You might be 18 years away, but it's not too early to start thinking about college for your little lady. Now, we're not talking early, early admission, but when it comes to baby names, collegiate inspirations are abound.
From the names of colleges to their towns to the everlasting university staples, we've found plenty of baby names during these "best four years."
Check out the 25 best collegiate baby names for girls:
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Alma: As in alma mater! But that's not the only inspiration. In fact, the name is derived from the Latin almus, which means "nourishing and fostering," and also the Spanish alma, meaning "soul."
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Auburn: The Alabama school is all about its Tigers, and the golden-reddish-brown color also lends itself perfectly to a baby name. Think a less common form of Aubrey!
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Baylor: It's a more modern version of Bailey, but also a great shoutout to the Waco, Texas-based Baylor University.
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Berkeley: The name originally comes from an English place meaning birch and clearing, but also has two collegiate influences: the Berkeley College and the University of California, Berkeley.
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Bristol: It's a quaint town that sits on the Avon River in England and is also home to the University of Bristol. On top of that, it's also an established celebrity baby name: Sarah Palin named her first daughter Bristol.
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Columbia: The New York-based university is famous for its academics and beautiful historical campus. And the name itself is a derivative of Christopher Columbus, giving your little lady quite a few namesakes.
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Elmira: It's a four-year private college in upstate New York but was also one of the most popular names back in the 1880s. The name hasn't made a resurgence yet in recent years, but its collegiate inspiration is beyond perfect.
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Georgia: Home of the bulldogs, the University of Georgia is one of the biggest Southern colleges. And now, it's also one of the most hip baby names with plenty of namesakes. Just think Georgia O'Keeffe and Georgia Carroll. On top of that, Harrison Ford and Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall all used the name for their daughters!
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Hope: Hope Davis and Hope Lange are just a couple of the world's most famous Hopes. But Hope College, which is based in Michigan, is its most famous educational connection.
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Ivy: It covers the gorgeous historic architecture of most campuses and will give you a link to Beyonce and Blue Ivy.
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Laurel: It's the name of a university in High Point, North Carolina, but the leafy wreath also holds high significance in graduation ceremonies as it's worn by a master's degree student to mark their matriculation.
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Lincoln: While it's been a historically masculine name, more and more parents are using it for their baby girls (just take Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell, for example). Sure, you have the presidential connection, but let's not forget Lincoln University, the notable alma mater of Thurgood Marshall and Horace Mann Bond.
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- Madison: Madison, Wisconsin, home of the University of Wisconsin's Badgers, is one of the biggest collegiate campuses in the world (it's just about 933 acres!).
- Magna: Graduating Magna Cum Laude means you've received an A-average in all four years of university. And bonus fact: the name is also the feminine version of Magnus.
- Marion: From Marion University in Indianapolis to Marion College in Virginia, the name has plenty of higher education associations. It's also the name given to famous actresses Marion Cotillard and Marion Davies.
- Memphis: Another unisex name (also the name U2 frontman, Bono, gave his daughter) makes the list! It's also associated with the University of Memphis and Rhodes College, whose campus is in the Tennessee city.
- Mercy: Madonna named her youngest daughter Mercy James, and could it be because of Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, New York? It's possible!
- North: Maybe not the most typical name to make the list, but we can't help but think that Northwestern University fits in nicely with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian's baby name choice.
- Selma: Selma University in Selma, Alabama, has been used as a name plenty of times. Selma Blair ring a bell?
- Siena: New York's Siena College (spelled with one 'n') is already a popular baby name. But add another 'n,' and you have even more inspiration. Like Sienna Miller, perhaps.
- Trinity: It's all about Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. The school is the second-oldest university in all of Connecticut (Yale is oldest), but the name also has many religious connotations with the Holy Trinity.
- Vaughn: The Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology is one of the most prestigious aerospace colleges in the country. So naturally, that means any lady named Vaughn is bound to be a star (get it? get it?).
- Virginia: The University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, West Virginia University, and the list goes on. She'll have plenty of namesakes around.
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- Willa: Short for Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, this quirky baby name has been on the rise lately with Willa Ford and Willa Holland popularizing it.
- Winona: Inspired by Winona State University in Minnesota, the baby name has been all about the ladies. Actresses like Winona Ryder and Wynonna Judd wear it proudly.
Which of these baby names is your favorite?
For more great baby name ideas to find your perfect baby name match, visit Baby Name Wizard.
*Images via Evgeny Atamanenko/shutterstock; © iStock.com/Enrique Ramos Lopez *
