Girl Names That Start With N
N names have a quiet confidence. The letter is less crowded than A or M, yet it gives parents some of today’s most-loved choices, from Nora and Naomi to the space-age Nova. Below you’ll find 90+ girl names that start with N, sorted by style and explained with real meanings and origins.
We’ve included pronunciation help for the trickier Irish and Welsh picks like Niamh and Nia. For neighboring letters, see girl names that start with M and O, and if you are shopping for a brother too, try boy names that start with N.
Top N names for girls right now
The N names parents choose most often in the US today, according to Social Security baby-name data trends.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Nora | Honor; short for Eleanor or Honora | Irish/English |
| Naomi | Pleasantness | Hebrew |
| Nova | New; a star that suddenly brightens | Latin |
| Natalie | Born on Christmas Day | Latin (natale domini) |
| Nevaeh | “Heaven” spelled backward | Modern American |
| Nyla | Achiever, one who attains (from Naila) | Arabic |
| Noelle | Christmas | French |
| Nicole | Victory of the people | Greek, via French |
| Nina | Little girl (Spanish); grace (from Anna) | Spanish/Russian |
| Nadia | Hope | Slavic |
| Nalani | The calm of the heavens | Hawaiian |
| Navy | The deep blue color; the sea service | English word name |
| Noa | Movement (Hebrew); unrelated to Noah | Hebrew |
| Nia | Purpose (Swahili); Welsh form of Niamh, “bright” | Swahili/Welsh |
Classic and vintage girl names beginning with N
Several of these peaked a century ago and sound fresh again. Our classic girl names list has more timeless picks.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Nancy | Grace, a medieval pet form of Anne/Agnes | English |
| Nellie | Diminutive of Eleanor or Helen, “light” | English |
| Nell | Short form of Eleanor or Helen | English |
| Nettie | Diminutive of Antoinette or Jeanette | English |
| Norma | Rule, pattern (Latin); made famous by Bellini’s opera | Latin/Italian |
| Nadine | Hope | French, from Russian Nadezhda |
| Natasha | Russian diminutive of Natalia, “Christmas” | Russian |
| Noreen | Honor, diminutive of Nora | Irish |
| Nola | Fair-shouldered (from Fionnuala) | Irish |
| Nannette | Diminutive of Anne, “grace” | French |
| Nadeen | Hope, variant of Nadine | English |
| Nita | Diminutive of Juanita or Anita, “grace” | Spanish |
| Nicola | Victory of the people | Italian/English |
Irish, Welsh and Celtic N names (with pronunciation)
Gaelic spelling can look daunting, but these names are lovely once heard. More ideas are in Irish girl names and Welsh girl names.
| Name | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Niamh | NEEV | Bright, radiant; queen of Tír na nÓg in legend |
| Nuala | NOO-la | Fair shoulder, short for Fionnuala |
| Neasa | NESS-a | Possibly “not gentle”; mother of King Conchobar |
| Nóinín | NO-neen | Daisy |
| Nessa | NESS-a | Anglicized Neasa; also short for Vanessa |
| Nerys | NERR-iss | Lady (Welsh nêr, “lord”) |
| Nest | NEST | Welsh form of Agnes, “pure” |
| Nesta | NESS-ta | Welsh diminutive of Agnes |
| Nonie | NO-nee | Diminutive of Nora or Honora |
| Nainsí | NAN-shee | Irish form of Nancy, “grace” |
International girl names starting with N
From Japan to Nigeria, N begins names in nearly every naming tradition. Explore more in Japanese girl names and African girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Nadezhda | Hope | Russian |
| Natalia | Christmas Day | Latin/Slavic |
| Noemi | Pleasantness, form of Naomi | Italian/Spanish |
| Nieves | Snows, from Our Lady of the Snows | Spanish |
| Nerea | Mine (Basque) | Basque |
| Nahia | Desire | Basque |
| Nanami | Seven seas (七海) | Japanese |
| Natsuki | Summer hope or summer moon (夏希, 夏月) | Japanese |
| Nozomi | Hope, wish (望) | Japanese |
| Nkechi | God’s gift, what God gave | Igbo (Nigeria) |
| Nala | Gift | Swahili |
| Nasrin | Wild rose | Persian |
| Nour | Light | Arabic |
| Nadira | Rare, precious | Arabic |
| Nilufar | Water lily | Persian |
| Neha | Love, affection | Sanskrit/Hindi |
| Nandini | Delightful; a name of the goddess Durga | Sanskrit |
| Nkiru | The best is yet to come | Igbo |
| Nokuthula | Mother of peace, with peace | Zulu |
| Ngozi | Blessing | Igbo |
| Nathalie | Christmas Day | French |
| Naima | Blessed, tranquil | Arabic |
| Neela | Blue, dark blue | Sanskrit |
| Navya | New, young | Sanskrit |
| Nayeli | Commonly said to mean “I love you” | Zapotec (Mexico) |
Mythological and literary N names
Nymphs, goddesses and heroines of fiction. If this style appeals, visit mythology girl names and goddess names.
| Name | Meaning | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Nyx | Night | Greek primordial goddess of night |
| Nike | Victory | Greek goddess of victory |
| Nemesis | Retribution | Greek goddess of balance and revenge |
| Nephele | Cloud | Greek cloud nymph |
| Nausicaa | Burner of ships | Princess in Homer’s Odyssey |
| Niobe | Possibly “snowy” | Queen of Thebes in Greek myth |
| Nerissa | Sea nymph | Portia’s maid in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice |
| Nanna | Mother; bold | Norse goddess, wife of Baldr |
| Nephthys | Lady of the house | Egyptian goddess |
| Nimue | Uncertain; linked to Mnemosyne | The Lady of the Lake in Arthurian legend |
| Nokomis | Grandmother | Ojibwe; Longfellow’s Song of Hiawatha |
Rare and unexpected N names
Uncommon in US birth records but easy to say and spell. Also see unique girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Nerina | Sea nymph | Italian |
| Novalee | New + meadow | Modern American |
| Nicoletta | Victory of the people | Italian |
| Ninette | Little girl | French |
| Nuria | From the Virgin of Núria shrine | Catalan |
| Nyssa | Beginning, goal | Greek |
| Nadya | Hope | Russian |
| Noelani | Heavenly mist | Hawaiian |
| Nerida | Water lily (commonly given meaning) | Australian Aboriginal |
| Nahla | A drink of water | Arabic |
| Nixie | Water sprite | German folklore |
| Nerine | Sea nymph; also the Guernsey lily | Greek/botanical |
| Nigella | Black; the love-in-a-mist flower | Latin |
| Nairne | From the river alder place | Scottish surname |
| Nomi | Pleasant, form of Naomi | Hebrew |
Short N names that make great middle names
These compact names balance long first names beautifully. Try them with our middle names for girls.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Noor | Light | Arabic |
| Nyah | Modern spelling of Nia, “purpose” | Swahili-inspired |
| Nan | Grace, from Anne | English |
| Neve | Snow (Italian neve); anglicized Niamh | Italian/Irish |
| Nika | Victory | Slavic/Greek |
| Nuri | My light | Hebrew/Arabic |
| Nyree | Anglicized Ngaire, a Māori name, possibly “flax” | Māori |
Tips for choosing a girl name that starts with N
- Test the rhythm. Short N names (Nell, Noor, Neve) need a longer middle name; longer ones (Natalia, Nicoletta) pair best with a one-syllable middle.
- Decide how much spelling you’ll do. Niamh and Nóinín are beautiful but will need spelling out in the US; Neve and Nia are easier anglicized options.
- Look at the meaning. N offers several hope names (Nadia, Nadine, Nadezhda, Nozomi). For more, browse names that mean hope.
- Holiday babies. Noelle, Natalie and Natalia all connect to Christmas, a sweet nod for a December birthday.
- Say the full name aloud. Watch for surnames that start with N (Nora Nash) unless you love alliteration.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular girl name that starts with N?
Nora and Naomi are the most-used N names for US girls in recent years, both regularly in the SSA top 50. Nova has climbed fast since the late 2010s.
How do you pronounce Niamh?
Niamh is pronounced NEEV. It is Irish for “bright” or “radiant,” and in legend Niamh was a queen of the Otherworld land Tír na nÓg.
Which N girl names mean “light”?
Noor, Nour and Nuri mean “light” in Arabic and Hebrew, and Nell and Nellie trace back to Helen, often interpreted as “torch” or “light.”
What are some unique N names for girls?
Nerissa, Nephele, Nerys, Nuria, Nyssa and Nanami are rare in the US but have long histories.
Is Nevaeh a real name?
Yes. Nevaeh (“heaven” reversed) appeared in the US in the late 1990s and entered the SSA top 100 in the 2000s. It is a modern American creation rather than a traditional name.