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This is the ultimate list of classic girl names with meanings that will give you all the inspiration and ideas for your incoming little lady!
If you’re starting your baby name search, or you’re deep in the trenches, you know how challenging it can be. It seems like there are either too many to choose from, or not enough! If you need some really solid ideas for your little lady on the way, these classic girl names are a great place to turn. Timeless and stunning, you really can’t go wrong with any of them!
We’ve also included meanings so you can know exactly what their name will represent!
This post is all about classic girl names.
1. Abigail – “My father’s joy”
2. Ada – “Noble, nobility”
3. Adelaide – “Noble natured”
4. Adele – “Noble, nobility”
5. Adeline – “Noble, nobility”
6. Adriana – “From the city of Adria” or “dark”
7. Alexandra – “Defender of mankind”
8. Alice – “Noble, exalted”
9. Alicia – “Noble natured”
10. Alison – “Noble”
11. Amanda – “Lovable, worthy of love”
12. Amelia – “Work, industrious, striving”
13. Amy – “Beloved”
14. Andrea – “Manly, brave”
15. Angela – “Messenger of God”
16. Angelica – “Angel”
17. Anita – “Grace”
18. Anna/Anne/Annie – “Grace”
19. Annabelle – “Grace” and “beauty”
20. Annette – “Grace”
21. April – Named after the month, symbolizing spring and new beginnings
22. Ariel – “Lion of God”
23. Astrid – “Divinely beautiful”
24. Audrey – “Noble strength”
25. Augusta – “Great, magnificent”
26. Aurora – “Dawn”
27. Ava – “Bird”, “life”
28. Barbara – “Foreign”
29. Beatrice – “She who brings happiness; blessed”
30. Bella – “Beautiful”
31. Bernadette – “Brave as a bear”
32. Bethany – “House of figs”
33. Betsy – “God is my oath”
34. Beverly – “Beaver stream”
35. Bianca – “White”
36. Bonnie – “Pretty”
37. Brenda – “Sword”
38. Bridget – “Strength or exalted one”
39. Brittany – Named after the region in France
40. Brooke – “Small stream”
41. Camila – “Young ceremonial attendant”
42. Candace – “Pure” or “innocent”
43. Carla – “Free woman”
44. Carmen – “Garden” or “song”
45. Carol – “Free person” or “song”
46. Caroline – “Free woman”
47. Carolyn – “Free woman”
48. Cassandra – “She who entangles men”
49. Catherine – “Pure”
50. Cecelia – “Blind”
51. Celeste – “Heavenly”
52. Celia – “Heavenly”
53. Charlotte – “Free woman”
54. Chelsea – “Chalk landing place”
55. Cheryl – “Dear one; darling”
56. Chloe – “Blooming” or “fertility”
57. Christina/Christine – “Follower of Christ”
58. Claire/Clara – “Clear, bright, famous”
59. Claudia – “Lame; enclosure”
60. Clementine – “Mild, merciful”
61. Colette – “People of victory”
62. Constance – “Constant, steadfast”
63. Cora – “Maiden”
64. Corinne – “Maiden”
65. Cynthia – “From Mount Kynthos”
66. Daisy – Named after the daisy flower
67. Dana – “From Denmark” or “judgment”
68. Danielle – “God is my judge”
69. Daphne – “Laurel”
70. Darlene – “Darling”
71. Deborah – “Bee”
72. Delia – “From Delos”
73. Delilah – “Delicate”
74. Denise – “Devoted to Bacchus”
75. Diana/Diane – “Divine”
76. Donna – “Lady”
77. Dora – “Gift”
78. Dorothy – “Gift of God”
79. Edith – “Prosperous in war”
80. Elaine – “Bright, shining light”
81. Eleanor – “Light-hearted” or “shining light”
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82. Eliza – “Pledged to God”
83. Elizabeth – “Pledged to God”
84. Ella – “All, completely; fairy maiden”
85. Ellen – Variant of Helen, meaning “light” or “most beautiful woman”
86. Elsie – “Pledged to God”
87. Emily – “To strive or excel”
88. Emma – “Whole” or “universal”
89. Erica – “Eternal ruler”
90. Erin – “From Ireland”
91. Esther – “Star” or “hide”
92. Eva – “Life”
93. Evelyn – “Wished for child”
94. Faith – A virtue name
95. Felicity – “Happiness”
96. Fiona – “Fair, white”
97. Flora – “Flower”
98. Florence – “Flourishing, prosperous”
99. Frances/Francesca/Francine – “Free one” or “From France”
100. Gabriella – “God is my strength”
101. Gail – “Merry, lively”
102. Gemma – “Jewel”
103. Genevieve – “Woman of the race”
104. Georgia – “Farmer” or “Worker of the earth”
105. Giselle – “Pledge” or “Hostage”
106. Gloria – “Glory”
107. Grace – “Charm, goodness, generosity”
108. Greta – “Pearl”
109. Gwendolyn – “White ring” or “blessed ring”
110. Hattie – “Home ruler”
111. Hazel – Named after the hazelnut tree
112. Heather – Named after the heather plant
113. Heidi – “Nobility”
114. Helen/Helene – “Light” or “most beautiful woman”
115. Henrietta – “Home ruler”
116. Holly – Named after the holly tree
117. Hope – A virtue name
118. Imogen – “Innocent” or “girl”
119. Ingrid – “Beautiful” or “beloved”
120. Irene – “Peace”
121. Iris – Named after the iris flower, meaning “rainbow”
122. Isabel/Isabella – “Pledged to God”
123. Ivy – Named after the ivy plant
124. Jacqueline – “Supplanter”
125. Jade – Named after the precious stone
126. Jamie – “Supplanter”
127. Jane – “God is gracious”
128. Janet/Janice – Diminutive of Jane, meaning “God is gracious”
129. Jasmine – Named after the jasmine flower
130. Jeanette – Diminutive form of Jean, meaning “God is gracious”
131. Jeanne – “God is gracious”
132. Jennifer – “White shadow” or “white wave”
133. Jessica – “Rich”
134. Jill – “Youthful”
135. Joan – “God is gracious”
136. Joanna – “God is gracious”
137. Jocelyn – “Member of the Gauts tribe”
138. Josephine – “God will increase”
139. Joyce – “Merry” or “joyous”
140. Judith – “Woman from Judea” or “praised”
141. Julia/Julie – “Youthful” or “Jove’s child”
142. June – Named after the month
143. Justine – “Fair,” “righteous”
144. Katherine/Kathleen/Kate/Kathy – “Pure”
145. Kay – “Rejoice”
146. Kayla – “Pure” or may be derived from “Caela”
147. Kelly – “War,” “strife,” or “bright-headed”
148. Kimberly – “From the wood of the royal forest”
149. Kristin – “Follower of Christ”
150. Kylie – “Boomerang,” “narrow,” or “near the chapel”
151. Laura/Laurie – “Laurel”
152. Lauren – “Laurel”
153. Leah – “Weary” or “mistress, ruler”
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154. Leila – “Night”
155. Lena – “Torch,” “beautiful,” “light,” or “bright one”
156. Leslie – “Garden of holly”
157. Lillian – “Lily,” a flower
158. Linda – “Pretty”
159. Lisa – “God is bountiful,” “God is my oath”
160. Lois – “Better”
161. Loretta – “Laurel”
162. Lorraine – “From the province of Lorraine”
163. Louise/Louisa – “Famous warrior”
164. Lucy/Lucille/Lucia – “Light”
165. Lydia – “Woman from Lydia”
166. Lynette – “Pretty one”
167. Lynn – “Lake” or “waterfall”
168. Mabel – “Lovable”
169. Madeline – “Woman from Magdala” or “high tower”
170. Mae – “Pearl”
171. Mandy – Diminutive of Amanda, meaning “lovable”
172. Margaret – “Pearl”
173. Maria/Marie – “Sea of bitterness,” “rebelliousness,” or “wished for child”
174. Marianne – Combination of Mary and Anne, “bitter grace”
175. Marilyn – Blend of Mary and Lyn
176. Marina – “Of the sea”
177. Marjorie – Variant of Margaret, meaning “pearl”
178. Martha – “Lady” or “mistress of the house”
179. Mary – “Sea of bitterness,” “rebelliousness,” or “wished for child”
180. Maureen – Irish form of Mary
181. Maxine – “Greatest”
182. Megan – Welsh form of Margaret, meaning “pearl”
183. Melanie – “Dark,” “black”
184. Melissa – “Honeybee”
185. Meredith – “Great ruler” or “sea lord”
186. Mia – “Mine” or a diminutive of Maria
187. Michelle – “Who is like God?”
188. Millicent – “Strong in work”
189. Miriam – Hebrew form of Mary, meaning “sea of bitterness” or “rebelliousness”
190. Molly – Diminutive of Mary
191. Monica – Possibly “advisor” or “unique”
192. Nadine – “Hope”
193. Nancy – Diminutive of Anne, meaning “grace”
194. Naomi – “Pleasantness”
195. Natalie – “Christmas Day”
196. Natasha – Russian diminutive of Natalia, meaning “Christmas Day”
197. Nicole – “Victory of the people”
198. Nina – “Little girl” or “great-granddaughter”
199. Nora – Short for Honora, meaning “honor” or a variant of Eleanor
200. Olivia – “Olive tree”
201. Paige – “Page” or “young servant”
202. Pamela – Invented in the 16th century, possibly meaning “all sweetness”
203. Patricia – “Noblewoman”
204. Paula/Pauline – “Small” or “humble”
205. Penelope – Possibly “weaver” or derived from Greek meaning “duck”
206. Phoebe – “Bright, pure”
207. Priscilla – “Ancient”
208. Rachel – “Ewe” or “sheep”
209. Rebecca – “To tie” or “bind”
210. Regina – “Queen”
211. Renee – “Reborn” or “born again”
212. Robin – Diminutive of Roberta, meaning “bright fame”
213. Rochelle – “Little rock”
214. Rosa/Rose/Rosalind/Rosalyn/Rosemary – Named after the rose flower
215. Roxanne – “Dawn” or “little star”
216. Ruby – Named after the ruby gemstone
217. Ruth – “Friend” or “companion”
218. Sabrina – Named after the River Severn or “from the border”
219. Sally – Diminutive of Sarah, meaning “princess”
220. Samantha – Possibly “God heard” or a combination of Samuel and Anthea
221. Sandra – Diminutive of Alexandra, meaning “defender of mankind”
222. Sara – “Princess”
223. Scarlett – Named after the color scarlet or “seller of rich, bright fabrics”
224. Selena – “Moon”
225. Serena – “Serene, calm”
226. Sharon – Named after the Plain of Sharon in Israel, meaning “a plain”
227. Sienna – Named after the Italian city, or “orange-red”
228. Simone – “He has heard”
229. Sonia – “Wisdom”
230. Sophia/Sophie – “Wisdom”
231. Stacy – Short for Anastasia, meaning “resurrection”
232. Stella – “Star”
233. Stephanie – “Crown” or “garland”
234. Susan – “Lily”
235. Susannah – “Lily”
236. Sylvia – “Forest”
237. Tabitha – “Gazelle”
238. Tamara – “Palm tree”
239. Tanya – Diminutive of Tatiana, meaning “fairy queen”
240. Tara – “Hill” or “star”
241. Tasha – Diminutive of Natasha, meaning “Christmas Day”
242. Tessa – Short for Theresa, possibly meaning “to reap” or “harvester”
243. Theresa – Uncertain meaning, possibly “to reap” or “harvester”
244. Tiffany – “Manifestation of God”
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245. Tina – Short form of Christina or Martina, meaning “follower of Christ” or “warlike”
246. Tracy – “Place of Thracius” or “warlike”
247. Trisha – Diminutive of Patricia, meaning “noblewoman”
248. Valerie – “Strength, health”
249. Vanessa – Invented by Jonathan Swift, possibly derived from “Van” and “Esther”
250. Veronica – “True image” or “victory bringer”
251. Victoria – “Victory”
252. Violet/Viola – Named after the violet flower
253. Virginia – “Virgin” or “pure”
254. Vivian – “Life” or “alive”
255. Wendy – Possibly invented for J.M. Barrie’s “Peter Pan,” meaning “friend”
256. Whitney – “White island”
257. Winifred – “Blessed peacemaking” or “friend of peace”
258. Yvette/Yvonne – “Yew” (tree)
259. Zoe – “Life”
260. Zara – “Princess” or “flower”
Is it just me, or is the problem now too many choices 😂 With my son, my husband and I could barely agree on one, but we have plenty to agree on for girls! So many beautiful names. I hope this list gave you plenty of ideas for your baby girl on the way!
