by baby&familyGirl Names
Girl Names Starting with P
The letter P offers a wide range of girl names, from classic, traditional given names to short, modern forms. Many of these names have Latin or Greek roots. In everyday life, P is a crisp, easily understood consonant that lends a clear sound to the beginning of a name and rarely needs to be spelled out.
Well-Known and Rare Girl Names Starting with P
- Paloma: Derives from the Spanish word for "dove." The name is primarily common in the Spanish-speaking world.
- Pamela: Invented at the end of the 16th century as a literary name. The popular interpretation is based on the Greek words "pan" (all) and "meli" (honey), which is often translated as "all sweetness."
- Paris: Known as the name of the Trojan prince from Greek mythology. Its original meaning is unresolved. Independently, the given name can refer to the French capital; its name traces back to the Gallic tribe of the Parisii.
- Pascale: The French feminine form of Pascal. The Latin base word "paschalis" means "relating to Easter" or "pertaining to the feast of Easter."
- Paula: Traces back to the Roman name Paulus. The Latin word base means "small" or "humble."
- Paulina: A derivation of Paula that appears in many European languages in this spelling or as Pauline.
- Peggy: An English diminutive of Margaret. The Greek original form "margarites" is documented as "pearl."
- Penelope: Penelope is a Greek name, known as the name of Odysseus's wife. Its original meaning is not conclusively resolved. A connection to a term for a duck and an explanation related to weaving are debated. “The weaver” is not an established translation.
- Penny: Known as an English diminutive of Penelope. The name is also given as an independent first name in the English-speaking world.
- Peppa: An Italian diminutive of Giuseppa, the feminine form of Josef. The Hebrew root means "God will add."
- Perrine: A French feminine form of Peter. The Greek word base "petros" means "rock" or "stone."
- Petra: The direct feminine form of Peter, based on the Greek word for "rock" or "stone."
- Philine: Traces back to the Ancient Greek word "philein," meaning "to love." The name also appears in the spelling Feline.
- Philippa: Composed of the Greek words "philos" (friend) and "hippos" (horse) and means "friend of horses."
- Philomena: A name with Greek roots. It is widely translated as "friend of courage" or "beloved," but what is primarily established is its relation to the stem "philein" (to love).
- Phoebe: Traces back to the Greek word "phoibos," meaning "bright" or "pure."
- Phyllis: A name from Greek mythology. The Ancient Greek word base means "foliage" or "leaf."
- Pia: The feminine form of the Latin name Pius. The word base means "pious" or "dutiful."
- Pippa: A short form of Philippa. As with the full name, the Greek word base means "friend of horses."
- Polly: An English diminutive that can be linked to various longer names, often Mary (Maria). A single blanket meaning would be too imprecise.
- Prisca: A Roman name whose Latin word base "priscus" means "ancient" or "venerable."
- Priscilla: The diminutive form of Prisca, which likewise derives from the Latin word for "ancient" or "venerable."
- Priya: A given name from the Indian linguistic area. The Sanskrit root means "beloved."
Ph or P? Spelling Considerations
When it comes to girl names starting with P, there is an important nuance to keep in mind: the combination "Ph." Names of Greek origin such as Philine, Philippa, or Phoebe are traditionally written with Ph, but pronounced like an F. In everyday life, this often means that these names have to be spelled out, as many people intuitively write them with an F (Feline, Filippa). Discuss together whether the classic spelling with Ph is important to you or whether you prefer the phonetic variant with F. By contrast, with names like Paula, Pia, or Penelope, the spelling is very straightforward and rarely leads to questions.
How to Create Your Shortlist
If you are interested in a specific initial letter, it helps to see the names side by side. In the HeyName app, you can filter specifically for given names that begin with P. Each of you rates the names independently as "Favorite," "Maybe," or "Not a match." Names you both marked as a favorite will appear as your mutual matches. That way, you instantly see which P names you agree on and can discuss this shortlist together.
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