veronica, Violet, Via, Vesta, Vida and Vashti
Winona Your baby girl could share a name with actress Winona Ryder with this Sioux Indian name that means “first born daughter.” Country music star Wynonna Judd has an alternate spelling.
Other charming W names for girls include Winslet, Wynn, Wilder, Wilde, Wryn, Waverly, Willow, Willa and Winter
Xavia Your daughter will be almost guaranteed to never share a class roll call with anyone who shares her name with this rare X name. It’s the feminine form of Xavier, which has Basque or Arabic roots and means “bright” or “new house.”
Other under-the-radar X names for girls include Xia, Xandra, Xiana and Xiomara
Yasmin This Persian girl’s name means “jasmine flower” and could foreshadow the many ways your baby daughter will add joy and color to your life.
Other precious Y names for girls are Yara, Yvonne, Yolande, Ynez and Yardley
Zara The cool girl’s name has origins from multiple places. In Arabic, zahrah means “blooming flower” and the name is also derived from Zaharina, a Bulgarian name derived from the Hebrew name Zecharian, which means “God remembers.” Either way, if you pick this name, your daughter will share a name with Zara Phillips, the Queen of England’s granddaughter.
Other neat Z names for girls are Zoe, Zelda, Zora, Zuri, Zendaya and Zola
