Do you imagine a life that is akin to a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale? One that entails venturing through a deep thicket of green to arrive at your hidden cottage in the woods? Whether you know it or not, a pocket of the internet has been idealizing rural life filled with baking fresh bread, foraging for wild delicacies, and constructing plenty of thatched roofs. The movement has been dubbed “cottagecore” and its followers are all about that cottage way of life.
Cottagecore baby names also celebrate the pastoral and sound as if they’ve been ripped from Pride & Prejudice or Little House on the Prairie. Cottagecore baby names for girls sound vintage, stately, and romantic all at once which makes them attractive for almost any expecting parents. Here are 25 cottagecore baby names for girls that are beaming with bucolic charm!
25. Nellie
Nellie is a cute nickname name that comes from Helen or Eleanor. Nellie was popular in the 1890s-1920s and ranks just outside the top 1000 in the US today. Nellie and her sister Nell make for the perfect cottagecore monikers that feel vintage and very cute! The name means “horn.”
24. Daisy
Daisy is an English flower name that comes from “day’s eye.” Daisy was originally a nickname for Margaret before being given as a name on its own. Daisy is such a charmer that she’s been in the top 1000 names for babies since record-keeping began in 1880. If you’re looking for an extra sweet one, this would be the pick!
23. Clover
Yes, we did just reference Inside Daisy Clover, a film starring Natalie Wood, with these two names. Clover is the more unique of the two as parents haven’t found it as charming. We actually prefer clover, but you’re the parent and you get to decide! Clover has Old English origins and was used as a flower name and name for a “key.”
22. Mabel
Sure, you can go with the name Amabel, but we love the casual coolness of its diminutive Mabel. Mabel is a name on the rise and would be the perfect cottagecore choice for a baby who is extra lovable as this sweet baby name means “lovable.”
21. Winifred
Winifred, unfortunately, fell from favor by the sixties. It’s a shame because this charming Welsh name has so much going for it. This vintage gem produces two exceedingly fun nicknames in Winnie and Freddie. Winifred means “blessed peacemaker” thanks to the Welsh saint with the same name.
20. Esther
Esther is a name for a girl who definitely lives in a little cottage. The name has Persian origins and was adopted by the Jews and can be found as the name of the captured Jewish wife of the King of Persia who risked her life to save her people from annihilation. Esther means “star.” This vintage classic is on the rise and is more popular today than it was in the seventies.
19. Sadie
Sadie has seen an even more dramatic rise in favor over the years after it fell completely out of the top 1000 in the early sixties. Sadie now bests Esther as its comeback is quite robust. We love Sadie, a Hebrew diminutive of Sarah which means “princess.” We love the playfulness of this cottagecore baby name.
18. Opal
Opal was once just as popular as other gem names like Ruby and Pearl and it’s only now beginning to receive more love from new parents. Opal has Sanskrit origins and means “gem.” You knew Opal would be one! Opal is the birthstone for October so if you’re expecting in that month, it would be an excellent option.
17. Rosemary
After the Middle Ages, the English names of Rose and Mary became interchanged with the name Rosmarinus and gave us the modern name, Rosemary, we use today. The Latin name gives us “dew of the sea.” Rosemary is also the name of an herb that you might grow in that cottage garden.
16. Jane
Jane is a girl’s name of English origin meaning “God is gracious.” Jane might seem too plain for you, but it’s one of America’s most beloved names. In fact, it was in the top 100 for much of the early twentieth century. We love the ease of Jane and how it plays so nicely with complicated surnames.
15. Maisie
Maisie is a name on the rise in the US after first debuting in the top 1000 in 2014. Maisie is the preferred Scottish form of the name Margaret which means “pearl.” In the UK, the kingdom of the cottages, Maisie is currently one of the most popular baby names for girls.
RELATED: 25 Scottish Baby Names for Girls, Traditional Names for Your Little Lassie
14. Eliza
Choose the name Eliza just so you can call her Eliza Doolittle, Audrey Hepburn’s beloved character in My Fair Lady. We should note that Julie Andrews originated the role for the stage. Back to baby names! Eliza is a Hebrew name that shares the same toot as Elizabeth. Thus, the name means “pledged to God.” This vintage classic is on the rise again so get ahead of the curve and pick it now!
13. Emmeline
Emmeline has only emerged as a possibility for new parents since 2014 when it debuted in the top 1000. The name is an archaic German form of Amal which also brings us such favorites as Emily and Amelia. Emmeline sounds a touch sweeter than those options but also means “work.”
12. Iris
For a cottagecore moniker you really can’t go wrong with flower names. Iris is one of our favorite names and we’re not alone as the name has been climbing the charts again since the 1990s. The name is more popular today than ever before! Iris refers to the flower but it also comes from the Greek word for “rainbow.”
11. Rose
Take a moment to stop and smell the roses with this slight detour into floral names. Rose is another option that sounds classic and refined. The name Rose comes from the flower and means exactly what you think it does. We have the blockbuster Titanic to thank for the surge in favor of this name that followed the film’s 1997 release.
10. Posey
You know you want a pocket full of them in your cute cottagecore sweater! Posey is san English name that means “a bunch of flowers.” The name has never appeared in top 1000 in the US, but in the UK more new parents have warmed to the name.
9. Louisa
We’re moving on from the field of flower candidates and onto more established names. If you’re a huge fan of Meryl Streep, you probably already know that the actor has a daughter named Louisa. Louisa has Latin origins and means “renowned warrior.” That is certainly not like the softer flower names!
8. Mae
The May spelling makes it more of a month name, while Mae makes it an antique nickname name. Mae is a shortened form of Mary or Margaret and we think it stands very firmly on its own. Thus, Mae takes meaning from those monikers “bitter” or “pearl.” The name is on the rise but is nowhere near its height of popularity at the turn of the twentieth century.
7. Birdie
Why did we stop using this name? Birdie is a remarkable choice and a nod to nature and wildlife. The name has not appeared on the top 1000 since 1948! America said, “Bye-bye, Birdie!” Thanks to actor Busy Philips, who chose the name for her oldest daughter, the name is trending again! We hope to see it on the charts again soon.
6. Cora
Cora is one of the very best! This gorgeously simple Greek name means “maiden” and is a diminutive of Persephone (Kore), who was the goddess of fertility and the underworld. Cora was not as popular in the 1970s and 80s but it’s making a comeback! Cora is also an exceptional nickname for Cordelia and Caroline if you want to take that route.
5. Ada
Ada is a name found in a number of naming traditions, but it’s most commonly considered German in origin and meaning “noble.” If you’re looking for an alternative to Ava, Ada would be a great option as it’s not quite as ubiquitous.
4. Pearl
Sadly, Pearl is nowhere near the height of popularity it once enjoyed from the 1880s through the 1920s. However, parents are polishing the name off once more! Pearl has Latin origins and means exactly what you think it does! In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Pearl is the illegitimate daughter of Hester Prynne, who gives her the name because she is “her mother’s only treasure.”
3. Willa
Willa spent forty years off the top 1000 list but made a triumphant return in 2010. It’s only increased in favor since then. Willa is the female form of William, and thus, means “resolute protector.” You could always go with Willow as a cottagecore name but we like Willa for its variety and storied history.
2. Sylvia
Sylvia is probably one of the very best cottagecore names because it means “from the forest.” The name has Latin origins and is currently on the decline! For fans of cozy homes and the tragic brilliance of Sylvia Plath’s poetry, you could not find a better name!
RELATED: 25 Cute Cottagecore Baby Names for Boys That Celebrate the Humble Pleasures of Rural Life
1. Matilda
Matilda was popularized in the English-speaking world by the eleventh century Matilda of Flanders, Queen of William the Conqueror, then used for his granddaughter, known as Maud. Matilda sounds perfectly playful and sophisticated. Matilda has German origins and means “battle mighty.”
There you go! What did you think of these cottagecore baby names for girls? We hope you found inspiration in this list and will consider these names and others like them. Many offer universal appeal. If you live in a city and have a dream of moving to the woods, these names will be at home in either setting.