Etymology of Baby Girl Names

139 of the most common elements in baby girl names are compiled here. Examples of name elements are leah, which is often taken from a place name, el and yahweh from a religious context, ric and adal which represent desirable attributes, and lind and gwen which are attractive feminine descriptors. The literal meaning of an element gives rise to the etymology or meaning of the derivative name. Click on the relevant girl name for more information.

hild - "battle, fight"
Germanic origin - Arnhild, Berthild, Brunhilde, Burghild, Clotilde, Diethild, Eberhild, Gerhild, Griselda, Gunthilde, Hildburg, Hildebrand, Hildegard, Hildegunde, Hildrun, Hiltrud, Imelda, Irmhild, Kriemhild, Matilda, Oriel, Reinhild, Runhild, Swanhild, Thusnelda
Gothic origin - Alfonsina
Old English origin - Averil

adal - "noble, honorable"
Germanic origin - Ada, Adalia, Adalwolfa, Adela, Adelaide, Adelgunde, Adelheid, Adelinde, Adilen, Alarice, Alberta, Alda, Aldona, Alice, Alicia, Alison, Almut, Alrun, Alwine, Edelgard, Edelmira, Edeltraud, Heidi
Gothic origin - Alfonsina

gwen - "white, fair, blessed, holy"
Breton origin - Nolwenn
Celtic origin - Aeronwen, Winifred
Old English origin - Rowena
Old Welsh origin - Guinevere
Welsh origin - Branwen, Bronwen, Carwen, Ceridwen, Dilwen, Gwen, Gwendolen, Gweneira, Gwenfair, Gwenfrewi, Gwenfron, Gwenllian, Meirionwen, Tegwen

slav - "fame, glory, Slav"
Slavonic origin - Boguslawa, Borislava, Branislava, Bratislava, Dobroslava, Dragoslava, Jaroslava, Mecislava, Miloslava, Miroslava, Radoslawa, Rostislava, Slavica, Slavka, Stanislava, Veleslava, Venceslava, Vladislava, Zdeslava

yahweh - "name of God"
Hebrew origin - Adiya, Batyah, Bithiah, Eliana, Ilinca, Jacqueline, Jakoba, James, Jane, Jedidiah, Joaquina, Joelle, Jonatha, Joshua, Mattea, Matthew, Micaiah, Moriah, Tovia, Zaharina

el - "God, powerful"
Hebrew origin - Adiel, Ariela, Azriel, Bat-El, Daniela, Eliana, Elisha, Elizabeth, Elke, Gabriele, Ilinca, Joelle, Manuela, Michael, Michaela, Nathania, Raphaela, Samuela, Uriel

leah - "wood, clearing, meadow"
Old English origin - Ainsley, Arlie, Ashley, Bailey, Berkeley, Berkley, Beverly, Briley, Harley, Hayley, Kimberley, Lee, Presley, Riley, Shelley, Shirley, Whitley

ric - "rich, powerful, ruler"
Celtic origin - Kendra
Germanic origin - Alarice, Aubrey, Frederica, Henrietta, Riccarda, Richardine, Richelle, Richenda, Rigmor, Roderica, Rodina, Ulrike

lind - "weak, soft, gentle, friendly"
Germanic origin - Adelinde, Belinda, Burglinde, Dietlinde, Gerlinde, Herlinde, Linda, Linde, Merlind, Rosalind, Sieglinde

Chi - "God"
African-Igbo origin - Chi, Chidi, Chidinma, Chike, Chikere, Chimaijem, Chinagorom, Chinecherem, Chineze, Chioma, Chukwuebuka

meri - "great, famous"
Germanic origin - Edelmira, Merlind
Slavonic origin - Casimira, Dobromira, Dragomira, Lubomira, Mira, Miroslava, Radomíra, Vladimíra

ermen - "whole, immense, universal"
Germanic origin - Armina, Emma, Ermenburga, Ermintrude, Imelda, Irma, Irmhild, Irmingard
Gothic origin - Hermenegilda

hart - "brave, hardy"
Germanic origin - Bernadette, Gerharde, Leonarda, Medarda, Riccarda, Richardine, Richelle, Richenda, Tjarda

hruod - "fame"
Germanic origin - Roberta, Roderica, Rodina, Rosalind, Rosamund, Rose, Roswitha, Rotrud
Visigothic origin - Rosenda

berht - "bright, famous"
Germanic origin - Alberta, Belinda, Bertha, Berthild, Engelberta, Filiberta, Gilberta, Roberta

wine - "friend"
Germanic origin - Alwine, Livina, Ludwina, Wenke
Old English origin - Alvina, Edwina, Melvina, Rowena

wald - "to rule"
Germanic origin - Arnalda, Arnaude, Geraldine, Haralda, Osvalda, Walpurga, Waltraud
Old Norse origin - Ingvild

burg - "protection, fortress, castle"
Germanic origin - Burghild, Burglinde, Ermenburga, Gerburg, Hildburg, Notburga, Walpurga, Wigburg

mir - "peace"
Slavonic origin - Casimira, Dragomira, Lubomira, Mir, Mirna, Miroslava, Radomíra, Vladimíra

ead - "wealth, blessed"
Old English origin - Ebba, Eden, Edgarda, Edina, Edith, Edmonda, Eduarda, Edwina

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