51 Popular Girl Names in the United States

Are you expecting a baby girl? If you want an option with an American essence, discover these 51 popular girl names in the US.

Reviewed and approved by the pediatrician Marcela Alejandra Caffulli.

Written by Maria del Mar Garcia Martin

Last update: 16 May, 2023

The United States is one of the most influential countries in the world. No wonder, therefore, that many parents are captivated by the most chosen options from this part of the Americas. If you want to know what the best popular girl names in the United States are, check out the following article!

List of the best popular girl names in the United States

According to birth data from the website of the United States Social Security Administration, in 2020, the following 51 options were reflected as those that were most chosen by American parents. Take a look and see if you’re inspired!

Popular American names, from A to B

1. Abigail: its origin is biblical Hebrew. That is, it comes from the term ab (‘father’) in combination with gil (‘joy’). This would mean ‘the joy of the father’.
2. Addison: comes from Adam, the first man created by God. In this regard, it refers to the ‘child of Adam’.
3. Amelia: a girl’s name of Germanic origin meaning ‘work’.
4. Ana: in Hebrew, it refers to a girl who is ‘beneficent, compassionate, and full of grace’.
5. Aria: of Greek origin, its meaning is ‘very holy’.
6. Aurora: of Latin origin, it alludes to ‘dawn’.
7. Ava: comes from Hebrew and refers to ‘she who gives life’.
8. Avery: is the ‘chief of the elves’.

Popular girl names in the US, C through E

1. Camilla: comes from Latin and refers to ‘she who’s facing God’.
2. Charlotte: this is one of the most fashionable names nowadays. It comes from French and refers to a ‘warrior’ woman.
3. Chloe: its Greek origin brings a precious meaning, ‘green grass’.
4. Elena: also of Greek origin and alludes to the ‘torch’.
5. Eliana: comes from the Greek god Helios. Therefore, it means ‘sun’ or ‘dawn of the morning’.
6. Elizabeth: in Hebrew, it means ‘oath of God’. This name is sure to become even more popular now given the passing of the Queen of England.
7. Ella: this beautiful name comes from several Germanic names that carry the element alja, which means ‘other’.
8. Ellie: this is one of the variants of Helene. That is, it would have the same meaning as Elena.
9. Emilia: it comes from the Latin aemilius, which means ‘she who makes an effort’ or ‘she who is a hard worker’.
10. Emily: this is the English variant of the previous option. Undoubtedly, a beautiful name carried by great writers and artists.
11. Emma: this name comes from Germanic and alludes to a girl who is ‘universal’.
12. Evelyn: in Hebrew, it refers to ‘the one who gives breath’.
13. Everly: the origin of this name is English and its meaning is very peculiar. It refers to the one who comes ‘from the wild boar meadow’.
14. Estela: this name is of Latin origin and alludes to the ‘morning star’.
15. Estrella: along the same lines as the previous name, this girl name will make any parent who’s looking for an option fallen from the sky to fall in love with her.

Girl’s names, G through M

1. Gianna: alludes to ‘heavenly messenger’ or ‘angel’. It’s an Italian option that has achieved great popularity in America.
2. Grace: of Latin origin, it comes from gratia and alludes to one who’s ‘pleasant’.
3. Harper: probably comes from harp, but its origin is uncertain.
4. Ivy: alludes to the climbing plant that has yellow flowers and comes from Old English.
5. Isabella: it’s one of the variants of the name Isabel.
6. Isla: this popular girl name is of Scottish origin and refers to an island. In this regard, its meaning alludes to ‘the queen of the Hebrides’.
7. Kashmir: this is a beautiful name, as it refers to the Indo-Pakistani region of Kashmir.
8. Kinsley: in English, it alludes to ‘the end of spring’. Therefore, if your little one was born at this time of the year, it’s a perfect choice for her.
9. Layla: comes from Arabic and means ‘night beauty’.
10. Leah: comes from Hebrew and alludes to the girl who’s ‘melancholic’.
11. Leonor: originates from a medieval French proper name, Alienor. In this regard, it was introduced in England in the mid-12th century in honor of Eleanor of Aquitaine, a strong and powerful woman like the animal to which it refers–the lioness.
12. Lillian: is a derivative of Elisabeth that alludes to a little girl who is ‘pure as a lily’.
13. Lily: shares the same meaning as Lillian.
14. Lucy: comes from Latin and means ‘bright and shining’.
15. Luna: in reference to the satellite that revolves around the earth, this name alludes to the ‘brightness’ that the little girl who’s on her way will have.
16. Madison: comes from English and refers to the ‘good daughter’.
17. Mila: it is of Slavic origin. In this regard, it means ‘woman loved by the people’.

Popular girl names in the United States, from N to Z

1. Nora: on the one hand, it’s thought to be the Gaelic variant of Leonor. On the other hand, some specialists point out that it comes from the Arabic word Noria.
2. Olivia: this name comes from the Latin olivus, which means ‘olive’. The olive tree, in ancient times, was a symbol of peace. For this reason, the little girl with this name is referred to as ‘peaceful’ or ‘the one who protects peace’.
3. Penelope: this name comes from the Greek word penne, which means ‘she who weaves good cloth’ or ‘brown woman’.
4. Riley: this English and unisex option, which has become so trendy, refers to the ‘rye grass’.
5. Willow: this is one of the most natural names in this list because it refers to the tree itself.
6. Scarlet: it alludes to the color red. Thus, it symbolizes a girl who will have a lot of personality and strength.
7. Sophia: this name comes from Greek and is defined as ‘she who has wisdom’.
8. Victoria: comes from the Roman goddess Victoria and symbolizes the girl ‘who triumphs over evil’.
9. Violet: comes from the Latin viola and defines the little girl who is ‘modest’. Of course, it also alludes to the violet color of the flower itself.
10. Zoe: of Greek origin, it refers to the ‘woman who’s full of life’.
11. Zoey: is one of the most beautiful and favorite variants of Zoe for American parents. Don’t you think it’s wonderful?

The hidden beauty behind the most popular girl names in the United States

Each year, the U.S. Social Security Administration(SSA) list reveals the latest data on the names chosen by the most fashionable parents. For girls, Olivia triumphs as the most popular choice. It’s a name adorned with the precious color green.

Undoubtedly, more and more parents are opting for original and modern names for their little ones, but without leaving aside their roots. What about you? Have you been captivated by these options? Let us know in the comments!