Girl Name Generator

Whether you’re looking for the perfect baby name for a little girl or you’re searching our generator for another reason (to name a character, for example), you don’t have to just pick a name at random. We’re here to offer inspiration, but we also have some tips to help you find, narrow down, and ultimately choose the girl’s name you like best. Here are a few things to consider:

Are there any family names you want to use?
Using a family member’s name is a great way to honor them, especially if one of your relatives is close to you or has inspired you in the past. You could celebrate a late female relative’s legacy by passing on her name or using your relative’s name as inspiration (rather than using the exact name). For example, there are plenty of variations for a name like “Mary”—including Maria, Marie, Molly, Mariam, Mari, and Mae.

Do you like any promising names related to your heritage?
If you’re familiar with your ancestry, you could pick a name connected to your cultural roots. For example, if you have Irish ancestry, you could look at traditional Irish names like “Aisling” or “Siobhan.” With Scandinavian roots, explore names like “Astrid” and “Ingrid.” And, with Persian ancestry, you could explore names like “Nasrin” or “Ayda.”

Can you draw inspiration from meaningful places, people, or characters? Maybe there’s a location with special significance to you—a city or town—with a name that could also make a beautiful girl’s name (like “Brooklyn,” “Charlotte,” “Adelaide,” “Florence,” or “Aspen,” for example). Think about any particularly memorable places you’ve been and whether any have names you could use. Or, if you’re not picky, just look at a world atlas!

Similarly, think about your favorite books, movies, TV shows, games, and other media. Are there any characters you especially love or admire? You might decide to pay homage to a character from a favorite book (like “Alice” from Alice in Wonderland or “Lyra” from The Golden Compass ). You might also branch out into characters from favorite films and shows, like “Arya” from Game of Thrones or “Elle” from Legally Blonde .

• Lots of names currently growing in popularity have roots in classic books and movies. See if any of them appeal to you!
  
  

Do you want a name that’s more popular or unique?
If you’re still looking for ideas for girls' names, you could check SSA’s list of most popular baby names for each year. You might like a name on the list! Then again, you might prefer a more unique name—one that isn’t shared by many other people.

If you go the unique route, just be sure to try the name out a little before officially choosing it. Try giving the name to a barista, for example, and see if it feels natural when they call it out. Nonetheless, don’t shy away from originality if that’s what you’re looking for!

Do you like the nicknames associated with your name choice?
Nicknames are totally optional, but it’s a good idea to think about what nicknames, if any, are commonly associated with the name you choose—just in case! You could pick a name because you really love some of the nicknames associated with it, or you might steer clear of a name, even if you like it, because you dislike its nickname.

Just remember that nicknames don’t have to be a dealbreaker; if there’s a nickname you don’t like, you can just steer people away from it by always using the full name yourself or a different nickname instead.

How does the name feel when you practice saying it?
Before the point of no return, make sure the name you choose sounds right when you say it! For example, if you’re choosing a baby name, practice saying it before you start buying clothing with the baby’s name on it or other personalized baby things.

This can be as simple as calling out the name at home (like you’re calling someone into the room) or even just saying the name out loud while you’re going about your day. You might be surprised by how different a name can sound in your head versus when it’s spoken aloud, so definitely try out the name you like before officially choosing it. And, if there are multiple names you’re deciding between, saying them out loud might help you decide which one you like better.

How will others perceive the name?
When a name is especially rare or spelled unconventionally, there’s a greater chance you’ll have to correct people or continually fix the spelling on forms. If you choose a gender-neutral name, there’s also a chance some people will (incorrectly) assume a gender as well.

That said, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with rare, unconventional, or gender-neutral names—in fact, gender-neutral names are more common than ever these days. Just be ready for how other people may react to the name you choose. You don’t have to justify anything, but you may end up having to correct people sometimes!

Would you like to have the name you chose?
Assuming you’re picking a girl’s name for someone else (a baby-to-be or even a character), it’s a good idea to make sure the name is one you’d appreciate having. After all, if you’re looking for baby names, you’re picking a name your baby will have for the rest of their life! So, ask yourself if you’d be happy with the name you chose—and if the answer is yes, that’s a good sign.