Every mom wants to find a baby name that she not only loves, but that suits her child. That can be tricky since we often choose names before our babies even enter the world. One thing you do generally know about your child when you're still pregnant is her astrological sign. That's a great place to start if you're looking for something beautiful, original, and fitting. And don't worry, we're not suggesting you name her Scorpio.
Here, beautiful baby girl names inspired by the 12 signs of the zodiac.
What Your Baby's Birthday Tells You About Her Personality (PHOTOS)
What sign will your baby be? What's your favorite name inspired by her sign?
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Aries (March 21-April 19)
Your little fire sign, symbolized by the ram and ruled by the red warrior planet, has a built-in perfect name: Mars. Actor Blake Anderson used it for his daughter, and it was also the name of a character on Sailor Moon. The first sign of the zodiac, Aries is also associated with dawn or spring, so consider Aurora — which translates to dawn in Latin and ranks at #145 at Nameberry among girl names. And Rory makes a sweet nickname. Or you could go more straightforward with Dawn, which is once again rising in popularity.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Taurus, the bull, is ruled by Venus, which is not only the planet and Roman goddess of love and beauty, but a pretty name made famous by tennis star Venus Williams. Daisy is the flower of Venus, or you could consider Estelle, which is the French version of the Latin name Stella, which means "star," ranks in the top 1,000 in popularity at Nameberry (read: it's unique).
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
Gemini, the twins, is ruled by Mercury, the messenger god and planet, so kids under this sign are known for being chatty and vivacious. You could pay tribute to the sign of communication with the Latin variation on the sign name itself, Gemelle. Or try an airy name like the unisex Skyler. Greek-derived names such as Kineta ("active"), and the very popular Zoe (the lively one") are also nice choices.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
Cancer, symbolized by the crab, is ruled by the moon, so Luna — Italian for "moon," was the name of a Harry Potter character, and ranks at #185 at Nameberry — is a perfect fit for a girl born under this water sign. Artemis (Greek goddess of the moon) could also work. Or perhaps the classic Greek pick, Cynthia (16th century English writers used to refer to a "virgin moon queen" character inspired by Queen Elizabeth I).
Leo (July 23-August 22)
Little girls born under the sign ruled by the sun itself and symbolized by the king of the jungle (the lion) are bound to have a regal, vibrant air. Hence, a name like Regina (Latin for queen) or Sarah (which means "princess" in Hebrew) could be perfect. Cressida (Prince Harry's on and off-again girlfriend and a Hunger Games character), which is of Greek origin and means "gold," would also be lovely. If you're looking for something unique, you might consider Kira, which is Persian for "the sun."
Virgo (August 23-September 22)
Earth sign Virgo, ruled by communication planet Mercury, is symbolized by the virgin — or sometimes a Mother Nature-ish figure. For that reason, Rhea, the Greek "earth goddess" is especially Virgoan. So, too, is the traditional pick Mary ("sacred virgin") or Adara (of Hebrew origin), which means "virgin," and is the name of a character in the fantasy Belgariad series.
Libra (September 23-October 22)
Air sign Libra, symbolized by the scales, and ruled by romantic Venus, has a reputation for valuing fairness and balance while being especially charming and attractive. That said, one choice particularly befitting of a lucky little Libra is Belinda, which likely stemmed from the Italian name Bella (which means "beautiful"). If you go with that one, it's likely your daughter will be the only one in her class with the name. Or the Slavic name Danica, meaning "morning star." (Think Danica Patrick, the most successful woman in the history of car racing and Danica McKellar of the Wonder Years and Dancing With the Stars, who also happens to be a math genius.) You could also try Jennifer, a classic that comes in at #191 over at Nameberry and means "fair."
Scorpio (October 23-November 21)
Baby girls born under this water sign, symbolized by the scorpion and ruled by Pluto and Mars, can be notably magnetic, gutsy, intuitive, and maybe even a bit mysterious. Heather, which refers to a Scorpio plant, could be fitting, and though it was popular in the '70s and '80s, it's rare these days. Martina (Latin, "of Mars"), Meredith (Welsh, "protector of the sea"), and Audrey (English, "strong and noble") are all also nice choices.
Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)
Babies born under fire sign Sagittarius, ruled by the planet of luck Jupiter, and symbolized by the archer centaur (half-man, half horse) will come to be known as wise, funny, outspoken free spirits. Clare or Claire — a French name derived from the Latin "clārus," meaning "clear, bright, distinct" or sometimes "illustrious, bright, shining" — is sweet, though it's not for moms trying to be unique as it's rapidly gaining in popularity. Philippia, or Pippa, is of Greek origin, though quite popular in the U.K. (consider Kate Middleton's sister). It translates to "lover of horses." Or you could go with Joy or Joyce, perfect for a baby born with Jupiter's fortuitous energy.
Capricorn (December 22-January 19)
Little girls born under earth sign Capricorn, symbolized by the goat and ruled by Saturn, are hard workers from the get-go. You could pay tribute to this can-do spirit with the extremely popular Victorian name Amelia, which means hard-working and industrious, and ranks at #17 at Nameberry. Montana, a more unique name, means "from the mountains" in Spanish. Or consider the Irish name Briana, which means honorable and virtuous.
Aquarius (January 20-February 18)
Ruled by spontaneous Uranus, air sign Aquarian girls are innovative social butterflies who are open-minded and original, if not a bit quirky. For that reason, a more eccentric choice for a name could be called for, such as the biblical name Lystra, which means "she who is free." Consider Genevieve, which is speculated to be a heavily mutated word from the Gaulish (early variety of Celtic) language that means "people, tribe" and "woman." It ranks at #219 currently. Ariel (which is of Hebrew origin) is also a perfect option, as it's not only the name of the air-lovin' Little Mermaid but one of Uranus' satellites.
Pisces (February 19-March 20)
If your daughter is born under the water sign Pisces, which is ruled by mystical planet Neptune and symbolized by the fish, she'll likely be very empathetic to others, artistic, and maybe even a bit of a drama queen. To pay tribute to her sign, you could consider the Greek name Delia, a unique choice that means "jewel of the sea," and has been the name of characters on Everwood and Ghost Whisperer. Or Marina, which is of Latin origin and means "of the sea." Carey (or Carrie), a Celtic name that means "from the river," is rare these days, but could be ideal for your water baby.