Selecting the perfect girl name for your new baby daughter is one of the most exciting parts of pregnancy. The girl names you choose will be part of your daughter's identity for her entire life. Finding a name that sounds beautiful, carries meaning that resonates with you, and pairs nicely with your last name takes time and thought.
When considering the myriad of baby girl names out there, it helps to learn about name origins, meanings, and popularity trends. Below is a list of 45 lovely English girl names for babies along with the background on each name's meaning to spark inspiration for your baby name search.
Amelia - Means "work" in German. Popularized as a name in England in the 18th century. Also associated with pioneering female aviator Amelia Earhart.
Charlotte - A feminine form of Charles that means "free man." Gained popularity in England in the 17th century and remains widely used today.
Emma - Derived from the Germanic Erma, meaning "universal." Also may be a short form of Germanic names with the beginning Emm meaning "whole" or "universal."
Ava - A variation of the Hebrew name Eve, meaning "life" or "living one." Ava has been in the top 10 girl names for the past decade.
Sophia - Means "wisdom" in Greek. Rooted in early Christianity, it was the name of an early Christian martyr.
Olivia - The feminine form of Oliver, meaning "olive tree" in Latin. Grew popular in England after a character in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.
Isabella - A Spanish and Italian variation of Elizabeth, derived from the Hebrew Elisheba, meaning "God is my oath."
Mia - Scandanavian name rooted in Maria, meaning “wished for child." Also associated with the Italian phrase “mia bella,” meaning “my beauty.”
Amelia - Means "work" in German. Popularized as a name in England in the 18th century. Also associated with pioneering female aviator Amelia Earhart.
Elizabeth - Hebrew name meaning "God is my oath" or "God's promise." One of the most classic English names of all time. Used since the Middle Ages.
Victoria - Feminine form of Victor, meaning "victory" in Latin. Made popular in 19th century England by the long ruling Queen Victoria.
Penelope - Ancient Greek name with debated background - some sources trace it meaning "weaver" and others "duck." Popular characterization in literature and myth.
Adeline - French origin meaning "noble" from the Germanic name Adela. Many European royal women called Adeline over history.
Aurora - Latin name meaning "dawn." Association with the gleaming dawn light. Named for the Roman goddess of sunrise whose tears turned into dew.
Eleanor - Anglicization of Alienor, an old French name that itself evolved Germanic Alien meaning “other” and ora “aura.” Pompous, regal English name for 1000 years.
Brooklyn - Originally an English surname and place name indicating someone from the village of Breukelen in the Netherlands. Recently skyrocketed as a first name.
Nora - Shortened version of a number of names ending in Nora like Honora. One source = contraction of Latin honorabilis = honorable.
Audrey - An Anglo-Saxon name meaning "noble strength" rooted in the common name Etheldred – “noble” + ”strength.” Boosted by 20th century actress Audrey Hepburn.
Evelyn - Originated in the Middle Ages as the masculine French Aveline meaning “hazelnut.” Reborn for girls and surged in 21st century. Means “beautiful bird” in Persian.
Luna - Latin word for the divine embodiment of the moon in Roman mythology. Moon and night sky imagery gives it mystic and serene overtones.
Madeline - The English form of Madeleine, originally Magdalene in Greek meaning “woman from Magdala.” Biblical figure Mary Magdalene was a follower of Jesus healed of illnesses.
Lucy - The feminine form of Luke derived from Latin lux meaning “light." Most popular in England in the Middle Ages due to a popular saint named Lucia - patron saint of light.
Isla - Derived from Islay, the name of islands off the western coast of Scotland with white sandy beaches and clear waters. Conveys a peaceful, isolated feel.
Eloise - French elaboration of Louise ultimately derived from a Germanic name containing hlod “fame” and wig “war.” Names with El- evoke elevated prestige and status.
Matilda - Medieval Germanic name composed of maht “might, strength” and hild “battle.” Empowering, valiant imagery fitting for the strong ruling female royals bearing this name.
Josephine - The girl version of Joseph, which traces back to the Hebrew name Yosef meaning “Jehovah increases” or “adds.” Empress Josephine popularized it in the 19th century.
Juliet - The tragic Shakespeare character named from Giulietta, the feminine of the Roman clan name Giulius tracing to Jupiter or “majestic.” Long literary history.
Clara - Feminine form of Latin Clarus meaning “clear, bright or famous.” Link to clarity and light just like Clare and Claire incarnations.
Rose - Word name that gained currency as name in 19th century England though various compound names contained it before. Universally beloved, vibrant bloom.
Cora - Greek name meaning “maiden.” In myth, Persephone as the goddess of the underworld is often called Kore or Cora signifying her eternal purity and youthful vitality.
Pearl - Simple vocabulary name referring to the lustrous elegant gems originating as pretty name among Puritans. Also ties to water and ocean symbolism.
Lydia - Place name tracing back to Lydia, an ancient kingdom on the coast of Asia Minor whose residents were famed for their great wealth. Fiercely independent personality.
Iris - Greek word referring to the iris flower and the goddess Iris in Greek myth who represented the rainbow and connected the gods to humanity as a messenger.
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