125 Best Effortlessly Elegant Girl Names
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If you're searching for a name for your baby girl that has a certain panache to it, look no further.
Here are Kidadl's top 146 elegant girl names, because every newborn girl deserves distinction.
Whilst you're on the search for names for your baby girl, check out these chic vintage names for girls, and consider our advice on how to choose an elegant girl's name that will stand the test of time.
Royal & Aristocratic Names
When searching for sophisticated names, it would be deeply remiss not to consider the many elegant girl names that are more common in royal families. We summarise the best names for your little girl below.
1.Alice - Old German in origin, meaning 'noble'.
2.Charlotte - A diminutive of Charles, of French origin. Variations include Lottie and Carlotta.
3.Diana - The name of an English Princess, but also of the Roman goddess of the hunt, forests, and childbirth.
4.Elizabeth - The name of the current ruling monarch of the UK, but also of the country's first female queen. A beautiful girls' name that can also be spelled Elisabeth.
5.Margaret - A name derived from the Old Persian for 'pearl'.
6.Megan - Of Welsh origin, meaning 'pearl'. Meghan is an alternative spelling.
7.Victoria - The Latin word for 'victory', but also the goddess of victory in Roman mythology. A timeless baby name option.
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Classically Elegant Girl Names
There are a multitude of fancy names that you might hear on an everyday basis that nonetheless have an elegant charm and sophistication to them. Peruse our list of elegant baby names for your girl below.
8.Angela - Derived from the Greek word for angel, but originally Latin.
9.Arabella - Dating from the 12th century, meaning 'yielding to prayer'.
10.Aubrey - A unisex English name meaning noble ruler.
11.Aurelia - Originally Latin, meaning 'the golden one'.
12.Aurora - Of Latin origin, meaning 'dawn' after the Roman goddess of dawn.
13.Bronwyn - Meaning 'fair', with the alternative spelling of Bronwen.
14.Chloe - Meaning 'blooming', and can be spelled Khloe.
15.Dawn - An Old English word literally meaning the point of sunrise.
16.Edith - Another Old English word meaning 'blessed'.
17.Emma - Of Germanic etymology, meaning 'universal' or 'whole'.
18.Esme - An Old French name from the verb 'to esteem', but Esmerelda is also possible, which is Spanish originally.
19.Estelle - Of Latin origin, a medieval saint.
20.Evangeline - Meaning 'bringer of good news', an elegant baby name for your little girl.
21.Evelyn - A name that means 'wished-for child'.
22.Faye - A lovely monosyllabic name meaning 'loyal'.
23.Felicity - A Latin name originally, which means 'happiness'.
24.Fiona - Most likely Gaelic in origin, meaning 'white' or 'fair'.
25.Florence - Derived from the Latin for flourishing or blossoming.
26.Georgiana - An English name, with variants Georgina and Georgia.
27.Isla - A name taking influence from the Scottish island Islay.
28.Ivy - After the plant, but also originally an Old English name.
29.Mairi - The Scottish version of the English name Mary, meaning 'of the sea'.
30.Martha - Aramaic in origin, meaning 'mistress' or 'lady'.
31.Olive - An English name, from the olive tree.
32.Scarlett - After the colour, and therefore symbolising fire, passion, and courage.
33.Sylvia - From the Latin for 'forest'. A variation is Sylvie.
34.Valentina - Of Latin origin, meaning 'strength, health'.
Mythological Names
Steeped in lore and symbolism, these elegant girl names have deep roots in mythology (usually Ancient Greek or Roman), and are particularly unusual girl names from which to choose. Choose from our list below for the most elegant baby names for your little girl goddess.
35.Althea - Meaning 'wholesome', from the verb 'to heal'. An alternative spelling is Alethea.
36.Andromache - One of the women of Troy, Hector's wife, meaning 'fighter of men'.
37.Ariadne - The Cretan goddess of fertility.
38.Atalanta - A maiden with legendary status for her swiftness, the name means 'equal to men'.
39.Athena - Greek goddess of wisdom and knowledge, whose symbol was an owl.
40.Calliope - A muse, whose name means 'beautiful voiced'.
41.Cassandra - Another of Troy's mythical women, this name means 'leader of men'.
42.Cleopatra - An Ancient Egyptian queen, whose name means 'glory of the father'.
43.Criseyde - An unusual but nonetheless elegant name, from Chaucer's Troilus & Criseyde.
44.Daphne - Meaning 'laurel tree', after the figure Daphne's mythical encounter with the god Apollo.
45.Hecuba - Queen to King Priam of Troy, and mother to Paris and Hector, heroes of the myth.
46.Helen - She who set a thousand ships to sail and began the Trojan War after her abduction by Paris from her husband Menelaus.
47.Hera - Wife to Zeus, King of the Greek gods, and goddess of marriage.
48.Hippolyta - Queen of the Amazons, a legendary troupe of mythical fighting women.
49.Iris - Meaning 'rainbow' in Greek, and messenger of the gods. A colourful, charming baby name choice.
50.Juno - The Roman equivalent of Hera (above), and queen of the gods.
51.Larissa - A nymph in Greek mythology, also meaning 'joyful'.
52.Leda - Mythical mother of Helen of Troy, the name means 'happy'.
53.Minerva - The Roman goddess of wisdom. An inspiring name for any baby girl.
54.Penelope - The hero Odysseus' long-loyal wife, who waited over 10 years for his return to Troy.
Names From Shakespeare's Plays
The Bard had a particular knack for christening his characters with elegant names - particularly the women. Step in his footsteps and select a name with literary distinction for your baby girl.
55.Beatrice - A feisty character from Much Ado About Nothing, Beatrice is an ideal option for a fiery girl.
56.Celia - From the Latin Caelia, meaning 'heavenly'.
57.Cordelia - Of Welsh, French and Latin origin, possibly meaning 'heart of a lion' or 'jewel of the sea'.
58.Cressida - Shakespeare's spelling of Chaucer's character Criseyde, an elegant option for any baby girl.
59.Desdemona - Another elegant, ethereal name.
60.Emilia - One of The Bard's earthier characters, but a charming name.
61.Helena - An elegant name of Greek origin, meaning 'bright, shining light'.
62.Hermia - Another regal Greek name, meaning 'well born'.
63.Hermione - One of Shakespeare's most dignified heroines, and an elegant option.
64.Hero - From Much Ado About Nothing, a quirky baby girl name.
65.Imogen - Possibly first used by Shakespeare, from the Celtic meaning 'maiden'.
66.Jessica - A cheerful name with Biblical etymology.
67.Julia - A jewel-like name choice for any baby girl.
68.Juliet - A famous literary character, this elegant name also means 'youthful'
69.Katherine - From the Latin for 'pure, clear'. Katherina is an alternative.
70.Lavinia - Also Latin, meaning 'woman of Rome'.
71.Mariana - A nautical name choice for any baby girl, meaning 'of the sea'.
72.Miranda - Another name imagined by Shakespeare, meaning 'admirable, wonderful'.
73.Nerissa - Of Greek origin, meaning 'sea nymph'.
74.Octavia - Latin, meaning 'eighth', the feminine form of Octavius.
75.Ophelia - An elegant Greek name popularised in Shakespeare's Hamlet.
76.Portia - Latin origin, meaning 'an offering'.
77.Regan - A unisex, elegant option, meaning 'regal'.
78.Rosalind - An Old German name, and one of Shakespeare's sharpest heroines.
79.Tamara - A Biblical name meaning 'date', but also referencing the River Tamar in Devon.
80.Ursula - A 4th century elegant name meaning 'she-bear'.
81.Valeria - Meaning 'strong and brave', from the Latin.
82.Viola - An Italian name, meaning violet, and another of Shakespeare's more fiery women.
Global Names
Why stop at English baby names for your girl? Perhaps you'd find a French name fashionable, an Italian name discerning, or a Hebrew name a distinguished option? Read on for Kidadl's list of the more cosmopolitan baby name choices and elegant girl names.
Italian Names
83.Ariana - This Italian name means 'most holy', and also has Persian etymological roots.
84.Chiara - An Italian name meaning 'light, clear'.
85.Gianna - A name meaning 'the Lord is gracious, but also a diminutive of the Italian name Giovanna.
86.Gloria - From the Latin for 'immortal glory'.
87.Lucia - Of Latin origin, meaning 'light'.
88.Lucrezia - From the Latin, meaning 'wealth' or 'profit'.
89.Luna - After the Roman goddess of the moon.
90.Maria - Of Latin origin, this name means 'of the sea'.
Greek Names
91.Agatha - Derived from the Greek meaning 'good'.
92.Agnes - A name meaning 'pure' or 'holy'.
93.Alexandra - A strong name meaning 'protector' and 'defender'.
94.Anastasia - A Greek name meaning 'resurrection', but also with regal Russian inferences.
95.Cora - Meaning 'heart' or 'maiden', the nickname of the goddess Persephone.
96.Ianthe - Referencing a violet flower.
97.Ismena - This name means 'wise'; an alternative is Ismini.
98.Lydia - A name meaning 'beautiful' or 'noble one'.
99.Odessa - The feminine version of Odysseus, the great wanderer.
100.Pandora - Meaning 'gifted' in Greek.
101.Phoebe - The feminine version of Apollo's epithet Phoebus, meaning 'bright'.
102.Rhea - This name means 'flowing', after rivers.
103.Sophia - Dating back to the 4th century, this name means 'wisdom'.
104.Stephanie - From the Greek for 'crown'.
105.Thalia - Meaning 'to blossom' or 'to flourish'.
106.Theodora - This name for a baby girl means 'gift of god'.
107.Xanthe - An unusual, elegant name meaning 'golden'.
108.Xenia - Another quirky moniker meaning 'welcome' and 'hospitable'.
French Names
109.Diane - The French spelling of Diana.
110.Genevieve - An elegant name meaning 'tribe woman'.
111.Henrietta - Originally a French name, meaning 'keeper of the hearth'.
112.Margot - A French name meaning 'pearl'. Alternatives include Margo and Margaux.
113.Marguerite - The French version of Margaret, and undeniably elegant.
114.Sophie - Meaning wisdom, a popular and elegant French baby name choice.
Hebrew Names
115.Avigail - From the Hebrew meaning 'to rejoice'. Abigail is an alternative.
116.Danae - Meaning 'God is my judge'.
117.Delilah - This name means 'languishing' or 'delicate'.
118.Eleanor - Hebrew in origin, meaning 'God is my light'. Eleanora is a variation.
119.Eliana - A Hebrew name taken from 'el', meaning 'God', and 'ana', meaning 'answered'.
120.Eva - A variation on Eve, a Biblical name with Old Testament significance.
121.Hannah - A name meaning 'grace'.
122.Leah - A unisex moniker that means 'delicate' and 'meadow'.
123.Miriam - The Hebrew version of Mary. An elegant option in its own right.
124.Rebecca - Another name from the Bible, meaning 'beauty'.
125.Seraphina - Meaning 'ardent' and 'fiery'.
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Bachelor of Arts specializing in English
Alice CarlillBachelor of Arts specializing in English
With a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Cambridge, Alice is passionate about all things art, literature, and culture. She has written a short collection of poems and continues to edit scripts for theater, TV, and film. Alice grew up in London and now resides there, but her favorite places are by the sea or somewhere cozy with her five dogs. She also has two younger sisters who keep her on her toes.
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