20 Gorgeous Girl Names Inspired by Strong Women in History

An icon of the civil rights movement, Rosa Parks, had more courage in her little finger than most people do in their entire bodies. She stood up for herself during a time that literally could have gotten her killed. Sharing her name, which means “rose” in Spanish, would be an honor for anyone.

Ada is a sweet and simple name that has steadily been growing in popularity in the U.S. over the past several years, in part thanks to the book Ada Twist, Scientist, by Andrea Beaty, and the Netflix show based on the book. The Ada in the book is actually inspired by mathematician Ada Lovelace, who in the 1840s made history by inventing the first-ever computer program. That was after being abandoned by her father as an infant, and nearly so by her mother during her childhood. She also spent most of a year paralyzed after getting the measles, and had to walk on crutches the rest of her life.

Amelia has been a super-popular name for quite a long time. It’s one of the top 10 girl names in America, and still…it always makes us think of Amelia Earhart, who lost her life to make history. She was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean by herself, and she died in an attempt to circumnavigate the world. That kind of determination is so inspiring, and Amelia is a great name.

Ever heard of Clara Barton? She’s actually the nurse who founded the American Red Cross all the way back in 1881. And get this…she had no formal training and taught herself to be a nurse. She also happened to be one of the first women to work for the federal government and provided nursing services during the Civil War, during which she also helped connect more than 20,000 families with their missing soldiers. That is pretty incredible, and her name is pretty, too.

Simply put, author Zora Neale Hurston was bold. In a time when women and people of color were fighting for basic human rights, she was being confidently vocal about those struggles in her writing. Most prominently, she penned 1937’s Their Eyes Were Watching God. Zora means “dawn,” and we think Zora Neale Hurston likely lived with the a new day in mind.

British scientist Rosalind Franklin overcame numerous obstacles on her mission to determine the structure of DNA. She succeeded, but her competitors ended up getting all the recognition because she wanted more proof before building her model. She didn’t let that dissuade her, and she continued her scientific work up until practically the end of her life. Science-minded parents should definitely consider this name.

People around the world are familiar with writer Maya Angelou’s incredible body of work. It is known and it is beloved. Maya went from being a child who didn’t speak for nearly five years to one of the most celebrated writers in the world. She spoke truth into the stories of so many people and used her voice to advocate for good. She is a true inspiration, with a beautiful name and a phenomenal legacy. The name is in the top 100 in the U.S.

Eleanor Roosevelt is still considered one of the most active, opinionated, and vocal American first ladies of all time. She worked tirelessly in support of women and people of color, and even opposed her husband’s policies on a few occasions. She was unapologetically outspoken, just like we hope our girls will be. The name, which is derived from Greek, means “light, torch, bright,” and we think it’s quite fitting.

Tennis player Serena Williams is the picture of physical and mental strength. She’s worked hard her entire life to be the best at her sport, inspire other women, and break all sorts of barriers, and that’s something we want our daughters to admire and to strive for too. Serena means “calm, peaceful, tranquil,” and we love that.

You probably don’t know who Emmeline Pankhurst is, but you should. She was instrumental in helping women in England get the right to vote, and was actually named one of the most influential people of the 20th century by Time magazine. We absolutely love her name too. It has German and French origins and means “work.”

Some pretty amazing women in history actually share the name Florence, which means “blooming, flourishing, prospering.” From the iconic nurse Florence Nightingale to feminist activist Flo Kennedy to the history-making Olympic sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner, it’s clear that it’s a powerful choice for a name.

The name Tallulah is undeniably pretty and quite unique in the 21st century. It means “jumping water,” and it was the name of actress Tallulah Bankhead, who bucked her conservative upbringing and chased her dreams. She made her own rules, lived the way she wanted to, and shocked everyone with her talent along the way.

If you need one more reason to name your daughter Eva despite how popular the name is, we’ll remind you of Eva Perón, the former first lady of Argentina, who was an unexpected and outspoken advocate for the poor and women’s suffrage. Eva was a true force, just like we all want our daughters to be.

Filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron is a powerhouse. We just so happen to love her name as well. It has connections to the Arabic word for “light” and the English given name that means “honor,” and it’s one of the top 50 names in the U.S., thanks to its simple spelling and pronunciation and its adorable vintage feel.

Olympic gymnast Simone Biles is powerful and strong in every sense of the word. She broke all sorts of barriers when she skipped out on some events at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo in order to prioritize her mental and physical health, and set a brand-new precedent for the world’s top athletes. Her name comes from the Hebrew language and means “heard.” We definitely heard her loud and clear.

Every mom knows just how strong the character Elsa from the Disney film Frozen is, and she shares her beautiful and powerful name with the likes of fashion designer Elsa Schiaperelli. Elsa rose to notoriety with her nearly unmatched creativity and a willingness to think outside the box, designing fashions that allowed women to express themselves all the way back in the first half of the 20th century.

The name Nellie is super adorable and it’s not all that common, but we think it should definitely be more popular, especially for little girls. Just think of Nellie Bly. She was a dedicated and groundbreaking journalist who tackled topics way ahead of the time, like immigration and healthcare, going to great lengths to uncover the truth and setting the scene for what we now know as investigative journalism. Oh, and she also took a trip around the world in just 72 days, breaking the world record at the time.

The Egyptian queen, Cleopatra, was a boss, and we think the name Cleo is the perfect baby name to help invoke some of her strength, confidence, and drive. She was a fierce and brilliant politician who made a massive mark on world history.

We love the vintagey name Ida even more when we think about civil rights leader and journalist Ida B. Wells, who was one of the founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). She faced sexism, racism, and brutality to fight for the things she believed, and empowered disenfranchised communities long before the U.S. saw any real change for Black people.

The name Lola is pretty and pleasant-sounding, but it always makes us think of Puerto Rican nationalist Lolita LeBrón. While not all will agree with her tactics, she was the epitome of strength and conviction. Lolita dedicated her entire adult life to establishing freedom for her country. Many still look to her example as they seek solutions for Puerto Rico’s political and economic turmoil.