American Girl Names: From Betsy to Zora

American girl names celebrate the history of our country. They mix heroic women with patriotic concepts, storied place names with fictional figures.

Many American girl names are borrowed from First Ladies, as well as other women associated with the presidency. The original inspiration for this list? Letitia, as in the wife of tenth US president John Tyler.

In recent years, the concept of patriotic baby names can feel a little politically charged. But the women on this list represent every many different aspects of the American experience. The list includes Civil Rights activists and social reformers, along with First Ladies and a Catholic saint or two.

Most of these names lean traditional, even expected. Thanks to their popularity, no one assumes your Eleanor is named for Roosevelt, or your Amelia for Earhart – though they’re great namesakes. But the word names and some of the less common choices, like Zora or Dolley, invite more speculation.

And, of course, sometimes popularity itself makes names feel especially American, from former favorites like Jennifer to current chart-toppers like Avery.

Read on for some of the best American girl names – and please share any that I’ve missed in the comments!

AMERICAN GIRL NAMES FROM FIRST LADIES (AND DAUGHTERS)

ABIGAIL

Abigail Adams might be one of the better known First Ladies, and her name has been a Top Ten staple in recent years.

ALICE

Theodore Roosevelt’s first wife and eldest child shared the storybook name Alice. Daughter Alice became a well-known socialite and fashion trendsetter. For her debut, she wore a dress in a shade that quickly became known as “Alice blue.”

AMY

Inspired by Amy Carter, daughter of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. When she moved into the White House at the age of nine in 1977, she was the first child to live there since the Kennedy kids in the early 1960s. 

BARBARA

As in Barbara Bush, wife of George Bush. Her granddaughter, also Barbara Bush, lived in the White House not long after when George and Barbara’s son, George W. Bush, served as president.

CAROLINE

No surprise traditional Caroline features in American history. Caroline Kennedy comes to mind initially, but it was also the given name of First Lady Caroline Harrison.

CHELSEA

As in Chelsea Clinton, who spent her teenage years in the White House.

DOLLEY

Often a nickname for Dorothy, but it’s the given name of First Lady Dolley Madison. She’s famous for defining the role of First Lady as official hostess, but she’s also remembered for saving the portrait of George Washington during a fire.

EDITH

The wife of 27th US President Theodore Roosevelt, as well as Mrs. Woodrow Wilson, Edith feels vintage and accomplished. Nickname Edie is a bonus.

ELIZABETH

So many famous women have answered to the name Elizabeth, including First Ladies. (Bess Truman and Betty Ford were both born Elizabeth.) And Saint Elizabeth Seton founded schools for children of the poor, creating a religious order that established schools, orphanages, and hospitals as the country grew. And Elizabeth Blackwell would become the first American woman to earn a medical degree.

ELEANOR

Ask anyone to name an influential American woman, and Eleanor Roosevelt likely springs to mind. Widely admired for her work on human rights issues, Mrs. Roosevelt served as United Nations delegate following her husband’s death.

FLORENCE

Mrs. Warren G. Harding was a well-known and successful First Lady, opening the White House to tours and working on behalf of war veterans. 

HELEN

An early twentieth century First Lady, Helen Herron Taft came from a politically prominent Ohio family. It’s said that she always intended to become First Lady, marrying William Howard Taft and encouraging him to run in 1908. She was known as Nellie.

JACQUELINE

The Kennedy family comes close to being American royalty, if such a thing existed. Former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy remains an enduring style icon, both from her days as a First Lady, and later in life, as Jackie O, wife of shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis. 

JULIE

The younger daughter of Richard and Pat Nixon, Julie would eventually marry David Eisenhower, grandson of former president Dwight Eisenhower.

LETITIA

Letitia Tyler was married to tenth US President John Tyler. Nickname Letty makes this lacy name more versatile.

MALIA

The older Obama daughter, Malia’s name spiked in popularity when her family moved into the White House. It’s considered the Hawaiian form of Maria, a nod to her father’s roots.

MAMIE

Mamie Geneva Doud earns my vote for the most interesting given name of any First Lady. It might be short for Mary or Margaret, but Mamie also ranked in the US Top 100 as an independent name from the late nineteenth century into the 1910s.

MARTHA

Martha Washington earns this name a place on the list. It fits with homespun names like Ada and Hannah, feminine, but with a lot of strength, too.

MICHELLE

As in Chicago attorney turned First Lady turned bestselling author, Michelle Obama.

NANCY

The elegant Nancy Reagan left her acting career behind to serve as First Lady, first of California, and then of the United States.

RACHEL

The wife of seventh US president Andrew Jackson, Rachel Jackson passed suddenly after shortly after her husband was elected, making her the shortest-serving First Lady on this list.

RUTH

Baby Ruth wasn’t born in the White House, but the daughter of Grover Cleveland, 24th president of the United States, became a popular figure as a child. It’s often said that the Baby Ruth candy bar is named for her … but the timing suggests that baseball’s Babe Ruth was the more likely inspiration.

SASHA

The younger Obama daughter was named Natasha, but always called Sasha. 

TRICIA

Patricia Nixon was famous for having her wedding in the White House in 1971. She’s the most recent of the eight First Daughters to do so. (Here’s a curious fact: it seems like Tricia would’ve been named after her mother, First Lady Pat Nixon. And maybe she was. But Pat? She was born Thelma Catherine Ryan. Her nickname came from her Irish heritage combined with a St. Patrick’s Day Eve birthday.)

INSPIRED BY HAMILTON

ANGELICA

Hamilton re-imagined much of American history, while sticking to the substance of the story. Composer Lin-Manuel Miranda transformed the historical Schuyler sisters into a Destiny’s Child-esque trio. Eldest sister Angelica mixed with many a Revolutionary in real life.

ELIZA

And then there’s the middle Schuyler sister, Eliza, the future Mrs. Alexander Hamilton. This is one of those vintage girl names that feels so very at home in the twenty-first century.

PEGGY

Youngest sister Peggy was born Margarita, but known mostly by this sparky nickname.

THEODOSIA

Theodosia Burr, daughter of Hamilton’s bitter rival Aaron Burr, lived a life almost bigger than any Broadway musical. “Dear Theodosia” demonstrates Aaron’s devoted care for his daughter. She was well-educated, married well, and then lost her life in a mysterious shipwreck.

INSPIRED BY TRAILBLAZERS

AMELIA

Pioneering aviator Amelia Earhart lends some world-changing energy to her delicate and antique name.

ANNE

So many famous Annes come to mind, but poet Anne Bradstreet, an early settler in Massachusetts, might be the first of the many prominent American women by the name.

BETSY

This list would feel incomplete without seamstress Betsy Ross.

CADY

Notable women from the suffrage movement could dominate this list … but there’s another post for that! Cady comes from Elizabeth Cady Stanton, a choice that more clearly honors the activist than her traditional first.

CLARA

A hospital nurse during the Civil War, Clara Barton would go on to found the American Red Cross.

DOROTHEA

During the Civil War, Dorothea Dix served as Superintendent of Army Nurses. Following the war, she advocated for mental health reform.

DOROTHY

Journalist and activist Dorothy Day co-founded the Catholic Worker Movement. She was still being arrested for civil disobedience at 75.

EMMA

Inspired by poet Emma Lazarus. Her words are inscribed on a bronze plaque on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. “The New Colossus” gives voice to the statue: “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free …”  Another reason Emma belongs on this list: until recently it was the most popular baby name for girls in the US.

FRANCES

Frances Perkins served as US Labor Secretary in the 1930s, the first woman appointed to the US Cabinet.

GEORGIA

So many artists could fit on this list, but Georgia O’Keefe stands out. She painted New York City skyscrapers, the landscapes of New Mexico, and all of those vibrant flowers. Her work helped usher in American modernism.

HARPER

As in Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel that holds a special place in American literary history.

HARRIET

Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin became a blockbuster. In the nineteenth century, only the Bible sold more copies. It changed attitudes towards slavery. While it relied on stereotypes problematic by twenty-first century standards, it fueled the abolition movement, and helped lay the groundwork for the Civil War.

IDA

Pioneering journalist Ida B. Wells puts her name on the list.

JANE

Nineteenth century reformer Jane Addams is best remembered for establishing Chicago’s Hull House, a mix of educational and social programs. But she also advocated for the role of women in public life, and became the first American woman to receive a Nobel Prize.

JULIA

A major force in the women’s suffrage movement, Julia Ward Howe is also remembered for writing  “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

JULIETTE

Juliette Gordon Low founded the Girl Scouts, inspired by similar organziations in England. Since she shared her name with her grandmother, the younger Juliette was nicknamed Daisy.

KATHARINE

Katherine, Kathryn, and Catherine are more popular, but legendary actress Katharine Hepburn puts her name on this list.

LUCRETIA

Renaissance era Lucrezia Borgia comes to mind first, but nineteenth century American abolitionist and suffrage activist Lucretia Mott deserves a place on this list of American girl names.

LYDIA

Some of the most fascinating women of the American Revolution served as spies. Lydia Darragh warned General George Washington of an impending attack by the British, allowing him to prepare his troops.

MARIETTE

Texas-born Mariette Rheiner ran for judge in her home state – even though women didn’t have the right to vote in 1893. She was defeated by John Nance Garner, but later the pair married. She became Second Lady during Garner’s term as Vice President in the 1930s.

MERCY

A published author, Mercy Warren’s writings helped build the case for the American Revolution.

MOLLY

Molly Pitcher exists partly in legend. It’s said that she was a real woman who fought in the American Revolution – and there’s more than one real-life example to support the story.

PEARL

A Pulitzer and Nobel-Prize winning author, Pearl S. Buck grew up in China, the child of missionaries. She advocated for the rights of women and minorities, as well as a range of causes. Her novel, The Good Earth, explored the lives of Chinese peasants, a world unknown to most Americans at the time.

PHILLIS

Born in Senegal, and sold into slavery as a child, Phillis Wheatley would defy all odds to become a published poet.

PRUDENCE

Prudence and her husband were active in the American Revolution, but Prudence did something extraordinary. As their husbands went off to war, she founded a women’s militia, eventually defending a bridge and capturing Tory soldiers. All while raising eleven children.

ROSA

Parks. What more is there to say?

RUBY

While most of the names on this list date back centuries, the women of the Civil Rights movement are more recent – and every as inspiring for American girl names. Ruby comes from Ruby Bridges, the courageous six year old child who became the first to enroll in a forcibly desegregated New Orleans school.

SANDRA

Sandra Day O’Connor became the first woman to serve on the US Supreme Court.

SOJOURNER

Born enslaved, Sojourner Truth escaped and became an activist and reformer.

SYBIL

You know Paul Revere’s midnight ride? Sybil Luddington made a similar ride, covering 40 miles to warn of approaching British armies.

ZORA

One of many talents associated with the Harlem Renaissance in the early twentieth century, Zora Neale Hurston is best remembered for her novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God. 

VIRTUES & IDEALS

BRAVE and BRAVERY

If Ava and Avery are names, Brave and Bravery feel like options, too – though perhaps better in the middle spot.

BLUE

The flag might inspired children named Scarlett, too. But of the colors red, white, and blue, only Blue feels like a given name.

FREE and FREEDOM

These might feel like 1960s hippie era names, but they’d work as American girl names, too.

GLORY

A religious name, a bold one, and, if you can hum along to Battle Hymn of the Republic, possibly a patriotic one, too. And thanks to SilentOne for mentioning “Old Glory,” another mark in favor of this name’s red, white, and blue status. Gloria is more traditional, but word name Glory might fit with favorites like Serenity.

INDIE

Indie brings to mind Indiana Jones, but also independence – as in the Fourth of July, but also the virtue of independence. File it with gender-neutral names like Charlie and Reign that could wear well today.

JULY

July feels summery and warm, but it also celebrates the Fourth of July.

JUSTICE

Liberty’s cousin, Justice is also often represented by a female statue.

LIBERTY

As in Bell, and Statue of.

PRAIRIE

It’s not a virtue or an ideal, but Prairie does feel like a more daring alternative to Meadow. The lyrics of God Bless America specifically mention the prairies. There’s Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie, too, forever part of our idea of nineteenth century pioneers.

INSPIRED BY PLACES

ASPEN

A nature name forever tied to the outdoor beauty of Colorado.

BROOKLYN

The New York City borough is familiar to nearly everyone, even if you’ve never been east of Colorado. The name succeeds, in part, because it looks like Brook-plus-lyn, a mash-up of familiar names for girls.

CHARLOTTE

It’s among the most popular baby girl names in the US, but it’s also the name of North Carolina’s biggest city. Of course, Charlotte was named after Queen Charlotte, a British royal – now quite famous thanks to her part in the Regency romance series Bridgerton and the subsequent Netflix spin-off focused on her life.

GEORGIA

As with Charlotte, Georgia was a given name long before it graced the map. But this southern state, named for another British monarch, has proved an enduring choice for our daughters.

PHOENIX

A unisex given name that ties to mythology, as well as the capital of Arizona.

SAVANNAH

A 1982 movie gave this name to its main character, and launched a generation of girls named Savannah.

VIRGINIA

A place name, as well as a deeply American choice for a girl. Virginia Dare was the first child of English parents to be born in the American colonies, only to tragically disappear along with the rest of the settlers at Roanoke in 1587.

AMERICAN GIRL DOLLS

The American Girl Dolls started out as a curated collection of just a few characters, all selected to tell the story of a particular chapter of American history. The company has grown considerably since then, but some of the original dolls’ names remain connected to their historical eras.

In addition, an annual “Girl of the Year” exemplifies the experiences of girls now. Their names have included Mia St. Clair, Marisol Luna, Kailey Hopkins, McKenna Brooks, and many more.

ADDY 

Addy Walker’s story is set in 1864. She escaped slavery with her mother, building a new life in Philadelphia. Addy sounds like a nineteenth century name – and it is – but her story explains that it honors her grandmother, Aduke – a Yoruba name meaning “much loved.”  

FELICITY

Felicity Merriman’s life takes place as colonial America becomes an independent nation. Set in Williamsburg, Virginia, Felicity answers to the nickname Lissie.

ISABEL, ISABELLE

American Girl has used both spellings of this name. Isabel Hoffman lives in the early 2000s in the Seattle suburbs; Isabelle Palmer is an aspiring dancer growing up in Washington DC circa 2014.

JOSEFINA

Set in 1824, Josefina Montoya’s story takes place in Mexico. She has three older sisters: Ana, Francisca, and Clara.

JULIE

1970s era Julie Albright lives in San Francisco. The character names capture the era beautifully. Not just Julie, but older sister Tracy, best friend Ivy, classmates Amanda, Alison, Angela, and Joy. They’re mom and grandma grown-up names now, broadly familiar to us all.

KIRSTEN

Kirsten Larson and her family left behind their native Sweden to settle in Minnesota. Her story explained the nineteenth century immigrant experience. 

KIT

Possibly one of the most famous of the American Girl dolls, Kit Kittredge’s full name is Margaret Mildred. The Depression-era character story is set in Cincinatti, Ohio.

MOLLY

World War II-era character Molly McIntire lives in a fictional small town in Illinois. Once again, her friends have pitch perfect names, including best friends Susan and Linda.

REBECCA 

Growing up in New York circa 1914, Rebecca Rubin is the first Jewish-American character introduced in the series. Several of the character names represent the best of vintage favorites now, a century later: mother Vera, sisters Sophie and Sadie, friends and classmates like Rose and Lucy.

SAMANTHA

Growing up in a fictional New York town, Samantha Parkington’s name would’ve been very unusual for her 1895 birth. But it feels right to readers, possibly moreso than other character names that were spot on: Agatha, Agnes, Cornelia, Lydia, Mary, Nellie.

CURRENT TOP 100 GIRL NAMES

The most popular baby names for girls might feel like the most American of choices, too. Former favorites – think Jennifer and Jessica, Ashley and Nicole, Lisa and Linda – would make this list even longer. Instead, these are the 100 most popular names as compiled by the US Social Security Administration (SSA) for calendar year 2023.

1. Olivia
2. Emma
3. Charlotte
4. Amelia
5. Sophia
6. Mia
7. Isabella
8. Ava
9. Evelyn
10. Luna
11. Harper
12. Sofia
13. Camila
14. Eleanor
15. Elizabeth
16. Violet
17. Scarlett
18. Emily
19. Hazel
20. Lily
21. Gianna
22. Aurora
23. Penelope
24. Aria
25. Nora
26. Chloe
27. Ellie
28. Mila
29. Avery
30. Layla
31. Abigail
32. Ella
33. Isla
34. Eliana
35. Nova
36. Madison
37. Zoe
38. Ivy
39. Grace
40. Lucy
41. Willow
42. Emilia
43. Riley
44. Naomi
45. Victoria
46. Stella
47. Elena
48. Hannah
49. Valentina
50. Maya
51. Zoey
52. Delilah
53. Leah
54. Lainey
55. Lillian
56. Paisley
57. Genesis
58. Madelyn
59. Sadie
60. Sophie
61. Leilani
62. Addison
63. Natalie
64. Josephine
65. Alice
66. Ruby
67. Claire
68. Kinsley
69. Everly
70. Emery
71. Adeline
72. Kennedy
73. Maeve
74. Audrey
75. Autumn
76. Athena
77. Eden
78. Iris
79. Anna
80. Eloise
81. Jade
82. Maria
83. Caroline
84. Brooklyn
85. Quinn
86. Aaliyah
87. Vivian
88. Liliana
89. Gabriella
90. Hailey
91. Sarah
92. Savannah
93. Cora
94. Madeline
95. Natalia
96. Ariana
97. Lydia
98. Lyla
99. Clara
100. Allison

What would you add to this list of American girl names?

First published on June 29, 2016, this post was revised substantially and re-published on May 23, 2020; May 29, 2021; July 4, 2023; and June 18, 2024.