Compound girl names are essentially two distinct names merged to form a unique and enhanced appellation. Traditionally, Anne and Mary have been the cornerstones of such names, giving rise to classic combinations like Annemarie and Maryann. However, it might be time for new parents to reimagine these conventional pairings and experiment with contemporary variations that evoke a sense of freshness, modernity, and excitement. According to Nameberry, a fantastic baby name database, a new wave of compound names has started to gain traction among parents today.
The latest additions to the list of most popular names for girls in the US include Aubriella and Novalee, both of which have secured their places in the top 1000. The findings also reveal some innovative names that contemporary parents are choosing for their newborn daughters. If you’re looking for a distinctive and attractive name for your little girl, a compound name could be the perfect fit for your family. Explore these captivating and adorable choices!
Discover the Hottest New Compound Baby Names for Girls Below!
Annelore
Annelore is a compound German name for girls that was popular in the country in the 1940s. Elsewhere, it sounds fresh and new. It is a variant of Hannalore (which is also excellent). The name is comprised of Anna and Eleanore. Thus, you can take this name to mean “grace” and “God is my light.”
Bellerose
Bellerose actually names a beautiful neighborhood in New York City, and it has two of the compound name roots parents are really looking for today. We have Belle and Rose together with the meaning of “beautiful rose.” Nameberry also suggests variants of this name, Bellarose, and Bellarosa. If you want a more established compound name that is similar, try Rosabel or Rosabella.
Belphoebe
Belphoebe is a literary compound name that came about hundreds of years ago. The appellation was created by Edmund Spenser in the 16th century for a character in his poem, The Faerie Queene. Despite being old, it’s heating up for the first time as a given name today. Of course, this name is a combination of Belle and Phoebe, giving this name its meaning of “beautiful, shining one.”
Daylily
Daylily is a mellow flower name that updates some older iterations like Waterlily, Tigerlily, and Callalily (although you should also consider these if you are fond). It’s one of the most straightforward compound girl names, leaving little to the imagination about its meaning.
Eleodora
How excellent does the compound name Eleodora sound? We’d venture to say it is really, really excellent! Eleanor and Theodora are such established names for girls that it is a wonder how magical the compound of the two sounds together. For this name, you have the meaning “gift of God.” Also, we must tell you that you have your pick for a nickname for Eleodora: Dora, Ellie, Elle, Leo, etc.
Evaluna
Classic meets trendy with the combination of Eva and Luna. Evaluna is similar to the pan-European name Evalina, but the Luna element does update that. For this name, you get the tremendous meaning of “life moon.” Not bad, right? A fun thing would be to flip the compound name so it is Luneva.
Graceland
Gracelyn has become a hugely popular compound girl name, and it’s more popular than most think because parents are spelling the name in several different ways. Inspired by Gracelyn, we thought music lovers would appreciate Graceland, which works thanks to established names like Ireland and Holland paving the way.
Idabel
Idabel has an adorable ring to it. Is it part Ida and part Belle or part Ida and part Mabel? You get to decide. The old-fashioned but fantastic Ida is a name of German origin that means “industrious.” Belle means “beautiful,” and Mabel means “lovable.” It’s just all-around goodness, no matter how you slice it. Compound name variants like Idabelle or Idabella are worth considering.
Lilivere
Lilivere takes the ending of the Welsh name Guinevere, which already feels magical, and combines it with the beautiful flower name Lili. Guinevere’s root means “white shadow,” so together, the name’s meaning could be “lily, white shadow.” That’s interesting, to say the least! We encourage you to try out that “-vere” ending with other names as well!
Marisol
Marisol is the charming Spanish compound name of your dreams. It combines Maria de la Soledad into a streamlined charmer. This name means “Mary of Solitude” and refers to the Virgin Mary—Our Lady of Solitude. Marisol is the most popular compound name in the US today! We can’t get enough of it.
Marylark
Despite what we said about the Mary compound names being old-school, you can still come up with fresh possibilities for this name. We like Marylark, which sounds like you describe a delightfully happy (merry) bird. Nature combinations work best with Mary today, like Maryfleur or Maryflora.
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Milou
Milou is a massive hit in the Netherlands today. Last year, it ranked as the 16th most popular name for baby girls there. This compound name is simply a combination of Marie plus Louise. It’s making its way stateside as Barron and Tessa Hilton recently chose it for their daughter. Also remarkable is the Danish form of the name Malou.
Olivet
A biblical place name, Olivet coincidentally is a compound name that combines Olivia and Violet. For those looking for nature names that can also be combined, Olivet could be the winning ticket. With the popularity of both Olivia and Violet today, Olivet could be your perfect alternative.
Pennylane
“Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes…” so goes the old Beatles standard “Penny Lane.” Why not combine the two and create a name that music lovers will enjoy? Penny Lane might be a street in Liverpool, England, but Pennylane sounds thrilling as a compound name for girls. This offbeat choice has been used sparingly in the US since 2008.
Posyanna
Inspired by the children’s book character, Pollyanna, we thought the combination of Posyanna could be an updated compound form. It’s a bit flowery, but at least it does not come with the baggage that Pollyanna does, as it is used as a word to describe people with an overly optimistic outlook on life. Posy is an English name that means “a bunch of flowers,” and Anna is the old standard here.
Rosemay
If you read Rosemary, give this quirky alternative a second look. Rosemay is an updated compound name that will likely be confused with Rosemary often. But, if that does not deter you, we find Rosemay to have plenty of virtues. It could be the perfect option for a May baby, or you could even use it as a unique middle name.
Stelmaria
Stelmaria is another literary choice that we pulled from His Dark Materials. The name Lyra has exploded in popularity recently, but Stelmaria remains overlooked. In the book, Stelmaria is the snow leopard of Lord Asriel. It’s a colorful choice that combines Stella and Maria. Stella will likely appeal to nature lovers as it means “of the forest.” We also think the reverse works as well as in Maristela.
Verily
Verily is the rare English word name that most parents are overlooking today. It indeed means “truly.” But this name can also be considered a compound of Vera and Emily or Vera and Lily. It works because it is similar to Verity or Cecily. Vera is a name of Russian origin that means “faith.” While Emily means “rival.”
Willadean
You might think we made the name Willadean up, but it was once a top-1000 name in the US in the 1920s. Its popularity at the time was driven primarily by baby namers in states in the Southeast. Then, the most popular spelling was Willodean, but Willadean sounds a touch more sophisticated.
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Zoelle
Finally, we come to the remarkable Zoelle. This compound name combines Zoe and Elle. Zoelle sounds like a zippy twist to the classic name Noelle while being its own standalone option. A variant that is also worth considering is Zoella, which is on the rise today.
This modern class of compound baby names for girls offers a fresh and exciting twist on traditional naming conventions. These appellations are not only unique, but they also carry a certain charm and elegance that sets them apart. Whether you’re expecting a new addition to your family or just love exploring the world of names, we hope this list has inspired you. Remember, when choosing a name, it’s all about finding one that resonates with you and captures the spirit you envision for your child. So, as you embark on the wonderful journey of parenthood, let these new kids on the block guide your way in choosing a name that’s as special as your little one will be.