300 Old & Classic English Girl Names & Meanings

The English language is a West Germanic language that is spoken by around 2 billion people worldwide. I have hand-picked 300 old and classic English girl names and their meanings.

List Of 300 Classic & Old English Girl Names And Their Meanings:

Beth

Beth is a shortened form of Elizabeth, a variation of the Hebrew Elisheva, which means ”My God is my oath.” Beth is also a short form for Bethan and Bethany.

Elowen

“Elm tree.”

Whitney

It comes from the words ”hwīt” and ”ēg,” meaning “by the white island.” Whitney is also used for boys. Mount Whitney in California is the tallest mountain in mainland America.

Arabella

Arabella (“prayerful”) Stuart died in the Tower of London.

Annabel

”Lovable.”

Adelaide

”Noble kind,” and the Australian city is after Queen Adelaide.

Agatha

Good.”

Penelope

From the Greek word ”penelops,” Penelope is symbolizing ”duck” or ”weaver.” It is linked with Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey.

Wilburg

From elements willa (”desire”) and burg (”fortress”).

Taylor

Taylor comes from the English language and most likely has Norman roots. It is derived from the Old French ”tailleur,” which means ”cutter.”

Vanessa

Vanessa was invented by Jonathan Swift.

Hero

Hero is the bride in Much Ado About Nothing.

Amy

”Beloved.”

English feminine names with dark meanings:

Name	Meaning	Pronunciation
Sycorax	sow and raven	SIK-uh-raks
Mallory	”unlucky”	MAL-uh-ree
Cruella	cruel	kroo-EL-uh
Bryony	a poisonous vine	BRY-uh-nee
Goneril	origin unclear	GON-er-il
Morticia	”of death.”	mor-TEE-shuh
Sable	black	SAY-bul
Wulfrun	wolf secret	WULF-roon
Wednesday	child full of woe	WENZ-day
Raven	black bird	RAY-vun
Lamia	child-eating demon	LAY-mee-uh
Nimue	root disputed	NIM-oo-ay
Winter	dark season	WIN-ter
Jezebel	wicked queen	JEZ-uh-bel
Tamora	date palm	TAM-uh-ruh

The list continues.

Ashleigh

“Ash tree meadow.” Australian former professional tennis player Ashleigh Barty won the 2022 Australian Open.

Sylvia

”Of the forest.”

Susannah

Lily.

Ursula

”Little bear.”

Zelda

Zelda is a diminutive of Griselda, “grey battle-maid”.

Wilhelmina

”Resolute protection.”

Viola

Violet. Save

Hermia

Hermia (”boundary marker”) is a runaway lover in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Presley

Presley is from the German surname Preslar. It also has its origins in preost (”priest”) and leah (forest clearing). Possible variants are: Pressly and Pressley. Elvis Presley is referred to as the “King of Rock and Roll”.

Selina

Moon.

Ruth

”Friend.”

English-French names for girls:

Name	Meaning	Pronunciation
Valentine	strong	VAL-en-tyne, vah-lahn-TEEN
Jade	green stone	JAYD, ZHAHD
Camille	”temple attendant”	kuh-MEEL, kah-MEE-yuh
Yvette	yew	ih-VET, ee-VET
Simone	she has heard	sih-MOHN, see-MON
Fleur	flower	FLUR, FLUHR
Chantal	root disputed	shan-TAHL, shahn-TAHL
Gabrielle	”God is my strength.”	gab-ree-EL, gah-bree-EL
Dominique	of the Lord	dom-ih-NEEK, doh-mee-NEEK
Nina	little girl	NEE-nuh, nee-NAH
Delphine	dolphin	del-FEEN, del-FEEN
Michelle	who is like God	mih-SHEL, mee-SHEL
Justine	”just”	jus-TEEN, zhoos-TEEN
Nicole	victory of the people	nih-KOHL, nee-KOL
Pauline	small	paw-LEEN, poh-LEEN

Scroll for more.

Sibyl

Prophetess.

Thelma

Thelma, popularized by Victorian writer Marie Corelli, is rooted in the Greek thelema, “purpose” or “will.”

Prunella

”Little plum.”

Priscilla

”Ancient.”

Rose

It has origins in the Latin word rosa.

Hadley

“Heather meadow” or “field of heather”. Hadleigh and Hadlee are different variations.

Petronella

From the Roman Petronius.

Pearl

Sea gem. Save

Primrose

”First rose.”

Prudence

It has Latin roots and is symbolizing ”good judgment.” Pru or Prue are popular diminutives. The Beatles wrote “Dear Prudence” about Mia Farrow’s sister.

Shirley

“Bright meadow”.

Perdita

Perdita is ”the lost one,” and used by Shakespeare for a princess in The Winter’s Tale.

Matilda

It is made of might and battle. Empress Matilda escaped the siege of Oxford via crossing the frozen river in a white cloak,

Ada

From adal, noble. Ada Lovelace published the first computer algorithm.

Godiva

”Gift of God.”

Rosemary

From ros marinus, ”dew of the sea.”

Hazel

A nut tree.

Unique twin girl names in English:

Name	Meaning	Pronunciation
Lyra & Vega	the lyre, the falling eagle	LY-ruh, VAY-guh
Wren & Lark	small songbird, dawn singer	REN, LARK
Darcy & Bennet	from Arcy, ”blessed”	DAR-see, BEN-it
Juniper & Sorrel	evergreen shrub, sour leaf	JOO-nih-per, SOR-ul
Marlowe & Bronte	what the lake left, thunder	MAR-loh, BRON-tee
Isla & Iona	Scottish islands	EYE-luh, eye-OH-nuh
Saffron & Tansy	golden spice, ”immortality.”	SAF-run, TAN-zee
Kit & Pip	pure, lover of horses	KIT, PIP
Indigo & Scarlett	deep blue, bright red	IN-dih-goh, SKAR-lit
Clover & Fern	lucky leaf, woodland green	KLOH-ver, FURN
Hollis & Hartley	holly trees, deer meadow	HOL-is, HART-lee
Autumn & Summer	harvest, the warm season	AW-tum, SUM-er
Bramble & Briar	blackberry bush, thorny rose	BRAM-bul, BRY-er
Robin & Starling	bright fame, speckled songbird	ROB-in, STAR-ling
Meadow & Heather	grassland, moorland flower	MED-oh, HETH-er

Even more below.

Agnes

”Pure.” Anne Brontë titled her first novel Agnes Grey.

Avery

A form of Alfred, which is from the Germanic words ælf (“elf”) and rǣd (“counsel”).

June

June is the month of Juno.

Julia

From the Roman Julius.

Louisa

”Famous warrior.”

Millicent

Millicent comes from the German Melisende, “strong in work.”

Kimberley

‘Clearing of Cyneburg.’ Some believed that the Korean Kim is related to Kimberley but this is not true. Variants that I like are Kimberli and Kimberlee.

Audrey

Audrey is a diminutive of Æðelþryð, ”noble strength.”

Edith

Wealth and war.

Gloriana

Edmund Spenser gave Gloriana to Elizabeth I in The Faerie Queene.

Rosamund

It combines horse and protection. Fair Rosamund was the mistress of Henry II.

Jemima

”Dove,” and a daughter of Job.

Imogen

Imogen comes from Innogen, which is from Gaelic inghean (”daughter”).

Brooke

Brooke has its origins in bróc, ”water.”

Harriet

“Home ruler.”

Cadence

“Rhythm.” Kadence is a popular spelling form.

Samantha

Samantha is a derivative of Semanthe. It is also possible to be a feminine form of the Hebrew Samuel, “God has heard.”

Faith

Trust.

Gladys

From the Welsh Gwladus.

Freda

”Peace.”

Hannah

Hannah has Hebrew roots, with a meaning that I love: ”grace” or “favour.” Spell it backwards and nothing changes.

Mary

It is from the Greek María and is one of the most known Christian names since Mary is the mother of Jesus. Mary is the English form of Maria, and is exceptionally popular in the Southern US.

Rachel

“Ewe.”

Alexandra

Alexandra, the feminine form of Alexander, “protector of man.” These two are common names in Greece and in other Romance languages.

Phillida

Phillida (“foliage”) is a shepherdess of Elizabethan poems.

Ella

”All.”

Eugenia

”Well-born.”

Alfreda

Alfreda has the exotic meaning of “elf counsel.”

Lydia

“Beautiful one.” Being the feminine form of Λυδός (Lhydus), Lydia is also a Biblical given name. Lydia was a real kingdom in what is now western Turkey.

Dora

”Gift.”

Clara

”Bright.”

Silence

Absence of sound.

Esme

”Esteemed.”

Willow

“Willow tree.” In 2020, it was ranked in the top 10 most popular girl names in Wales.

Elfleda

”Elf strength.”

Joan

In Catalan-Valencian, Joan “graced by Yah” is the masculine form of John.

Harper

Derived from the Middle English harper as well as from the Norman le Harpur, Harper is very popular in the US.

Blanche

”White.”

Catherine

Pure.”

Octavia

”Eighth.”

Magdalen

“Tower.” Mary Magdalene is thought to have been born in Magdala. She was the first person to see Jesus after his resurrection. Mary is mentioned 12 times in the four Gospels as well as in Gnostic Christian writings.

Fidelity

Faithfulness.

Eudora

”Good gift.”

Charlotte

”Free.”

Cyneburg

”Royal fortress.” It is composed of the elements cyn (”family”) and burh (fortified place).

Barbara

”Foreign.”

Celestria

Celestria is a form of Celeste, which comes from the Latin caelestis (heavenly).

Laura

“Bay laurel,” and comes from the Latin ”laurus.”

Verity

Verity is from Latin veritas. It is part of a group of names the Puritans pinned on their daughters, alongside Prudence and Temperance.

Lucy

”Of the light.”

Lucinda

Light.

Marina

”Of the sea.”

Meredith

”Great lord.”

Daisy

Daisy comes from æges ēage, ”day’s eye,” this is due to the way the flower opens at sunrise.

Martha

”Lady.”

Olive

Tree of peace.

Gwyneth

Welsh for happiness.

Honor

Honor.

Opal

A gem that flashes every color.

Josephine

”He will add.”

Helen

Torch.

Jessica

“Desired.”

Lettice

Laetitia, ”joy.”

Judith

”Woman of Judea.”

Doris

”Woman of the Dorians.”

Emily

”Rival.”

Belphoebe

Belphoebe means ”beautiful Phoebe,” a huntress of The Faerie Queene.

Ivy

“Climbing evergreen vine”.

Clemency

Clemency is mercy.

Tryphena

”Delicate.”

Diana

”Divine.”

Virginia

”Pure” or ”virgin.”

Ethel

Fom æþel, noble.

Dinah

”Judged.”

Cecily

”Blind.”

Evelyn

”Wished-for child.”

Christabel

“Beautiful Christian”.

Mabel

”Lovable,” from Amabel.

Euphemia

”Well spoken.”

Vera

”Faith.”

Lorna

Lorna was invented by R. D. Blackmore for his novel Lorna Doone.

Bertha

”bright.”

Una

Una (”unity”) is from The Faerie Queene, guarded by a lion.

Clementine

”Merciful,” and the miner’s daughter of the song ”Oh My Darling, Clementine.”

Flora

Roman goddess of flowers.

Hyacinth

Spring flower.

Wendy

”Friend.

Beatrice

”She who brings happiness,” and the woman who guides Dante through paradise.

Bridget

”Exalted.”

Portia

”Hog” and a lawyer who won a trial in The Merchant of Venice.

Mildred

Gentle and strength.

Alethea

”Truth.”

Osyth

Osyth is an Anglo-Saxon saint as well as an Essex village, St Osyth.

Stella

Star.

Frideswide

Frideswide is made of peace and strong, and the patron saint of Oxford.

Morwenna

Cornish, ”maiden.”

Violet

A small purple flower of spring.

Alice

”Noble kind,” and Lewis Carroll sent her to the rabbit hole.

Joy

Gladness.

Dorothy

”Gift of God,” and a girl from Kansas in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Eunice

”Good victory.”

Theresa

”Summer” or reaper.”

Werburgh

Werburgh (“protective fortress”) is the patron of Chester.

Cordelia

“Daughter of the sea”.

Aurelia

”Golden.”

Sabina

”A Sabine woman.”

Bathsheba

Bathsheba (“daughter of the oath”) is the farm owner who juggles three suitors in Thomas Hardy’s Far from the Madding Crowd.

Marigold

Orange flower of the Virgin.

Damaris

“Heifer”.

Rowena

Rowena (“famous joy”) is the Saxon character of Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe.

Evelina

”Life” or ”desired.”

Philippa

”Lover of horses.”

Grace

Grace is favor, a Puritan virtue name.

Venetia

Venice.

Muriel

”Sea bright.”

Evangeline

Evangeline is ”good news,” and Longfellow’s poem made it famous.

Sarah

”Princess.”

Eustacia

Eustacia (“abundant”) is a character in Thomas Hardy’s The Return of the Native.

Myrtle

Evergreen, sacred to Venus.

Florimel

Florimel is ”flower and honey,” from the Faerie Queene.

Florence

”Blooming.”

Romola

Romola (“from Rome”) is from George Eliot’s novel set in Renaissance Florence.

Keziah

Keziah is cassia, a daughter of Job.

Mirabel

”Wonderful.”

Titania

A fairy queen of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Minerva

Roman goddess of wisdom.

Lavinia

A Latin princess who married Aeneas.

Winifred

Winifred comes from the Welsh Gwenfrewi, ”blessed reconciliation.”

Lois

Lois (“more desirable”) Lane arrived with Superman.

Caroline

Caroline is the feminine variation of Charles, ”free man.”

Felicity

Good luck.

Hope

From hopian.

Edna

”Pleasure.”

Pamela

“all honey”.

Drusilla

Drusilla comes from the Roman Drusus.

Queenie

”Royal lady.”

Phoebe

”Bright.”

Gillian

From Juliana, ”youthful.”

Amelia

From amal, work.

Eglantine

Sweetbriar.

Rebecca

”To bind”.

Hilda

Battle.

Belinda

”Pretty one” or “beautiful”.

Gertrude

Gertrude is ”spear strength” and Hamlet’s mother.

Jocelyn

”Member of the Gauts tribe”.

Britomart

Britomart (“great British maiden”) is the woman knight of chastity in Spenser’s The Faerie Queene.

Iris

Rainbow.

Patience

”Enduring.”

Cassandra

“She who excels over men”.

Ottoline

From od, wealth.

Seraphina

”Fiery.”

Lucasta

Lucasta (“chaste light”) was invented by Richard Lovelace.

Joyce

From Brittany, Iodoc, ”lord.”

Delia

”A woman from Delos.”

Fenella

Fenella comes from the Irish Fionnuala, ”white shoulder.”

Georgiana

Georgiana is the feminine variation of George, “earthworker.”

Cressida

Cressida (”golden”) is the Trojan woman who betrayed Troilus.

Hawise

”Wide battle.”

Leah

”Weary.”

Edwina

”Wealthy friend.”

Olivia

”Peace” or “olive tree”.

Victoria

Victory, and a queen who reigned for 63 years.

Ophelia

Ophelia is ”help,” Hamlet’s drowned love.

Enid

Enid has roots in a Welsh word for life.

Dulcie

”Sweet.”

Jerusha

”Possession.”

Rohesia

Rohesia is Norman, ”famous kind.”

Juliet

“Downy-haired.”

Ida

”Work.”

Margaret

Pearl.

Hephzibah

”My delight is in her,” a Puritan favorite from Isaiah.

Desdemona

”Ill-starred,” Othello’s wife.

Ruby

Red gem.

Sophia

Wisdom.

Temperance

”Moderation,” and good for Puritans.

Tabitha

”Gazelle.”

Avice

“Refuge in battle.”

Celia

Heavenly.

Clarissa

”Bright,” and Samuel Richardson’s novel about her has more than one million words.

Idonea

Idonea means ”suitable,” and a Norman favorite.

Mehetabel

”God makes happy.”

Hermione

Hermione (”stone” or ”messenger”) is the queen who resurrects as a statue in The Winter’s Tale.

Mercy

”Kindness, Puritan.

Constance

”Steadfast.”

Isolde

Isolde (“she who is gazed upon) is the Irish princess of Tristan.

Blossom

The flower on a fruit tree.

Phyllis

”Leafy.”

Rosalind

“Pretty rose.”

Eleanor

Eleanor (“bright one”) of Aquitaine was queen of France and then of England.

Dowsabel

Dowsabel has origins in douce et belle, ”sweet and lovely.”

Frances

”Frenchwoman.”

Theodora

”Gift of God.”

Irene

Peace.

Miranda

Miranda is ”worthy of admiration,” used by Shakespeare for The Tempest.

Melinda

”Honey,” with -inda as a suffix

Thomasina

From Thomas, ”twin.”

Unity

Togetherness.

Petula

”To ask.”

Emma

”Whole”.

Charity

Charity is love, the greatest of virtues.

Anthea

”Flowery.”

Vivian

”Alive,” the Lady of the Lake.

Philomena

”Friend of strength.”

Esther

Star.

Gwendolyn

=”White ring.”

Jessamy

Jasmine.

Lilian

Lily.

Amoret

”Little love.”

Zillah

”Shade.”

Rhoda

Rose.

Nerissa

Nerissa (“daughter of the sea”) is Portia’s maid in The Merchant of Venice.

Wynflaed

Joy and beauty, an Anglo-Saxon noblewoman whose will survives.

Comfort

Another Puritan one.