New girl names 2019 range from the retro Arlette to the nouveau Austyn, the minimalist Ann to the elaborate Giavanna. Headlines brought back Meghan; ongoing trends pushed Palmer and Bellamy onto the charts at last. And that’s just the beginning of the list.
In May 2019, the US Social Security Administration released the new popularity data for all children born between January 1st and December 31st of 2018. 50 girls’ names ranked in the US Top 1000 that did not appear in the prior year.
Wondering how that compares to prior years?
- Last year, 43 new girl names joined the US Top 1000.
- In 2017, 45 girls’ names ranked in the US Top 1000 that did not appear in the prior year.
- The list published in 2016 included 47 new names
- In May 2015, that number was 38.
- For 2014, it stood at 45.
It took 259 recorded births to make the Top 1000. Now … on to the new girl names 2019!
Adalee
Current US popularity rank: #855
Yet another of the Adeline/Addison names, Adalee feels more retro than 21st century. It looks like an Ada-Lee smoosh, but the French Adelie has plenty of history. Adelie Land, in Antarctica, is named for the wife of nineteenth century explorer Jules Dumont d’Urville; in turn, a type of penguin is named for the land.
I’ve yet to write about Adalee, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Aislinn
Current US popularity rank: #886
Aislinn has teetered on the edge of the rankings in recent years; it made the list of New Girls Names 2016, too. A modern Irish name with a romantic meaning – dream – it’s pronounced Ash-Lynn. The phonetic spellings Ashlynn (#567) and Ashlyn (#570) are consistently more popular in the US, but the original has potential.
I’ve yet to write about Aislinn, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Alianna
Current US popularity rank: #878
Eliana, Alina, Alaina … it’s the mix-and-match name of the moment, nearly as popular as all of those -aylee and -ayla names from a decade ago. While Alianna might come from an old Roman family name relating to the sun, or possibly a Hebrew name meaning “God has answered,” it feels downright modern.
I’ve yet to write about Alianna, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Alisson
Current US popularity rank: #909
Alison gave way to Allison, and that spelling has ranked in the US Top 100 since the 1970s. But the single-L, double-S is out there, too, particularly in the Spanish-speaking world. There’s a Panamanian pop singer named Alisson Staff, and perhaps a few others, too.
I’ve yet to write about Alisson, but check back and I’ll update when I do. You can read about Allison here.
Alora
Current US popularity rank: #923
Is this name a twist on Elora? An elaboration of Laura? Or an invention, inspired by lots of stylish sounds? Hard to stay, but Alora has balanced on the edge of the Top 1000 for a few years now.
I’ve yet to write about Alora, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Amaia
Current US popularity rank: #768
With Amaya poised just outside of the current Top 100, no surprise that Amaia is gaining in use, too – enough to make it to the new girls names 2019 list!
I’ve yet to write about Amaia, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Anais
Current US popularity rank: #848
A lovely, French form of Anne, it’s pronounced a na ees and spelled with a dieresis – Anaïs. In France, the name peaked in the 1980s and 90s. But it’s never been widely heard in the US, despite a handful of high profile uses. There’s the author, Anais Nin, as well as a popular perfume. The popularity of the fragrance and a cartoon character from The World of Gumball might help with pronunciation. But perhaps now it’s time for this exotic classic to catch on. A bonus? Anais is sometimes associated with a Persian goddess of love, making this choice a little more globe-spanning and a little extra romantic.
Ann
Current US popularity rank: #983
From 1880 through 2016, spare and simple Ann always appeared in the US Top 1000. More than half the time, the name ranked in the Top 100. A venerable classic, worn by saints and queens, Ann seemed likely to endure. Until, suddenly, last year, the name left the charts. Now it’s back, a go-to for minimalists with a heart for traditional choices.
I’ve yet to write about Ann, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Arden
Current US popularity rank: #967
Like several names on this list, Arden has balanced on the edge of the Top 1000 in recent years – in and then out again. Back in 2016, it even won our annual New Names Showdown.
Right now, the name is in. A mix of literary place name – Shakespeare’s Forest of – as well as a real place – and tailored surname name, there are many reasons to think Arden could fit in nicely with Harper, Avery, and lots of other current favorites.
Arlette
Current US popularity rank: #892
Knock me over with a feather! Arlette has debuted in the US Top 1000. Credit our love for Scarlett, and maybe those other -et/-ette girl names.
I’ve yet to write about Arlette, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
August
Current US popularity rank: #905
This summery name feels like an alternative to May or June. And yet, it’s traditionally reserved for boys. Girls answer to Augusta instead. Or they did, because lately August shows signs of trending unisex, along with nature names like River and Rowan.
Austyn
Current US popularity rank: #996
Quick, what’s the feminine form of Austin? There really isn’t one. Or maybe there is now. Just like parents have named their daughters Jordyn and Emersyn in an attempt to make the names seem slightly more feminine, Austyn works the same way.
I’ve yet to write about Austyn, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Azaria
Current US popularity rank: #990
We do love a good -ia ending name for girls, and a high value Scrabble letter, too. So Azaria fits right in with Olivia and company. Except this one started out as masculine in the Old Testament, so that’s a challenge. Spelled Azariah, it ranks in the boys’ Top 1000 – as well as the girls.
I’ve yet to write about Azaria, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Bellamy
Current US popularity rank: #962
A name I’ve been watching for a while, Bellamy takes the fast-favorite Isabella and adds an appealing tail. It owes something to the small screen, where Bellamy is a (mostly) heroic figure on The CW’s The 100. But it also succeeds on its own merits, a mash-up of Annabelle and Delaney, with a lovely meaning – beautiful friend – tossed in for good measure.
Berkley
Current US popularity rank: #942
The California town – and the University of California campus located there – spells it Berkeley. But it’s the spelling without an extra middle ‘e’ that makes the new girl names 2019.
I’ve yet to write about Berkley, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Brynleigh
Current US popularity rank: #906
Take Brynn, tack on -leigh, and Brynleigh fits right in with so many other 2019 girl names. The more straightforward Brinley comes in at #338, and Brynlee at #210.
I’ve yet to write about Brynleigh, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Dani
Current US popularity rank: #945
Danielle peaked back in the 80s, a feminine form of classic boy name Daniel. It’s still in use – along with Daniela – but what explains the sharp spike in use? One theory: Daenerys Targaryen – also known as Khaleesi – is called Dany for short.
I’ve yet to write about Dani, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Della
Current US popularity rank: #861
Ella, Bella, Stella – no wonder we’re hearing Della more often. Music legend Billy Joel welcomed a daughter named Della Rose in 2015. By 2018, she appeared on his YouTube channel singing dad’s biggest hits. While it sounds like another -ella spin-off, strictly speaking, this name is cousin to Adelaide, Adeline, and another of the new girl names 2019 – Adalee.
I’ve yet to write about Della, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Dior
Current US popularity rank: #792
A high fashion surname with an on-trend sound, Dior blends right in to Piper and company. Some say it means “of gold” – from d’Or, which feels quite suitable. Others say it comes from the name of an ancient god, like Dionysus – equally appropriate for a luxury brand.
I’ve yet to write about Dior, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Elina
Current US popularity rank: #998
Remember what I said about Alianna? It all applies to Elina, too, yet another Ella/Alina/Eliana cousin. It might also be related to Helen. Top 100 spelling Elena is significantly more common, but
I’ve yet to write about Elina, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Emmarie
Current US popularity rank: #991
Is this a smoosh of Emma and Marie? An elaborate respelling of stylish surname choice Emery? Yes … and yes, I think. With Emma holding on to the #1 spot again and Emery entering the US Top 100, Emmarie seems like a logical member of the new girl names 2019. It looks old-fashioned, but it’s thoroughly modern – an intriguing combination that might appeal to parents torn between different styles.
I’ve yet to write about Emmarie, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Ezra
Current US popularity rank: #958
Many a popular boy name eventually surfaces in the girls’ Top 1000, too. Given this name’s -a ending, it feels even less surprising that some parents are considering Ezra for their daughters.
Giavanna
Current US popularity rank: #987
Giovanna is the conventional Italian spelling of this feminine form of Giovanni. But swapping the ‘o’ for an ‘a’ might appeal to parents eager to shorten the name to Gia. It initially got a boost from Giavanna Lyerly of Toddlers & Tiaras fame, but it’s been in and out of the Top 1000 over the last few years.
I’ve yet to write about Giavanna, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Haisley
Current US popularity rank: #765
Take long-time favorite Hailey, mix in a healthy serving of Paisley, and you’ll arrive at Haisley, a name that has more than tripled in use in just two short years. It also tracks with so many H surname names for girls, from Harper to Hadley, and fast-rising boy name Hayes.
I’ve yet to write about Haisley, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Jenesis
Current US popularity rank: #966
Bible baby name Genesis has ranked in the Top 100 since 2008. The J version has risen in use over the last few years, too, but this year marks the name’s debut.
I’ve yet to write about Jenesis, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Journi
Current US popularity rank: #881
Journey has caught on as a modern word name, somewhere between a virtue choice and an ambitious one. Journee is the most popular spelling, with the more conventional Journey next. Jurnee and Journi are fairly obscure – but gaining in use.
I’ve yet to write about Journi, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Kamilah
Current US popularity rank: #810
At first glance, it’s a creative re-spelling of Camila, the name of a legendary ancient warrior maiden. Except it’s also the feminine form of Kamil, an Arabic name meaning perfect. That makes it nicely international.
I’ve yet to write about Kamilah, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Kamiyah
Current US popularity rank: #889
Kamiyah belongs to the invented names category, a mix of Kam and Mia, with some twists and spelling changes along the way.
I’ve yet to write about Kamiyah, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Kataleya
Current US popularity rank: #943
Spelled with a C, Cataleya caught on following the 2011 movie Colombiana. Now the K version is also on the charts.
I’ve yet to write about Kataleya, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Keilani
Current US popularity rank: #995
Hawaiian names are slowing becoming mainstream favorites throughout the US, led by boy name Kai. Keilani means “glorious sky,” or possibly “glorious heaven.” Either way, it feels like an auspicious meaning for a daughter’s name.
I’ve yet to write about Keilani, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Keily
Current US popularity rank: #826
Does it sound like Kaylee? Kylie? Keeley? Or some other name entirely? Easily confused with so many similar names, I’m not clear where Keily fits in. Reverse the vowels, and designer Orla Kiely comes to mind.
I’ve yet to write about Keily, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Margo
Current US popularity rank: #972
A common complaint about Margot? The silent ‘t’ tacked on the end confuses – and makes it look like maggot. That hasn’t stopped the Margaret nickname from bounding up the charts, and now the no-t spelling is gaining, too.
Read more about Margot (and Margo!) here.
Marisol
Current US popularity rank: #939
A traditional Marian name, Marisol comes from Spanish. It’s a contraction of Maria de la Soledad – Our Lady of Solitude. But lately it has a different connotation. That’s because Marisol sounds just like mar y sol – sea and sun. That makes it a nature name, one with a beachy vibe. While the name fell sharply in recent years, recently leaving the Top 1000, it’s reversed course just enough to re-enter the rankings. We do love a good nature name, so might the popularity of picks like Luna be enough to bolster Marisol, too?
Meghan
Current US popularity rank: #703
For years, Megan has been the undisputed spelling of this Margaret nickname. Since the 1950s, Megan has stood on its own, an option for parents after something tailored but still slightly traditional. It ranked in the US Top 1975 into 2007. But lately, it’s fading. So what explains the sharp rise in Meghan? Actor-turned-Duchess Meghan Markle, who wed Prince Harry in May of 2018.
I’ve yet to write about Meghan, but you can read more about Megan here.
Novah
Current US popularity rank: #981
Nova has gone from out-there rarity to the next Luna, another night-sky name with an on-trend sound. The meaning likely appeals, too – not only is it a star, but it comes from the Latin word for new. This spelling is likely influenced by other add-an-h names, like Norah, also faring well in recent years.
I’ve yet to write about Novah, but you can read more about Nova here.
Palmer
Current US popularity rank: #679
An Adam Sandler-Jennifer Aniston rom-com called Just Go With It gave us a female Palmer in 2011. And then Southern Charm, a Bravo reality series about seven Charleston socialites, added a tiny Palmer to their cast. Series star Cameran Eubanks welcomed daughter Palmer Corinne in late 2017. That was enough to send Palmer following Piper and Parker into the US Top 1000 for girls.
I’ve yet to write about Palmer, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Promise
Current US popularity rank: #908
We live in the Golden Age of word names, from bold picks – think Maverick – to gentle nature names, like Willow. Promise falls somewhere in between. It’s a big idea, more word than name. But it has potential, too, and like True or Hope, it’s tough to argue with the message behind Promise.
I’ve yet to write about Promise, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Queen
Current US popularity rank: #959
We’re naming our sons King – and Kaiser and Messiah – in record numbers, so why not daughters called Queen? It sounds like long-time surname favorite Quinn, and possible nickname Queenie is adorably retro. But I’d guess more parents pick Queen for all the strength and dignity it carries. Incidentally, this isn’t a debut. It’s a comeback! Queen charted in the US Top 1000 from the 1880s right through the 1950s.
I’ve yet to write about Queen, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Robin
Current US popularity rank: #974
Robin was a name ahead of its time, catching on for girls in the 1950s, and remaining in heavy use through the 1970s – ages before nature names went mainstream. But now, with Rowan and Wren, River and Hazel so in vogue, it’s no surprise that Robin has made a comeback.
Rosalee
Current US popularity rank: #842
We love a good Rose name, right? Rosalie – a traditional French form of Rosalia – has been rising in the US for the last several years, boosted in part by a character from Twilight. But mostly this vintage name fits with larger trends, as does this spelling – more of a Rose-Lee smoosh.
I’ve yet to write about Rosalee, but read more about Rosalie here.
Saniyah
Current US popularity rank: #933
This name sounds gorgeous – and the meaning matches, too. It comes from an Arabic word meaning splendid.
I’ve yet to write about Saniyah, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Scout
Current US popularity rank: #976
Harper appears in the girls’ Top Ten, so why shouldn’t Scout be among the new girl names 2019? It comes from Harper Lee’s enduring To Kill a Mockingbird, the nickname of Jean Louise Finch, the little girl at the heart of the story. To me, it feels appropriately unisex – after all, girls and boys participate in scouting – but the character tends to tip this one feminine. Besides the literary ties, Scout sounds like an appealing active verb, an outdoorsy name with an adventurous spirit.
I’ve yet to write about Scout, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Valery
Current US popularity rank: #989
Different languages and naming traditions collide in the US, and Valery is a good example. We tend to think of Valerie as feminine and familiar. Valery is a Soviet cosmonaut. Maybe a hockey player. But it tends to read masculine. Except there’s no reason it couldn’t be feminine in the US, a sister for Avery or Emily or Everly.
I’ve yet to write about Valery, but you can read about Valerie here.
Violeta
Current US popularity rank: #965
Elegant and sharp, Violet has become a Top 100 favorite. No surprise, then, that the Spanish Violeta is also on the rise.
I’ve yet to write about Violeta, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Waverly
Current US popularity rank: #977
Oh, that middle v! It’s driven Avery and Everly up the charts. Now another three-syllable, ends-in-y girl’s name with a middle v is catching on. Waverly also benefits from a strong nature name vibe, and a handful of pop culture associations. (Spoiler alert: it’s the name of Princess Buttercup’s baby in The Princess Bride, though it’s only mentioned in notes about the planned sequel.)
Wendy
Current US popularity rank: #969
Welcome back, Wendy darling! A storybook name par excellence, Wendy left the US Top 1000 for just one brief year. Perhaps it feels slightly dated – it did appear in the Top 100 from the 1960s into the 80s. And yet, I think Wendy feels as timeless as Peter Pan himself.
Whitley
Current US popularity rank: #997
Way back in 1987, Lisa Huxtable graduated from The Cosby Show to A Different World, and we met Whitley – a privileged, beautiful student at Hillman College. The name sounded Southern, and it suited the character played by Jasmine Guy. Whitley spiked into use in 1988, but didn’t last long. Now it’s back for the first time since the series left the air in 1993. Maybe it’s nostalgia? Or perhaps Whitley just fits perfect with current trends.
I’ve yet to write about Whitley, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Zhavia
Current US popularity rank: #877
Singer Zhavia Ward propelled her unusual name from obscurity to the Top 1000 – it’s the highest girls’ debut of the year. It sounds like a feminine spin on Xavier, but that’s mostly guesswork. She rose to fame on Fox reality show competition The Four: Battle for Stardom in 2018. She’s not going anywhere, either – she and Zayn Malik recorded a cover of “A Whole New World” for the 2019 Aladdin soundtrack.
I’ve yet to write about Zhavia, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Zola
Current US popularity rank: #956
We love a zippy Z name. Just ask Zoe, Zuri, and Zelda. Zola appeared in the US Top 1000 reliably, right into the 1940s. It means tranquil in Zulu – possibly the inspiration for South African track star Zola Budd’s name. And then there’s French author Emile Zola, probably an Italian place name. (His dad was Italian.) But with Lola ranked in the current Top 250, we might even just plain invent this name.
I’ve yet to write about Zola, but check back and I’ll update when I do.
Zora
Current US popularity rank: #982
Speaking of fresh new Z names, Zora feels like an obvious choice today. It fits with Cora, Nora, and Aurora, too, but that Z initial turns it up to eleven. Another bonus? It comes from a Slavic word meaning dawn, making it a secret nature name of sorts. And then there’s Zora Neale Hurston, who makes it literary. The only question? Why hasn’t it been in the Top 1000 between now and 1939?
Wow – that’s a lot of possibilities! Which are your favorites of the new girl names 2019? I’ll share my picks in a few days – after I run through the new boy names 2019.
Anais Mitchell is a singer-songwriter whose folk opera Hadestown just made it to Broadway, although I’m aware that’s probably too obscure a reference to be much of an influence! She pronounces it uhNAYis, for what it’s worth. (My favorite song of hers is called “Old Fashioned Hat,” if anyone needs a sweet little diddy for the day!)
I’m excited by Arlette and Whitley!
I have liked Arden, Della, Scout and Anais for a while now – nice to see them getting some special love.
I love Della, and have never understood its failure, until now, to rise along with Ella, Bella, and Stella. I’m an Erle Stanley Gardner fan and inevitably think of the lovely Della Street, as portrayed by Barbara Hale in the Perry Mason series. I would love to have a little Della Marguerite.
I’m always surprised that Journee ranks higher than Journey! Seems to kind of miss the point of using a word-name to then change the spelling away from the word version… But nonetheless, because of that it makes sense to see Journi join the ranks. I notice that Journie is at #1381 too.
I have a little Robin at home, a daughter born in 2015. It suits her perfectly, and she would be so tickled to meet another little one with her name– we never have. People generally seem a bit surprised to hear it, but they almost always love her nickname, Robbie.
Della’s my favourite! If I named twins from all these mine would my Della Robin and Amaia Zora.
Arden, Marisol, and Wendy are probably my favorites.
So many ‘A’s! Is that reflected in the whole list or do creative spellers particularly like A?
Ann, Robin, Wendy & Margo
You have 3 names at #942, must be a typo
Right you are! Updated now. 🙂