by baby&familyGirl Names
35 Girl Names for 2026: Ideas, Origin, and Meaning
Are you looking for a first name for your daughter? Here you will find 35 ideas for your name search in 2026: short names, familiar classics, and international variants. This selection is editorially compiled and is not a ranking of the most common baby names.
Which Names Might Suit You
Many names in this selection have two syllables and end in -a. Alongside them are longer classics and short forms like Leni or Lotte. You can therefore also use the list to test the sound: Which endings do you like, and which names go well with your last name?
35 First Names and Their Origins
Emilia: Emilia traces back to the Roman family name of the Aemilii.
Mia: Mia is documented as a short form of Maria.
Sophia: Sophia originates from Greek; the underlying root word means wisdom.
Emma: Emma goes back to the Germanic element "ermena", which means "all-encompassing."
Hannah: Hannah is based on the Hebrew word "channah", which means grace.
Lina: Lina can be a short form of various names ending in -lina. Independent of this, there is the Arabic name associated with "gentle" or a term for a palm tree. The meaning depends on the respective history of the name.
Mila: In Slavic naming history, Mila is a short form of names containing the element milŭ, "dear" or "precious." In Nordic naming usage, there are other short forms, such as via Milla to Camilla or Emilia. The Slavic meaning does not automatically apply to these forms.
Ella: Ella can be a short form of names with El- or -ella, such as Eleanor or Ellen. In addition, there is a Germanic naming history with an element for "other." A single translation would conflate these distinct origins.
Klara: Klara goes back to the Latin word "clarus", which means bright or clear.
Leni: Leni is a short form of Helene or Magdalena. No single distinct etymological meaning arises from this; in particular, the original meaning of Helene remains unexplained.
Lea: Lea is a biblical name handed down in the Hebrew form Leʾa. An association with a Hebrew word for "weary" and a derivation from Akkadian are debated. The original meaning has not been conclusively established.
Amalia: Amalia is based on the Germanic word "amal", which means brave or industrious.
Marie: Marie is a form of Maria, including in French and German. The older meaning of the Mirjam/Maria family of names is unexplained. "The beloved" is one possible Egyptian interpretation and not a definitively proven meaning of the name.
Ida: Ida belongs to a Germanic family of names containing the element id. This is often associated with "work" or "deed." The older meaning of the word has not been conclusively determined; "the industrious one" remains an interpretation.
Frieda: Frieda originates from Old High German; the root word "fridu" means peace.
Mathilda: Mathilda is composed of the Old High German words "maht" (power) and "hiltja" (battle).
Greta: Greta is documented as a short form of Margarete. The underlying Greek word "margarites" means pearl.
Lotte: Lotte is a short form of Charlotte, the feminine form of Karl.
Nora: Nora is a short form. Because it can derive from Eleonore or Honora, the older etymological meaning cannot be tied to a single origin.
Luna: Luna is the Latin word for moon.
Nele: Nele is documented as a Low German short form of Cornelia.
Juna: The origin and original meaning of Juna are not clearly resolved. A connection to Junia or Juno is possible. For the claim that Juna means "the desired one" in Celtic, no reliable evidence is available here.
Maja: Maja is, on the one hand, a form of the mythological name Maia, and on the other hand, a short form of Maria. The older meaning of Maria is unexplained. The two naming histories do not yield a common translation.
Alina: Alina belongs, among others, to the name family of Aline and Adeline, which goes back to Adelheid. This derivation contains the Old High German element adal for "noble"; the explanation does not automatically apply to every linguistic use of the name.
Zoe: Zoe goes back to the Ancient Greek word for life.
Romy: Romy is documented as a short form of Rosemarie.
Lilly: Lilly is an established English pet form of Elisabeth.
Elisa: Elisa is a short form of Elisabeth. The underlying Hebrew root means "God is abundance."
Victoria: Victoria is the Latin word for victory.
Helena: Helena is a Greek name that is also preserved in the form Helene. "The shining one" is a common interpretation via the Greek word for "torch." The original meaning of the name has not been conclusively established.
Isabell: Isabell is documented as a Spanish form of Elisabeth.
Paula: Paula is the feminine form of Paul; the underlying Latin word "paulus" means small.
Stella: Stella is the Latin word for star.
Finja: Finja is probably explained as a feminine derivation of Finn. Finn has an Irish and an independent Nordic naming history. Which of these underlies Finja is not conclusively verified; "the Finnish woman" is therefore not a universally applicable translation.
Olivia: Olivia goes back to the Latin word "oliva" for olive tree.
Matching the First Name with the Last Name
Pay attention to how the first name harmonizes with your family name. A long last name often pairs well with a short first name of one or two syllables. With a short last name, a longer first name provides a pleasing balance. Also check the transitions between the names. If the first name ends with the same letter that the last name begins with, the words can easily blur together when spoken. Say the first and last name aloud together to identify stumbling blocks in pronunciation early on.
How to Find Your Favorites
To filter the right name from a long list, a systematic approach is best. In HeyName, you can independently rate names as Favorite, Maybe, or Not for us. Connect your devices via invite. Names that you both marked as favorites appear as shared matches. That way, you can see right away where your tastes align. You can then discuss this shortlist together and try out the first names directly in the app alongside your last name.