Looking through baby names can be repetitive. As much as we love all the little Emmas and Sophias out there, sometimes we crave something a bit more original. Sound familiar? Then it might be time to consider the letter Q for baby girls.
It's one of the most unused letters in the alphabet by a longshot because of how tricky it can be to use well in names. But there are more names out there that begin with Q than you might think … as long as you're willing to do a little digging. Lucky for you, we believe so strongly in the power of the Q that we did the dirty work for you and rounded up the names that use that unique sound best.
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Qiana: Qiana is one of the few Q names for girls that actually made the top charts at one point. It spiked as a name in the 1970s … right around the time that the clothing material by the same name became popular in disco clubs.
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Queen: Here's a name that's actually as regal as it sounds. It dropped in popularity around the 1950s, but it still has a sophisticated charm to it. And hey, Queen Latifah liked it so much she had her name legally changed from Dana, so you know it has to be good!
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Quelle: Pronounced "kehl," this graceful and feminine name has its roots in German. It also means "autumn" in the fictional language J. R. R. Tolkein created for the elves in The Lord of the Rings.
More from The Stir: 25 Gorgeous Greek Baby Names for Girls
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Quenby: We love the spunky "b" sound in Quenby, and it makes for a fun and regal name for girls who crave something a little unusual.
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Querida: Querida is the Spanish word for "beloved." Pronounced "keh-REE-dah," the name has a lovely melody to it and an even better meaning.
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Querube: Another Spanish name, Querube comes from the word given to angels in Spanish. We love it shortened as Ruby!
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Quetzali: This gorgeous but unusual name comes from Nahuatl, the native language of the Aztecs. Though it translates directly to "large brilliant tail feather," more often it refers to the Aztec god of culture and wisdom.
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Quickly: Mistress Quickly is the inn keeper in Shakespeare's famous play Henry IV. Though it's unusual, Quickly is an adorable name for little girls that subtly references one of the great writers of all time. How could you hate that?
More from The Stir: 20 Lovely Literary Baby Names for Girls
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Quillian: Quillian is sweet sister of the sturdy boys' name Quillan. Its roots are in Gaelic, and it descended from the Scotch and Irish surname McQuillian. Quill and Quillie are both adorable nicknames, but we love that Quillian is a more interesting twist on the classic sound of Jillian.
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Quincy: As a girls' name, Quincy is equally strong and sweet. In Latin, Quincy means "born fifth," and in French it translates to "from the place owned by the fifth son" … but we don't think you have to have five kids to put it to good use.
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Quineta: We love the "-eta" sound in baby names, and adding that to the boys' name Quin give it the perfect feminine touch.
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Quinn: Though it's traditionally a boys' name, Quinn for girls has been rising in popularity since the 1990s. Short and sweet, it's a perfect for moms looking for something easy and unique. Its popularity spiked with the addition of character Quinn Fabray to the show Glee.
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Quinna: Though there are a lot of versions of the name Quinn floating around (Quinley, Quinlan, Quinnlee), Quinna has to be our favorite. It adds a little extra femininity to Quinn without changing too much of what we love about that name in the first place.
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Quinnie: Quinnie is a more modern take on the classic Winnie, and is a fun name for girls. They'll also have an adorable book series to read about their name!
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- Quintana: Though Quintana could come from the Latin quintus for "fifth," it's more likely that its rising popularity as a first name comes from it's history as a important Spanish family name. Either way, it's a gorgeous name for girls, and one that can easily be shortened to the more common Ana.
- Quintessa: Quintessa borrows sounds from sweet words like "essence" and "essential." It shortens well to great nicknames like Tess and Tessa, making it beautiful and versitile.
- Quiterie: Quiterie comes from the French word for "tranquil," and it sounds as peaceful as it means. You could also try the Spanish version Quiteria.
- Quorra: This gorgeous name has a similar sound to the traditional Greek name Cora, but with a fun twist. Quorra was first used as a name for a character in 2010's movie TRON: The Legacy, but we think it'll stick around for a while yet.
Would you ever try one of these "Q" names for your daughter?
For more great baby name ideas, visit Baby Name Wizard.
Image via Tanya Little/shutterstock; Inga Marchuk/shutterstock
