Favorites For The Pink And Frilly - Popular Baby Girl Names, Their Origins And Meanings
Picking a name for your precious little one is a delightful experience, but it can get overwhelming. Have you been wondering how other parents do it? Could it be how it sounds, of the sweetness, grace and intelligence it implies, or simply the name of someone you dearly love and admire? American families love the following baby girl names. Let’s see if we can figure out why!
#5. Olivia
Olivia is the Latin word related to “Olive Tree”, the universal symbol of peace.
In the Book
- Origin: Latin
- Popularity: #5 US, #4 UK, #1 Australia, #7 New Zealand (2005)
- Variations: Olive, Olli
- Olivia Newton-John, singer and actress starring in “Grease”.
- Olive Oyl, Popeye’s girlfriend.
Famous “Olivia”s:
#4. Abigail
Abigail means “the Father’s Joy”. So sweet! Not surprisingly, Abigail has been one of the favorite names since the 18th century. Its short form, Abby, has become quite popular in recent years.
- Origin: Hebrew. Abigail was the wife of Nabal the Carmelite in the Book of Samuel
- Popularity: #4 US, #19 UK (2005)
- Alternative spelling: Abagail, Abigale, Abbigail, Abigayle, Abigael, Abbegail
- Variations: Abby, Abbie, Abbey, Abi
- Abigail Van Curen, pen name used by the writers of the Dear Abby column, Pauline Phillips and her successor / daughter Jeanne Phillips.
- Abigail Adams, first lady of 2nd US President John Adams and mother of John Quincy Adams, the 6th President.
Famous “Abigail”s:
#3. Madison
Madison never made it to the top 100 until 1990s, and its sudden popularity is believed to come from the hit 80s film, “Splash”, in which the mermaid picks her name based on the “Madison Avenue” road sign. The original meaning of Madison is “Son of Matthew”.
- Origin: English, meaning Son of Matthew
- Popularity: #3 US, #37 UK (2005)
- Alternative spelling: Maddison, Madisyn, Maddisen, Madisen
- The pretty mermaid in Splash, of course!
Famous “Madison”:
#2. Emma
Emma was a popular name back in the 1900s (#21), but it dropped out of the top 50 in 1920s and did not even make it to top 100 in 1930s-1980s.
Why a sudden comeback? Probably the love of Jane Austin’s novels, which themselves have experienced a comeback thanks to two great movies: Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility.
- Origin: Old German, with roots in Latin, meaning “all embracing”
- Popularity: #2 US, #1 New Zealand, #10 Australia, #22 UK (2005)
- Variations: Imma, Emmi, Em, Emmie, Emmy, Emmy, Emme
- The main character in Jane Austen’s novel, Emma.
- Emma Thompson, a two-time Academy Award and BAFTA-winning English actress and screenwriter.
Famous “Emma”s:
#1. Emily
Emily has been #1 or #2 girl’s name in US and UK for the last 5 years, and is ranked 3 and 4 in Australia and New Zealand respectively in 2005. A truly popular name, just like “Mary” in the first half of the 20th century.
The name Emily actually comes from Old German meaning “ambitious”, “industrious” or “eager”. It may also be derived from a medieval form of the Latin name Aemilia, the feminine version of the old Roman family name Aemilius, similar to aemulus meaning “rival”.
- Popularity: #1 US, #2 UK, #3 Australia, #4 New Zealand (2005)
- Alternative spelling: Emilie, Emelie, Emely, Emilee
- Variations: Emelia, Emmeline, Em, Emilia, Emmalee, Emmaline, Emiline, Emelyn, Emyln, Emaline, Emmilyne
- Emily Bronte, the 19th-century English novelist and poet, best known for Wuthering Heights.
- Emily Dickinson, the 19th-century American poet who has been called the New England mystic.
- Emily Carr, one of Canada’s most well-known painters.
Famous “Emily”s:
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