It’s the time of year when romance is in the air! Happy Valentine’s Day! You might be expecting a baby on or near the holiday and to celebrate that fact we decided to pull baby names for girls that offer the most romantic meanings and associations. These names make for excellent ways to impart love in an appellation. Most of these idealized names enjoy the super femme A-ending and honor heroes of literature and legend.
While most of these baby names are storied classics, some skew unique and unusual which we absolutely searched for in compiling names for this list. After all, you might want a subtle nod to the holiday and not to name your daughter something like Valentina who was born on Valentine’s Day. Whether you prefer things on the nose or want something with a bit more mystery, you will certainly find worthy options as this list offers a mix of established and obscure choices. Here are our favorite 25 baby names for girls that celebrate Valentine’s Day and all things romance!
25. Adoria
You might recognize the name Adora as the name of a princess in She-Ra: Princess of Power. Adoria is just a diminutive form of that name. The name has Latin origins and means “adored.” Neither Adora nor Adoria have been in the US top 1000 names for baby girls, but it would be a great option for a baby born on Valentine’s Day (or any day!).
24. Bryna
Brianna has been a popular name for girls in the US since the 1970s and it has become a mainstay here. For parents looking for a little variety, consider the alternative Bryna. Like Brianna, this name is a female form of Brian a name with Irish and Breton origins that means “virtuous.” This name has been associated with fairies ever since Edmund Spencer popularized it in the 16th-century poem The Faerie Queen.
23. Cleopatra
Cleopatra is a royal name from ancient Egypt that has never historically appealed to American parents. If Cleopatra is a step too far for you, consider variants Cleo or Cleora. The romance between the last ruler of Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt and Mark Antony is legendary. Cleopatra is a name with Greek origins that means “glory of the father.”
22. Cyra
Cyra is a unique name that can be pronounced either SEER-a or CY-ra. This name may be a feminine variation of Cyrus but is also a Persian name that stands on its own! One noted bearer is writer Cyra McFadden. Cyra means “sun or throne” in Persian tradition and Lord in Greek. We love this name for a Valentine’s Day baby.
21. Delphine
Delphine is a fashionable, chic French name with two nature associations: the dolphin and the delphinium, a bluebell-like flower, a well as to the ancient city of Delphi, which the Greeks considered the womb of the earth. Unfortunately, this name has not been popular in the US since the 1960s. We’d love to see it change as it is the perfect alternative to dated D-names in its class like Danielle and Dana. The Greek origins of this name mean “dolphin.”
20. Eulalie
Eulalie has been on the French popularity list for most of the 2000s. A famous bearer, Eulalie Spence, was a playwright from the British West Indies who contributed to the Harlem Renaissance. Eulalie is another French name with Greek origins with a meaning that is dripping in Valentine’s Day romance: “sweetly speaking.”
19. Flora
What would Valentine’s Day be without flowers? Flora, the name of the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, who enjoyed eternal youth. You will find this name prevalent in Scotland today and it recently made a comeback to the US top 1000 after spending forty years off the the list. Flora has Latin origins and means “flower.”
18. Genevieve
Genevieve is derived from the Germanic medieval name Genovefa, or Kenowefa, which consists of the elements kuni, meaning “kin”, and wefa, meaning “woman.” The medieval saint Genevieve, a patron of Paris, defended the city against Attila the Hun through her courage and cool-headedness. It’s a top 200 name today in the US and we would love to see that continue.
17. Isolde
Now that Tristan has been rediscovered, maybe it’s time for his fabled lover in the Arthurian romances and Wagnerian opera, a beautiful Irish princess, to be brought back into the light as well. This Welsh classic means “ice ruler.” Isolde is currently popular in the Netherlands but it is scarcely heard in the US today. Let’s change that by choosing this romantic name!
16. Jessamine
American parents are discovering the English name Jessamine which has been an underused favorite in England for years! Jessamine is the English form of the Persian name Jasmine (also a fantastic pick!). Thus, this name means “jasmine.” We hope this name really takes off in the US because it is an old school delight that deserves more play and is perfect to celebrate Valentine’s Day with.
15. Maia
Maia was derived from the Greek word maia, meaning “mother.” In Greek legend, she was the fair-haired daughter of Atlas who birthed Zeus’s favorite illegitimate son, Hermes. To the Romans, Maia was the incarnation of the earth mother and goddess of spring, after whom they named the month of May. It is more commonly spelled Maya but we love this name spelled with an I.
14. Marisol
While the name comes from the title of the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Solitude, it’s also associated with the Spanish words for sea and sun, mar y sol. Thus this name can mean the latter or “Mary of Solitude.” Marisol is a favorite Spanish name for girls and an excellent candidate to cross the culture line, like Soledad and Paz.
13. Paloma
Paloma has been a favored name in the US since 1993 and we are thrilled about it! Paloma has Spanish origins that mean “dove.” This name sounds both striking and soft, a balance that many celebrity parents have found attractive including Pablo Picasso, Emilio Estevez, Salma Hayak, and Sean Duffy.
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12. Penelope
Penelope is a name from Greek mythology. She was the wife of Odysseus in Homer’s Odyssey. Doesn’t this name sound romantic? Penelope has Greek origins, of course, that mean “weaver.” Penelope is most popular today in the US than ever before. Choose this one for your Valentine’s Day baby and never look back!
11. Renata
Widely used across Europe as a common baptismal name symbolizing spiritual rebirth. Which is fitting because its Latin origins mean “reborn.” In this country, it has an operatic image via Italian-born divas Renata Tebadi and Renata Scotti. The name has finally returned to the US top 1000 and we love to see it.
10. Rose
As a first name, Rose reached its highest point from 1896 to 1921, the early heyday of flower names, when it was in the top 20, though it had been in use for ages before. Rose is the name of the fated lover in Titanic and has been a popular name chosen by authors for a variety of characters. This name means exactly what you think it does but there is evidence that a Norman and Germanic variation of the name means “famous type.” What do most people get on Valentine’s Day?
9. Sabrina
The origins of name Sabrina are muddy as the name belonged to a Celtic goddess and river nymph in British and Irish tradition. It also has a history in Italy, the most likely language of origin, as a name that refers to someone “from the River Severn.” Another form of this name Sabrya comes from Arabic tradition and means “patience.” This name rose to popularity in the 1970s and has been a favored choice ever since!
8. Salome
A soft and interesting Hebrew name, long popular in France, where it has ranked in the top 400 since 1986 as Salomé. The name has a history as a Biblical dancer and also the name of a play by Oscar Wilde. This name fell off of parents’ radars in the US in 1906 but we would love to see it return to the top 1000.
7. Seraphina
Seraphina is the perfect alternative to the ubiquitous Sara. Seraphina reminds of us of little cherubs which is the perfect sentiment for Valentine’s Day. The highest-ranking angels, the six-winged seraphim, inspired the lovely name, Seraphina. Parents are adopting this name fast in the US even though it has never ranked in the top 1000. It too, has Hebrew origins, and it means “ardent” or “fiery.”
6. Tamera
American romance novelist Tamera Lynn Gattis Alexander inspired this pick for a Valentine’s Day baby. Tamera, which you will also find spelled Tamara, are names with the same Hebrew origin that means “date palm tree.” We love this exquisite name that has fallen out of fashion in recent years. Let’s change that, new parents!
5. Tatiana
Tatiana, long popular in Russia and starting to flourish here, is a delicate, ballerina name that carries a touch of the exotic. Although on the decline from its peak in 1999, Tatiana is a subtle and unique beauty. Tatiana comes from an old Roman family name that predates the founding of Rome. It belonged to the Sabine people and was later transformed to Tatius. The name appears in Alexander Pushkin’s beloved verse novel Eugene Onegin.
4. Tess
The iconic literary Tess is the beautiful heroine of Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles, the moral center of the novel. Writer Tess Gerritsen was born Terry, but decided to upgrade her name when she began writing romance novels. Tess comes from Theresa and English name with Spanish origins that mean “to harvest.”
3. Thea
Thea is a diminutive of names ending in -thea, including Dorothea, Althea, and Anthea. It is also the Anglicized spelling of Theia, the Titan of sight, goddess of light, and mother of the moon. We think that makes it fitting for a Valentine’s Day baby. Thea has Greek origins that mean “goddess.” The name is more popular today in the US than ever before. We love that!
2. Valentina
Okay, we caved under the pressure! We had to include Valentina on this list as it is one of the fastest-rising names in the US entering the top 100 a couple of years ago after first debuting in the top 1000 in 1993. This name has Latin origins and is an alternative form of the name Valentine which means “strength.” Go for it!
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1. Zarah
Zarah was derived from the Hebrew word sarah, meaning “princess.” Sarah is an Old Testament name. She was the wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac. According to the Book of Genesis, Sarah was originally called Sarai, but had her name changed by God. Zarah is a nod to to the names origins. Sarah is one of the most popular names in English-speaking communities and has been for centuries. However, the Zarah form has historically eluded new parents.
There you go! We hope you enjoyed these romantic baby names for girls that would be the perfect pick for a baby born on or around Valentine’s Day. This list intends to inspire expecting parents to be adventurous with their pick for a baby name. Taking a risk can yield big rewards! But, that does not mean that a tried and true classic is not welcome! Trust your gut and we know you will make a lovely choice.