When expecting parents sit down to brainstorm baby names, middle names aren’t a top priority. While last names connect us to family, and first names are central to our sense of self — and can even shape our futures — middle names can hide in plain sight for decades. But middle names for their girls can carry quite a bit weight — and have tons of potential.
Middle names for girls can be a way for parents to fit in a name they love too much to give up — or offer a space for compromise if parents can’t quite agree on the first name. Middle names, particularly for girls, also allow parents to be a little bolder with their name choices, and are a great way to add instant individuality to a newborn. While some baby middle names can carry forward some piece of family lore, other middle names are wild cards played for novelty, cute factor, beauty, or to put a unique spin an otherwise popular or traditional first name. Finding a good middle name for a baby girl is an opportunity for parents to say more about the newest addition to the family.
No matter how you approach it, any middle name you love is sure to do its mysterious but important work. Once your baby girl is here, you’ll love her middle name because it’s hers. Here are 77 beautiful middle names for girls to get you started, that can either stand alone or be combined into a unique, hyphenated first name.
- Ada (Nigerian origin, means first daughter)
- Alea
- Alexa
- Ama
- Amelia
- Amy
- Angelou
- Anne
- Aria
- Ava
- Bea
- Bee
- Beth
- Blair
- Blythe
- Bonnie
- Bree
- Capri
- Ceci
- Cecil
- Claire
- Cora
- Charlotte
- Doe
- Ellen
- Elodie
- Eloise
- Fay
- Fallon
- Fin
- Frances
- Grace
- Grey
- Halo
- Hailey
- Harper
- Haven
- Holly
- Hope
- Hunter
- Imani: means “faith” in Swahili
- Iris
- Isla
- Isabella
- Ivory
- Ivy
- Jade
- Jane
- Jazz
- Jo
- Joy
- June
- Kay
- Kennedy
- Kit
- Lane
- Lee
- Leah
- Leon
- Liberty
- Lily
- Luna
- Lynn
- Mae
- Maeve
- May
- Maya
- Mia
- Moon
- Nova
- Olive
- Paige
- Phoenix
- Posey
- Queen
- Quincy
- Rae
- Rain
- Reed
- Reeva
- Robin
- Ruby
- Sage
- Sadie
- Shea
- Soleil
- Solstice
- Sophia
- Skylar
- Star
- True
- Violet
- Zadie
- Zoe: means “life” in Greek
