Popular Girl Names
Popular names are popular for good reasons: they’re easy to say, familiar without feeling dated, and they tend to age well. In the US, names like Olivia, Emma, Charlotte and Amelia have led Social Security Administration (SSA) data for years, while celestial and nature names such as Luna, Aurora and Hazel have shot up fast.
Below you’ll find more than 120 popular girl names, from the long-running leaders to classics, modern favorites, rising names to watch and top picks in other countries. Each includes its meaning and origin. If you’d rather avoid the crowd, head to our unique girl names; for the boys’ side, see popular boy names or browse all popular baby names.
The most popular girl names in the US
These names have dominated the top of the SSA list in recent years. Exact ranks shift slightly each year, but this group has stayed remarkably stable.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Olivia | “Olive tree,” popularized by Shakespeare | Latin / English |
| Emma | “Whole, universal” | Germanic |
| Charlotte | Feminine of Charles, “free person” | French |
| Amelia | “Work, industrious” | Germanic |
| Sophia | “Wisdom” | Greek |
| Mia | “Mine” or a short form of Maria | Italian / Scandinavian |
| Isabella | Form of Elizabeth, “pledged to God” | Hebrew via Italian |
| Ava | Possibly “bird” or “life” | Latin / Germanic |
| Evelyn | From Aveline, possibly “hazelnut” or “desired” | Norman French |
| Luna | “Moon” | Latin |
| Harper | “Harp player” | English |
| Sofia | Spanish and Italian spelling of Sophia, “wisdom” | Greek |
| Camila | From Camilla, “attendant at religious rites” | Latin / Spanish |
| Eleanor | Possibly “the other Aenor”; long read as “light” | Occitan |
| Elizabeth | “God is my oath” | Hebrew |
| Violet | The purple flower | Latin |
| Scarlett | “Red,” from a fine cloth | English |
| Emily | From Aemilia, “rival, eager” | Latin |
| Hazel | The hazel tree | English |
| Lily | The lily flower | English |
Popular classic girl names
Timeless names that never really left the charts. They’re a safe bet if you want a name that is familiar in every generation; see more classic girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Abigail | “My father’s joy” | Hebrew |
| Grace | “Grace, goodwill” | Latin |
| Lucy | “Light” | Latin |
| Victoria | “Victory” | Latin |
| Hannah | “Grace, favor” | Hebrew |
| Sarah | “Princess” | Hebrew |
| Anna | “Grace” | Hebrew |
| Claire | “Clear, bright” | French |
| Clara | “Clear, bright” | Latin |
| Caroline | Feminine of Charles, “free person” | French |
| Margaret | “Pearl” | Greek |
| Josephine | “God will increase” | Hebrew via French |
| Alice | “Noble” | Germanic |
| Eloise | Possibly “healthy” or “wide” | French / Germanic |
| Audrey | “Noble strength” | Old English |
| Natalie | “Born on Christmas Day” | Latin |
| Madeline | “Woman from Magdala” | Hebrew via French |
| Lydia | “Woman from Lydia” in Asia Minor | Greek |
| Naomi | “Pleasantness” | Hebrew |
| Leah | Possibly “weary” or “delicate” | Hebrew |
Popular modern girl names
Names that were rare a generation ago but are now everywhere. Many are surname-style or newly coined.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Aria | “Air”; a solo song in opera | Italian |
| Nova | “New” | Latin |
| Layla | “Night” | Arabic |
| Mila | “Gracious, dear” | Slavic |
| Ellie | Short for Eleanor or Ellen, “light” | English |
| Avery | “Ruler of elves” | English |
| Madison | “Son of Maud” | English |
| Zoe | “Life” | Greek |
| Riley | “Rye clearing” | Irish / English |
| Paisley | After the Scottish town and fabric pattern | Scottish |
| Kinsley | “King’s meadow” | English |
| Everly | “Boar meadow” or “wild boar clearing” | English |
| Emery | “Brave, powerful” | Germanic |
| Brooklyn | After the New York borough | American |
| Aubrey | “Elf ruler” | Germanic via French |
| Skylar | From Schuyler, “scholar” | Dutch |
| Serenity | “Peaceful, calm” | English |
| Nevaeh | “Heaven” spelled backward | American |
| Addison | “Son of Adam” | English |
| Hailey | “Hay meadow” | English |
Popular nature and mythology names
Nature and myth have powered many of the biggest climbers of the past decade. More ideas in our nature names for girls and mythology girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Aurora | “Dawn”; the Roman dawn goddess | Latin |
| Ivy | The evergreen vine | English |
| Willow | The willow tree | English |
| Stella | “Star” | Latin |
| Athena | Greek goddess of wisdom | Greek |
| Iris | “Rainbow”; also the flower | Greek |
| Autumn | The fall season | Latin |
| Daisy | “Day’s eye” | Old English |
| Juniper | The evergreen shrub | Latin |
| Jade | The green gemstone | Spanish |
| Ruby | The red gemstone | Latin |
| Olive | The olive tree | Latin |
| Magnolia | The flowering tree | French / Latin |
| Melody | “Song, tune” | Greek |
Popular girl names with international roots
These names come from Italian, Spanish, Irish, Hawaiian and Arabic traditions and are widely used across the US today. For more, browse Italian girl names and Spanish girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Gianna | Short for Giovanna, “God is gracious” | Italian |
| Valentina | “Strong, healthy” | Latin / Italian |
| Elena | “Bright, shining light” | Greek via Spanish |
| Lucia | “Light” | Italian / Spanish |
| Natalia | “Christmas Day” | Latin / Spanish |
| Gabriella | “God is my strength” | Hebrew via Italian |
| Emilia | “Rival, eager” | Latin |
| Maria | Latin form of Miriam; meaning debated | Hebrew |
| Ariana | “Most holy,” from Ariadne | Greek / Italian |
| Eliana | “My God has answered” | Hebrew |
| Aaliyah | “Exalted, sublime” | Arabic |
| Leilani | “Heavenly flowers” | Hawaiian |
| Isla | After the Scottish island of Islay | Scottish |
| Maeve | “She who intoxicates” | Irish |
| Nora | Short for Honora, “honor” | Irish / Latin |
| Chloe | “Green shoot” | Greek |
| Penelope | Possibly “weaver” | Greek |
| Sadie | Pet form of Sarah, “princess” | Hebrew |
Rising girl names to watch
These names have been climbing steadily and may soon join the top tier. Pick one now and it will feel current for years.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Lainey | Short for Elaine, “light” | English |
| Ophelia | “Help” | Greek |
| Daphne | “Laurel” | Greek |
| Margot | French pet form of Margaret, “pearl” | French |
| Rosalie | “Rose garden” | French |
| Mabel | “Lovable” | Latin |
| Georgia | “Farmer” | Greek |
| Theodora | “Gift of God” | Greek |
| Amara | “Grace” (Igbo) or “eternal” (Sanskrit) | Igbo / Sanskrit |
| Wren | The small songbird | English |
| Oaklynn | Modern blend of “oak” and Lynn | American |
| Vivian | “Alive” | Latin |
| Sage | “Wise” | Latin |
| Eden | “Delight”; the biblical garden | Hebrew |
| Adeline | “Noble” | Germanic via French |
Popular girl names around the world
Every country has its own favorites. These names have been at or near the top of official or widely reported lists in recent years.
| Name | Meaning | Where it’s popular |
|---|---|---|
| Fiadh | “Wild, deer” (FEE-uh) | Ireland |
| Martina | Feminine of Martin, “of Mars” | Spain, Italy |
| Louise | “Famous warrior” | France, Belgium |
| Ambre | “Amber” | France |
| Giulia | “Youthful” | Italy |
| Himari | “Sunlight, sunflower” (depending on kanji) | Japan |
| Tsumugi | “Spinning thread, weaving” | Japan |
| Matilda | “Mighty in battle” | Australia, UK |
| Alba | “Dawn” (Spanish) or “Scotland” (Gaelic) | Spain |
| Lina | Short form of names like Carolina or Angelina | Germany, Scandinavia |
| Maja | Form of Maria or Maia | Sweden, Denmark, Poland |
| Zuzanna | Polish form of Susanna, “lily” | Poland |
| Saanvi | Name linked to the goddess Lakshmi | India |
| Seo-ah | “Auspicious, elegant” (depending on hanja) | South Korea |
How to choose a popular name without regretting it
- Check the trend line, not just the rank. A name that’s climbing fast (like Luna or Aurora did) may feel more common in a few years than one that has held steady for decades.
- Think local. National rankings hide regional differences; a top-20 name can be rare in your town or everywhere at your daycare.
- Add a unique middle name. Pair a popular first name with something rarer from our middle names for girls.
- Consider spelling variants carefully. Sophia and Sofia are counted separately, so the name may be more common than its rank suggests.
- Say it with the full name. Popular names work best when the surname adds some individuality.
Frequently asked questions
What is the number one girl name in the US?
Olivia has been the most popular girl name in the US in most recent years according to SSA data, with Emma, Charlotte and Amelia close behind.
What girl names are becoming more popular?
Names like Lainey, Ophelia, Daphne, Margot, Theodora and Mabel have been climbing steadily, as have nature names such as Wren, Juniper and Magnolia.
What is the most popular girl name in the world?
There is no single global ranking, but Maria and its variants are thought to be the most common female name worldwide. Among newborns, Sophia, Olivia and Emma rank high in many countries.
Is it bad to choose a very popular name?
Not at all. Even the top name today is given to less than 1% of baby girls, far fewer than the most common names of the 1950s, so your daughter is unlikely to share it with many classmates.
Where does popular name data come from?
In the US, the Social Security Administration publishes baby name counts every spring based on Social Security card applications; other countries release similar official lists.