Overview
Are you looking for a second or middle name for your baby girl? We created this list of 250+ girl middle names to choose from for your little one.
Most of these name ideas are also great as little girl first names, while some are gender-neutral names you can also pick for your new baby boy.
Most Popular Middle Names For A Girl
- Amy (French and Latin) – beloved
- Catherine (French and English name) – pure
- Jane (English) – God is gracious
- Kate (Greek name) – pure
- Lynn (Welsh and Celtic) – lake
- Mae (British and Roman) – goddess of spring growth
- Marie (French and Latin) – star of the sea
- Mary (Hebrew and English) – beloved
- May (English) – month name
- Rose (English) – flower name
Trendy Baby Girl Middle Names
- Brielle (Hebrew) – heroine of God (from Gabrielle)
- Blythe (Old English) – a cheerful person
- Coco (American) – Chocolate bean
- Jade (English) – precious stone
- Isabella (Spanish and Italian) – God is my oath
Middle Names By Style
Traditional & Classic Middle Names
- Anne (Hebrew and English) – God has favored me
- Bella (Latin and Italian) – beautiful
- Claire (French) – clear or bright
- Clementine (French) – mercy
- Edith (Old English) – strife for wealth
- Eleanor (Greek and French) – shining light
- Elise (French) – God’s promise
- Elizabeth (Hebrew) – God is my oath
- Hadleigh (Old English) – heather meadow
- Jean (French) – God is gracious
- Lee (English) – meadow
- Lou (French) – famous warrior
- Louise (Old German) – famous warrior
- Naomi (Hebrew) – pleasantness
- Ruth (Hebrew) – friend
- Scarlett (English) – red
- Sophia (Greek) – wisdom
- Sue (Hebrew) – lily
- Victoria (Latin) – victory
- Zoe (Greek) – life
Versatile Middle Names
- Alice (French and German) – noble
- Dionne (Greek) – one of Zeus’ wives and the mother of Aphrodite
- Joy (English) – happiness
- Lorelei (German) – rocky cliff on the Rhine river
- Violet (Latin) – color name
Strong & Edgy Middle Names For Girls
- Audrey (English) – noble strength
- Billie (English) – determination or strength
- Brienne (Irish, Gaelic, and Celtic) – Noble and exalted
- Leona (Greek) – lion
- Michelle (French) – one who resembles God
- Nyx (Greek) – goddess of the night
- Phoenix (Greek) – a mythical bird that’s reborn from its ashes
- Serena (Roman and Italian) – tranquil
- Sloane (Irish) – raider or warrior
- Valerie (Latin) – health and strength
- Zora (Arabic) – light or dawn
What Are Unique Baby Names?
Some unique middle names:
- Annika (Hebrew) – sweet-faced
- Ashlyn (Irish, Scottish, and Gaelic) – dream
- Celeste (Latin) – heavenly
- Claudette (Latin) – lame
- Malia (Hawaiian) – of the sea
Exotic Girl Names
- Anaïs (Persian) – goddess of healing and fertility
- Anise (English) – a spice name that also means “pure soul”
- Arya (Indian) – goddess
- Cia (Greek) – of the moon
- Demi (Greek and English) – a short version of “Demetria” (follower of the Demeter, the goddess of harvest)
- Elein (Native American) – as bright as a torch
- Imani (African) – faith
- Reese (Welsh) – enthusiasm
- Thea (Greek) – goddess of light
- Zaylee (Australian) – flower
Badass & Fierce Middle Names For Girls
- Aleta (Greek) – goddess of truth
- Alexandra (Greek) – defender
- Astrid (Scandinavian) – divinely beautiful
- Athena (Greek) – goddess of wisdom
- Elektra (Greek) – shining
- Everly (German) – brave as a wild boar
- Hale (British) – hero
- Harley (Old English) – meadow
- Hera (Greek) – queen of the gods
- Hermione (Greek) – messenger
Celebrity Middle Names For Girls
- Adele Laurie Blue Adkins
- Blake Ellender Lively
- Courtney Bass Cox
- Demi Devonne Lovato
- Gigi Noura Hadid
- Kendall Nicole Jenner
- Kristin Jaymes Stewart
- Miley Ray Cyrus
- Rachel Meghan Markle
- Uma Karuna Thurman
Classical & Old-Fashioned Middle Names
- Genevieve (French, German, and Celtic) – woman of the race
- Maia (Greek) – great mother
- Odette (French and Old German) – wealth
- Prudence (Latin) – discreet
- Sienna (Latin) – orange-red color
What Are Pretty & Beautiful Middle Names For A Girl?
- Alyssa (Greek) – rational
- Hana (Arabic, Japanese, Spanish, and Slavic) – happiness
- Helen (Greek) – light
- Ivory (English) – pure
- Ixia (African) – corn lily flower name
- Lilac (Latin) – color name
- Petal (English and Greek) – leaf in Greek
- Raye (Hebrew) – female sheep
- Tulip (Turkish) – turban
- Yasmin (Arabic) – Jasmine flower name
Cute Middle Names For Girls
- Caprice (English, French and Italian) – playful
- Cerise (French) – cherry
- Fawn (Frenchy) – young deer
- Jett (English) – jet black
- Xena (Greek) – stranger
Middle Names With Amazing Meanings
- Abigail – My father’s joy
- Aria – Song or melody
- Evelyn – Wished-for child
- Everleigh – Brave
- Fenmore – Dearly beloved
- Halia – Honoring a loved one
- Ingrid – Loved or beautiful
- Iris – Rainbow (Greek)
- Juno – Queen of heaven (Roman mythology)
- Liliana – Carefree
- Maeve – She who intoxicates
- Marceline – Little warrior
- Mila – Miracles
- Mira – Wonderful, peaceful, and prosperous
- Mirabel – Wonderful beauty
- Monteen – Strong as a mountain
- Serafina – Fiery
- Sophia – Wisdom
- Tatum – Bringer of joy
- Viviana – Life
Middle Names By Syllables
One-Syllable Middle Names
One-syllable names for girls:
- Bliss
- Blue
- Dawn
- Faith
- Faye
- Jo
- Lane
- Paige
- Pearl
- Raye
- Reeve
Two-Syllable Middle Names
- Anja
- Cara
- Eloise
- Frances
- Georgia
- Juliet
- Khloe
- Lyris
- Maryam
- Myra
- Noelle
- Roxane
- Thalia
- Therese
Three- & Four-Syllable Middle Names
- Acacia
- Adriani
- Anastasia
- Berenice
- Dorothea
- Galatea
- Iolanthe
- Magnolia
- Veronica
- Wisteria
Double Names: First & Middle Name Combinations For Girls
- Anna Belle
- Anne Marie
- Charlotte Rose
- Danielle Jade
- Fanny Mae
- Jessie Jane
- Kate Louise
- Lindy Lou
- Mary Jo
- Wilma Lou
Gender-Neutral & Shared Middle Names
The following are also popular as baby boy names or as unisex names shared by family members:
- Bree
- Dani
- Drew
- Gabi
- Genesis
- Harper
- June
- Quinn
- Remi
- Taylor
Writerly & English Baby Girl Names
- Agatha
- Angelou
- Blake
- Emily
- Gloria
- Joane
- Olivia
- Sydney
- Toni
- Zadie
Precious Baby Girl Names
- Amethyst
- Crystal
- Jewel
- Ruby
- Silver
Creative Baby Girl Names
- Evonne
- Gratia
- Margarethe
- Marisol
- Paisley
Preppy Baby Girl Names
- Annalise
- Amora
- Piper
- Riley
- Sonia
Honorable & Virtuous Middle Names
- Brave
- Diana
- Grace
- Honor
- Hope
- Justice
- Love
- Mercy
- Tovi – Goodness of God (Hebrew)
- Vera – Latin for “truth”
Natural World & Nature Names
These English names for places, things, and creatures in nature are also popular as middle names for girls:
Nature & Location-Inspired Baby Names
- Autumn
- Blair
- Blossom
- Brooke
- Cascade
- Harlow
- Ireland
- Misty
- Rain
- Summer
- Toya
Plant & Animal-inspired Baby Girl Names
- Aspen
- Briar
- Clover
- Fleur
- Hyacinth
- Ilana
- Ivy
- Olive (for olive tree)
- Paloma
- Peach
- Plum
- Raven
- Willow
- Wolfe
- Wren
Earthy Baby Girl Names
- Eden
- Isla
- Leigh
- Rae
- Terra
Sky & Space Themed Baby Girl Names
- Luna (moon goddess in ancient Roman mythology)
- Nova (star or supernova)
- Skye (sky)
- Soleil (sun)
- Zion (heaven on earth)
Rare & Uncommon Middle Names
- Aliana (Latin) – noble and gracious
- Amiah (Latin) – God’s people
- Beeba (African) – beloved
- Brea (English) – hill
- Fayre (English) – beautiful
- Kaelie (Irish, Scottish, and Gaelic) – slender and fair
- Marleigh (English) – marshy meadow
- Moira (Greek) – destiny
- Rya (Greek) – to flow
- Zenni (South American) – freedom-loving and free-spirited individual
Tradition, History, & Challenges
Giving middle names to babies is a tradition that dates back to Roman times. It isn’t a requirement and is often a matter of the parents’ preference.
In most cultures, people use their first names as their main personal names, while the middle or second name is only used in a formal form or legal documents.
In some places, the children take their mother’s maiden name (last name or family name before getting married) as their middle name.
How Do You Pick A Good Middle Name?
There isn’t one name that everyone can call the perfect middle name for their babies. Each name has a different meaning. It’s up to you to choose the one you think best suits your little one.
In some cultures, middle names given to babies are from the names of their parents, grandparents, or some other person their moms and dads want to honor.
Naming Faux Pas To Avoid
- Middle name rhyming with the first name
- Combinations that sound like one name (with a bad meaning). Moe and Lester are good as individual names but the combination is definitely off. To avoid that, try to say the name out loud. If it sounds weird or funny, you should probably choose another middle name.
- Initials that look weird or off – you don’t want your baby to have initials that sound indecent, or similar to common acronyms (like FDA, NASA, WTF, ASS, etc.)
The Most Popular First Names For Girls
The Social Security Administration lists the following as the most popular baby girl namesin the US: (1)
- Olivia
- Emma
- Ava
- Charlotte
- Sophia
- Amelia
- Isabella
- Mia
- Evelyn
- Harper
Popular First Name List
- Baby names 2023
- Anime baby girl names
- Badass girl names
- Disney princess names
- Flower names for girls
- Greek baby girl names
- Irish baby girl names
- Musical names for girls
- Russian baby girl names
You can also find ideas from the top 15 baby name generators.
REFERENCES
(1) https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/