Girl Names Starting with E

The Names

• Eda: For the Turkish name Eda, the underlying word means “bearing,” “manner,” or “behavior.” Independently, Eda is documented as a medieval English short form of Edith. The two naming histories are to be separated.
• Edith: Traces back to Old English roots. The word elements "ead" and "gyth" mean "wealth/property" and "battle/strife."
• Eleonore: Eleonore belongs to the name family of the Occitan form Alienòr. The original meaning is unexplained. The narrative of “alia Aenor,” meaning “the other Aenor,” is an attempted explanation, not an established etymology.
• Elfriede: A name of Old English origin. It is composed of the words for "elf/nature spirit" and "strength/power."
• Eleni: The Modern Greek variant of Helena. It shares the documented meaning "torch" or "light."
• Elena: Elena is a form of the Greek name Helene or Helena. “The shining one” is a common interpretation derived from the Greek word for “torch.” The original meaning of the name is not definitively settled.
• Elif: A Turkish name of Arabic origin. It denotes the first letter of the Arabic alphabet and is often used figuratively to describe a slender, upright figure.
• Elisa: Is documented as a short form of Elisabeth and shares its Hebrew origin.
• Elisabeth: A name of Hebrew origin. The root word "elischeba" means "my God has sworn" or "God is abundance."
• Ella: Ella can be a short form of names with El- or -ella, such as Eleanor or Ellen. Alongside this, there is a Germanic naming history with an element for “other.” A single translation would conflate these distinct origins.
• Elsa: Like Elisa, Elsa is also a documented short form of the name Elisabeth.
• Elvira: The origin of this name is disputed. There are both Germanic (Gothic) and Arabic proposed derivations, which is why no clear meaning is established.
• Emilia: Traces back to the Roman family name of the Aemilii. The frequently cited translation "the eager one" is an interpretation derived from the Latin "aemulus."
• Emma: Traces back to the Germanic word element "ermin"; the underlying root means "universal/all-encompassing" or "great."
• Enna: A Frisian short form associated with various longer names (often with the element "Egin-"). A blanket meaning cannot therefore be determined.
• Enya: An Anglicized form of the Irish name Eithne. The Old Irish root word means "kernel" or "grain/seed."
• Erika: The feminine form of Erik. The Old Norse root word is composed of elements for "ever/always/alone" and "ruler."
• Esma: A name of Arabic origin. The underlying root means "names" or is translated as "the exalted one."
• Esther: The name is widely translated as "star" (from Old Persian); another interpretation links it to the Babylonian goddess Ishtar.
• Eva: Traces back to the Hebrew name Chawwah; the underlying root means "life" or "the living one."
• Evelyn: Evelyn arose from an English surname derived from the given name Aveline. The older Germanic word meaning of this name family is unexplained. “The desired one” is not an established translation.

Special Considerations for Pronunciation and Spelling of E Names

For girl names starting with E, pay attention to vowel length at the beginning of the name. A long E (as in Elena or Eva) sounds softer, while a short E (as in Emma or Ella) gives the name a slightly more dynamic sound.

In addition, many modern E names end in -a (Emilia, Ella). If you are looking for a more classical or traditional German sound, names ending in -e offer an alternative, such as Elise or Eleonore. Note that with international names like Eve or Elaine, the E at the end often remains silent in English or French, which can lead to pronunciation questions in everyday German life.

How to Narrow Down Your Favorites

The selection of girl names starting with E is vast. To find out which names you both like, you can use the HeyName app. Filter specifically by the initial letter E and rate the names independently of each other. Names you both mark as favorites appear as mutual matches. This allows you to immediately see which E names you agree on and discuss this shortlist together. At the same time, test directly how the first name sounds combined with your last name.

Editorial update: September 22, 2026

Back to this topic: Girl names