Trying to pick out a first name for your daughter is one thing, but trying to pair it with the perfect middle names for girls is a completely different story – especially one that flows with your last name, as well.
It’s a struggle every parent faces at some point during the pregnancy.
While there’s no right or wrong answer, it’s a decision that’ll (hopefully) stick with your daughter for the rest of her life – and one that’ll play a major role in her upbringing as she forms her own, unique identity.
RELATED: Why Do We Have Middle Names? Learn Truth Behind This Age-Old Practice
With that said, the possibilities are endless when trying to think of good middle names for girls. There’s even a new trend going around where traditional boy names are being used as middle names for girls.
At least that’s what Pamela Redmond, founder of Nameberry, told TODAY in 2022.
“The boys’ name James has become a popular middle name for girls and started a trend for traditional masculine names in the middle,” she said – adding that it can add gender fluidity to a daughter’s name.
“This might be a way to honor a male relative or hero in your daughter’s name without ‘feminizing’ it,” she said. For example, a girl name such as Olivia could be paired with a middle name like River or Zephyr.
Whether you go with a masculine or feminine name, here are some of our favorite middle names for girls.
One-Syllable Middle Names for Girls
We’re going to ease our way into this, so let’s start with some of our all-time favorite one-syllable middle names for girls – which are almost always paired with either a long first name, a long last name, or both.
For example, a two-syllable first name usually pairs well with a one-syllable middle name.
Of course, you can really pair a one-syllable middle name with any first name – just find one that means something to you, your significant other, or just one that sounds right. You’ll know it when you find it!
Here are a few examples to get your creative juices flowing!
10. Lou
Origin: French
Meaning: Famous Warrior
Famous People: Lou Doillon (French singer, actress, and model), Lou Andreas-Salome (Russian psychoanalyst and author), Lou Henry Hoover (wife of Herbert Hoover, former First Lady of the US)
9. Ruth
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Friend, Companion
Famous People: Ruth Bader Ginsburg (former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court), Ruth Wilson (English actress), Ruth Westheimer (German-American sex therapist), Ruth Gordon (American actress and screenwriter), Ruth Ellis (last woman to be hanged in the UK)
8. Jean
Origin: Hebrew, via Old French and English
Meaning: God Is Gracious
Famous People: Jean Harlow (American film actress), Jean Seberg (American actress), Jean Stapleton (Americna actress), Jean Simmons (English actress), Jean Acker (American silent film actress)
7. Lynn
Origin: English, Welsh
Meaning: Lake, Waterfall
Famous People: Lynn Redgrave (English actress), Loretta Lynn (American country music singer and songwriter), Lynn Collins (American actress), Lynn Swann (American football player), Lynn Whitfield (American actress)
6. Pearl
Origin: English
Meaning: Precious Gemstone
Famous People: Pearl S. Buck (American writer), Pearl Bailey (American actress and singer), Pearl Mackie (British actress), Pearl White (American silent film actress), Pearl Lowe (English singer and songwriter)
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5. Mae
Origin: English
Meaning: Month of May
Famous People: Mae West (American actress), Mae Jemison (American engineer, physician, and NASA astronaut), Mae Whitman (American actress), Mae Murray (American silent film actress), Mae Clarke (American actress)
4. Grace
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Grace, Elegance
Famous People: Grace Kelly (American actress), Grace Jones (Jamaican-American model, singer, and actress), Grace Hopper (American computer scientist), Grace Slick (American singer-songwriter), Grace Lee Whitney (American actress)
3. Wren
Origin: English
Meaning: Small Songbird
Famous People: Wren T. Brown (American actor and producer), Wren Blackberry (American author), Wren Jacobs (American actress), Wren DeSantis (fictional character in ‘Freakish’), Wren Stevens (character from ‘Even Stevens’)
2. Jane
Origin: Hebrew, via Old French and English
Meaning: God is Gracious
Famous People: Jane Austen (English novelist), Jane Goodall (British primatologist and anthropologist), Jane Fonda (American actress and political activist), Jane Seymour (British-American actress), Jane Curtin (American actress and comedian)
1. Rose
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Rose, Flower
Famous People: Rose McGowan (American actress), Rose Byrne (Australian actress), Rose Kennedy (Matriarch of the Kennedy family), Rose Marie (American actress and comedian), Rose Leslie (Scottish actress)
Two-Syllable Middle Names for Girls
Alright, now we’re moving on to two-syllable middle names for girls. I personally love these middle names because they can be paired with pretty much any name – no matter how many syllables that name has.
And it works in a variety of very unique ways.
For example, two-syllable middle names for girls can add a nice flow to first names that don’t have it – like a one-syllable name. Grace Marie, Jane Harper, Sue Ellen, Blake Willow, Maeve Summer – and more.
That said, two-syllable middle names for girls can also help maintain the tempo and rhythm most long first names have – like Isabella Marie, Elizabeth Clara, Gabriella Sophie, Victoria Alice, and Penelope Hazel.
Don’t worry, we’re going to detail 10 of our favorite two-syllable middle names for girls below!
10. Nova
Origin: Latin
Meaning: New, New Star
Famous People: Nova Pilbeam (British actress), Nova Peris (Australian athlete and politician), Nova Meierhenrich (German TV presenter), Nova Weetman (Australian author)
9. Thea
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Goddess, Goddess of Light
Famous People: Thea Bowman (African American Roman Catholic religious sister), Thea Gilmore (English singer-songwriter), Thea von Harbou (German screenwriter and novelist), Thea Trinidad (American wrestler), Thea White (American voice actress)
8. Isla
Origin: Scottish
Meaning: Island
Famous People: Isla Fisher (Australian actress), Isla Cameron (Scottish singer and actress), Isla Blair (British actress), Isla Bevan (British actress), Isla St Clair (Scottish singer, actress, and TV personality)
7. Willow
Origin: English
Meaning: Willow Tree
Famous People: Willow Smith (American singer, actress, and daughter of Will Smith), Willow Shields (American actress), Willow Bay (American TV journalist and model), Willow Hand (American fashion model), Willow Johnson (Canadian voice actress)
6. Harper
Origin: English
Meaning: Harp Player
Famous People: Harper Lee (American novelist), Harper Simon (American singer-songwriter), Harper Reed (American entrepreneur), Harper Grace (American singer), Harper Beckham (daughter of David and Victoria Beckham)
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5. Ellen
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Bright, Shining Light
Famous People: Ellen DeGeneres (American comedian, actress, and TV host), Ellen Pompeo (American actress), Ellen Page (Canadian actor, transitioned to Elliot Page), Ellen Burstyn (American actress), Ellen Barkin (American actress)
4. Lennon
Origin: Irish
Meaning: Lover, Dear One
Famous People: Lennon Stella (Canadian singer), Lennon Parham (American actress), Lennon Murphy (American singer-songwriter), Lennon Gallagher (British model), Lennon Thompson (fictional character from ‘Nashville’)
3. Louise
Origin: French, Germanic
Meaning: Renowned Warrior
Famous People: Louise Brooks (American actress and dancer), Louise Bourgeois (French-American artist), Louise Fletcher (American actress), Louise Redknapp (British singer), Louise Brown (first person to be born via IVF treatment)
2. Coco
Origin: Spanish, French
Meaning: Coconut, Cocoa Tree, Palm Tree
Famous People: Coco Chanel (French fashion designer), Coco Rocha (Canadian fashion model), Coco Jones (American singer and actress), Coco Gauff (American tennis player), Coco Martin (Filipino actor, director, and producer)
1. Summer
Origin: English
Meaning: Summer Season
Famous People: Summer Glau (American actress), Summer Sanders (American competitive swimmer), Summer Rae (American pro wrestler and model), Summer Phoenix (American actress, model, and designer), Summer Bishil (American actress)
Three-Syllable Middle Names for Girls
We started with one and moved on to two, so why not go for three? Just think about it – if both the first and last names are short, then a three-syllable middle name can add a pleasing complexity and balance.
It can also help maintain the rhythm of a longer first name or create a tempo for longer last names.
Some good examples of a three-syllable middle name in action include Rose Olivia, Quinn Amelia, Ivy Clementine, Ruby Juniper, Bella Sophia, Genevieve Savannah, Ophelia Delilah, and Margaret Caroline.
Don’t worry – we’ll detail 10 of our favorite three-syllable middle names for girls below!
10. Arya
Origin: Sanskrit, Persian
Meaning: Noble, Honorable
Famous People: Arya Stark (fictional character in ‘Game of Thrones’), Arya (Jamshad Cethirakath, Indian actor), Arya Pande (Indian-American model), Arya Saloka (Indonesian actor), Arya Drottning (character in the ‘Inheritance Cycle’ series)
9. Adelaide
Origin: Germanic
Meaning: Noble Kind, Noble Nature
Famous People: Adelaide Kane (Australian actress), Adelaide Clemens (Australian actress), Adelaide Anne Procter (English poet and philanthropist), Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen (former Queen consort of the UK), Adelaide Hall (American-born UK-based jazz entertainer)
8. Natalie
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Christmas Day (derived from the Latin phrase “natale domini,” meaning “birth of the Lord”)
Famous People: Natalie Portman (Israeli-American actress), Natalie Wood (American actress), Natalie Cole (American singer and songwriter), Natalie Dormer (English actress), Natalie Imbruglia (Australian singer-songwriter)
7. Margaret
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Pearl
Famous People: Margaret Thatcher (former Prime Minister of the UK), Margaret Atwood (Canadian poet and novelist), Margaret Mead (American cultural anthropologist), Margaret Cho (American stand-up comedian), Margaret Hamilton (American actress)
6. Catherine
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Pure
Famous People: Catherine the Great (Empress of Russia), Catherine Zeta-Jones (Welsh actress), Catherine Deneuve (French actress), Catherine Keener (American actress), Catherine O’Hara (Canadian-American actress)
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5. Indigo
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Indian Dye (referring to the deep blue color derived from the indigo plant)
Famous People: Indigo Girls (American folk rock music duo), Indigo White (American social media personality), Indigo de Souza (American singer and songwriter), Indigo Young (fictional character in ‘The Society’), Indigo Child (concept in the New Age movement that refers to children believed to possess special, unusual, or supernatural traits or abilities)
4. Avalon
Origin: Celtic
Meaning: Island of Apples (mythical island in Arthurian legend)
Famous People: Avalon Young (American singer-songwriter), Avalon Emerson (American DJ and music producer), Avalon Giuliano (fictional character in ‘Star Wars’), Avalon Robbins (American actress and model), Avalon Anders (American actress and model)
3. Kennedy
Origin: Irish, Scottish
Meaning: Chief With Helmet, Misshapen Head
Famous People: Kennedy McMann (American actress), Kennedy Summer (American model and actress), Kennedy Davenport (American drag performer), Kennedy Baker (American gymnast), Kennedy Meeks (American basketball player)
2. India
Origin: Greek, English
Meaning: derived from the name of the country, which itself comes from the River Indus
Famous People: India Arie (American singer-songwriter), India Eisley (American actress), India Oxenberg (American actress and producer), India Ennenga (American actress), India Hicks (British designer, author, and model)
1. Janetta
Origin: Hebrew, French
Meaning: God Is Gracious
Famous People: Janetta Johnson (American activist), Janetta Rebold Benton (American art historian), Janetta Stone (American author and historian), Janetta Douglas (Scottish actress), Janetta McStay (New Zealand pianist and music educator)
Double Middle Names for Girls
If you want to add a little spice to your daughter’s name, then you’re going to love what double-barreled middle names for girls have to offer – which are becoming more and more popular in the United States.
And no, we’re not talking about double barrel shotguns – unless you’re having a shotgun wedding.
A double-barreled name is a type of compound name that combines two separate names, typically joined by a hyphen. It’s used for both first and middle names and can apply to both given names and surnames.
If you and your significant other want different names, this could be a good way for both of you to win.
But while there are so many different double-bareled names for girls, here are 10 of our favorites!
10. Ava Kate
Ava: Life, Bird (Germanic and Latin)
Kate: Pure (Greek)
Famous People: Ava Gardner (American actress), Ava DuVernay (American filmmaker), Ava Phillippe (American model and actress), Kate Winslet (English actress), Kate Middleton (Duchess of Cambridge, wife of Prince William), Kate Hudson (American actress), Kate Beckinsale (English actress)
9. Alexa Rae
Alexa: Defender, Protector of Mankind (Greek)
Rae: Ewe, Grace (Hebrew and English)
Famous People: Alexa Chung (British writer), Alexa Ray Joel (daughter of Billy Joel), Alexa Davalos (American actress), Alexa Bliss (ring name for Alexis Kaufman), Rae Dawn Chong (Canadian-American actress), Issa Rae (American actress)
8. Anna Mae
Anna: Grace, Favor (Hebrew)
Mae: Month of May (English)
Famous People: Anna Mae Aquash (Mi’kmaq activist), Anna Mae Bullock (birth name of Tina Turner), Anna May Wong (first Chinese American film star in Hollywood), Anna Mae Dickinson (Titanic survivor), Anna Mae Wills (American actress)
7. Amy Lee
Amy: Beloved (Latin)
Lee: Meadow, Clearing (English)
Famous People: Amy Lee (American singer-songwriter), Amy Winehouse (British singer-songwriter), Amy Poehler (American actress and comedian), Amy Schumer (American comedian), Lee Meriwether (American actress), Lee Remick (American actress)
6. Leah Marie
Leah: Weary, Delicate (Hebrew)
Marie: Bitter, Beloved (Hebrew and French)
Famous People: Leah Marie Remini (American actress), Leah Michele (American actress), Leah Pipes (American stress), Leah Purcell (Australian actress), Marie Antoinette (former Queen of France), Marie Curie (Polish-French physicist and chemist)
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5. Jamie Lee
Jamie: Supplanter (Hebrew and English)
Lee: Meadow, Clearing (English)
Famous People: Jamie Lee Curtis (American actress), Jamie Lynn Spears (American actress and singer), Jamie Chung (American actress), Jamie King (American actress), Lee Meriwether (American actress), Lee Remick (American actress)
4. Emma Jane
Emma: Whole, Universal (Germanic)
Jane: God Is Gracious (Hebrew via Old French and English)
Famous People: Emma Watson (British actress), Emma Stone (American actress), Emma Roberts (American actress), Emma Bunton (British singer), Jane Austen (English novelist), Jane Goodall (British primatologist and anthropologist), Jane Fonda (American actress), Jane Seymour (British-American actress)
3. Ruby Jo
Ruby: Red Gemstone (Latin)
Jo: God Is Gracious (Hebrew, English)
Famous People: Ruby Dee (American actress), Ruby Rose (Australian model and actress), Ruby Bridges (American civil rights activist), Jo March (fictional character in ‘Little Women’), Jo Rowling (birth name of J.K. Rowling), Jo Frost (British TV personality), Jo Wood (British model, former wife of Ronnie Wood)
2. Sue Ellen
Sue: Lily (Hebrew, English)
Ellen: Bright, Shining Light (Greek)
Famous People: Sue Ellen Ewing (fictional character in ‘Dallas’), Sue Perkins (British comedian), Sue Grafton (American author), Sue Barker (British TV presenter), Sue Bird (American basketball player), Ellen DeGeneres (American comedian, actress, and TV host), Ellen Pompeo (American actress)
1. Scarlett Rose
Scarlett: Red, Scarlett (English)
Rose: Rose, Flower (Latin)
Famous People: Scarlett Rose (Indian reality TV star), Scarlett Johansson (American actress), Scarlett Pomers (American actress), Scarlett Byrne (English actress), Rose McGowan (American actress), Rose Kennedy (Matriarch of the Kennedy family), Rose DeWitt Bukater (fictional character in ‘Titanic’)
Which of These Middle Names for Girls Are Your Favorite?
Choosing a middle name for a daughter can be a challenging task for parents – and disagreements are common, especially for those who have specific preferences, styles, and ideas they want to stick with.
But that’s okay – that’s what the baby-naming process does to us!
What’s important is that you compromise when compromises are needed, and you come together when it matters most to ensure your daughter gets the perfect name – first and middle names for girls, included.
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With that said, we want to wish you all the best in your new journey as parents and, if the middle names for girls that we mentioned above weren’t fitting your style, feel free to check our blog for more ideas!
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