25 girl middle names real parents swear by for both classic and modern pairings

After deciding on the perfect first name for your little girl, choosing a middle name to match is the next fun task on your expecting parent checklist.

Some families love a short-and-sweet, single-syllable middle name, while others turn to something unique and playful to pair with a traditional first name. Honoring a loved one by choosing a family name is a popular choice for middle names, as well.

Parents are always looking for ideas and advice in the BabyCenter Community’s Baby Names group – so we went there to see which middle names people are talking about the most right now.

These are some of our favorite middle names for girls that come up again and again in parent conversations in the BabyCenter Community.

Brielle

If we were taking bets, our money would be on Brielle to be the next “it” name, whether it be for a first or middle name. Short for Gabrielle, Brielle is derived from a Hebrew name that means “warrior of God.” It popped up in the top 1,000 names for girls in 1991 and has been bopping around the top 100 names since 2024.

“Brielle really stood out to me,” writes one BabyCenter Community member, calling out its “melodic rhythm.” Indeed, it’s popped up on a number of posts requesting middle name suggestions for girls.

Brooke

Brooke was originally an English surname used by people who lived near a brook or stream – it comes from the Old English word broc. This pretty, nature-inspired name has been beloved for nearly a century, and brings to mind flowing streams, chirping birds, and a gentle breeze.

It’s been in the top 1,000 first names for girls since the 1950s, breaking into the top 100 in 1979 – a year after actor and model Brooke Shields gained fame for her leading role in the film Pretty Baby at age 12.

While it’s less popular as a first name nowadays – Brooke fell out of the top 100 in 2014 – it still comes up all the time in forums.

“I want her middle name to be Brooke because I want to honor her with a name related to my family,” says BabyCenter Community member primrosedaisyrose.

Brynn

Brynn is a Welsh name derived from the word bryn, meaning “hill.” In Wales, this name is typically given to baby boys, but in the United States it’s more often given to girls.

It first earned status as a top 1,000 first name for girls in 1980, which may have been thanks to actress Brynn Thayer’s popularity on the soap opera One Life to Live. Brynn’s most popular year was 2012, when it ranked No. 155.

Claire

Claire is a French variation of the name Clara, and is rooted in the Latin word clarus, which means “bright,” “clear,” and “famous.” These names share a history that dates back to the Middle Ages, first gaining popularity as the name of Saint Clare of Assisi in the 13th century.

More recently, Claire has enjoyed popularity as a first name for little girls that has lasted the entirety of the 20th century and continued into the 21st in both France and the United States. In 1998, it earned a spot as a top-100 name for girls in the U.S., and it was most popular in 2011, when it ranked No. 36.

I love how spunky and offbeat Delaney is.

– BabyCenter Community member Jannater

Delaney

Delaney is a given name originally used as an Irish and English surname. The meaning depends on the origin: As an anglicized version of the Irish surname O’Dubhshláine, it means “descendant of the dark challenger,” while the English Delaney means “from the alder grove.”

As a first name for little girls, Delaney first came onto the scene in 1991, when it first hit the top 1,000 names in the U.S. It was most popular in 2003, when it ranked No. 117.

“I love how spunky and offbeat Delaney is,” says BabyCenter Community member Jannater.

Narrowing down your list? Download the BabyCenter appOpens a new window to pair middle names with your first-name pick and save your top combos.

Elodie

Elodie is thought to be a French variation of the name Alodia. While the origins and meanings of this name are unclear, it may have been created from the Visigothic words ali, meaning “other, foreign,” and od, meaning “riches, prosperity.”

Elodie is a less common name, only recently emerging as a top-1,000 name for baby girls – but it’s been steadily climbing the charts for the past decade, reaching its highest ranking yet in 2026 at No. 309. As a middle name, it’ll pair beautifully with classic and trendy girl names alike.

Eloise

Eloise is a French name, taken from the Old French Héloïse, which is believed to be derived from the Germanic name Helewidis, giving it the meaning of “healthy, whole.” This name famously belonged to a French scholar and philosopher, who shared a tragic love story with theologian Peter Abelard in the 12th century.

Eloise has a long history as a first name for girls, spending the first half of the 20th century as a top-500 baby name for girls, then dropping in popularity steadily until the early 2000s, when it reemerged as a favorite among parents. It’s a recent addition to the top 100, and at No. 70 in 2026, Eloise is more popular than it’s ever been before.

Faye

Faye is an alternate spelling of the name Fay, an English name that means “fairy.” This name is likely connected to the Middle English word faie, meaning “fairy,” and the Old French word fae.

The name was coined in the late 1800s, likely thanks to a resurgence of interest in Arthurian legend at the time – Morgan le Fay is King Arthur’s half-sister and a powerful and mysterious sorceress.

“I think Faye works with just about any multi-syllable middle name,” says BabyCenter Community member wyngirl’smom.

And OneAnxiousMommy says, “My daughter’s middle name is Faye because my mom and grandmother’s names are Faye.”

As a first name, Faye has been popular throughout much of the 20th century, peaking at No. 146 in 1934, but dropped out of the top 1,000 girl names in the 1970s. It rejoined the top 1,000 girl names in 2010 and peaked again in 2023 at No. 530.

Fiona

Fiona comes from the Gaelic word fionn, which has a few meanings, including “fair” and “white.” It’s believed the name was first used by James Macpherson in his epic poem “Fingal” in 1761.

Fiona didn’t make its way to the United States until the 20th century, though, first appearing among the top 1,000 girl names in 1990. It was most popular in 2014, when it ranked No. 165.

Grace

Grace is a girl name derived from the vocabulary word of the same spelling. It comes from the Latin word gratia, whose meanings include “gratitude” and “favor.” Nowadays, it’s a name with religious significance, as it’s often taken to mean “God’s unmerited favor, love, or help.”

As a first name, Grace has a long history dating back to the 15th century. By the middle of the 16th century, it was one of the most popular names for baby girls in English-speaking countries.

For most of the past 150 years in the United States, Grace has been a top-100 girl name. It was most popular in 2001, when it ranked No. 12.

Harper

Harper is an English surname turned given name derived from the Old English word hearpe. As is common with many surnames, it was used by people who played the harp for a living. Harpers were important figures in medieval Europe, both providing entertainment in noble courts and traveling to perform.

As a first name, Harper only recently became popular in the United States – but its rise has been meteoric. It first joined the top 1,000 girl names in 2004 but made it into the top 100 by 2010, and peaked at No. 10 in 2021.

Isabelle

Isabelle is the French spelling of the name Isabel, a Spanish name that is actually connected with the name Elizabeth. Isabelle, like Elizabeth, is originally rooted in Hebrew and means “God is my oath.”

In the first half of the 20th century, Isabelle held a spot as a top 1,000 baby girl name, but dropped in popularity until the 1990s. It’s more popular in the 21st century than it was in the 20th, peaking at No. 34 in 2006.

The more popular version of this name in the U.S. is Isabella, which has been a top-10 girl name since 2002.

My middle name is Jane and I love it.

– BabyCenter Community member MamaCJMC

Jane

Jane is a feminine version of the name John, inspired by the Old French Jehanne. These names are originally rooted in a Hebrew name that means “God is gracious.”

“My middle name is Jane and I love it,” says BabyCenter Community member MamaCJMC.

John and its many, many variations are among some of the most enduringly popular names in Europe and North America – John was the No. 1 boy name in the U.S. from 1880 (when the Social Security Administration started tracking baby names) until 1923.

Jane doesn’t have quite the same ubiquity, but it was beloved throughout the 20th century, ranking in the top 100 girl names from 1911 until 1965 and peaking at No. 35 in 1946. It’s less common these days but still beloved, hovering around the 200s.

Josephine

Josephine is a French name and the feminine form of Joseph. It originally comes from the Hebrew name Yosef, which means “God will add.”

The English-speaking world quickly adopted Josephine, and it’s been a presence in the top 1,000 U.S. girl names since 1880. It was most popular in 1916 and 1917, when it ranked No. 21. Like many vintage names, Josephine is now making a comeback, rejoining the top 100 girl names in 2025.

Juliette

Juliette comes from Julie, the French version of Julia. It’s a feminine form of Julius, an ancient Roman name with uncertain origins. Some experts think it comes from the Latin Iovilios, meaning “from Jove,” which is another name for Jupiter, the Roman king of the gods and the god of the sky. But the name has also been linked to the meanings “downy-haired” and “youthful.”

Some parents love the name’s connection to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet – as BabyCenter Community member 0ScubaSteve shares, “With our baby’s due date landing on Valentine’s Day, we were thinking of maybe going with Juliette as her middle name.”

Juliette consistently appeared in the top 1,000 girl names in the U.S. from the 1880s until the 1970s, when it fell out of favor. It’s made a return since, though, rejoining the top 1,000 in 1995 – and now it’s more popular than ever before, reaching No. 125 in 2026.

Kay

Short and sweet, Kay works beautifully when paired with longer first names like Madison, Emory, and Virginia. It’s a diminutive of Katherine, a name associated with the Greek term katharos (“pure”).

As a first name, Kay peaked in 1941 – at No. 70 – and has been on the decline ever since. In fact, it dropped out of the top 1,000 entirely in 1984. We like that it has a simple, retro vibe.

“We are pretty much set on Kay being the middle name to honor a grandparent,” writes BabyCenter Community member MG019, adding that their last name is two words – making this short name even more appealing.

Lou

Lou is a short name with a not-so-short etymology. Its meaning depends on whether it’s short for Eloise (“healthy” and “wide” in German), Louise (“famous in battle” in German), Lucy (“light” in Latin), or nothing at all! It’s a classic Southern middle name, and works entirely on its own.

Some new parents love the middle name Lou so much that they decide on it even before they determine a first name. “I’m thinking about having Lou as a middle name,” writes one BabyCenter Community member. “Lou is my grandmother’s middle name and I would love to use [it], so I need girl names that go with the middle name Lou.”

As an added bonus, it’s pretty unique these days, having dropped off the top 1,000 list in 1971.

Madeline

Madeline has a long and somewhat complicated history as a name. It’s the English spelling of the French name Madeleine, which is derived from the Hebrew Magdalene. Mary Magdalene is the name of a woman in the New Testament of the Bible, and her name means “from Magdala,” a town near the Sea of Galilee in Israel. The name of the town is thought to come from an Aramaic word that means “tower” – so you could say that Madeline means “tower,” in a roundabout way.

Madeline has ranked in the top 1,000 girl names since the 1880s, but didn’t reach peak popularity until recently – it joined the top 100 names in 1994, and was most popular in 2000, when it ranked No. 38.

Marie

Marie is the French version of Maria, another name with a long and complicated history. Maria is a Latin name that comes from Miriam, a biblical name so ancient its meaning and origin aren’t certain. It first appears in the Bible as the name of Moses’ sister, so it’s thought Miriam has Egyptian origins. Some sources suggest it derives from an Egyptian word meaning “beloved,” while others say it may come from a word meaning “rebellion.”

In the United States, Marie was a top 10 girl name at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, peaking at No. 7 in 1901. Marie’s heyday might be over, but it’s still in the top 1,000 and a perfect choice for a middle name.

Nova

Looking for a less traditional suggestion? Nova is a real vibes-based name. It’s ethereal and celestial, evoking a relationship with the stars. It comes from the Latin term meaning “new” and can denote a fresh start for your family.

Nova was a trendy first name in the early 1900s but fell out of style in 1938 – then popped back into the top 1,000 in 2010. Short, sweet, and melodic, it works just as well as a middle name.

Rae is a middle name for several strong females in my family.

– BabyCenter Community member Hannah522

Rae

Rae is a popular middle name with a few potential origins. It’s often used as a nickname for Rachel, a Hebrew name that means “ewe.” It’s also a feminine form of Ray, which is short for Raymond, an Old French name meaning “wise protector.”

It may also come from the Scottish surname MacRae, which means “son of grace.” Or it could just be a fun respelling of the vocabulary word ray, as in a ray of sunshine.

Rae was moderately popular in the early 1900s, peaking at No. 369 in 1903, but hasn’t ranked in the top 1,000 girl names since the 1980s.

While it isn’t a super trendy first name, Rae gets plenty of attention as a middle name in the BabyCenter Community. “Rae is a middle name for several strong females in my family,” says member Hannah522.

Rose

Nowadays, Rose is a popular name thanks to its association with the flower, a symbol of love in many cultures across the globe. But experts think the name has another origin, because it was commonly used in medieval times, before floral names were popular. It could be tied to the Germanic words hros, meaning “horse,” or hrod, meaning “fame.”

Rose was super popular in the U.S. in the early 1900s, ranking in the top 100 girl names until 1960 and peaking at No. 14 in 1913.

This editor can confirm Rose’s current popularity, as it’s the middle name we chose for our daughter! Anecdotally, we have met many other girls with the same middle name, so you’d be in good company.

Sage

Sage is another name with multiple meanings: The word for the herb is derived from the Latin word salvus, which means “healthy”; as a word meaning “a wise person,” it comes from the Latin word sapere, meaning “to have taste” or “to be wise.”

Compared to other popular middle names, Sage is a relative newcomer: It didn’t rank among the top 1,000 girl names in the U.S. until 1993. It’s climbed quite a bit in popularity over the past 30 years, ranking as high as No. 122 in 2023.

Taylor

One BabyCenter Community member thinks the name Taylor is so nice she’s thinking of using it twice! “Taylor is my middle name and our first daughter’s middle name as well. We are debating on having both girls with the same middle name, as both of our sons share my husband’s middle name.”

Taylor is derived from the Norman French word tailleur, an occupational term to describe someone who cuts and alters clothing.

Taylor was a top-10 girl name throughout nearly the entirety of the 1990s and early 2000s, but started waning in popularity at the turn of the millennium.

Violet

Violet is the name of a flower that has long been well-loved as a first name and middle name for baby girls. It was one of the earliest flower names to gain popularity in Britain, and was widely used in the 1700s and 1800s. It was just as popular in the U.S. in the early 1900s, ranking in the top 100 until 1926.

It fell out of favor for a few decades, but Violet is even more popular now than it was in the early 1900s – it ranked No. 14 in 2026.

While violets are typically a symbol of modesty in floriography (the language of flowers), they also have a super-romantic history: Violets used to be the flower of Valentine’s Day. It’s said that while Saint Valentine was jailed for spreading Christianity, he crushed some violets growing outside his cell and made ink out of them. The story goes that he wrote his jailer’s daughter a letter with that ink, signing it “Your Valentine” – and inspiring centuries of romance.