Centuries ago, baby names were chosen based on factors like who the dad is or what they did for work, with a heavy focus on keeping names within the family. Now, though, baby names and the options are endless and as time goes on, people are getting more adventurous with the names they choose. Instead of only sticking to names that are popular for the year our baby is born, nearly anything can be used as inspiration – even the dictionary.
While that sound strange, word-inspired baby names have been around for a long time. What makes a name stand out as a great option tend to be the ones that have a short, sweet feel or something with a hippy or regal vibe.
When it comes to word-inspired baby girl names, there are endless options from colors like Navy to textures like velvet — it’s all about what emotions or feelings the word evokes. For parents who are still trying to narrow down their baby name options, here are 20 cute, strong, and standout word-based names for a little girl.
Lace
Lace is one of the more popular word-based baby names for girls. We’ve heard this name for decades and there are some options for parents who want to add a little something extra to it. Whether that be adding a “y” to the end of the name or changing the “e” to an “i” the meaning always comes back to the delicate fabric.
Page
Page or Paige, this name is ideal for parents who love books, reading, or want something cute and strong. Page would likely stand out more in spelling that Paige, which we’ve seen more often for baby names. The name, with the spelling Paige, was ranked 8746 United States in 2020 for baby name popularity.
Melody
Melody is taken right from the word which is tied to singing. The word is derived from the Greek word melōdia, which might be another fun twist to the name if parents are looking for an extra sparkle of unique. This name has been holding steady in popularity since the early 1950s.
Echo
For parents who want something earthy with a hipster vibe but not too common, Echo is a great choice. The name is rooted in the sound term and it’s short, sweet, and vowel-heavy which means it’s going to be memorable, too.
Rouge
Rouge is a French word that means “red.” For parents who love that bright and powerful color, Rouge is a great way to incorporate that into the baby girl’s name. Red, on its own, works, too, and we’ve heard that one used more for baby boys. Rouge has a sophisticated feel to it, which we love, too.
Memorie
Memorie or it can be spelled the in the typical way – Memory — hasn’t been widely used as a baby girl name but it has everything that would make one of these names a popular option. It gives off good vibes, has some various spelling options, and it’s memorable (see what we did there?)
Dawn
Dawn might be the most common word-inspired name on our list. The name has been around for a while, and while it’s been on the decline over the past decade, this is a baby girl name that probably won’t ever disappear.
Ember
Ember gives us fire vibes with bright yellows and oranges, and that makes us think about a fiery personality for a little one who is ready to take on the world. Ember is a baby name inspired by colors and it’s been rising in popularity for the past few decades.
Bunny
Bunny — even reading the word brings a smile to our face, so who wouldn’t want that for a baby name? We know it’s not traditional and really far from the popular baby name list, but it’s a sweet, memorable name that should be considered.
Emerald
Emerald green gives vibes of elegance and importance. Also, when we look at color theory, emerald means harmony and balance, which are beautiful qualities. The name isn’t super popular, which is another point for the short list category.
Navy
Navy, as a color, brings feelings of authority and power, and makes people feel at peace and relaxed. Those are amazing meanings behind a name for a little girl which will grow along with her, too. Navy isn’t popular for a name, but it’s the exact type of word that translates well into baby names.
Clarity
For parents who love names that hold a lot of meaning or ones that might impart some personality trait, Clarity , which means transparency or purity, is very fitting. It’s far from a traditional name and that might be exactly what sells the name to be added to the “maybe” section of the baby list.
Rebel
Rebel Wilson is the most famous person with this name and we’ve seen the popularity spike and drop in a pattern over the past few decades. In 1912, stats indicate there were 5 kids with the name in the US, but in 2018, 108 kids were given the name.
Breeze
Breeze isn’t a word we hear a lot as a baby name but that’s exactly why we love it so much. The name has that free-spirit feeling to it and yet just seems to be the perfect fit for a girl who has an easy-going attitude, too. The name was ranked #4,742 in popularity for the United States in 2020.
Knightly
There are a lot of strong names for girls but for parents who really want something that stands out and can fit the personality of a fighter, Knightly might be exactly the name they’re looking for. We know it as a last name for the actress Keira Knightly but it’s a unique first name option, too.
Tempest
Tempest is one of those names that sounds really cool and mystical, and it is. It has a sunny magical feel to it, and that works as a name for a little girl. But the actual definition of the name is a “violently windy storm,” so just be aware of that.
Haven
Haven the word means “a place of safety or refuge,” and words that have strong meanings like that will always work beautifully as a name for a little one. One of Jessica Alba’s daughters shares the name, but it's one that still hasn't been overly used.
Sage
Sage is an example of herb names that just really work as names for people. Sage, which works for any gender, gives the vibes of someone who is calm, sturdy, and wise. This word name might translate into a kiddo’s personality, and the herb has a lot of special healing qualities to it.
Serenity
Serenity has such a calming feel to it and that makes sense given that’s what the word means. The peaceful meaning of the word is what makes it the perfect option for a little girl name, and it’s not one that’s overly used either.
Velvet
Velvet is never a bad thing and while it’s not typically heard as a name, it’s got everything that makes a popular baby girl name. It’s unique, has loads of vowels, and a sweet meaning of a soft fabric. It’s one of the names that’s not as popular on this list.
