It might come second in the alphabet, but the letter B is an A-level choice for a baby name for any little lady. We've had the Brittanys and Briannas, but there are so many more brilliant and beautiful B names to add to that baby name list.
Forget what you knew about traditional B names, and these newcomers and twists on old classics will make perfect additions to if you want to "plan B":
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Baylor: a more modern take on the classic Bailey, Baylor is also one of the most popular collegiate baby names for girls. It's inspired by Baylor University in Waco, Texas.
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Bell: taken from the Latin (and Spanish) bella, meaning "beautiful," it's also a nickname for other longer names like Isabella, Annabella, and Arabella.
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Bellamy: it comes from the French bel amy, which means "beautiful friend," and feel free to use Bell (above) as a nickname.
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Bellatrix: with cute nicknames like Bella, Ella, Trixie, and Belle, Bellatrix also has a great meaning for a strong lady: It means "female warrior." But, all Harry Potter fans will know it's the name of witch and Slytheryn House member Bellatrix Lestrange.
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Berkeley: it's a consistently unisex name, and with a meaning like "birch field and clearing," it also another collegiate-inspired name.
More from The Stir: 25 College-Inspired Baby Names for Little Girls
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Bessa: a shortened version of Elizabeth, it's also become a standalone name in its own right. It's also a more modern take on the classic and old-fashioned Bessy! Shoutout to grandma, perhaps?
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Beverley: the name peaked in popularity in the 1930s, and comes from a couple Olde English words. You take beafor (meaning "beaver") and leac (meaning "stream"), put them both together, and you have "dweller near the beaver stream." Or, Beverley.
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Bevin: a more modern version of Beverley, Bevin originates from an old Gaelic story that recounts the beautiful voice of a singer, Bevin. Since then, the name has come to mean "melodious voice" on the Emerald Isle.
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Birdie: actress Busy Philipps (who works another "B" name), named her first daughter Birdie Leigh. It hasn't caught on in the mainstream yet, but was once exceptionally popular back in the 1880s.
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Blair: it means "dweller on the plain" in Gaelic, but, more recently, is the name of arguable the best character on television: Leighton Meester's Blair Waldorf on Gossip Girl. XOXO, ladies.
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Blake: Blake Lively has made the once-boy name popular as a unisex name, so ladies, come and get it. It first started as a last name, and has a double meaning. It comes from two Olde English words: blaec (which means "dark-complexioned") and blac (which means "bright and pale").
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Blue: fellow "B" name bearer Beyonce named her first daughter Blue Ivy, catapulting the name's overall popularity. Kids may associate it with the dog from Blue's Clues, but Blue Ivy is the main carrier of the colorful moniker.
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Bowie: a Scottish last name meaning "yellow" or "fair-haired," Bowie is most often associated with English musician David Bowie, but fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff has also used the name. In 2014, she welcomed daughter Bowie Lou!
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- Brett: though it tended to be a strictly boys name, the ladies have begun to take over Brett. Just take Lady Brett Ashley from Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, for example.
- Briar: when Sleeping Beauty went incognito, she used the name Briar Rose. And Rachel Bilson, who gave birth to her first daughter this year, used that exact same name for her little girl.
- Bridget: it comes from the Gaelic brigh, which means "strength," and it's been one of the most popular "B" names for girls ever since the 1970s. From Bridget Fonda to Bridget Moynahan and Bridget Jones, there are plenty of wonderful namesakes for every little Birdget.
- Brie: sure, it's a little cheesy (pun totally intended), but it's also a different spelling on Bree and possible variant for Gabrielle.
- Brielle: a classic Hebrew name meaning "God is my might," it's another alternative to Gabrielle, but one that has become it's own name.
- Brighton: the meaning really is quite simple. Break up the word and you'll quickly find that Brighton just means "bright town" in English. Meanwhile, its Hebrew translation is just as sweet: "beloved one."
- Brinley: an extremely popular name, especially in Utah, that has multiple fun nicknames. From Brin to Lee, and B to Brinny, the name has also taken on several spellings. Do the -ey ending, or the -ee, or go for the singular -y. The mix-and-match options are endless.
__More from *The Stir*: [20 Baby Girl Names Inspired by American Presidents](http://thestir.cafemom.com/pregnancy/180704/baby_girl_names_presidents_patriotic)__
- Bristol: it's the name of a city that sits alongside the Avon River in England, and also the name of Bristol Head, a mountain in Colorado. But you may also recognize it as the name Sarah Palin gave to her oldest daughter, Dancing With the Stars cast-member Bristol Palin.
- Britta: for any Community fans, Britta is the name of Greendale Community College psychology student Britta Perry. But in Scandinavia, the name is an alternate version of Brigit, and means "exalted or strong."
- Brooklyn: it's one of the most popular names in America in every state except, ironically, New York. And it's a total celebrity-worthy name. Not only is it held by model and actress Brooklyn Decker, but even Nick and Vanessa Lachey just named their baby girl Brooklyn.
- Brynne: taken from the Welsh Bryn, meaning "hill," it's mostly used as a boy name in England. Over in the United States, however, it's become a standalone girls' name, and one that can also be short for Brynlee, Brenna, and Brianna.
- Buffy: it's historically been a nickname for Elizabeth, but after Sarah Michelle Gellar's stint as Buffy, it became its own name. Ms. Summers, we thank you.
Which is your favorite "B" name for girls?
Image via Deviant/shutterstock; MARCTRAN/shutterstock
