Girl Names That Start With C
C is a letter with two voices. Say Charlotte, Chloe or Clara and you hear a crisp K or soft SH; say Cecilia, Celeste or Cynthia and it turns into a gentle S. That range makes C one of the most versatile starting letters for girls, covering everything from royal classics to modern word names like Cadence.
We’ve collected more than 100 girl names that start with C, each with its genuine meaning and origin. If you love the storybook classics, our classic girl names page goes deeper. Comparing letters? See girl names that start with D, or find a matching sibling in boy names that start with C.
Popular girl names that start with C
These C names are well established on US charts. Charlotte in particular has been a top-10 name in SSA data for years.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | Free woman (feminine of Charles) | French / Germanic |
| Chloe | Young green shoot | Greek |
| Claire | Clear, bright | French (from Latin) |
| Camila | Attendant at a religious ceremony | Latin (via Spanish) |
| Cora | Maiden | Greek |
| Caroline | Free woman | French / Germanic |
| Clara | Bright, clear | Latin |
| Cecilia | Blind (from the Roman clan Caecilius) | Latin |
| Catalina | Pure (Spanish form of Katherine) | Spanish |
| Callie | Most beautiful | Greek |
| Collins | Victory of the people (from Nicholas) | Irish / English surname |
| Chelsea | Chalk landing place | Old English |
| Cassidy | Curly-haired, clever | Irish |
| Charlie | Free (nickname for Charlotte) | English |
| Carmen | Song, poem; also from Mount Carmel, “garden” | Latin / Hebrew |
Classic and vintage C names
Old-fashioned choices that feel fresh again. Several were top-100 names in the early 1900s. For more like these, see old-fashioned girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Catherine | Pure | Greek |
| Constance | Steadfast, constant | Latin |
| Clementine | Merciful, gentle | Latin (via French) |
| Cordelia | Possibly “heart” or “daughter of the sea” | Latin / Celtic |
| Cecily | Medieval English form of Cecilia | English |
| Colette | People of victory (from Nicolette) | French |
| Christina | Follower of Christ | Greek |
| Clarice | Brightness, fame | French |
| Clarissa | Most brilliant | Latin |
| Charity | Generous love | Latin / English |
| Carol | Free woman; a joyful song | English |
| Charmaine | Possibly from Carmen, “song” | English |
| Cornelia | Horn | Latin |
| Cynthia | From Mount Kynthos; epithet of Artemis | Greek |
| Claudia | Lame (from Roman clan Claudius) | Latin |
| Claudette | Feminine diminutive of Claude | French |
| Consuelo | Consolation | Spanish |
| Candace | Title of Ethiopian queens | Cushitic (via Greek) |
Elegant and romantic C names
Names with a graceful, cultured feel — the kind you’d find in a Paris café or an Italian opera house. Browse fancy girl names for more.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Celeste | Heavenly | Latin |
| Camille | Young ceremonial attendant | French |
| Cosima | Order, beauty | Italian (from Greek) |
| Celine | Heaven (from Caelina) | French |
| Coralie | Coral | French |
| Cressida | Gold; Trojan heroine in Chaucer and Shakespeare | Greek (literary) |
| Calliope | Beautiful voice; Muse of epic poetry | Greek |
| Chiara | Clear, bright | Italian |
| Cassandra | Shining upon man; Trojan prophetess | Greek |
| Clemence | Mercy | French |
| Carolina | Free woman | Italian / Spanish |
| Capucine | Nasturtium flower | French |
Modern and unique girl names starting with C
Fresh sounds — some surnames, some word names — that still feel wearable. Try unique girl names for other letters.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Cadence | Rhythm, flow of music | Latin |
| Carys | Love | Welsh |
| Cataleya | Named after the Cattleya orchid | Botanical / modern |
| Cali | Short for California or Calista | Modern American |
| Calista | Most beautiful | Greek |
| Channing | Young wolf | Irish / English surname |
| Cressa | Short form of Cressida | Greek |
| Cove | A sheltered bay | English |
| Cameron | Crooked nose | Scottish |
| Carina | Keel of a ship; a southern constellation | Latin |
| Cleo | Glory (short for Cleopatra) | Greek |
| Cyra | Sun, throne (feminine of Cyrus) | Persian |
| Corinne | Maiden | French (from Greek) |
| Carlotta | Free woman | Italian |
| Coraline | Variant of Coralie or Caroline | English |
| Charis | Grace, kindness | Greek |
Short C names for girls
Crisp, one- and two-syllable picks. They also make excellent middle names — see middle names for girls.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Cate | Pure (short for Catherine) | English |
| Coco | Nickname made famous by Coco Chanel | French |
| Cece | Nickname for Cecilia | English |
| Cass | Short for Cassandra | Greek |
| Chai | Life (Hebrew); tea | Hebrew |
| Cara | Beloved (Italian); friend (Irish) | Italian / Irish |
| Cruz | Cross | Spanish |
| Clio | To glorify; Muse of history | Greek |
| Chaya | Life | Hebrew |
Nature and word names that start with C
Flowers, stones and natural wonders beginning with C. More in our nature names for girls.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Calla | Beautiful; the calla lily | Greek |
| Coral | The ocean reef organism | Latin |
| Clover | The lucky meadow plant | English |
| Camellia | The camellia flower | Botanical (Latin) |
| Cherry | The cherry fruit and blossom | English |
| Crystal | Clear ice, quartz | Greek |
| Cypress | The evergreen tree | Greek |
| Chamomile | Earth apple; the soothing herb | Greek |
| Cedar | The cedar tree | Latin |
| Clary | The clary sage herb; also “bright” | English |
| Celandine | Swallow; a yellow wildflower | Greek |
C names from around the world
International names that start with C in their native spelling — many are easy to use in English too.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Catarina | Pure | Portuguese |
| Carmela | Garden (from Mount Carmel) | Italian / Spanish |
| Caoimhe | Gentle, beautiful (KEE-va) | Irish |
| Ciara | Dark-haired (KEER-a) | Irish |
| Chiamaka | God is beautiful | Igbo (Nigeria) |
| Chitra | Bright, picture; a star (Spica) | Sanskrit |
| Chun | Spring | Chinese |
| Consolata | Consoled | Italian |
| Cerys | Love | Welsh |
| Chinwe | God owns | Igbo (Nigeria) |
| Chana | Grace (Yiddish/Hebrew form of Hannah) | Hebrew |
| Chandra | Moon | Sanskrit |
Biblical, saint and mythological C names
From scripture, the calendar of saints and classical myth. See saint names and Greek goddess names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Candida | White, pure (St. Candida) | Latin |
| Ceres | Roman goddess of grain | Latin |
| Circe | Enchantress of the Odyssey | Greek |
| Clotilde | Famous in battle (St. Clotilde) | Frankish |
| Cybele | Anatolian mother goddess | Phrygian |
| Callisto | Most beautiful; nymph and moon of Jupiter | Greek |
| Columba | Dove | Latin |
| Cleopatra | Glory of the father | Greek |
Tips for choosing a C name
- Decide on the sound first. C can sound like K (Cora), S (Celeste) or SH (Charlotte). The sound matters more than the letter when you pair it with a surname.
- Watch spelling confusion. Names like Caitlin/Katelyn or Carys/Cerys will be misspelled often — choose the version you’re happy to correct.
- Try the full name aloud. Strong C names like Constance or Cordelia balance a short surname; short ones like Cleo or Cate balance a long one.
- Borrow from the saints and myths. Cecilia, Clare and Calliope give a name with a story your daughter can grow into.
- Look at nicknames. Catherine gives Kate, Cat and Cassie; Clementine gives Clem and Clemmie — make sure you like the likely short forms.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular girl name that starts with C?
Charlotte is the most popular C name for girls in the US, consistently in the SSA top 10. Chloe, Claire, Camila and Cora are also very common.
What are unique girl names that start with C?
Cosima, Cressida, Capucine, Coralie, Calliope and Clemence are distinctive but still easy to say.
What C names mean “bright” or “light”?
Clara, Claire, Chiara and Clarice all come from Latin clarus, meaning bright or clear.
What are Irish girl names that start with C?
Caoimhe (KEE-va), Ciara (KEER-a), Cara and Cassidy are popular Irish choices.
Is Charlie a girl’s name?
Yes. Charlie is used for both genders and is a common nickname for Charlotte and Caroline, both meaning “free woman.”