92 English Names for Girls With Meanings

By

Keshia Sophia Roelofs

Apr 20 2023

·

8 min read

hero image

England is a modern melting pot with a long and varied history.

With so much to choose from, English girl names and meanings can be as unique and special as your daughter.

Many English names for girls originated in classical languages like Greek or Latin, which adds another dimension to the meaning behind your baby’s moniker.

If you’re looking for a cute, romantic, or old-fashioned name for your new baby girl, there’s plenty of inspiration coming from jolly old England.

In this article: 📝

Why choose an English baby girl name?

Popular English girl names

Old English names for girls

Beautiful English names for girls

Cute English names for girls

Unique English names for girls

Why choose an English baby girl name?

Whether you or your partner were born in England, have English roots, or are just Anglophiles, England provides a wealth of stunning baby name ideas.

Perhaps you’re a fan of the royal family, took a memorable trip to London, or simply love the idea of a name steeped in tradition.

Whatever the case, English baby names are a sure-fire hit, and what’s more, they’re usually easy to pronounce and spell. Winner.

So what are some girl British names?

Here’s our pick of the best English names for girls. (PSA: there are lots!!)

If you’re wanting to follow the trends and choose a popular name for your baby girl, look no further.

The top baby names in the UK are often a year or two ahead of those from other English-speaking countries, so you know your little one will be leader of the pack from day one!

Although these names are common, their meanings might be very special to you, which will give these names a personal touch if you choose one.

So here are England’s top 10 baby girl names and their meanings from 2020:

  1. Olivia: Comes from the Latin for “olive tree”. Simple, beautiful. You can see why it’s #1!
  2. Amelia: This name actually has German roots, meaning “work” or “productivity”. A great choice if you want your little one to go far in life.
  3. Isla: Meaning “island” in Scottish, Isla is the English variant. We love the way it rolls off your tongue. Repeat after us: Isla, Isla, Isla… See?!
  4. Ava: A variation of the name Eve (which we also adore), there’s a couple of different meanings attributed to Ava. Perhaps it comes from the Latin “avis", meaning “bird", or the ancient Hebrew word, “Chava", meaning “life”. We think it’s a super sweet choice either way.
  5. Mia: A shortened version of Maria, this name has Latin origins meaning “wished-for child”. Beautiful.
  6. Isabella: Although Isabella doesn’t necessarily sound like an English name, it’s actually a variant of Isabel, which in itself is a derivative of the name Elizabeth. Meaning “devoted to God” in Hebrew, this is a royal name indeed.
  7. Sophia: Greek in origin, meaning “wisdom”, this is a proud name to bestow upon your precious newborn.
  8. Grace: Linked to beauty and joy in Greek mythology, Grace is an elegant name choice for your new little lady.
  9. Lily: Named after the flower, a symbol of purity in Christianity, Lily is also thought to be a shortened version of Elizabeth.
  10. Freya: Meaning “noblewoman” in Scandinavian, Freya is also the name of the Norse goddess of love and beauty. How fitting for your precious daughter.

Old English names for girls

If you want to take a trip through the history books, England has got you covered with plenty of inspiration from the royal family and classic literature as well as simple vintage-styled names from yesteryear.

We love these sweet names:

  1. Anne: Meaning “grace”.
  2. Agatha: Meaning “good” and “honorable” from the Greek word agathos.
  3. Audrey: Meaning “noble strength”.
  4. Alice: Meaning “noble” or “exalted”.
  5. Beatrice: Meaning “blessed one”.
  6. Betsy: Meaning “pledged to God”.
  7. Camila: Meaning “religious attendant” or “helper to the priest”.
  8. Catherine: Meaning “pure”.
  9. Charlotte: Meaning “free person”.
  10. Evelyn: Meaning “desired child” or “wished for”.
  11. Elizabeth: Meaning “God is my oath”.
  12. Eleanor: Meaning “shining light”.
  13. Elsie: Meaning “pledged to God”.
  14. Florence: Meaning “blooming” or “flourishing”.
  15. Heather: A distinctively English name meaning “evergreen, flowering plant”.
  16. Hazel: Another English nature name, this one meaning “the hazel tree”.
  17. Jacqueline: Meaning “supplanter”. Related to the Hebrew boy’s name Jacob.
  18. Jane: A girl’s name of huge literary merit in the British canon. Jane means “God is gracious”.
  19. Margaret: Meaning “pearl”.
  20. Samantha: First recorded in England in the 17th century, this enduring name means “God has heard”.
  21. Victoria: Meaning “victorious”, but of course!

Beautiful English names for girls

Wondering what is the most attractive name for a girl?

How about one of these beautiful English names?

With names like Ella meaning “beautiful fairy woman", how can you go wrong?!

  1. Ashley: A beautiful British [tree name] meaning “ash tree meadow”.
  2. Addison: This gender-neutral name means “of Adam”.
  3. Amber: Meaning “jewel”. As a Sanskrit name, Amber also means “sky”.
  4. Brooke: Meaning “small stream”.
  5. Chloe: Meaning “blooming”.
  6. Dawn: The OG dawn name.
  7. Ella: Meaning “beautiful woman”.
  8. Emily: Meaning “industrious” or “rival”.
  9. Georgia: Meaning “farmer” or “earth-worker”.
  10. Edith: Meaning “rich” or “happy”. We’ll take both!
  11. Holly: As in the “holly tree”.
  12. Ivy: Meaning “climbing, evergreen plant”.
  13. Kimberley: An Old English name meaning “from the wood of the royal fortress”.
  14. Pippa: Meaning “lover of horses”. A fitting English country name.
  15. Poppy: Meaning “red flower”. In England, the poppy has become an enduring symbol of remembrance.
  16. Rae: Meaning “ewe”. Related to the Hebrew name Rachel.
  17. Sadie: Meaning “princess”.
  18. Sophie: Meaning “wisdom”.
  19. Scarlett: Meaning “red”.

Cute English names for girls

If you want your baby’s name to reflect their cutest qualities, look no further. English baby girl names come in all shapes and sizes, but these are our pick of the absolute cutest:

  1. April: Meaning “to open”. A name filled with possibilities!
  2. Annie: Meaning “grace” or “favor”.
  3. Bethany: Meaning “house of figs”.
  4. Blossom: Meaning “to flourish” or “to bloom”
  5. Cressida: Meaning “gold”.
  6. Daisy: A dainty flower name.
  7. Eloise: Meaning “famous warrior”.
  8. Harriet: Meaning “home ruler”.
  9. Hope: A sweet virtue name inspiring ambition (and a little daydreaming).
  10. Imogen: Meaning “beloved child”.
  11. Josie: Meaning “Jehovah increases”.
  12. Lucy: Meaning “light”.
  13. Mabel: Meaning “lovable”.
  14. Millie: Meaning “gentle strength”.
  15. Martha: Meaning “lady”.
  16. Nancy: Meaning “grace”.
  17. Paige: Meaning “young helper”.
  18. Piper: Meaning “pipe player”.
  19. Rose: As in the bold, beloved flower.
  20. Summer: The highlight of the year and a time ripe for potential.
  21. Willow: Named for the graceful “willow tree”.

Unique English names for girls

Choosing an unusual English name for your daughter might inspire a lifetime of adventure and intrigue.

By having a less common name, your daughter might miss out on finding items in the shops with her own name on them, but she’ll be sure to know when someone’s calling her from across the park!

Inspiration for unique English names for girls might derive from English last names or be completely modern.

Lots are inspired by nature – be it plants, trees, or fruits.

We love them all but here are our favorites:

  1. Aspen
  2. Avery
  3. Addison
  4. Blakely
  5. Blythe
  6. Clover
  7. Clementine
  8. Evan
  9. Fern
  10. Hadley
  11. London
  12. Lilac
  13. Marigold
  14. Meadow
  15. Oakley
  16. Presley
  17. Parker
  18. Peyton
  19. Rayne
  20. Taylor
  21. Wren
    There’s no denying finding the perfect name for your little lady is no easy task.

It takes time to choose the perfect name, and you might even want to wait to see your baby before deciding.

Our top tip? Make a shortlist of your favorite names and take them to the hospital with you so you don’t forget in the heat of the moment!

Practice calling your new precious baby by the names and see which one fits best.

And remember, you can always call in the Peanut community for a vote.

Facebook logo
Threads logo
x logo
Copy link icon

Trending in the community

Pregnant with baby 2

Hi everyone! I gave birth via emergency c section 9 months ago as my baby boy was measuring big, he pooped inside so there was risk of him inhaling it and I wasn’t progressing past 3cm to have a natural birth and now I’m currently 20 weeks pregnant with my 2nd baby. I’m having a consultation on Tuesday to talk about birth options and to have any questions answered but I don’t know what to ask. I feel like it would be safer having a c section again but at the same time I don’t want a c section. Does anyone have any question ideas I could ask or any advice/stories of similar situations. Tia

Avatar

10

I have a feeling like I might get attacked from this but I’m going to say it anyways. incognito 🥸 GLP1s being mainstream for regular people who are NOT diabetic or morbidly obese is bad for so many reasons 💉💉💉

Side affects, long term dependency, supply shortages and costs, regaining the weight back as soon as you get off them.. all that ASIDE how do people not see just from a zoomed out perspective how crazy it is. I can’t imagine being someone facing food insecurity in an underdeveloped country and watching westerners give themselves daily jabs so they can lose weight while still eating a calorie surplus/ crappy foods. It’s giving hunger games when district 12 Katniss finds out at the party at the capital that people eat and then take a pill to make themselves sick so they can 🤮 and eat some more. These ads running ozempic everywhere are disgusting, and then getting amazing athletes like Serena Williams to push them talking bout “i’ve never been healthier” girl you were an OLYMPIC athlete wym??

Avatar

14

Planned c section

Has anyone had a planned c section and been home the same day?

Avatar

11

Getting pregnant after c section

When did you get pregnant again after a c section? Our plan was always to have 2 under 2 but that is now out the window because I had an emergency section. I know they say 18 months and we will be sticking to it (as much as I don’t want to) but I’m curious how quickly you got pregnant after your section?

Avatar

3

Movements

I’m 28 weeks tomorrow. Yesterday I had loads and loads of movements but today I have only felt small flutters and a couple of kicks throughout the day. I get so confused as some people say they don’t have a pattern but others say they do. We have a Doppler so used it this evening and could hear the heartbeat and then moving but does anyone else get quieter days of movement than others? I am seeing my midwife tomorrow so will check but just find myself getting anxious about it and don’t know when to get checked. I know they encourage it but last time as soon as I got to triage baby started moving loads!

Avatar

7

Clogged ducts, eye gunk

Little Theo has been having really gunky eyes, we’ve taken him to the doctor and the a and e and they’ve said it’s most likely a clogged duct, anyone else’s baby have this and was there anything to do about it? I feel horrible constantly wiping his eye xx

Avatar

5

Read more on Peanut

Want to find your village?

qr code

Scan to Join

Rated 4.4

star
star
star
star
star half

Trusted by 5M+ women

join peanut