Girl names starting with B run the gamut. There’s (literally) pretty Bella and Belle, place names like Brooklyn, and borrowed-from-the-boys Billie and Blake.
Brittany might be the quintessential 90s name, thanks to Ms. Spears – who spells it Britney.
This is also rich with Elizabeth nicknames. Though some, like Beth, have fallen out of use as independent choices – never mind the power ballad.
Let’s dive into to all of the beautiful and bold girl names starting with B.
MOST POPULAR GIRL NAMES STARTING WITH B
BELLA (#50)
Isabella is more popular, yes. But just Bella fits right in with Ella and Stella, a name sound that defines a generation.
BROOKLYN (#52)
A place name that picks up on earlier favorite Brooke, with the popular -lyn ending, plus a dash of urban sensibility.
BRIELLE (#101)
It might be short for Gabrielle, though Brielle owes something to Brianna, too.
BRIANNA (#147)
Speaking of Brianna, this feminine form of Brian caught on like wildfire in the 1980s and 90s. It’s still enjoying some popularity.
BAILEY (#158)
A bright and energetic surname name, Bailey was another 90s breakout hit.
BLAKELY (#182)
Blakely debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2011, a feminine spin on surname name Blake.
BRYNLEE (#187)
Brynlee is either a creative spelling of surname Brinley, or a Brynn-Lee mash-up. Either way, it’s racing up the charts.
BROOKE (#211)
Brooke feels one-part nature name; two-parts tailored traditional for girls. Credit for the latter goes to Brooke Astor, and especially 1980s celebrity Brooke Shields.
BLAKE (#222)
Speaking of celebrities, Blake Lively helped put Blake on the list of possibilities for our daughters.
BROOKLYNN (#261)
Brooklynn is a little less New York borough, slightly more name-like.
VINTAGE B NAMES FOR GIRLS
BEATRICE (#562)
Traditional Beatrice reigns as a literary favorite, thanks to Dante’s Divine Comedy.
BEATRIX (#986)
Beatrix-with-an-x brings to mind Peter Rabbit’s creator, writer, illustrator and naturalist, Beatrix Potter.
BERNADETTE (unranked)
A vintage gem associated with a saint, Bernadette might be the next vintage revival name.
BERYL (unranked)
A green gemstone name, tailored and with a long history of use, but quite rare today.
BETTINA (unranked)
An Elizabeth nickname, Bettina sounds antique and delicate.
BETTY (unranked)
A Top Ten name from the 1920s into the 40s, Betty has long been in hibernation. But a Taylor Swift song – and the Blake Lively-Ryan Reynolds daughter it names – might just change that.
BESS (unranked)
Another long-time nickname for Elizabeth, Bess feels like a logical successor to Tess.
BLANCHE (unranked)
The French form of the name, Blanche means fair. It’s awfully Golden Girl today, but then that hasn’t hurt Sophia, Rose, or Dorothy.
BONNIE (unranked)
A sweet nickname name, Bonnie is a Scottish nickname meaning pretty. Parents today might think of it as a child from the Toy Story series. (She inherits Andy’s toys when he goes off to college.)
BLYTHE (unranked)
Vintage, tailored Blythe comes with an appealing meaning: happy.
OVERLOOKED B NAMES FOR GIRLS
BARBARA (#946)
A Top Ten favorite from the 1920s into the 50s, traditional and international Barbara had a good run.
BELLE (#869)
Sparer than Bella, Belle is a Disney princess – and so far, much less common than the -a ending form.
BETH (unranked)
A haunting Kiss ballad, and another Elizabeth nickname that’s not heard often today.
BETHANY (#560)
Bethany owes something to Elizabeth, and a little bit to Brittany, too. But this Biblical place name feels less trendy, and more like a traditional rarity.
BIANCA (#452)
Bianca sounds glamorous, maybe because Nicaraguan-born socialite-turned-activist Bianca Jagger introduced it to the English-speaking world in the 1970s.
BLAIR (#404)
A tailored surname name, Blair is just one sound removed from classic Claire. It’s also boosted by the small screen, from The Facts of Life to Gossip Girl.
BRIAR (#580)
A nature name that also brings to mind another name for the fairytale Sleeping Beauty: Briar Rose.
BRIDGET (#740)
An Irish goddess name, and later the name of a revered saint, Bridget feels traditional. And yet, it’s never entered the US Top 100.
BRISTOL (#390)
A place name borrowed from England, Bristol first caught parents’ attention after the oldest daughter of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin became reality stars.
BRYNN (#307)
A Welsh name meaning hill, Brynn tends to be feminine in the US, a name in the key of Sloane, Blair, and Quinn.
RARE GIRL NAMES BEGINNING WITH B
BAY
A water name, every bit as wearable as River.
BELLATRIX
If only the Harry Potter villain weren’t so irredeemable, this Bella-Beatrix smoosh could be big. It means “female warrior” in Latin.
BELPHOEBE
A borrowing from Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene, and a Belle-Phoebe combination that seems very wearable.
BETONY
An herbal name as appealing as Sage.
BIJOU
A French word meaning jewel, an alternative to sparkling Gemma.
BILLIE
Boyish Billie has long been used for girls, either as a feminine form of William, or as a casual name in the key of Millie and Molly.
BIRDIE
We love Wren and other bird names for girls, so Birdie seems like a natural.
BRITTA
A Scandi nickname for Birgitta, their translation of Bridget.
BRIONY
Another nature name, borrowed from a climbing vine.
BRONTE
A surname name with literary ties, thanks to the nineteenth century novelists Emily, Charlotte, and Anne.
What are your favorite girl names starting with B?
There are a lot of lovely B names. Bronwen is my favourite!