They can be classic, timeless, and beautiful: British girl names exude elegance and grace while still possessing qualities of strength and determination. This makes them an ideal fit for your little princess, your tomboy, your future scientist, or the world's next leading lady. Got your attention? We have an impressive list of bold and beguiling British baby girl names for you to browse!
Unique British Girl Names
For parents who have an English background and hope to honor their heritage, but also want to choose a name as distinct as their little girl, we have a brilliant list of unique British girl names!
- Aderyn - Bird (Welsh)
- Araminta - Defender or protector of mankind (British)
- Bevan - Son of Evan or young warrior (Welsh)
- Briony - Climbing plant (Greek)
- Channing - Young wolf (English and Irish)
- Cressida - Gold or golden (Greek)
- Damaris - Calf or gentle (Greek)
- Elowen - Elm tree (Cornish)
- Fenella - White shoulder or fair-shouldered (Scottish)
- Genevieve - Woman of the family or tribe woman (French)
- Gwyneira - White snow (Welsh)
- Hannelore - God is gracious (German)
- Idony - Idyllic or peaceful (English)
- Jocelyn - Joyous or happy (French)
- Kendra - Wise ruler or knowledgeable leader (Old English)
- Linnet - Songbird (Welsh)
- Morven - Big gap or great space (Scottish)
- Nerys - Lady or noblewoman (Welsh)
- Orinthia - To agitate or excite (Greek)
- Persephone - Bringer of destruction or bringer of death (Greek)
- Quinlan - Graceful or well-shaped (Irish)
- Rhoswen - White rose (Welsh)
- Seraphina - Fiery or burning one (Hebrew)
- Tamsin - Twin (English)
- Ursula - Little bear or she-bear (Latin)
- Vespera - Evening star or evening (Latin)
- Wren - Small songbird (English)
- Xanthe - Yellow or golden (Greek)
- Yseult - Fair lady or beautiful (Celtic)
- Zephyrine - West wind or gentle breeze (Greek)
Popular British Baby Girl Names
Just like in the United States, England and Wales puts out a "Most Popular Baby Names" list. Unsurprisingly, you will notice that we share a few of the same names! These include Olivia, Amelia, and Ava. Here are a few more trending British girl names that could be perfect for your little lass!
- Alys - Noble (German)
- Amelia - Industrious or striving (Latin)
- Ava - Life (Hebrew and Latin)
- Charlotte - Free man or strong (French)
- Eira - Snow (Welsh)
- Ella - Fairy maiden (German)
- Emily - Rival (Latin)
- Erin - Ireland (Gaelic)
- Evie - Life or breath of life (Hebrew)
- Freya - Lady or noblewoman (Old Norse)
- Grace - Elegance and divine grace (Latin)
- Harper - Harpist or minstrel (British)
- Imogen - Maiden or innocent (Celtic)
- Isabella - Pledged to God (Spanish and Italian)
- Isla - Island (Spanish)
- Lucy - Light or illumination (Latin)
- Matilda - Mighty in battle or strength in combat (German)
- Mia - Mine or bitter (Italian and Hebrew)
- Millie - Strong in work or industrious (German)
- Olivia - Olive tree or peace (Latin)
- Phoebe - Bright or pure (Greek)
- Poppy - Red flower (Latin)
- Ruby - Red or ruddy (Latin)
- Seren - Star (Welsh)
- Sienna - Orange-red (Italian)
- Sophia - Wisdom (Greek)
- Zoe - Life (Greek)
The top British girl names in England and Wales for 2021 were Olivia, Amelia, Isla, and Ava, respectively.
Traditional British Baby Girl Names
Classic British baby girl names have managed to stand the test of time for a reason! They are strong, yet sweet titles that are unique, but not too quirky. They also often honor a family member or dear friend. If you are looking for a vintage moniker for your little lady, we have gathered some of the best British girl names of yesteryear!
- Agnes - Pure or chaste (Greek)
- Anna - Grace or favor (Hebrew)
- Beatrice - She who brings happiness or blessed (Latin and French)
- Blanche - White or fair (French)
- Catherine - Pure or clear (Greek)
- Chelsea - Chalk landing place (British)
- Clara - Bright and famous (Latin)
- Constance - Steadfastness or constancy (Latin)
- Doris - Gift or gift from the sea (Greek)
- Dorothy - Gift of God or God's gift (Greek)
- Edith - Expensive gift (Old English)
- Elinor - Light or torch (Greek)
- Enid - Spirit or life (Welsh)
- Evelyn - Desired or wished for child (British)
- Frances - Free (Latin)
- Georgiana - Farmer or earth-worker (English)
- Gertrude - Spear of strength (German)
- Henrietta - Ruler of the household (German)
- Louisa - Famous in battle or renowned warrior (German)
- Mabel - Loveable (Latin)
- Nancy - Grace (Hebrew)
- Ophelia - Help or aid (Greek)
- Prudence - Wisdom or caution (Latin)
- Rose - Rose or flower (Latin)
- Rosemary - Dew of the sea (Latin)
- Sybil - Prophetess or oracle (Greek)
- Theodora - Gift of God (Greek)
- Winifred - Blessed peace (Welsh)
- Yvonne - Yew wood or archer (French)
- Zara - Princess or flower (Arabic)
The national flower of England is the Tudor rose. It has served as a symbol of unity and peace in the country for hundreds of years. This makes the name Rose a meaningful nod to Old Blighty!
Pretty Nature-Themed British Girl Names
Speaking of flowers, Rose isn't the only popular flower name that can be found in Great Britain! Flower and nature names are very popular across the United Kingdom and they don't just name people after them, but also their streets and houses. If you are looking for pretty British girl names, plants and nature can be a great source of inspiration.
- Blossom - Flower-like (British)
- Brooke - Water or stream (English and German)
- Clover - Meadow flower (British)
- Daisy - The day's eye (British)
- Dawn - Daylight or daybreak (English)
- Fern - Fern (Old English)
- Ginger - Virginal or pure (Old English)
- Hazel - Hazel tree (British)
- Heather - Evergreen flowering plant (British)
- Holly - Holly tree (old English)
- Ivy - Vine (English and Latin)
- Lily - Pure (Latin)
- Maple - Maple tree (British)
- Marigold - Mary's gold (English)
- Meadow - Field of grass (English)
- Posey - A bunch of flowers (British)
- Primrose - First rose (British)
- Rosie - Rose (Latin)
- Rue - Herb or regret (English)
- Summer - The season of summer (English)
- Violet - Purple (Latin)
- Willow - Willow tree (Old English)
Cute, Yet Classic British Girl Names
If you are looking for a sweet, but more traditional title for your daughter, we also have an array of cute, but more customary British girl names to consider.
- Abigail - My father's joy (Hebrew)
- Alice - Noble or of noble birth (German)
- Arabella - Yielding to prayer (Latin)
- Bethan - God is my oath (Welsh)
- Bobbie - Stranger, foreign, or bright fame (English)
- Brittany - From Britian (Celtic)
- Cerys - To love (Welsh)
- Clarissa - Bright or famous (Latin)
- Colbie - Faithful (British)
- Darla - Darling (English)
- Dottie - Gift of God (Greek and English)
- Elsie - Pledged to God (Scottish)
- Faye - Fairy (English)
- Felicity - Happiness (Engligh and Latin)
- Iris - Rainbow (Greek)
- Lara - Cheerful (Greek)
- May - The fifth month (English)
- Mildred - Gentle strength (Old English)
- Sylvia - Woods or forest (Latin)
- Vivian - Lively (Latin)
- Whitney - White Island (Old English)
Mildred may not sound cute to everyone's ear, but you do have the option to shorten this vintage moniker to Millie! This is the name of English actress Millie Bobby Brown who is best known for her role in the Netflix original Stranger Things.
Beautiful Names Inspired by Famous British Women
Of course, we can't finish our British baby girl name list without recognizing the powerhouse players of this mother country! If you want a name that your daughter can truly live up to, then these names might do just the trick.
- Ada - Nobel or nobility (German). Ada Lovelace is the world's first computer programmer. The mathematician made significant contributions to the development of early computing machines.
- Adele - Nobility (German). Adele is the powerhouse British singer-songwriter who is famous for the song "Rolling in the Deep."
- Agatha - Good or virtuous (Greek). Agatha Christie is famous for her best-selling detective novels. She wrote 66 in her lifetime.
- Audrey - Noble strength (British). Audrey Hepburn was a famous British actress known for her roles in Breakfast at Tiffany's and My Fair Lady. She was also a dedicated humanitarian who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1992.
- Beatrix - Voyager, traveler, and she who brings happiness (English and Latin). Beatrix Potter is the author of the childhood classic, The Tales of Peter Rabbit.
- Diana - Divine or heavenly (Latin). Princess Diana, otherwise known as the Princess of Wales, was a beloved member of the British royal family who is best known for her charitable work as well as her tragic and untimely death.
- Elizabeth - Pledged to God or God is my oath (Hebrew). Queen Elizabeth II was the monarch of the United Kingdom from 1952 to 2022. Queen Elizabeth is the longest-reigning monarch in British history.
- Emmeline - Hardworking (German). Emmeline Pankhurst was a British political activist who helped fight for women’s right to vote in the UK.
- Florence - Blossoming or flourishing (Latin). Florence Nightingale was the founder of modern nursing. She was known as "The Lady with the Lamp" during the Crimean War.
- Helen - Shining light or bright one (Greek). Helen Mirren is the award-winning British actress best known for her roles in The Queen and Red.
- Hermione - Messenger or earthly (Greek). While Hermione Granger is a fictional character, she is the British heroine in the Harry Potter book and movie series.
- Jane - God is gracious (Hebrew). Jane Austen is the author of the famous works Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility.
- Joanne - God is gracious (Hebrew). While you may not recognize her first name, her initials are likely very familiar. Joanna is the first name of J.K. Rowling, the author of the immensely popular Harry Potter book and movie series.
- Julie - Youthful (French). Julie Andrews is an award-winning English actress best known for her iconic roles in Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music.
- Margaret - Pearl (Greek). Margaret Thatcher, known as the "Iron Lady," was the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, serving from 1979 to 1990.
- Marie - Star of the sea (French). Marie Stopes was a pioneer in women's reproductive rights. She opened the first family planning clinic in Britain.
- Mary - Bitter or beloved (Hebrew). Mary Shelley is the author of the Halloween classic, Frankenstein.
- Millicent - Strong in work (Old French or German) Millicent Garrett Fawcett was an English politician and writer. She is one of the founders of Newnham College in Cambridge. This was one of the first universities in England for women only.
- Rosalind - Gentle horse (German and Spanish). Rosalind Franklin was a British scientist who made a "crucial contribution to the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA."
- Victoria - Victory or conqueror (Latin) Queen Victoria reigned from 1837 to 1901 and was the second longest-reigning monarch in British history.
Florence and Willow both reappeared on the top ten most popular baby names list in 2021. This is the first time they have been this popular since 1996.
British Girl Names Are a Strong Choice for Your Daughter
Taking a quick glance at just the last section of this article, you can see that the United Kingdom has had not one, but two of the longest-reigning monarchs in the history of the world and they are the top two female monarchs on this list of long-standing leaders.
When you say their names, and the names of other women on the list above, most people already know who you are talking about. Talk about a legacy to live up to! Names have power behind them and any of these bold and beautiful British girl names can be a strong choice for your little lady.