A is the first letter of the alphabet and arguably the most open sound in naming. Names starting with A have a forward-moving, clear quality that makes them easy to say and easy to remember. The range of A girl names is enormous: ancient and mythological names like Aphrodite and Atalanta, soft and elegant names like Aurora and Amelie, Celtic names like Aoife and Áine, rare botanical names like Acacia and Amaranth, and entirely distinctive finds like Andraste and Alaric. This guide covers the full spectrum.
Classic A Girl Names
Amelia
Latin and Old German, from Amalia, meaning “work” or “industrious.” Amelia has been one of the most popular girl names in England and Wales for over a decade. Its combination of softness, length and historical weight (Amelia Earhart being the most famous modern bearer) keeps it consistently compelling.
Alice
Old French and German, from Adalheidis, meaning “noble kind.” Alice has a literary history of extraordinary depth, from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland through the works of Henry James and beyond. It is short, clean and completely enduring.
Anna
From the Hebrew Hannah, meaning “grace.” Anna is the international form of a name found in virtually every European language and most others. It is minimal, melodic and one of the most universally wearable names available.
Arabella
Latin, of uncertain etymology, possibly meaning “yielding to prayer.” Arabella is long, flowing and carries a slightly aristocratic, slightly old-fashioned quality that is precisely what makes it fashionable now.
Agnes
Greek, from hagnos, meaning “pure” or “chaste.” Agnes is one of those names that has been seriously unfashionable for fifty years and is now returning with genuine momentum. Saint Agnes is one of the most venerated early Christian martyrs.
Adelaide
Old German, from Adalheidis, meaning “noble kind.” Adelaide has warmth, length and a Victorian quality that is currently very desirable. It shortens to Addie or Ada, both of which are lovely.
Beautiful and Melodic A Girl Names
Aurora
Latin, the Roman goddess of the dawn. Aurora is the light that comes before the sun each morning. As a name it is celestial, mythological and warm. The Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) add a geographical dimension.
Amelie
French form of Amelia. Amelie has an effortless French quality and is rarer in English-speaking countries than its British counterpart. The film Amelie gave it an artistic association that has never quite faded.
Arabella
Already noted. Flowing, slightly ornate and endlessly wearable.
Astrid
Old Norse, meaning “divinely beautiful.” Astrid was the name of several Scandinavian queens. It is strong, Scandinavian and increasingly used in English-speaking countries.
Anwen
(AN-wen) Welsh, meaning “very beautiful.” Anwen is specifically Welsh, gentle in sound and almost entirely unknown outside Wales, which makes it distinctive everywhere else.
Aelwen
(AY-el-wen) Welsh, meaning “fair brow.” Another Welsh gem that is barely used even in Wales and is genuinely extraordinary as a given name.
Strong A Girl Names
Athena
Greek, the goddess of wisdom, warfare and craft. Athena is the patron of Athens and one of the most significant deities in Greek religion. As a given name she carries the entire intellectual tradition of the ancient world.
Andraste
(an-DRAS-teh) A Celtic war goddess worshipped by the Iceni tribe of Britain. Queen Boudicca invoked Andraste before her rebellion against Rome. Andraste is extraordinarily rare as a given name and carries pre-Roman British mythology.
Atalanta
(at-ah-LAN-tah) Greek, the huntress heroine who could outrun any man and was eventually tricked only by golden apples. Atalanta is the name of someone who sets the terms of her own story. Rare, mythological and formidable.
Aoife
(EE-fah) Irish, meaning “radiant” or “beautiful.” In Irish mythology, Aoife is a warrior queen. Already covered in the Irish names guide but worth including here: Aoife is one of the most significant A names in Celtic tradition.
Aife
A variant spelling of Aoife, used historically. Even rarer than the standard spelling.
Artemis
Greek, the goddess of the hunt, the moon and wild animals. Artemis is the name of someone who owes nothing to anyone. Rare as a given name and extraordinary for parents with a love of mythology.
Rare A Girl Names Worth Knowing
Áine
(AWN-ya) Irish, the goddess of summer, wealth and sovereignty. Áine is one of the most significant divine figures in Irish mythology and one of the most beautiful names in the Irish language.
Alcyone
(al-SY-oh-nee) Greek, meaning “kingfisher.” In mythology, Alcyone was a woman transformed into a kingfisher after her husband drowned, and she is the source of the expression “halcyon days.” Rare, mythological and beautiful.
Aletheia
(ah-lay-THAY-ah) Greek, meaning “truth” or “disclosure.” In Greek philosophy, aletheia is not merely truth but the uncovering of what is real. As a given name she is rare, philosophical and carries the deepest possible meaning.
Anaishe
(ah-NAY-sheh) From the Shona language of Zimbabwe, meaning “God is with us.” Anaishe is almost entirely unknown in Western naming and carries a specific African linguistic tradition.
Abeke
(ah-BEH-keh) Yoruba, from Nigeria, meaning “we asked for her and she was given to us.” One of the most beautiful name meanings in any tradition. Rare outside West African communities.
Adaeze
(ah-dah-EH-zeh) Igbo, from Nigeria, meaning “king’s daughter” or “princess.” Adaeze is widely used in Nigerian naming and rare in European contexts.
A Girl Names Inspired by Nature
Acacia
From the thorny shrub with yellow flowers. Acacia is botanical, unusual and carries the warm, dry landscapes of Australia and the Mediterranean in its sound.
Amaranth
From the plant whose name means “unfading” in Greek. The amaranth flower does not wilt. As a name, Amaranth carries a meaning of permanence and beauty.
Ash
From the ash tree. Ash is gender-neutral, minimal and one of the cleaner tree names available.
Azalea
From the flowering shrub. Azalea is vivid, warm and more distinctive than most floral names. Rarely used as a given name.
Aspen
From the quaking aspen tree, whose leaves tremble in the slightest breeze. Aspen is a North American nature name that is increasingly crossing over into UK naming.
Alder
From the riverside tree. Alder is gender-neutral and botanical with a specifically British woodland quality.
A Girl Names From Mythology and Legend
Aphrodite
Greek goddess of love and beauty. Aphrodite is rarely used as a given name in English-speaking countries but is used in Greece and Cyprus. For parents who want mythology with the fullest possible statement.
Artemis
Already noted. Goddess of the hunt and the moon.
Athena
Already noted. Goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare.
Atalanta
Already noted. The huntress heroine.
Andraste
Already noted. The Celtic war goddess.
Alcyone
Already noted. The kingfisher woman.
Arianrhod
(ah-ree-AN-rhod) Welsh, meaning “silver wheel” or “silver disc.” In Welsh mythology, Arianrhod is a figure of the moon and fate, one of the children of the goddess Dôn. The name is rare, Welsh and carries the sky in its meaning.
Arachne
(ah-RAK-nee) Greek, the weaver who challenged Athena and was transformed into a spider. The name means “spider” and carries the mythological story that explains all spiders’ existence. Rare, classical and dramatic.
Short A Girl Names (One and Two Syllables)
- Ada — Old German, short form of Adelaide. Vintage, warm and literary (Ada Lovelace).
- Ava — Latin or Hebrew, meaning “life” or “bird-like.” One of the most popular girl names globally. Short and beautiful.
- Ash — Already noted. Gender-neutral tree name.
- Ara — Greek, meaning “altar” or “sky.” Short and celestial.
- Áine — Already noted. Irish goddess. Two syllables in English sound.
- Aife — Already noted. Irish warrior. Short form of Aoife tradition.
- Aya — Hebrew and Arabic, meaning “miracle” or “bird.” International, minimal and warm.
A Girl Names by Origin
Irish and Celtic
Aoife, Áine, Andraste (Brythonic), Arianrhod (Welsh), Anwen (Welsh), Aelwen (Welsh)
Greek and Roman
Aphrodite, Athena, Artemis, Atalanta, Alcyone, Aletheia, Aurora, Anna (via Greek)
Old Norse and Germanic
Astrid, Adelaide, Amelia, Agnes, Alice
Hebrew
Anna, Aya
French and Latin
Amelie, Arabella, Acacia, Amaranth
West African
Abeke (Yoruba), Adaeze (Igbo), Anaishe (Shona)
Nature-rooted
Acacia, Amaranth, Ash, Azalea, Aspen, Alder
Frequently Asked Questions About A Girl Names
What are the most popular A girl names?
Amelia consistently ranks as the most popular girl name in England and Wales. Ava, Alice, Aurora and Ada have all been climbing steadily.
What are rare A girl names?
Arianrhod, Andraste, Aletheia, Alcyone, Abeke, Adaeze and Anaishe are among the most genuinely uncommon A girl names with proper historical or linguistic roots.
What middle names work with A girl names?
Long A names (Arabella, Amaranth, Arianrhod) suit short middles: Arabella Rose, Amaranth Faye. Short A names (Ada, Ava, Ash) work with longer middles: Ada Celestine, Ava Marguerite.
Final Thoughts
A girl names begin the alphabet and in many ways set its terms. The names in this list span every naming tradition on earth, from the ancient mythology of Aphrodite and Atalanta to the Yoruba beauty of Abeke to the Welsh poetry of Arianrhod. The open vowel that starts each name gives it a forward movement, a sense of something beginning.
Whatever end of this list draws you, there is an A name that carries it exactly.