Charlotte
Popularity in the US: No. 10
Meaning: Free woman
Charlotte was gaining ground before Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, Princess of Cambridge, boosted it into the stratosphere. But your little Charlotte could be Lottie or Charley for short, unlike the royal baby. Charlotte, North Carolina, was named after an English king's wife, and Charlotte Bronte set hearts aflutter with Jane Eyre. From the French Charlot, a diminutive of Charles, it's a name from an era of hoop skirts and flirty fans that is equal parts romantic and regal today.
Savannah
Popularity in the US: No. 39
Meaning: Large, grassy plain
You have to say Savannah with a long, slow emphasis on the second syllable to sound like a real Southerner — can you say "drawl"? Popular Southern girl's names are shared by, or inspired by, colorful, cities that lie below the Mason-Dixon Line, like Savannah, Georgia. The warm and sunny name derives from Native American Taino term for open grasslands. Sing "Savannah Fare You Well," a little Jimmy Buffett number, for her lullaby — his daughter's name is Savannah, too.
Daisy
Popularity in the US: No. 180
Meaning: White flower
"She loves you, she loves you not " Never fear, your enchanting Daisy is all about the love — her name evokes fields of wildflowers, literary heroines and May garlands. Daisy is a sweet Southern handle all on its own, and interestingly a nickname for Margaret — "marguerite" is the French name for the flower. F. Scott Fitzgerald's Daisy Buchanan in "The Great Gatsby" and Daisy Duck, a vintage Disney cartoon character, capture the eclectic range of appealing attributes a Daisy embodies.
Scarlett
Popularity in the US: No. 30
Meaning: Seller of red cloth
Your exquisite miniature heartbreaker will be as irresistible, and maybe as headstrong, as Miss Scarlett O'Hara, the belle of Tara, with this unapologetic antebellum appellation. Scarlett is a thoroughbred, a hellion and the princess of the plantation — her story will never be dull. The moniker is from the Persian "saghrilat" for a type of red cloth. Scarlett Johansson lends her star quality to the name, but Scarlett will always be the glorious creature of complexity and fantasy who wraps the whole world around her perfect little finger.
Amelia
Popularity in the US: No. 15
Meaning: Hardworking
Amelia was a popular royal moniker in England when the South was a land of agriculture barons loyal to the Crown. Two King Georges called their princess-daughters Amelia, and the sweetly melodic name was a favorite for pampered beauties of the Deep South. Amelia, which is German for "laborious," both clings to tradition and takes flight. The first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, Amelia Earhart, was a world-class dreamer and doer.
Violet
Popularity in the US: No. 67
Meaning: Purple flower
English-derived Violet's gone Hollywood, so she isn't a shy, retiring, delicate flower anymore. Flower names were a "thang" among Southern belles, and you would most certainly have called your girl "VIE-let," emphasis on the first syllable. Today's mini-Violets are the daughters of celebrities — Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck's Violet Anne seems to have started the trend. Catch this wave if you love the name and can handle the competition.
Lily
Popularity in the US: No. 27
Meaning: Flower symbol of purity
More big news from the hothouse, Lily is a gracious Latin given name that's never really lost traction. It's a reliable perennial, an ethereal, showy bloom. Actresses Lily Collins, Lily James and Lily Tomlin capture the fragility of the name but counter it with a healthy dose of steel magnolia. Johnny Depp doubled up on the garden names and christened his daughter Lily-Rose.
Harper
Popularity in the US: No. 11
Meaning: Person who plays or makes harps
English moniker Harper has become a unisex favorite, a short, distinctive handle that now has a flawless Southern pedigree. The "To Kill a Mockingbird" author Harper Lee, a descendant of Civil War Gen. Robert E. Lee, is a tough act to follow. She was born and still lives in Monroeville, Alabama, and her experiences in the Deep South are the setting for her classic novel. Harper Beckham, soccer-star-and-Spice-Girl offspring, is a celebrity baby undaunted by her distinguished namesake and her name's strong connection to Southern history.
Annabelle
Popularity in the US: No. 57
Meaning: Adorable
There's no confusion about who's the Southern belle when Annabelle is onstage. The name itself can be traced back to medieval Scotland — many of the early and pre-Civil War settlers in the South were from the British Isles. Edgar Allen Poe, who grew up in Virginia, immortalized Annabelle as a symbol of doomed romance when he wrote of the "beautiful Annabel Lee" in his well-known poem of the same name.
MORE: Gemstone Baby Names
Emma Kate
Popularity rank in the US: Emma – No. 1; Kate – No. 207
Meaning: Emma: universal, whole; Kate: pure, chaste
Southern folk logically believe that having two of a good thing is better than just one. You don't even need the hyphen to give your girl a double handle that nobody shortens to a syllable. Emma Kate is a prime example of two popular names merged for a distinctive signature. You should slide into this affectionate twofer, putting the honeyed emphasis on the long sound of the second name and saying "Emmakate"—all in one breath.
