girl names starting with RGirl names starting with R range from modern names with multiple spellings – like Ryleigh and Raelynn – to the most enduring – think Rachel and Rose.

It’s an interesting mix. For a letter that really only makes one sound, girl names starting with R feel like an eclectic bunch.

They’re plentiful, too. R comes in as the eighth most popular letter for girl names in the US as of 2022. That’s far behind everybody-loves-A names, but well ahead of the relatively rare F names and W names, as well as the barely-there Q, X, and U choices.

Rose names, of course, make up a big chunk of this category, with everything from spare Rose to elaborate Rosamund.

The most popular of the girl names starting with R? It has to be Riley – especially when variant spellings are considered. But nearly every spelling is slipping, while other girl names starting with R rise. Then again, a whole new group of gender neutral R names is rising up, ready to replace Riley – no matter how you spell it.

Read on for all of the girl names starting with R!

RILEY (#39)

An upbeat Irish and English surname name, Riley rose throughout the English-speaking world for boys and girls alike in the 1990s. But ever since Disney-Pixar’s 2015 Inside Out gave the name to an 11 year old girl, boosting it even more for our daughters. With Inside Out 2 coming in the summer of 2024, Riley remains a favorite.

RUBY (#62)

Ruby shares the same red color as fellow Top 100 favorite Scarlett. It’s the most popular of the gemstone names right now.

RAELYNN (#100)

A compound name, plenty of Rae-Lynn combinations have been heard over the years. But this one has skyrocketed thanks to country singer RaeLynn. She got her start on The Voice in 2012.

RYLEE (#107)

Another spelling of Riley, nearly as popular as the original.

REMI (#118)

Remy started out as a French masculine name meaning oarsman. Remember Disney-Pixar’s Ratatouille? This is the name of the (male) gourmet rat who longs to become a chef. But Remi might also claim roots in Japanese or Hebrew, Nordic languages or African ones. Today it’s a fast-rising, unisex favorite in the US.

ROSE (#120)

Elegant, enduring, and ecovintage Rose has too long been tucked in the middle spot. A former Top 100 – and even Top 20 – favorite, Rose may be headed back to the top of the charts.

REAGAN (#147)

Regan is one of Lear’s disloyal daughters in Shakespeare’s tragedy. It’s also the name of the girl at the heart of 1973 horror classic The Exorcist. But the spelling preferred by parents echoes 40th US president Ronald Reagan.

RIVER (#150)

A peaceful nature name, River rose first for boys, thanks to the tragic death of actor River Phoenix. But it’s been gaining for girls in recent years, too, fueled by characters on sci fi mainstays like Firefly and Doctor Who and high-profile celebrity kids, like Kelly Clarkson’s daughter River Rose.

REESE (#168)

Ever since Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon drooped her first two names and became a Hollywood A-lister, parents have been considering this trim surname name for their daughters. It helps that Patrice, Clarice, and other feminine names ending with -ice share the sound.

ROSALIE (#176)

A sparky, vintage Rose name.

RUTH (#179)

Vintage and accomplished, Old Testament Ruth feels like a strong classic for a daughter.

RYLEIGH (#190)

Another re-spelling of Riley.

RACHEL (#244)

A Top 100 favorite from the late 1960s through 2010, it’s easy to dismiss Rachel as a trendy, Friends-era favorite. But Old Testament Rachel properly belongs with the classics.

ROWAN (#276)

A surname name associated with the color red, Rowan has been used in boys and girls for similar numbers. One early feminine use of the name? Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches series, recently adapted for television on AMC.

REBECCA (#296)

A 1970s favorite and long-time Top 100 pick, Rebecca is a little bit Sunnybrook Farm, a little bit Daphne du Maurier’s tragic romance novel.

RAEGAN (#324)

A Reagan-respelling, possibly influenced by the popularity of Raelynn.

RORY (#335)

An Irish boys’ name meaning red king, Rory has slowly become an option for girls, too. Credit to the Gilmore Girls for making it feel mainstream.

 

REGINA (#348)

The Latin word for queen, Regina is often given in honor of the Virgin Mary. It’s also the name of the queen bee in Mean Girls, Regina George – recently rebooted as a musical movie for a new generation.

REIGN (#365)

To reign is to rule, so Reign fits right in with so many grand names for our children today, from classic Regina to newcomers like Royalty.

ROSEMARY (#367)

A Rose-Mary smoosh, or a borrowing from the herb.

RAELYN (#381)

With multiple ways to spell Rae and lyn, it’s easy to imagine this name as the new Riley.

REMINGTON (#399)

This name benefits from the rise of Remi … though it could also be a nod to the gun manufacturer.

RAYA (#402)

As in the hero of Raya and the Last Dragon, a brief and complete name that’s fresh and new, too. It’s enjoyed a meteoric rise ever since the hit Disney movie’s debut.

RAVEN (#409)

A bird name made famous by Edgar Allan Poe’s enduring poem. Raven remains far more familiar for girls, but is heard in small numbers for boys, too.

ROSIE (#424)

The most casual of the Rose names, promoted from nickname to first name status. The popularity of Josie – as well as names like Millie and Sadie – helps Rosie feel like  an obvious choice for a letter R name for a girl.

ROYALTY (#427)

A rather grand word name, a sister for bold baby names like King and Reign.

RYLIE (#447)

Yet more proof that Riley is way more popular than it first appears!

RENATA (#492)

An Italian feminine name meaning “born again,” Renata shares roots with Renaissance.

REYNA (#579)

An alternative to regal Reina. This is currently the more popular spelling.

RYAN (#582)

Well-established as a name for a boy, Ryan is an Irish name meaning “little king.” It has been steadily used in small numbers for girls, too.

ROSALIA (#595)

The name of a twelfth-century saint, Rosalia is an elaboration of Rose.

RHEA (#597)

A Titan in Greek mythology, Rhea was the mother of Zeus himself.

REMY (#601)

Remi ranks much higher, but Remy is seen for girls, too.

ROSA (#605)

A romance language spin on Rose.

REINA (#624)

Reina is one-part regal, from the Spanish word for queen, a companion to Regina. Variant spellings take it in different directions.

ROMINA (#656)

An Italian feminine name, possibly related to the city of Rome.

RAYNA (#765)

Yet another Reina spelling option.

RAMONA (#794)

A feminine form of Raymond via the Spanish Ramon, this dramatic name is finally on the upswing again.

RAYNE (#798)

Either another cousin to Reina, a surname-name, a Rae-Jane mash-up, or a respelled nature name, Rayne is a little bit of everything in just a single syllable.

RIVKA (#799)

The modern Hebrew form of Rebecca, Rivka is boosted by that sharp middle V.

ROSELYN (#824)

A slimmed-down version of the rarer Rosalind.

ROBIN (#861)

A bird name, but also a medieval-era nickname for Robert. That makes it either a unisex name in the key of Rowan, or possibly a sweet way to honor a male Robert with a daughter’s name. Robyn is sometimes seen, too.

ROYAL (#864)

Another unisex word name with a big meaning.

ROSALINA (#925)

An elaboration of Rosa, using the popular -lina ending. It looks traditional, but 2022 marks the name’s debut in the US Top 1000. One possible reason for the name’s newfound popularity in the US: a princess in the Super Mario universe bears the name.

RAINA (#929)

One more take on Reina, this one most clearly linked to the weather.

ROSALYN (#938)

Another Rose name, more modern than Rosalind.

ROSALEE (#958)

Either a respelling of Rosalie, or possibly a Rose-Lee smoosh.

REBEKAH (#959)

An older form of Rebecca, one that brings it closer to Hebrew names like Hannah.

ROWYN (#971)

Another spelling for Rowan.

RYANN (#975)

Likely a modern attempt to coin a feminine form of Ryan, Ryann might be pronounced just like Ryan, or more like Rye-Ann.

RYLAN (#989)

Either a surname name or a Riley/Ryan spin-off.

RARE R NAMES FOR GIRLS

RADHA

A simple name with a big meaning in Sanskrit: success.

RAFAELLA

A feminine form of Rafael and Raphael, boosted by the dramatic sound and -ella ending.

RAINBOW

A vibrant nature name used in small numbers for our daughters since the 1970s.

RAISA

A Russian name meaning rose.

RALEIGH

A place name, this North Carolina city was named for Sir Walter Raleigh. Raleigh attempted to found the first permanent English colony in North America at Roanoke.

RANI

From the Sanskrit for queen.

RAQUEL

The Spanish form of Rachel, made famous by 1960s star Raquel Welch.

RASHIDA

An Arabic name meaning “rightly guided.”

RAVENNA

A romantic Italian city name that falls somewhere between Raven and Makenna.

REBEL

Actress Rebel Wilson has put her unusual name on parents’ radar.

REEVE

Reese with a V, familiar to some thanks to writer Reeve Lindbergh.

REMEMBER

A word name with a virtuous vibe.

RENEE

A former chart-topping favorite and popular middle, Renee comes from a French name meaning reborn.

REVERIE

A daydream, or a word name that picks up on the sounds of popular Avery and Everly.

REY

As in the newest Star Wars hero.

RHIANNON

Fleetwood Mac’s haunting 1975 song made this name from Welsh legend familiar – but not necessarily common.

RHODA

A New Testament name, Rhoda brings to mind 1970s television character Rhoda Morgenstern. But the name actually had its heyday in the late 1800s.

RHODANTHE

A rare Greek name, Rhodanthe means rose flower.

RIA

A spare re-spelling of Rhea, or Mia-with-an-R.

RIALTA

A sometimes-place name with an intriguing, even scandalous, backstory.

RIHANNA

Inspired by the mega-famous singer/entrepreneur.

RIO

The Spanish and Portuguese word for River; every bit as unisex as the English word.

RIPLEY

Inspired by the heroic Ellen Ripley of Alien fame.

RISA

Mini name Risa could be Danish or Japanese, Italian or Czech. One intriguing note: in some cases, it is a feminine form of Richard.

RITA

All the glam of Rita Hayworth, wrapped up in a brief and long-overlooked name.

ROBERTA

Once a fairly mainstream choice, this feminine form of Robert hasn’t ranked in the US Top 1000 baby girl names since 1991.

ROCHELLE

A French city name, popular because of actor Rochelle Hudson and the similar Rachel.

ROMILLY

A surname name borrowed from place names in Norman England, Romilly might be related to Romulus. But it sounds like a Rose-Milly mash-up, too.

RONIA

Astrid Lindgren is best known for creating Pippi Longstocking, but the Swedish author also gave us Ronja – or Ronia – the Robber’s Daughter. She borrowed it from the name of a lake.

ROSABEL

A Rose elaboration with centuries of history and a very current sound.

ROSALBA

A Latin phrase meaning “white rose,” Rosalba is rare – and lovely!

ROSALIND

Many Rose names aren’t flower names originally. They come from the Germanic hros – horse. Rosalind is also associated with the Latin phrase rosa linda – beautiful rose.

ROSALINDA

Of course, the Latin phrase rosa linda makes a good name, too, surely among the more beautiful girl names starting with R.

ROSAMUND

Like Rosalind, Rosamund picked up extra meaning thanks to Latin. Rosa munda means pure rose; rosa mundi means rose of the world.

ROSANNA

A long-time Rose-Anna mash-up, Rosanna featured in a hit 1980s pop song for Toto … but has since gone the way of shoulder pads. For now.

ROSARIO

A Spanish title for the Virgin Mary, Rosario means rosary.

ROSAURA

A literary rarity from the 1600s, Rosaura means “golden rose.” This time, the name does come directly from Latin.

ROSELAINE

A Rose-Elaine mash-up with a modern sensibility.

ROSWITHA

A Germanic Ros- name that’s nearly unknown today, but kept wearable thanks to our love of Rose names.

ROWENA

Geoffrey of Monmouth introduced it in his historical-ish writings in the twelfth century, but Sir Walter Scott made the name literary with 1819’s Ivanhoe.

ROXANA

An ancient name meaning dawn, Roxana – and Roxanne – have faded in recent decades.

ROXELANA

The name of a sixteenth century Turkish sultana, this elaborate name could fit right in with Isabella and Alexandra.

ROXIE, ROXY

Roxana and Roxanne nicknames with the potential to stand on their own.

RUBINA

It looks like a feminine form of Reuben, but Rubina is probably from the Italian rubino, referring to the gemstone.

RUE

A gentle nature name, and also a word suggesting regret. Fictional characters from The Hunger Games and Euphoria have boosted Rue from rarity to stylish mini-name. Spell it Roux, and it’s surname meaning red, a cooking term, or a character name from 1999 novel turned 2000 film Chocolat. 

RUMI

Borrowed from the poet, and the name of Beyonce and Jay-Z’s younger daughter, Rumi fits somewhere between Ruby and Remi.

What are your favorite girl names starting with R? What would you add to this list?

First published January 18, 2021, this post was revised and re-published on January 31, 2022; February 27, 2023; and January 18, 2024.

 

About Abby Sandel

Whether you're naming a baby, or just all about names, you've come to the right place! Appellation Mountain is a haven for lovers of obscure gems and enduring classics alike.

You May Also Like:

What do you think?

13 Comments

  1. I like Roxy but not Roxanne or Roxana. I’ve been thinking of Rosemary or Rosamund called Roxy, but I’m not quite sure if it works.

    1. Right there with you! I think Rosemary/Rosamund called Roxy works. It’s a stretch, but it’s not completely disconnected, like Rosemary called Janie.

  2. We have a Rebecca nn Rue! Rebecca is a family name and many of the common nicknames were taken. We’ve been asked if we’re big hunger games fans, but I always say she’s named after the wildflower.

  3. No Rowena? Awww. Oh, Abby, by the way: Rio can also be Portuguese for river. And Raquel is also Portuguese Rachel. …Welp, I need to set up my own name website at this rate!

      1. Wait, it’s there! I just went to add it + realized that I already had. 🙂

        Under Rare, buried after so many lovely Ros- names.

        1. Ooops! My mistake. Just saw Rowena there. And yes, I do know Filipa’s site! I still have to interact there, though! Another interesting one, but Brazilian Portuguese (Filipa’s is Portugal), is Dicionário de Nomes Próprios. I’ll link to it on my name this time so the spam filter doesn’t bite me, heh. That said, some of the meanings and origins there feel a little weird. But it’s still worth checking it out.

  4. Regina, nn Queenie, is my favorite, though hubby doesn’t like Regina as a first name. We do agree on Reign as a second middle though.

  5. So many good R names! Ramona is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. Rosalie and Ruth are so lovely, and every time I meet a Rosalba it makes me happy to get to hear and say that name.

  6. I’ve been thinking about the lovely R names lately! Rhiannon’s been my favourite for a long time but Rosabel sometimes almost overtakes her.

    1. Every single time I hear that Fleetwood Mac song, I find myself thinking that the name should be more popular …