Girl Names That Start With B
B is a soft-but-sturdy letter for girls: it opens some of the most beloved classics (Beatrice, Barbara, Bridget) and plenty of modern favorites like Brooklyn, Blake and Blakely. Below are more than 100 girl names that start with B, grouped by style and paired with their real meaning and origin.
Many B names come from Latin and Old English, while others arrived via Irish, Hebrew and Italian. If you like the vintage end of the list, our vintage girl names have more in the same spirit; for fresh sounds, try unique girl names. Still deciding on a letter? Compare with girl names that start with A and C.
Popular girl names that start with B
These B names are familiar on US birth certificates in recent years according to SSA data, so they feel current without being strange to anyone.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Bella | Beautiful | Italian |
| Brooklyn | From the New York borough; Dutch Breukelen, “broken land” | American / Dutch |
| Brielle | Short form of Gabrielle, “God is my strength” | French / Hebrew |
| Blakely | Dark or pale meadow | English |
| Blake | Dark or fair (the Old English roots mean both) | English |
| Bailey | Bailiff, steward | English |
| Brooke | Small stream | English |
| Bianca | White | Italian |
| Blair | Plain, field | Scottish |
| Briella | Variant of Brielle, “God is my strength” | Italian / Hebrew |
| Bristol | Site of the bridge | English |
| Brynlee | Modern blend of Bryn (“hill”) and Lee (“meadow”) | American |
| Bexley | Box-tree clearing | English |
| Bonnie | Pretty, cheerful | Scottish |
| Bailee | Spelling variant of Bailey, “steward” | English |
Vintage and classic B names
Grandmother names from the early 1900s are back in a big way. For more of them, see our classic girl names and Victorian names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Beatrice | She who brings joy; traveler | Latin |
| Beatrix | She who brings joy | Latin |
| Bernadette | Brave as a bear | French / Germanic |
| Barbara | Foreign woman | Greek |
| Betty | Diminutive of Elizabeth, “God is my oath” | English / Hebrew |
| Beverly | Beaver stream | English |
| Blanche | White, fair | French |
| Bertha | Bright, famous | Germanic |
| Bernice | Bringer of victory | Greek |
| Beulah | Married; claimed | Hebrew |
| Belle | Beautiful | French |
| Babette | French pet form of Barbara or Elizabeth | French |
| Bridie | Irish pet form of Bridget, “exalted one” | Irish |
| Blossom | Flowering bud | English |
| Birdie | Little bird | English |
| Bess | Short form of Elizabeth, “God is my oath” | English |
| Bridget | Exalted one; strength | Irish |
| Bonita | Pretty | Spanish |
Unique girl names starting with B
Rare on playgrounds but easy to spell and say, these B names stand out without needing an explanation every time.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Briar | Thorny wild rose bush | English |
| Bellamy | Fine friend | French |
| Brontë | Thunder; after the literary sisters | Greek / Irish |
| Bijou | Jewel | French |
| Bluebell | Bell-shaped wildflower | English |
| Brisa | Breeze | Spanish |
| Benedetta | Blessed | Italian |
| Bryony | A climbing vine; from Greek “to swell” | Greek |
| Bettany | Variant of Bethany, “house of figs” | Hebrew |
| Brighton | Bright town | English |
| Bexlee | Variant of Bexley, “box-tree clearing” | English |
| Bree | Strength, exalted; also short for Gabrielle | Irish |
| Brynn | Hill | Welsh |
| Berit | Glorious; Scandinavian form of Bridget | Norwegian |
| Bly | Tall; also “gentle, cheerful” | English / Native American |
| Blythe | Happy, carefree | English |
Short B names for girls
One- and two-syllable names that pair easily with long surnames. Our short girl names list has more across every letter.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Bea | Short form of Beatrice, “she who brings joy” | Latin |
| Bo | Short form of names like Bonita; also “to live” | English / Scandinavian |
| Bay | Bay tree (laurel), or a coastal inlet | English |
| Bria | Noble, strong | Irish |
| Bex | Short form of Rebecca | English / Hebrew |
| Belen | Bethlehem | Spanish |
| Beth | House; also short for Elizabeth | Hebrew |
| Bijal | Lightning | Indian |
| Bibi | Lady | Persian |
| Bette | French pet form of Elizabeth; made famous by Bette Davis | French |
| Britt | Exalted; short form of Birgitta | Swedish |
B names from around the world
Many cultures offer beautiful B options. Browse our Irish girl names and Italian girl names for more.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Bláithín | Little flower (BLAW-heen) | Irish |
| Brígh | Strength, power (BREE) | Irish |
| Branwen | Blessed raven or fair raven | Welsh |
| Bronwen | White breast; fair | Welsh |
| Berenice | Bringer of victory | Greek |
| Brunella | Little brown one | Italian |
| Brigitte | Exalted one | French |
| Bettina | Little Elizabeth | German |
| Bozena | Divine, blessed | Czech / Polish |
| Bashira | Bringer of good news | Arabic |
| Batya | Daughter of God | Hebrew |
| Bhavna | Feeling, emotion | Indian |
| Bo-ra | Violet (flower) | Korean |
| Bisa | Greatly loved | African (Swahili) |
| Bébhinn | Melodious woman (BAY-vin) | Irish |
| Birgit | Exalted; Scandinavian form of Bridget | Swedish / Norwegian |
| Bunmi | My gift | Yoruba (Nigeria) |
| Beatriz | She who brings joy | Spanish / Portuguese |
Nature and word names that start with B
Word names feel fresh and descriptive. Pair them with our nature names for girls or flower names for girls.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Bluet | Small blue wildflower of North America | English / French |
| Bergamot | Fragrant citrus fruit and herb | Italian / English |
| Berry | Small fruit; also from Old English “fort” | English |
| Birch | The birch tree, symbol of new beginnings | English |
| Beryl | Pale green gemstone | Greek |
| Brinley | Burnt meadow | English |
| Bellflower | Campanula blossom | English |
| Breeze | Light wind | English |
| Blue | The color blue | English |
| Basil | Royal, kingly; the herb (unisex) | Greek |
| Bramble | Blackberry bush | English |
| Bonny | Pretty (Scots) | Scottish |
Biblical and mythological B names
These names carry stories. For deeper lists, see biblical girl names and mythology girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Bathsheba | Daughter of the oath; wife of King David (2 Samuel 11) | Hebrew |
| Bethany | House of figs; village near Jerusalem (John 11) | Hebrew |
| Bilhah | Timid, bashful; Rachel’s handmaid (Genesis 30) | Hebrew |
| Bithiah | Daughter of God; Pharaoh’s daughter (1 Chronicles 4:18) | Hebrew |
| Basemath | Fragrance; a wife of Esau (Genesis 26) | Hebrew |
| Brigid | Exalted one; Celtic goddess and Irish saint | Irish |
| Baucis | Humble old woman of Greek myth who hosted Zeus | Greek |
| Brunhilde | Armored battle maiden; Norse valkyrie | Germanic / Norse |
| Bastet | Egyptian cat goddess of home and joy | Egyptian |
| Belisama | Very bright; Celtic goddess of rivers | Celtic |
How to choose a girl name that starts with B
- Say it with the middle and last name. B is a plosive sound, so names like Bella Brooks can feel bouncy or tongue-twisting — decide which you want.
- Check the nickname path: Beatrice gives Bea and Trixie, Elizabeth-derived names give Betty and Bess, Bridget gives Bridie.
- Watch the popularity curve. Bella and Brooklyn peaked in the 2010s; Beatrice, Birdie and Briar are rising more gently.
- Think about spelling. Brynlee, Brinley and Brynleigh all exist; pick the version you will not mind correcting.
- Honor a relative creatively: a grandmother Barbara could inspire Bianca or Bea.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular girl name that starts with B?
In recent SSA data, Brooklyn and Bella have been among the most-used B names for girls, with Brielle and Blakely close behind.
What are some vintage B names for girls?
Beatrice, Bernadette, Blanche, Betty, Beverly and Bernice all peaked in the early to mid 1900s and are being revived by parents who like old-fashioned charm.
What is a unique girl name starting with B?
Briar, Bellamy, Bijou, Bryony and Bluebell are uncommon in the US while still easy to spell and pronounce.
What B names mean light or joy?
Beatrice and Beatrix are traditionally read as “she who brings joy,” and Bella means “beautiful.” For light, see Belisama, the Celtic goddess whose name means “very bright.”
Is Blake a girl or boy name?
Both. Blake is an English surname meaning “dark” or “fair,” and it has been used for girls increasingly since the 2000s.