Girl Names That Start With A
A is the busiest letter at the top of American baby-name charts. Amelia, Ava, Aurora and Abigail all sit comfortably in the SSA top 50, and the open “ah” sound that starts most of them feels bright and confident. Below are more than 100 girl names that start with A, sorted by style and paired with a real meaning and origin.
Because A names are so popular, many parents look past the top tier for something less expected — the vintage, international and nature sections are good places to start. For a different first letter, compare girl names that start with B or head back to the full girl names hub. Shopping for a brother too? Our boy names that start with A list pairs well with this one.
Popular girl names that start with A
These A names appear again and again near the top of the US charts. They’re familiar, easy to spell and travel well across languages.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Amelia | Work, industrious | Germanic |
| Ava | Possibly “bird” or from Eve, “life” | Latin / Hebrew |
| Aurora | Dawn; Roman goddess of the dawn | Latin |
| Abigail | My father is joy | Hebrew |
| Aria | Air; a solo song in opera | Italian |
| Avery | Ruler of the elves | English (from Alfred) |
| Addison | Son of Adam | English surname |
| Audrey | Noble strength | Old English |
| Allison | Noble, from Alice | French / Germanic |
| Anna | Grace, favor | Hebrew (via Greek) |
| Alexandra | Defender of the people | Greek |
| Aaliyah | Exalted, sublime | Arabic |
| Athena | Greek goddess of wisdom | Greek |
| Autumn | The fall season | English |
| Adeline | Noble | French / Germanic |
| Arya | Noble, honorable | Sanskrit |
| Ariana | Most holy | Greek (from Ariadne) |
Vintage and classic A names
Grandmother names from the 1890s–1930s are back in fashion. Several of these, like Ada and Alice, have climbed steadily over the last decade. See our vintage girl names for more in this style.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Ada | Noble | Germanic |
| Alice | Noble type, nobility | Germanic (via French) |
| Agnes | Pure, holy | Greek |
| Adelaide | Noble kind | Germanic |
| Alma | Nourishing; also “soul” in Spanish | Latin |
| Annabel | Possibly from Amabel, “lovable” | Scottish |
| Augusta | Venerable, majestic | Latin |
| Antoinette | Priceless, from Antonius | French |
| Althea | Healing | Greek |
| Amelie | French form of Amelia, “work” | French |
| Arlene | Possibly “pledge” | Celtic / English |
| Annette | Diminutive of Anne, “grace” | French |
| Alberta | Noble and bright | Germanic |
| Adele | Noble | Germanic |
| Annie | Diminutive of Anne, “grace” | English |
Elegant and romantic A names
Longer names with a lyrical rhythm. Many carry an easy nickname — Ari, Bella, Annie, Lia — for everyday use. More ideas in elegant girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Arabella | Yielding to prayer, or possibly “lovable” | Latin / Scottish |
| Anastasia | Resurrection | Greek |
| Aurelia | Golden | Latin |
| Annabelle | Graceful beauty | English / French |
| Amaya | Night rain (Japanese); the end (Basque) | Japanese / Basque |
| Alessandra | Italian form of Alexandra, “defender” | Italian |
| Anneliese | Grace + God is my oath | German |
| Angelina | Messenger, angel | Greek (via Italian) |
| Adriana | From Hadria, a town by the Adriatic Sea | Latin |
| Amara | Grace (Igbo); eternal (Sanskrit) | Igbo / Sanskrit |
| Aveline | Possibly “hazelnut” or “desired” | Norman French |
| Alondra | Lark | Spanish |
| Arianwen | Silver-white, blessed | Welsh |
| Allegra | Cheerful, lively | Italian |
Unique girl names starting with A
Less common at the playground but still easy to say and spell. For rarer options across every letter, see rare girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Anouk | Dutch/French diminutive of Anna, “grace” | Dutch |
| Ailsa | From Ailsa Craig, a Scottish island | Scottish |
| Anwen | Very fair, very blessed | Welsh |
| Aurelie | French form of Aurelia, “golden” | French |
| Araminta | Invented 17th-century literary name | English |
| Andromeda | Ruler of men; a galaxy | Greek |
| Amaris | Promised by God | Hebrew |
| Aislinn | Dream, vision | Irish |
| Aoife | Beauty, radiance (EE-fa) | Irish |
| Aziza | Precious, beloved | Arabic / Swahili |
| Anika | Grace (Scandinavian form of Anna) | Scandinavian |
| Ayla | Oak tree (Hebrew); halo of moonlight (Turkish) | Hebrew / Turkish |
| Alba | Dawn (Italian/Spanish); Scotland (Gaelic) | Latin / Gaelic |
| Artemis | Greek goddess of the hunt and the moon | Greek |
Short A names for girls
One- and two-syllable A names that fit neatly with long surnames — and double as strong middle names. See more short girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Ana | Grace | Spanish / Slavic |
| Ari | Lioness (Hebrew); short for Ariana | Hebrew |
| Ann | Grace | English |
| Amy | Beloved | French (from Aimée) |
| Asha | Hope (Sanskrit); life (Swahili) | Sanskrit / Swahili |
| Ali | Short for Alison or Alexandra | English |
| Aya | Colorful, woven (Japanese); miracle, sign (Arabic) | Japanese / Arabic |
| Anya | Russian diminutive of Anna, “grace” | Russian |
| Aida | Returning, reward | Arabic |
| Abby | My father is joy | Hebrew |
Nature and flower names that start with A
Botanical and earthy A names for parents who want something fresh. Our flower names for girls have dozens more.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Azalea | The flowering shrub; “dry” in Greek | Greek |
| Aster | Star; the daisy-like flower | Greek |
| Amber | The golden fossil resin | Arabic |
| Acacia | Thorny tree; symbol of resurrection | Greek |
| Aspen | The quaking aspen tree | English |
| Alyssa | Named after the alyssum flower; also from Alice | Greek / English |
| Amaryllis | To sparkle; the lily-like flower | Greek |
| Anemone | Windflower; daughter of the wind | Greek |
| Apple | The fruit | English |
| Ash | The ash tree | Old English |
A names from around the world
Names that work in English but carry deep roots elsewhere — Scandinavia, the Middle East, India and beyond.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Astrid | Divinely beautiful | Old Norse |
| Annika | Grace | Swedish |
| Amani | Peace, faith | Swahili / Arabic |
| Ananya | Unique, without equal | Sanskrit |
| Aiko | Beloved child | Japanese |
| Akosua | Born on Sunday | Akan (Ghana) |
| Amira | Princess, commander | Arabic |
| Alicia | Noble | Spanish (from Alice) |
| Aleksandra | Defender of the people | Polish / Russian |
| Aditi | Boundless; mother of the Hindu gods | Sanskrit |
| Ayesha | Alive, living | Arabic |
| Alana | Precious, or possibly “little rock” | Irish / Hawaiian |
| Amalia | Work | Germanic (via Spanish) |
Biblical and mythological A names
Names with ancient stories behind them, from scripture and classical myth. For more, see biblical girl names and goddess names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Adah | Adornment (Genesis 4) | Hebrew |
| Abishag | My father wanders (1 Kings 1) | Hebrew |
| Ariadne | Most holy; Cretan princess of the labyrinth myth | Greek |
| Aphrodite | Greek goddess of love | Greek |
| Andraste | Celtic goddess of victory | Celtic |
| Atalanta | Equal in weight; the swift huntress | Greek |
| Achsah | Anklet (Joshua 15) | Hebrew |
How to choose an A name for your daughter
- Mind the vowel clash. Most A names end in a vowel too (Ava, Aria, Amelia). With a surname that also starts with a vowel, the sounds can blur — say the full name out loud.
- Check the popularity. Ava, Amelia and Aurora are everywhere; if you want her to be the only one in class, look at the vintage or unique sections instead.
- Think about nicknames. Alexandra gives Alex, Lexi and Sasha; Arabella gives Ari and Bella. Pick a long form whose nicknames you actually like.
- Consider initials. A with some middle/last initials spells words — A.S.S. or A.P.E. are worth avoiding.
- Look at meaning. If meaning matters, browse names that mean light or names that mean hope for A options.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular girl name that starts with A?
Amelia and Ava have been the top A names for girls in the US for several years, both consistently in the top 10 of SSA data. Aurora, Abigail and Aria follow close behind.
What are some rare girl names that start with A?
Anouk, Ailsa, Anwen, Araminta, Aveline and Aurelie are all rarely used in the US but easy to pronounce.
What are short girl names that start with A?
Ana, Ada, Amy, Asha, Aya, Anya and Ari are short, two-syllable-or-less choices that pair well with longer surnames.
What A girl names mean “light” or “dawn”?
Aurora and Alba both mean dawn, and Aurelia means golden. Ayla can mean “halo of moonlight” in Turkish.
What is a pretty vintage A name for a girl?
Alice, Ada, Adelaide, Agnes and Alma are classic names from the late 1800s that are enjoying a strong revival.