From classics like "Charlotte" to trending names like "Luna," there are so many gorgeous girl names to consider. We totally get it; choosing the perfect name for your baby girl can be a little daunting. It can help you get a sense of your options by looking at some of the most popular names right now. All you need is a little inspiration!
Top 30 Baby Girls Names and Meanings for 2022
Every year, the Social Security Administration puts together a list of the top baby names based on applications for social security cards. This is pretty helpful information because it lets you see the most popular names and even track popularity over time. It's super handy if you want to see which names are everyone's favorites over the past year. One of these top girl names might be the ideal pick for your little one.
- Olivia - Peace (Latin)
- Emma - Universal (German)
- Charlotte - Free person (French)
- Amelia - Hard working (Roman)
- Sophia - Wise (Greek)
- Isabella - Devoted to God (Italian)
- Ava - Bird (Latin)
- Mia - Moon (Australian)
- Evelyn - Wished for (British)
- Luna - Moon (Latin)
- Harper - Harp player (British)
- Camila - Priest's helper (Portuguese)
- Sofia - Wise (Greek)
- Scarlett - Red (French)
- Elizabeth - God's promise (Hebrew)
- Eleanor - Shining light (Greek)
- Emily - Eager (Latin)
- Chloe - Blooming (Greek)
- Mila - Miraculous (Spanish)
- Violet - Purple (Latin)
- Penelope - Weaver (Greek)
- Gianna - God is gracious (Italian)
- Aria - Noble (Italian)
- Abigail - Joy of my father (Hebrew)
- Ella - Fairy maiden (German)
- Avery - Elf ruler (British)
- Hazel - Hazelnut tree (British)
- Nora - Honor (Latin)
- Layla - Night beauty (Hebrew and Arabic)
- Lily - Pure (Latin)
While trends change every year, some girl names spend a lot of time at the top of the list. The current top three (Olivia, Emma, and Charlotte) have all been in the top 10 since 2014.
Trending Top Girl Names
Some names are quickly increasing in popularity. The names might not be ranking high right this moment, but they are moving up the list faster than any others. When the SSA compared the top names for 2021 and 2022, these girl names were seeing the quickest popularity increase:
- Wrenlee - Up 708 spots to number 712, this popular name is an alternate spelling of Wrenley.
- Neriah - Now at number 993, Neriah increased 690 spots. It means "lamp of God."
- Arlet - Coming in at 741, Arlet moved up 485 places. It's a variation of Arlette.
- Georgina - Up 432 spots to number 878, Georgina means "worker of the earth."
- Amiri - Increasing by 423 spots to number 876, Amiri means "prince" and is also one of the trending boy names.
- Arleth - Arleth jumped 325 spots to number 634. It's a variation of Arlette.
- Amayah - Up 234 spots to number number 701, Amayah means "close to God."
- Winona - Currently at number 980, Winona went up 318 places. It means "first-born daughter."
- Love - Now at number 754, Love (which has an obvious and sweet meaning) increased in popularity by 265 points.
- Inaya - At number 966, Inaya went up 262 points. It means "protection and help."
- Isabela - An alternate spelling of Isabella, this girl's name jumped up 256 points to number 584.
- Jream - An unusual name, Jream went up 241 points to number 777. This may be an alternate and creative spelling of "dream."
- Cielo - Up 225 points, Cielo means "sky." It now ranks number 998.
- Adalee - This sweet name moved up 219 spaces to number 673. It means "God is my refuge."
- Sol - A lovely name that means "sun," Sol the 837th most popular girls name, but it went up 217 spots last year.
- Wrenley - Up 213 points to number 284, this is one of the hottest baby girl names this year. It means "small song bird."
- Zhuri - Up 212 points, Zhuri now ranks number 843. It means "beautiful and good."
- Scottie - This unique name now ranks at number 922. It went up 211 points and means "person from Scotland."
- Carla - A classic choice, Carla increased in popularity by 203 spots, now coming in at 923. It means
- Alora - Up 197 points to number 266, Alora means "free person."
- Arlette - Coming in at number 800, Arlette went up 192 points last year. It means "leader of the army."
- Yamileth - An unusual Y name, Yamileth means beautiful. It rose 191 spots to number 867.
- Zendaya - Another unique options, Zendaya means "to thank God." It went up 190 points to number 683.
- Aadhya - Ranking at number 981, this girls name, which means "first power," went up 187 points.
- Zoya - Up 185 points to number 787, this top girl name means "life."
Seeing a trend? There are three variations of Arleth/Arlet in these top 25 trending names. Wrenlee/Wrenley are also well represented here. You can bet that any version of these names will be a winner for your little girl.
BabyCenter's Most Popular Baby Names
BabyCenter conducts a survey of real parents and publishes their own list of the most popular names. Some are the same as the SSA list, but others are totally different. These are some of the most popular girl names on the BabyCenter list that aren't already listed by the SSA:
- Aurora - Dawn (Latin)
- Ellie - Light (Greek)
- Grace - Favor (Latin)
- Elena - Shining light (Greek)
- Nova - New (Latin)
- Maya - Magic (Sanskrit)
- Victoria - Victorious (Latin)
- Ivy - Vine (Latin)
- Willow - Willow tree (English)
- Athena - Goddess of wisdom (Latin)
- Isla - Island (Spanish)
- Zoey - Life (Greek)
- Delilah - Delicate (Hebrew)
- Gabriela - Heroine of God (Spanish and Italian)
- Emilia - Eager (Latin)
- Hannah - Grace (Hebrew)
- Madison - Child of Matthew (German)
- Aaliyah - Sublime (Arabic)
- Paisley - Place of worship (Scottish)
- Zoe - Variation on Zoey
- Eliana - God has answered (Hebrew)
- Kinsley - Meadow of the king (British)
- Lucy - Light (Latin)
- Savannah - Plain without trees (Spanish)
- Autumn - Harvest season (Latin)
- Iris - Rainbow (Greek)
- Serenity - Peace (English)
- Sophie - Wisdom (Greek)
- Addison - Child of Adam (Old English)
- Ayla - Oak tree (Hebrew)
Favorite Baby Girl Names From the Past 100 Years
Just like your favorite little black dress, certain names are classics that are just guaranteed to be beautiful. The SSA keeps a list of names that have been consistently popular over the past 100 years. If you want to avoid the trends and stick with something everyone has loved for the past century, you can't go wrong with these:
- Mary - Drop of the sea (Hebrew)
- Patricia - Noble (Latin)
- Jennifer - Fair (English)
- Linda - Pretty (Spanish)
- Barbara - Foreign (Greek)
- Susan - Lily of the valley (Hebrew)
- Jessica - Rich (Hebrew)
- Sarah - Princess (Hebrew)
- Karen - Pure (Danish)
- Lisa - Oath of God (English)
- Nancy - Favor (Hebrew)
- Betty - Oath of God (Hebrew)
- Sandra - Humanity's protector (Greek)
- Margaret - Pearl (Greek)
- Ashley - Meadow of ash trees (English)
Choose the Best Girl Name for Your Baby
Ultimately, choosing the best girl name for your new little one doesn't have to feel stressful or overwhelming. There are a lot of options, but some will stand out to you for their meaning and beauty. Pay attention to how you feel about the name and choose one you really love. Your little girl will love it too.
