Girl Names That Start With G
G is a small letter on the US girls’ charts, which is exactly its appeal. Only a handful of G names — Grace, Gianna, Genesis, Gabriella — crack the SSA top 100, leaving dozens of gorgeous options that feel familiar but uncommon. The letter comes in two flavors: the hard G of Greta and Goldie, and the soft J sound of Genevieve and Georgia.
Below you’ll find over 100 girl names that start with G, each with a real meaning and origin. Several G names are feminine forms of boys’ classics (George, Gabriel, Gerald) — our boy names that start with G list shows the originals. For other letters, try girl names that start with E or H.
Popular girl names that start with G
The G names most often chosen by American parents in recent years.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Grace | Grace, favor of God | Latin |
| Gianna | God is gracious (from Giovanna) | Italian |
| Genesis | Origin, beginning | Greek |
| Gabriella | God is my strength | Hebrew (via Italian) |
| Genevieve | Woman of the tribe, or possibly “kin + woman” | Gaulish / Germanic |
| Georgia | Farmer, earth worker | Greek |
| Gemma | Gem, precious stone | Italian |
| Gracie | Grace (diminutive) | English |
| Gabrielle | God is my strength | French (from Hebrew) |
| Galilee | Circle, district; the region in northern Israel | Hebrew |
| Giselle | Pledge, hostage | Germanic (via French) |
| Gia | God is gracious (short for Gianna) | Italian |
| Gwendolyn | Fair ring or white bow | Welsh |
| Greta | Pearl (short for Margaretha) | German / Swedish |
| Gracelyn | Modern blend of Grace and Lynn | American |
Vintage G names
Early-1900s names ripe for revival. Goldie and Greta are already climbing. See old-fashioned girl names for more.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Gertrude | Strength of the spear | Germanic |
| Gladys | Possibly from Welsh Gwladus, “ruler” or “nation” | Welsh |
| Geraldine | Rule of the spear | Germanic (via French) |
| Goldie | Gold | English / Yiddish |
| Georgina | Farmer (feminine of George) | English |
| Gloria | Glory | Latin |
| Ginger | The spice; nickname for Virginia | English |
| Gwen | White, fair, blessed | Welsh |
| Greer | Watchful (from Gregor) | Scottish |
| Gail | My father rejoices (short for Abigail) | Hebrew / English |
| Georgette | Farmer | French |
| Genevra | Juniper; Italian form of Guinevere | Italian |
| Gussie | Venerable (short for Augusta) | English |
| Gilda | Sacrifice, value | Germanic / Italian |
| Glenda | Holy and good | Welsh |
| Gaynor | Medieval English form of Guinevere | English |
| Gretchen | Pearl (diminutive of Margarete) | German |
Elegant and romantic G names
Graceful G names with European polish, many from French and Italian. For more, see elegant girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Guinevere | White phantom, fair and smooth | Welsh (Arthurian) |
| Giada | Jade | Italian |
| Giuliana | Youthful | Italian |
| Gisele | Pledge | French |
| Graziella | Grace | Italian |
| Genoveva | Spanish form of Genevieve | Spanish |
| Gioia | Joy | Italian |
| Giovanna | God is gracious | Italian |
| Gwyneth | Blessed, happiness | Welsh |
| Galina | Calm, serene | Russian (from Greek) |
| Guadalupe | River of the wolf; Our Lady of Guadalupe | Spanish (from Arabic) |
| Georgiana | Farmer | English |
| Gloriana | Glorious; poetic name for Elizabeth I | Latin / English |
Unique girl names starting with G
Uncommon G names that still sound natural in English. Explore unique girl names for even more rare finds.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Gaia | Earth; the Greek earth goddess | Greek |
| Gwenllian | Fair, flaxen; a 12th-century Welsh princess | Welsh |
| Grier | Watchful (variant of Greer) | Scottish |
| Gweneth | Blessed (variant of Gwyneth) | Welsh |
| Gisela | Pledge | German / Spanish |
| Gali | Wave, fountain | Hebrew |
| Geneva | Juniper; also the Swiss city | French |
| Garland | A wreath of flowers | English |
| Gwyn | White, fair, blessed | Welsh |
| Glenna | Valley | Scottish |
| Galaxy | The star system; “milky” | Greek |
| Gilly | Youthful (from Gillian) | English |
| Gillian | Youthful (from Juliana) | English |
Short G names for girls
Quick, punchy names that pair well with long surnames, or make great middle names. More at short girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Gigi | Nickname for Georgina, Gisele and others | French |
| Gem | Precious stone | English |
| Gaby | God is my strength (short for Gabrielle) | French / Spanish |
| Gina | Short for Georgina or Regina | Italian |
| Gert | Spear strength (short for Gertrude) | German |
| Gray | Gray-haired | English |
| Gita | Song | Sanskrit |
| Geri | Short for Geraldine | English |
Nature and word names that start with G
Botanical, gemstone and landscape names. For more nature names across every letter, see nature names for girls.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Garnet | The deep-red gemstone | English (from Latin) |
| Gardenia | The fragrant white flower | Botanical |
| Glade | An open space in a forest | English |
| Ginevra | Juniper | Italian |
| Golden | The color of gold | English |
| Grove | A small group of trees | English |
| Gale | A strong wind | English |
| Gentian | The blue alpine flower | Latin (after King Gentius) |
| Glory | Glory, praise | English (from Latin) |
| Goldenrod | The yellow late-summer wildflower | English |
| Gazelle | The graceful antelope | Arabic (via French) |
G names from around the world
International G names in active use today, with pronunciation notes where they help.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Gráinne | Possibly “grain” or “love” (GRAWN-ya) | Irish |
| Gunnhild | War battle | Old Norse |
| Giedre | Serene (GYED-reh) | Lithuanian |
| Gulnara | Pomegranate flower | Persian / Central Asian |
| Gabriela | God is my strength | Spanish / Polish |
| Grazyna | Beautiful; literary name by Mickiewicz | Polish |
| Gyöngyi | Pearl | Hungarian |
| Ghada | Graceful young woman | Arabic |
| Gauri | Fair, white; epithet of Parvati | Sanskrit |
| Gunilla | War battle (Swedish form of Gunnhild) | Swedish |
| Gulnaz | Rose-like grace | Persian / Turkish |
| Gulshan | Rose garden | Persian |
| Galit | Wave | Hebrew |
| Giulia | Youthful | Italian |
| Gaëlle | From the Gaels; popular in Brittany | French / Breton |
| Gohar | Jewel | Armenian / Persian |
| Gwenhwyfar | Welsh original of Guinevere | Welsh |
Biblical, saint and mythological G names
Heroines from faith and legend. See saint names and mythology girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Galatea | Milk-white; sea nymph and Pygmalion’s statue | Greek |
| Gomer | Complete (Hosea 1) | Hebrew |
| Gudrun | God’s secret lore | Old Norse |
| Gefjon | Norse goddess of plowing and virgins | Old Norse |
| Gerd | Enclosure; Norse giantess, wife of Freyr | Old Norse |
| Grania | Irish legendary lover of Diarmuid | Irish |
| Gemini | Twins; the constellation | Latin |
| Gorgo | Grim, fierce; Spartan queen, wife of Leonidas | Greek |
Tips for choosing a G name
- Pick your G sound. Hard G (Greta, Goldie) sounds sporty and bright; soft G (Genevieve, Georgia) sounds gentle and romantic.
- Expect spelling questions. Soft-G names are often misheard as J names — Gemma as Jemma, Giselle as Jizelle — so be ready to spell it out.
- Find the feminine form. Honoring a George, Gabriel or Gerald? Georgia, Gabriella and Geraldine keep the connection.
- Use the nicknames. Gwendolyn gives Gwen and Wendy; Georgiana gives Georgie and Gigi — a long name leaves room to grow.
- Balance with the surname. Two-syllable G names like Greta or Gemma suit long surnames; four-syllable Guinevere suits short ones.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular girl name that starts with G?
Grace and Gianna are the most popular G names for girls in the US by recent SSA data, with Genesis, Gabriella and Genevieve not far behind.
What are old-fashioned girl names that start with G?
Gertrude, Gladys, Geraldine, Goldie, Gloria, Gretchen and Georgina were common in the early 20th century.
What are unique girl names that start with G?
Gaia, Gwenllian, Giada, Genevra, Greer and Gráinne are unusual but have strong history.
What G names mean “pearl”?
Greta and Gretchen are both short forms of Margaret, which comes from the Greek word for pearl. Gyöngyi is the Hungarian word for pearl.
Is Genevieve pronounced with a soft G?
Yes — in English it’s JEN-uh-veev. In French it’s zhawn-VYEV.