27 Meaningful Baby Girl Names

Meaning “brave bear” or “strong,” Bernadette is a deeply meaningful name for those who want their girls to live a life full of courage, grace, and strength. It’s also old-fashioned, so chances are you won’t meet a bunch of Bernadettes at the preschool parties. Plus, how cute is the nickname Bernie?

If you’re looking for a meaningful baby girl name that ties into Native American culture, try Tallulah on for size. The name Tallulah means “leaping water” in Choctaw, and it has such a sweet, earthy, and airy vibe to it.

Josephine is the full name of Jo March, the second-eldest sister in Little Women, and it symbolizes so much vigor and life. If you’re looking for a religious choice, Josephine is also the feminine version of Joseph and is a nice way to tie in Christianity if you’d like. But I will always think of Jo March, insisting she should’ve been a “great many things” in her life. Your girl can and will be, too.

For a name with Shakespearean resonance, try Cordelia. This name supposedly means “heart” and “daughter of the sea,” so it feels deeply romantic and lovely. Cordelia’s also still a pretty unique choice.

Mabel is an old-timey choice, but that’s one of the reasons it can be so meaningful. With deep Victorian roots, this one just feels like it’s made for anything. Plus, the baby girl name Mabel means “love,” and what could be more meaningful than that?

You might have a grandmother or other female relative deep in your tree named Dorothy, and that would make this name the perfect meaningful choice for your baby girl. But even if you don’t, Dorothy is so sweet with the meaning “God’s gift” and adorable nicknames like Dottie. There are tons of Dorothys in history that make it an inspired choice: civil rights leader Dr. Dorothy Height, early feature film director Dorothy Arzner, NASA pioneer Dorothy Vaughan, and more.

Growing up in the ‘90s means we have a whole roster of strong women to inspire us when we name our babies, and Matilda is definitely at the top of the list. Whether this character inspires enough nostalgia to make this baby name meaningful or it’s that the name Matilda means “mighty in battle,” let it be a top contender for your little one.

If you have Scandinavian roots, consider the baby girl name Astrid as a meaningful choice. Not only is it deeply traditional, having been used for centuries by Scandinavian families, but the name Astrid also means “beautiful God” or “divinely beautiful.”

Lilith has always felt beautifully spooky to me, and now I know why: The name Lilith is the feminine form of a word meaning “demon” or “spirit.” If you like the dark and macabre, Lilith — which also means “belonging to the night” — is a super meaningful baby girl name choice.

It doesn’t get much more traditional than Elizabeth, and this gorgeous name is probably found deep in your roots, one way or another. Elizabeth means “my God is abundance” or “my God is an oath,” but it also feels royal and strong thanks to Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Elizabeth II. You also have a ton of baby name options if you like the traditional moniker but want something that’s just for your baby, like Betty, Lizzie, Bets, Eliza, or Beth.

Meaning “bright, radiant,” and “pure,” Phoebe is just a delightful and meaningful name for your baby girl. From incredible women who share the name (like Phoebe Cates and Phoebe Waller-Bridge) to the fact that it’s the name of one of Saturn’s “most intriguing” moons, Phoebe just radiates cool vibes. Consider the nickname Bee as well.

Irene has some “old lady” vibes that I’m obsessed with. It sounds charming, it sounds regal, and it sounds just lovely. Irene also means “peace,” which is like a nice big sigh of contentment. (In Ancient Greek mythology, Irene was the name of the goddess of peace and prosperity!)

I adore the name Nala. If you’re getting The Lion King vibes, that’s because the name Nala is a traditional Swahili girl name that literally means “queen,” “lion,” and “successful.” Meaningful? For sure.

I’m not saying you should choose the name Winifred as a meaningful baby girl name because of its ties to Hocus Pocus, but I’m also not not saying that either. Any tie to nostalgia is meaningful, but Winifred also means “friend of peace” and has Welsh origins. Plus, the nicknames Winnie and Freddie are so adorable.

Meaning “high” or “noble,” Briana is an Irish name built for a strong princess or queen — obviously just like your little one. If you have Irish roots, this one is a great meaningful baby girl name, but any name with a meaning that strong is worth thinking about.

Another girl power icon from the ‘90s, Harriet the Spy taught us how to be curious, how to be a friend, and how to love ourselves. The name Harriet also has German origins and can mean “home ruler” (maybe perfect for the eldest daughter of a family).

Another beautiful choice with Swahili origins, Adia also means “queen” and is just so sweet and lovely. It also has a sort of melodic quality, perhaps due to its association with the 1997 Sarah McLachlan song of the same name.

If the name Rosa is conjuring the strength of Rosa Parks, then good — consider this a meaningful baby name choice. Rosa has Spanish origins and is tied to the rose flower, so it can symbolize everything from beauty and love to passion and strength.

Maybe you’ve got some Viking blood in you (or at least feel like you do) — Freya can honor that Old Norse heritage, and in such a beautiful way. In Norse mythology, Freya is the goddess of fertility, love, and beauty.

Olive has become a unique, but popular, choice over the last few years, and it definitely has almost a hippie vibe to it. But since olive branches are known for symbolizing peace, the name Olive does, too, and that’s a truly meaningful baby girl name.

“Strong, brave, and healthy” are things we all want in a baby girl, but also the meaning of the baby girl name Valeria. It just sounds strong, doesn’t it?

I know, it’s a delicious cocktail, but the baby name Paloma comes from the Latin word for “dove,” and it makes this name such a sweet, meaningful choice for your baby girl.

Another one that means “strength” or “strength from nobility,” Audrey is just lovely. It feels just traditional enough while still having a playful vibe for when your daughter is still just your little girl. This name conjures soft sophistication, too, thanks to iconic actress and humanitarian Audrey Hepburn.

Jemima has such a sweet, spunky vibe, and it’s another baby girl name that means “peace.” I love the nickname Jem, too.

From the Roman goddess of victory to Queen Victoria, the name Victoria holds a whole lot of power and royalty. The name is literally based on the Latin word for victory, so this is a meaningful choice for your strong, courageous girl.

Taraji is a gorgeous name with Swahili roots, and it means “hope and faith.” What more could you think of when you dream about your baby girl than hope and faith?

Anne is such a traditional name that I’m willing to bet most of us have an Anne somewhere in our family — whether it’s someone’s middle name or first name — and that definitely makes it meaningful. The name Anne means “grace” as well, which is so lovely.