Girl Names That Start With S
S is one of the busiest letters on American birth certificates, and it is easy to see why. The soft hiss of an S name feels gentle and sophisticated at once, whether you lean classic (Sarah, Sophia), glamorous (Scarlett, Sienna) or unexpected (Saoirse, Sunniva). Here are 90+ girl names that start with S, sorted into styles with a short meaning and origin for each.
Several of the most loved S names mean “star” or “wisdom,” and we’ve pointed those out along the way. For more options nearby, see girl names that start with R and T, or compare with boy names that start with S.
Most popular S names for girls
These S names consistently rank near the top of Social Security baby-name data.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Sophia | Wisdom | Greek |
| Scarlett | Red; a cloth dyer | English, from Old French |
| Stella | Star | Latin |
| Savannah | Treeless plain | Spanish, from Taíno |
| Sofia | Wisdom | Greek, via Spanish/Italian |
| Skylar | Scholar (from Schuyler) | Dutch |
| Sadie | Princess, pet form of Sarah | Hebrew/English |
| Sarah | Princess, noblewoman | Hebrew |
| Serenity | Calm, peace | English virtue name |
| Sienna | Reddish-brown; from the Italian city Siena | Italian |
| Sophie | Wisdom | French/Greek |
| Summer | The warm season | English |
| Sutton | South town | English surname |
| Samantha | Listener (possibly, from Samuel + Anthea) | American coinage |
Classic and vintage S names
Timeless choices that have never really gone away. For more, see classic girl names and grandma names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Susan | Lily | Hebrew (Shoshana) |
| Sylvia | Of the forest | Latin |
| Shirley | Bright meadow | English |
| Sally | Princess, pet form of Sarah | English |
| Stephanie | Crown, garland | Greek |
| Sybil | Prophetess | Greek |
| Sophronia | Prudent, self-controlled | Greek |
| Susannah | Lily | Hebrew |
| Selma | God’s helmet or protection | Germanic |
| Sheila | Blind (from Cecilia); Irish Síle | Irish |
| Sandra | Defender of the people (from Alessandra) | Italian |
| Sue | Lily, short for Susan | English |
| Sharon | A fertile plain in Israel | Hebrew |
Elegant and sophisticated S names
Long, graceful names with a polished feel. Also see elegant girl names and fancy girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Seraphina | Fiery ones, from the seraphim | Hebrew/Latin |
| Serena | Serene, calm | Latin |
| Sabrina | From the River Severn (Latin Sabrina) | Celtic/Latin |
| Sabine | Sabine woman, of an ancient Italian tribe | Latin/French |
| Simone | He has heard | Hebrew, via French |
| Solene | Solemn, dignified (Solène) | French |
| Salome | Peace | Hebrew/Greek |
| Sylvie | Of the forest | French |
| Soleil | Sun | French |
| Svetlana | Light, bright | Russian |
| Signe | New victory | Scandinavian |
Nature and sky names beginning with S
S has some of the prettiest nature names. For more, browse names that mean star and nature names for girls.
| Name | Nature link | Feel |
|---|---|---|
| Sage | The silver-green herb; also “wise” | Earthy, calm |
| Sky | The open sky | Airy, unisex |
| Saffron | Golden spice from the crocus | Warm, rare |
| Sorrel | Tangy herb; reddish-brown color | Rustic |
| Sequoia | Giant redwood tree, named for Sequoyah | Grand, outdoorsy |
| Snow | Winter snowfall | Crisp, unusual |
| Sparrow | Small songbird | Humble, sweet |
| Starling | Speckled songbird | Quirky |
| Sunny | Full of sunshine | Cheerful |
| Sapphire | Blue gemstone | Sparkling |
| Sunniva | Sun gift | Old Norse (Norwegian saint) |
| Solstice | Longest or shortest day | Poetic |
S names from around the world
Global S names with real history. See also Irish girl names and Arabic girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin / pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Saoirse | Freedom | Irish (SEER-sha) |
| Sorcha | Bright, radiant | Irish (SOR-a-kha) |
| Siobhan | God is gracious (form of Joan) | Irish (shi-VAWN) |
| Sinead | God is gracious (form of Jane) | Irish (shi-NAID) |
| Seren | Star | Welsh (SEH-ren) |
| Siân | God is gracious | Welsh (SHAHN) |
| Shona | God is gracious (from Seonag) | Scottish (SHOH-na) |
| Sakura | Cherry blossom | Japanese |
| Sora | Sky | Japanese |
| Suki | Beloved, liked | Japanese |
| Sana | Brilliance, radiance | Arabic |
| Salma | Safe, peaceful | Arabic |
| Samira | Evening companion, entertaining | Arabic |
| Shreya | Auspicious, excellent | Sanskrit |
| Sita | Furrow; wife of Rama | Sanskrit |
| Saanvi | Goddess Lakshmi (modern usage) | Hindi |
| Solveig | House strength, or sun strength | Norwegian |
| Stanislava | Standing in glory | Slavic |
| Soraya | The Pleiades constellation | Persian |
| Sunita | Well-behaved | Sanskrit |
| Sitara | Star | Urdu/Persian (si-TAH-ra) |
| Sadhbh | Sweet, goodness | Irish (SIVE) |
| Shoshana | Lily | Hebrew |
| Silvana | Of the forest | Italian |
| Sonia | Wisdom | Russian (from Sofia) |
| Stellina | Little star | Italian |
Biblical and mythological S names
Scripture and myth give S some powerful names. More in biblical girl names and goddess names.
| Name | Meaning | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sarai | Princess | Abraham’s wife before renaming, Genesis 17 |
| Shiloh | Tranquil, his gift | A place in Israel, Genesis 49 |
| Selah | Pause, reflect | Musical term in the Psalms |
| Susanna | Lily | Luke 8:3 |
| Shiphrah | Beautiful | Hebrew midwife, Exodus 1 |
| Sapphira | Beautiful, sapphire | Acts 5 |
| Selene | Moon | Greek goddess of the moon |
| Sif | Relation by marriage | Norse goddess, wife of Thor |
| Saga | Seeing one | Norse goddess |
| Sedna | Sea goddess | Inuit mythology |
| Sekhmet | Powerful one | Egyptian lion goddess |
Modern and unisex S names
Crisp, contemporary picks with a cool edge. See more cool girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Sloane | Raider | Irish surname |
| Sawyer | Woodcutter | English occupational |
| Scout | To listen, explorer | English; To Kill a Mockingbird |
| Shay | Hawk-like; stately | Irish (Séaghdha) |
| Sasha | Defender of the people | Russian (from Alexandra) |
| Stevie | Crown, from Stephanie | English |
| Sydney | Wide island | English surname |
| Salem | Peace | Hebrew; the Massachusetts town |
Tips for choosing an S name
- Watch the hiss. An S name with an S surname (Sophia Stevens) can sound slippery. A contrasting consonant helps.
- Popularity check. Sophia and Scarlett are very common in the 2020s. Sylvie, Sabine or Seren are fresher alternatives.
- Irish spellings need patience. Saoirse, Siobhan and Sorcha are gorgeous but frequently mispronounced in the US.
- Meaning matters to many families. Stella, Seren and Soraya connect to the stars; Sophia and Sage connect to wisdom (see names that mean wisdom).
- Mind the nicknames. Seraphina becomes Sera or Phina; Susannah becomes Susie or Zanna. Make sure you like them all.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular girl name that starts with S?
Sophia (and its spelling Sofia) has been among the most popular S names in the US for over a decade, together with Scarlett and Stella, per SSA data.
How do you pronounce Saoirse?
Saoirse is usually pronounced SEER-sha in English (or SUR-sha in some Irish dialects). It means “freedom.”
Which S girl names mean “star”?
Stella (Latin), Seren (Welsh), Sitara (Urdu/Persian) and Soraya (the Pleiades, Persian) all relate to stars.
What are some vintage girl names that start with S?
Sylvia, Shirley, Sally, Selma, Sybil, Susannah and Sophronia were popular in the late 1800s to mid 1900s.
Which S girl names are biblical?
Sarah, Sarai, Susanna, Sapphira, Shiphrah and Salome all appear in the Bible.