These Baby Girl Names Have Been Forgotten and Shouldn’t Be

Having a baby is a momentous occasion, and there’s so much to do. One thing soon-to-be-parents focus on before delivery is the name they give to their newborn. There are many unique options out there, and most people consider the newer ones.

Throughout the decades, certain names stand apart from the crowd. Popularity might change with the times, but it’s cool to look back at some names that were considered the best to see the reflection of cultural moods during particular periods in history. Scroll through to see if your name is on the list, and check out some beautiful girl names!

Ava

Ava Gardner was a popular and famous star, so it’s clear why her name became the top choice for newborn baby girls in that time period. It’s the derivative of “Eva” and is related to “avis,” a Latin word meaning bird.

Joyce

Joyce is a name that comes from “joise,” a Middle English word that translates to “rejoice” in modern times. It technically originated with Saint Joyce, though he was a Breton prince and the son of the King of Brittany (Judicael).

Hattie

Hattie is an adorable girl’s name and is often short for Harriet or Henriette, English, and French, respectively. The name means “little” mistress of the home” or “little ruler of the home.” All forms originate from the name Henry, which ultimately means “powerful ruler of a home.”

Georgia

Georgia is the name of a European country and US state, but it’s the feminine form of George and originates from Georgios, a Greek name. It means “earth-worker” or “farmer” and was popular because of the Georgians and St. George.

Leona

Leona is a beautiful name and comes from “Leo,” which is the Latin word for lion. Many famous women have that name, including Leona Hutton, an American silent film star; Leona Lewis, a British Singer; and Leona Popovic, a Croatian ski racer.

Pamela

The name Pamela was once a very popular option, and most people claim it means “all sweetness” because of the Greek words meli (honey) and pan (all). It first appeared in The Countess of Pembroke’s Arcadia by Sir Philip Sidney.

Anita

Anita is an excellent name and comes from “Anna.” People argue about what it means, though most agree it’s “favor” or “grace.” Still, Anita is another form of Juanita. Plus, the Hindu version means “not guided” (Sanskrit.)

Roseanne

Roseanne actually means “gracious rose,” and it was quite popular in the 1900s. Though it slacked off, Roseanne Barr made it see a comeback because she was a comedian and actress. Her shows were highly successful.

Tabitha

Tabitha was a very popular name between 1718 and 1745. Then, it made a comeback in the 1970s and 1980s, reappearing for a while in 2009. It comes from the New Testament of the Bible and means gazelle in Aramaic.

Bonnie

Bonnie is Scottish and is often used for boys and girls. The word means pretty or attractive, though it means good in French. Most people know of this name because of My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean, a favorite Scottish folk song.

Dorothy

Dorothy is short for Dorothea, which is Greek and means “God’s gift.” Some people say it’s a derivative of “Theodora,” as well. It was highly popular in the United States from 1904 to 1940, and everyone wanted to name their babies Dorothy after The Wizard of Oz was released.

Louisa

Louisa is Latin and typically means “renowned warrior.” It had been outside the top 1,000 most popular names within the United States for a whopping 45 years. However, it reappeared on that list in 2014.

Marguerite

Marguerite is the French form of Margaret. This name comes from the Latin and Greek countries and means pearl. However, in French, it’s the derivative of the ox-eye flower.

Betty

Did you realize that Betty is a mixture of Bethany and Elizabeth? Some people also shorten Beatriz, which is the Spanish version. In English, it’s Beatrice, and it’s Beatrix in Latin. It’s quite interesting to find such things out!

Etta

Etta is actually an abbreviated Italian name, so those named Antonetta or Antonietta usually get called this. Plus, it’s the short version of Henrietta in English. However, it’s popular as a Swedish, Finnish, Danish, and Norwegian name!

Odessa

Odessa comes from the Greek term meaning “long journey.” Most people are familiar with the Greek epic poem called The Odyssey. It describes the trip back home to Odysseus after their Trojan War. Some say it comes from that.

Daisy

Most people think a daisy is just flower, but it is also an Old English name. It comes from “day’s eye.” Some people use it as a nickname for Margaret because the French version is also the ox-eye Daisy name.

Polly

Did you know that Polly is Latin and can mean “little” or “humble?” Many people wonder what it’s short for, and some say it emanated from “Molly,” which is derived from Mariah or Miryam. The Polly Pocket toys also made it an excellent choice!

Delphine

Delphine is a beautiful name and is derived from the French word “dolphin.” Some people also associate it with delphinium, the flower that looks like a bluebell. Delphi, the ancient Greek city, might also have a role here.

Gloria

Gloria comes from Gloriae, a Latin name. It means immortal glory, honor, praise, and game. In fact, the name was highly popular within the United States in the 1930s and 1940s, resurging in the 1960s and 1970s, too.

Shirley

Shirley is primarily English and comes from the Old English term for scire (shire). It means clear and bright. Though it was originally a name for a man, Charlotte Bronte changed that with her novel titled Shirley, officially switching it to a girl’s name.

Kitty

This gorgeous name is the short option for Katherine and is primarily an English version that means pure. However, many people now associate the term with a baby cat (kitten). Regardless, you might have a great-aunt named Kitty!

Hazel

Hazel is the name of a tree and a color. It comes from the Old English times and was popular in the 19th and 20th centuries in the English-speaking world. Then, the name was trendy again in 2016. Many parents like to name their daughters Hazel if their eyes are that shade.

Constance

Constance sounds like an old-time name and comes from the Latin term meaning “constant.” There are different variations based on where you are in the world. They include Constancia, Constanze, and Connie.

Opal

Opal is a pretty name that derives from the gemstone opal. This is October’s birthstone, so many people born in the 10th month of the year have it. It comes from the Sanskrit and means jewel. Primarily, it was popular in the late Victorian age.

Janet

Janet means “God’s gracious gift,” and it’s tracked back to the Biblical times. It actually comes from the name Jane, and that’s the female version of John, deriving from Yochanan, a Hebrew name.

Eleanora

This name comes from Alienor, a French name. Some believe it’s derived from Helen through the Greek myth of Troy. Helene or Helen means “moon” or “light.” Eleanor might be a derivative, too. Regardless, it’s beautiful!

Olivia

Olivia is a beautiful name that comes from the Latin word meaning “olive tree.” You may not realize that it’s the feminine version of “Oliver,” but it fits. Plus, it can be traced back to England in the 13th century!

Sophia

Sophia is a Greek name and means “wisdom.” This name became highly popular from St. Sophia, who was celebrated in the Greek Orthodox Church. European royalty in the Middle Ages also liked to use it for baby girls.

Charlotte

Charlotte is the feminine version of Charlot, which is a derivative of Charles. It is French and means “petite” or “free man.” In fact, this name goes back to the 14th century. You may also hear Charlie, Lottie, Lotte, and Carlota, which are all related.

Grace

Grace is Latin, but it comes directly from the “God’s Grace” concept. Overall, the term means generosity, charm, and goodness. Most people like it because it focuses on virtue and might even help with blessings and happiness in life.

Zoey

Zoey has Greek origins and means “life.” However, in the Jewish Greek tradition, it comes from Eve, another preferable name. Regardless, Christians seem to love it because there were two Saints named Zoey. You may have heard it because of Zoey Deschanel, a popular actress.

Aubrey

Aubrey is a French name with origins in Norman French. In fact, it means “the elf ruler.” The name was brought into England after the Norman conquest in 1066. Plus, it was the most popular US name for girls in 2014.

Brooklyn

The name Brooklyn has English origins and means “beautiful brook.” Originally, it came from English surnames that meant “one who lives near to a brook.” However, modern people associate it with the borough in New York.

Violet

The name Violet is beautiful and is Latin for purple, the color. Sometimes, people shorten it to Viola. However, it became popular because there’s a flower with the name, too. Everyone enjoys naming children after plants!

Madelyn

Madelyn has roots in French, Greek, and Hebrew nations and means “high tower” or “woman from Magdala.” It actually derives from Madeleine, a French name. There are different spelling variations, but they’re all beautiful.

Margery

Margery is often spelled Marjorie, and it derives from Margaret, meaning pearl. In fact, Marjorie is the variant here and was first found in medieval times. Some say it was first created from marjoram, an herb.

Adele

Adele is actually a derivative from Adel, a German name. It means “noble” or “nobility.” Now, everyone associates it with the amazing English singer. She’s got a beautiful voice and wears the name well. While there are minor spelling variations, most people stick with this one because it’s the most common.

Cleo

Cleo has Greek origins, and it can mean different things, including credit, rumor, praise, glory, and fame. It was created from Kelo, a verb that means to make famous and to celebrate. Many people think it’s beautiful, and we can’t agree more!

Esther

Esther means star and is a Persian name. It derives from the Old Testament because of the Story of Esther (Hadassah). She was the Jewish wife of the Persian King and risked her life to save people from annihilation.