200 Beautiful Middle Names for Girls, Since Middle Names Are the Most Fun to Choose
From the unique to the trendy, consider these as a perfect match for a favorite first name.
When my parents chose my first name, they went with something that, at the time, wasn't too popular, but wasn't too obscure. My first name was rising in popularity — it would hit its highest point about 15 years after I was born — but never cracked the top 100 most-popular girl names, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA), which keeps track of the popularity of baby names in the United States. When it came to my middle name, though, all bets were off. They went with Janine, a name that was totally out of fashion, peaked in the '60s and fell off the SSA list entirely after 1994. They definitely took a bigger risk with my middle name.
Many parents do. First names are a person's initial introduction to the world. Middle names have a lot more wiggle room. There, families can experiment with names on the cusp of becoming too trendy, or pick something that's too "out-there" for a first name. Middle names are also great places to honor family members or surnames. For families looking for inspiration, these unique, on-trend middle names for girls might just be a fit to go with that all-important first name.
Up-and-Coming Middle Names
Middle names are where parents can go a little wild and pick a trendy name without worrying about how common it might become. The SSA also keeps track of the most popular baby names, and also the names that have experienced the biggest leaps in popularity in the past year. The fastest-climbers are:
- Ailany/Aylani/Ailani/Elani
- Marjorie
- Scottie
- Analeia
- Elodie
- Romy
- Julietta
- Adhara
- Elowyn
- Yusra
- Rowyn
- Solana
- Soraya
- Honey
- Wrenlee/Wrenleigh
- Kailany
- Marlowe
- Icelynn
- Lettie
- Melany
- Seraphina
- Cattleya
- Keziah
- Jream
- Amelie
Trendy Middle Names
The SSA isn't the only entity keeping track of hot baby names. The baby-naming sites like Nameberry, BabyCenter and The Bump keep data on its of its users' choices and interest in names. These may give more insight into what names are popular right at this moment — or which names will be climbing the SSA charts soon. Some current faves of these users include:
- Anora
- Aria
- Aurelia
- Daphne
- Darcy
- Dove
- Esme
- Eliana
- Imogen
- Kai
- Kelsey
- Lux
- Maeve
- Marley
- Mavis
- Nevaeh
- Nova
- Phoebe
- Praise
- Robin
- Rowan
- Sabrina
- Tessa
- Unique
- Valerie
Short Middle Names for Girls
Short names are exceedingly popular, and they make sense as middle names, especially when they can act as a brief punctuation between two other names. For families looking for names with few letters and a big impact, choose one of these short names for girls:
- Ada
- Ana
- Amy
- Ava
- Eva
- Eve
- Gia
- Ida
- Ivy
- Kay
- Kit
- Lia
- Mia
- Noa
- Zoe
Long Middle Names
Then again, after so many years of short-name dominance, the pendulum may be swinging in the other direction. If brevity was never really a priority, these long names for girls really trip off the tongue:
- Avayah
- Brynleigh
- Charlotte
- Clementine
- Elizabeth
- Evangeline
- Florence
- Hadassah
- Isabella
- Juliana
- Penelope
- Rosalia
- Theodora
- Xiomara
- Valentina
Names That Honor Family
For families reluctant to have a "junior," or have the baby share her name with a relative, using a family name as a middle name is a great way to honor the past and still let a baby have their own, unique moniker as a first name. It's right on-trend, too: Vintage names like Eleanora, Rosalyn, Josephine, Louise, Margot and Barbara and are all increasing in popularity.
Or, try slotting in an old family last name (after all, surnames-as-first-names is a trend, as names like Ainsley, Eden, Ellis, Sloane, Kennedy, and Piper can attest). And if that doesn't work, try using a name with an origin that celebrates your family's heritage. Perhaps one of these has a connection to your family's history:
- Alessia
- Alma
- Astrid
- Dulce
- Estella
- Dagmar
- Giovanna
- Khalani
- Layla
- Maya
- Mei
- Saoirse
- Yara
Strong Goddess Middle Names
No matter the origin, names inspired by goddesses are on the rise. Families who want the middle name to exude strength can try one of these heavenly names:
- Aphrodite
- Ariadne
- Artemis
- Athena
- Aurora
- Ceres
- Cora
- Dalia
- Devi
- Flora
- Freya/Frejya
- Gaia
- Iris
- Jaya
- Juno
- Kali
- Luna
- Minerva
- Niamh
- Padma
- Persephone
- Seren
- Thora
- Uma
- Ziva
Popular Names for Girls
According to the SSA, these are the most often used baby names for girls that we haven't mentioned already:
- Olivia
- Emma
- Amelia
- Sophia/Sofia
- Evelyn
- Harper
- Camila
- Violet
- Scarlett
- Emily
- Hazel
- Lily
- Nora
- Chloe
- Ellie
- Mila
- Avery
- Abigail
- Ella
- Isla
- Madison
- Grace
- Lucy
- Willow
- Emilia
- Riley
- Naomi
- Victoria
- Stella
- Elena
- Hannah
- Delilah
- Leah
- Lainey
- Lillian
- Paisley
- Genesis
- Madelyn
- Leilani
- Addison
- Natalie
- Alice
- Ruby
- Claire
- Kinsley
- Everly
- Emery
- Adeline
- Audrey
- Autumn
- Jade
- Maria
- Caroline
- Brooklyn
- Quinn
- Aaliyah
- Vivian
- Liliana
- Gabriella
- Hailey
- Sarah
- Savannah
- Madeline
- Natalia
- Ariana
- Lydia
- Allison
- Aubrey
- Melody
- Ayla
Looking for more great baby names?
Check out these Good Housekeeping lists:
Disney Baby Names | Indian/Hindu Boy Names | Indian/Hindu Girl Names | Italian Baby Names | Japanese Baby Names | French Baby Names | Hispanic Boy Names | Hispanic Girl Names | Irish Boy Names | Irish Girl Names | Long Names for Boys | Long Names for Girls | Nature Baby Names | Short Names for Boys | Short Names for Girls | Gender-Neutral Names | Western/Cowboy Baby Names | 1920s Names | 1930s Names | 1940s Names | 1950s Names | 1960s Names | 1970s Names | 1980s Names
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
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