~~ Due to extensive studying this year I regret to inform readers that Baby Name Rant will not be updated as regularly as I would like. Everyone is welcome to email me privately at the email below, or look through archives at the top of the right bar. I apologize for any inconveniences. ~~

"We do what we must, and call it by the best names."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Friday, December 21, 2007

Special name meanings for girls.

A few days ago I did a post on names with special meanings for boys.
For many parents, the meaning of a name is a significant or the total factor in choosing out a name for their precious child, so here are some idea's and cute meanings for little girls.


Special meaning: feelings for your child.
Names representing your love and feelings for your child in the meaning.
  • Abigail, meaning "fathers joy" in Hebrew.
  • Adesina, meaning "my arrival opens up the way for more", given to girls from West Africa from parents who previously had no children.
  • Aida, meaning "reward" in Arabic.
  • Amanda, meaning "worthy of love" and "lovable" in Latin.
  • Amorette, meaning "beloved", "sweetheart" and "little dear" in Latin. For a little girl you adore.
  • Amy, meaning "love" in Latin.
  • Annabelle, meaning "lovable" in Latin.
  • Bo, meaning "precious" in Chinese.
  • Cara, meaning "beloved" in Italian.
  • Carys, meaning "love" in Welsh.
  • Charmaine, meaning "joy" in Greek.
  • Chere, meaning "dear" and "beloved" in French.
  • Darleen, meaning "darling" and "beloved" in Old English.
  • Davina, meaning "beloved" in Hebrew.
  • Edwina, meaning "happiness" in Old English. For a baby girl who brings great happiness.
  • Farah, meaning "happiness, joy" in Arabic.
  • Faustine, meaning "fortunate"in Italian and Spanish.
  • Filomena, meaning "beloved" in Greek.
  • Frayda, meaning "joy" in Yiddish.
  • Gayle, meaning "source of joy" and "fathers joy" in Hebrew. Perfect for a daddy's little girl.
  • Gemma, meaning "precious.
  • Gila, meaning "joy" in Hebrew.
  • Grainne, meaning "love" in Irish.
  • Hana, meaning "bliss, happiness" in Arabic.
  • Hulda, meaning "beloved" in German.
  • Imelda, meaning "wishful" in Latin. For the little girl you've been wishing for.
  • Inoke, meaning "devoted" in Hawaiian.
  • Jamie, meaning "I love" in French.
  • Jessie, meaning "a gift" in Hebrew.
  • Jessica, meaning "a gift" in Jewish.
  • Kalila, meaning "beloved" in Arabic.
  • Meave, meaning "joy" in Irish.
  • Mia, meaning "mine" in Latin. For the little girl who belongs to you.
  • Mina, meaning "love" in German.
  • Mona, meaning "wish" in Arabic.
  • Myfanwy, meaning "my treasure" in Welsh.
  • Naama, meaning "good fortune" in Arabic. For a baby girl you're lucky to have.
  • Tatum, meaning "dear" in Old English.
  • Winona, meaning "blissfully happy" and "joy" in Old High German and Old English.

Special meaning: surviving through hardship.
This is for babies who have been born premature, through complications or have disabilities but are looking positive, enduring it or hanging in there.
Some ideas:
  • Abira, meaning "strong" in Hebrew.
  • Aisha, meaning "alive and well" in Arabic. For a baby girl who went through complications in pregnancy, but was born healthy.
  • Bridget, meaning "strong" in Celtic.
  • Khadiya, meaning "premature baby" in Arabic.
  • Rita, meaning "brave, strong" in Indian.
  • Valentina, Valerie, meaning "healthy, strong" in Latin.

Special meaning: nice characeristics
Names simply with positive characteristics such as "happy" or "good looking".
  • Aditi, meaning "unbounded creativity" in Sanskrit. For parents with artistic talent and flair.
  • Angelique, meaning "like an angel" in Latin.
  • Belle, meaning "beautiful" in French.
  • Bella, meaning "beautiful" in Italian.
  • Bonita, meaning "pretty" in Italian.
  • Calista, meaning "most beautiful" in Greek.
  • Celina, meaning "always smiling" in French. For a little girl who's always happy.
  • Charity, meaning "grace" in Greek.
  • Delwyn, meaning "pretty" in Welsh.
  • Dilys, meaning "genuine", "perfect" and "true" in Welsh.
  • Dulcie, meaning "sweet" in Latin.
  • Farah, meaning "beautiful" in Middle English.
  • Ferelith, meaning "perfect princess" in Scottish and Old Irish. For your little princess.
  • Gaye, meaning "merry, cheerful" in English,
  • Gwyneth, meaning "happy" in Celtic.
  • Hilary, meaning "jovial, cheerful" in Greek.
  • Hulda, meaning "gracious" in German.
  • Ilona, meaning "beautiful" in Hungarian.
  • Imogen, meaning "innocent" in Latin.
  • Indira, meaning "splendid" in Hindi.
  • Jamelia, meaning "beautiful" in Arabic. For your pretty little girl.
  • Jolie, meaning "pretty one" in French, and "jolly" in Middle English.
  • Joy, meaning "merry" and "happy" in Old French.
  • Kalila, meaning "sweetheart" in Arabic.
  • Kamila, meaning "perfect" and "perfect one" in Arabic.
  • Kanani, meaning "beautiful" in Hawaiian.
  • Karen, meaning "pure" in Greek.
  • Karima, meaning "noble" and "generous" in Arabic.
  • Karis, meaning "graceful" in Greek. For a girl who shows grace.
  • Katherine, meaning "pure" in Greek.
  • Keeley, meaning "beautiful girl" and "graceful" in Irish Gaelic.
  • Kiara, meaning "bright" in Italian.
  • Kyna, meaning "wisdom" and "intelligence" in Irish Gaelic.
  • Lalita, meaning "charming" in Sanskrit.
  • Lana, meaning "cheerful" and "darling" in Irish Gaelic. For a little girl who's sweet and precious.
  • Larissa, meaning "playful" and "cheery" in Latin.
  • Leilani, meaning "heavenly child" in Hawaiian.
  • Latifah, meaning "gentle" in Arabic.
  • Leticia, meaning "joyful" in Latin.
  • Lyzelle, meaning "beautiful".
  • Marini, meaning "pretty" in Swahili.
  • Meera, meaning "radiant" in Hebrew. For a little girl who shines.
  • Merle, meaning "bright" in Irish Gaelic.
  • Milan, meaning "grace" in Czech.
  • Mirabelle, meaning "marvelous", "admirable" and "lovely" in Latin, and "beautiful" in Spanish.
  • Miranda, meaning "wonderful" and "admirable" in Latin.
  • Mona, meaning "noble" and "angel" in Gaelic. For your little angel.
  • Morgan, meaning "bright" in Welsh.
  • Naama, meaning "beautiful" in Hebrew.
  • Naomi, meaning "delightful", "pleasant" and "charming" in Hebrew.
  • Ngaire, meaning "clever" in Maori.
  • Reagan, meaning "wise" in Hebrew and Old German.
  • Sophia, meaning "wisdom" in Greek.
  • Tatum, meaning "cheerful" in Middle English. For a happy baby girl.
  • Vashti, meaning "beautiful" in Persian.
  • Yoshiko, meaning "good" and "respectful" in Japanese.
Special meaning: naming after a loved one.
Names which can be used to name after a loved one, or used in combination with a family or friends name to create a great name.
  • Alvina, meaning "friend" in Old English.
  • Cara, meaning "friend" in Irish Gaelic.
  • Delta, meaning "D" in Greek. For naming after people who's names starts with a 'D'
  • Omega, meaning "O" in Greek.
  • Shannon, meaning "descendant of Sean" in Gaelic. Cute for a little girl who's daddy is named Sean.
Special meaning: Physical Feature
This is a name which has a literal meaning to describe your daughters. Features such as hair color or gender are good examples for this, the feature you chose is more factual than bias such as "good-looking" ;)
  • Blanche, given to girls who were blonde or fair-haired in Old French times.
  • Colleen, meaning "girl" in Irish Gaelic.
  • Delwyn, meaning "white, fair" in Welsh.
  • Doreen, meaning "daughter" and "white, fair" in Irish.
  • Fenella, meaning "white, fair" in Gaelic.
  • Fiona, meaning "white, fair" in Celtic.
  • Jillian, meaning "soft-haired" and "fair-complexioned" in Greek.
  • Halina, meaning "likeness" or "resemblance" in Hawaiian. For a little girl who looks like someone in the family.
  • Imogen, meaning "likeness" in Latin, and "girl" and "daughter" in Celtic.
  • Julia, Juliana, Julie, Juliette, meaning "fair skinned" in Old Roman.
  • Keira, meaning "little dark one" and "dark-haired" in Celtic.
  • Kiara, meaning "dark-one" or "dark-haired" in Celtic.
  • Layla, meaning "dark-haired" in Arabic. For a baby girl with dark hair.
  • Martha, meaning "lady" in Aramaic.
  • Olwyn, meaning "white, fair" in Welsh.
  • Paige, meaning "child" in Greek.
  • Paula, meaning "small" in Latin.
  • Rowan, meaning "red-haired" in Gaelic.
  • Yoko, meaning "female" in Japanese.
  • Zita, meaning "child" in Italian.

Special meanings: Misc, other cute meanings.
Other cute meanings which don't fit in other categories!
  • Adelpha, meaning "sisterly, sisterhood" in Greek. For little girls who have an older sibling, especially a sister.
  • Aine, meaning "little fire" in Irish Gaelic. For parents who are fire fighters!
  • Amalia, meaning "toil" and "hard work" in Latin. For babies who parents worked for, e.g through problems conceiving or IVF
  • Arden, meaning "sparkle", "dazzle" and "glitter" in Latin. For little girls who shine.
  • Aubrey, meaning "elf-ruler" in Germanic. For a little girl with elfish ears!
  • Beatrice, meaning "voyager" in Latin. For little girls conceived while on travels.
  • Bijou, meaning "jewel" in French.
  • Cecelia, meaning "sixth" in Welsh and "blind" in Latin. For the sixth child in the family! Or if you're not quite that broody, the sixth grandchild or female grandchild. Or for girls born on the 6th of a month.
  • Charity, meaning "brotherly love" in Latin. For a little girl with one or more big brothers.
  • Cicely meaning "blind" in Roman. Not just for girls who are blind, but when combined with a name such as Carys, like Carys Cicely with a final combinations meaning "blind love"
  • Daria, meaning "royalty" in Persian. For your little princess.
  • Delma, meaning "of the sea" in Spanish. For a little sea baby.
  • Dervla, meaning "daughter of a poet" in Gaelic.
  • Erin, meaning "peace" in Irish.
  • Estelle, Estella, meaning "star" in Old French.
  • Ella, meaning "fairy maiden" in Old English.
  • Fay, meaning "fairy" in Old French.
  • Hoshi, meaning "star" in Japanese.
  • Kamila, meaning "complete" in Arabic. For a little girl who completes your family!
  • Keisha, meaning "favorite" in African.
  • Kimi, meaning "best" in Japanese.
  • Lavern, meaning "springtime" in Latin. For little girls born in spring.
  • Lucinda, meaning "to shine, glitter" in Latin.
  • Maybelle, meaning "worthy of love" in Latin.
  • Malu, meaning "peace" in Hawaiian.
  • Maria, Mariah, Mary, Marilyn, Marissa, Marylou, May, Moira, Molly, meaning "longed for child" in Hebrew. For a little girl you've been waiting for, for a long time
  • Marini, meaning "healthy" in Swahili.
  • Merle, meaning "sea" in Irish Gaelic.
  • Morag, meaning "princess" in Hebrew.
  • Morgan, meaning "sea" in Welsh.
  • Morwenna, meaning "a maiden" in Welsh.
  • Myfanwy, meaning "rare one" in Welsh.
  • Natalie, meaning "anniversary" and "birthday" in Latin. For a little girl born on a special anniversary or birthday.
  • Nona, meaning "ninth" in Latin.
  • Nova, meaning "new" in Latin.
  • Octavia, meaning "eighth" in Latin.
  • Orla, meaning "golden princess" in Irish.
  • Phillipa, meaning "someone who loves horses" in Greek.
  • Quintana, Quinn meaning "fifth" in Latin.
  • Salome, meaning "peace" in Hebrew.
  • Sarah, meaning "princess" in Hebrew.
  • Stella, meaning "star" in Latin.
  • Tamsin, meaning "twin" in Arabic. For a little girl who's a twin.
  • Tatiana, meaning "fairy queen".
  • Winona, meaning "first born daughter" in Native American.
  • Zara, meaning "splendor of the dawn" in Arabic. For little girls born in the morning.
DISCLAIMER: Many names have more then one meaning, or the meaning is derived from a word or not a 100% certain. I have only added in relative meanings for this article, and while the meanings have come from an accurate source I apologize for any mistakes.

Have a question for Annie-Kate? A suggestion for the blog? Want advice naming your child? Email me at anni.ekate@yahoo.com.au

7 comments:

Whimsy-Bohème said...

thank you! these are wonderful lovely names!!
i am in the process of changing my name. i finally called the courthouse and was asking the woman, "how many can you have" and she totally had no clue that i was asking how many names can you have? then i explained how i was looking at the British Baby Name Blogger site, there are women's name from the 1850s, where one woman had THIRTEEN names, loL! and no, she wasn't royalty. the woman then said, laughingly, "why would you want 13 names, or 10 for that matter"? i told her, "because i can tell a story with all those names". i can't remember how many of your names i'm going to use, but Nova is DEF one :) i want a "princess-ish" name, but not the ones you had :( i feel foolish if i use "princess" like British model Katie Price did. thx again, how come i cant join your Blogger thingie?

<3 Alicie (pn; uh-LEE-see) NOT AALIH-see

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