Choosing the perfect baby name for a little girl is super exciting, but it can be nerve-wracking, too. With so many great baby names out there to choose from, deciding what a little girl will be known as throughout childhood and for the rest of her life is a lot of pressure, especially if we haven't even had the chance to meet her yet.
When trying to decide on a baby name, it can help to draw inspiration from things in our lives that we love. Fans of gardening might fall in love with the names Rose or Violet. Someone who's all about crystals and their energy might vibe with the names Jade or Crystal.
For bookworms who are expecting, there's tons of great baby girl name inspiration right at our fingertips.
Naming a baby girl in honor of a beloved story character is a way of sharing our hopes and dreams for our daughter's future with the rest of the world. Certain book characters carry a particular impression along with them. Naming our daughter after one is a way of telling the world to treat our girl with the same love and respect they would give to that character.
For example, name a baby girl Katniss, after the main character in The Hunger Games, and people will look to her as a natural born learner. Name her Juliet, and she'll forever have to hear people asking her where's Romeo (eek, back to the drawing board on that one).
From baby girl names inspired by characters that have been around since our grandparents' time, to names that draw influence from newer classic reads, we've rounded up 20 fantastic baby girl names perfect for starting the first chapter in the book of life.
Hazel
Fans of The Fault in Our Stars will agree that Hazel is an excellent name. She was wise beyond her years and shows impressive amounts of both strength and grace in the way she handles having a life-threatening disease at a young age. Hazel's the name for a girl who will live life to the fullest.
Alice
This classic name from Alice in Wonderland is uncommon enough that there won't be five other little girls by the same name in kindergarten, but not so out there that no one knows how to pronounce it. Alice is sweet and brave (remember how she stood up to the Queen of Hearts?), great traits to wish for any daughter.
Beatrice
Nothing good came out of the Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events books, except for this idea for an adorable baby name. Lemony dedicates each book to his beloved Beatrice, a name which comes from a Latin phrase for "she who makes me happy."
Sula
The title character in Toni Morrison's novel of the same name, Sula is a beautiful name for a little girl destined to follow her own path in life. The name Sula has Hebrew, Scandinavian, and Latin origins and means both "peace" and "little she-bear."
Jane
She may have a supporting role in Pride and Prejudice, but the name Jane is anything but plain. The eldest Miss Bennet was poised, smart, kind-hearted, graceful and loved with all her heart. We're sure any namesake would follow in her footsteps.
Zooey
Everyone knows the name Holden, but only J.D. Salinger superfans will recall how vivacious Zooey Salinger is in Franny & Zooey. Hebrew for "life," this baby name is a good choice for a special baby name that's sure to stand out.
Daisy
For anyone who's been re-reading The Great Gatsby once a year since high school English class, Daisy is a logical (and beautiful) choice for a baby girl's name. Pretty and delicate, just like the flower, it's a name that projects an air of easy elegance.
Estella
Estella from Great Expectations offers some serious baby name inspiration for anyone who knows that their little girl will grow up to break hearts one day. From the Old French form of Latin meaning, "Star," Estella is a name for a girl who will shine bright.
Arya
We're still waiting for the next installment in A Song of Fire and Ice (the book series Game of Thrones is based on) but so far the tomes have offered lots of great baby name options. Take Arya for instance, a fierce female who will do literally anything for her family.
Ginny
The Harry Potter books are new classics, making their characters hot picks for baby names. Rather than add another Lily to the preschool class, why not choose the name Ginny? She's brave, loyal, and funny. And like the spelling, she's one of a kind.
Scarlett
If Gone With the Wind holds a special place of honor on the bookshelf, put Scarlett on the short list of baby name picks. The name has an antique feel without giving off a lace doily vibe like say, Doris. Any Scarlett is sure to be a vibrant girl and a daring woman.
Madeline
"In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines." Madeline's adventures tickled the imagination when we were kids, and her charm was irresistible. We're sure any baby with the same name would be just as lucky.
Bronte
Pay respect to three amazing authors by bestowing this special name upon a daughter. It's different enough that no one else will have it, but not so uncommon that people will poke fun. Plus, paging Dr. Bronte has a nice ring to it.
Harriet
Most of us remember Harriet the Spy as a precocious, driven, little girl who loves tomato sandwiches and will stop at nothing to achieve her goal of becoming a writer. Obsession with nightshade aside, these are all good qualities for someone to think of when they look at a child, making it a solid baby name.
Celine
A French name for "Moon," we'd hope any baby named after this character from The Color Purple would take on Celine's incredible strength and perseverance. In spite of everything life throws her way, Celine overcomes.
Matilda
The name Matilda is the perfect blend of brainy and fun-loving. As a child, we fell in love with Roald Dahl's story of a genius little girl who outsmarted bullies, and can fall in love with a baby girl by the same name (let's hope she doesn't have the same mind-control skills, though).
Laura
As kids, we were amazed reading the tales of Laura and her family in the Little House on the Prairie books. These old-school books may have been passed over for newer things on the reading list, but we think this classic name is ready for a comeback.
Kristy
We were just kids when Kristy had the great idea to start the Baby-Sitter's Club. Wanna hear another great idea? Naming a baby in her honor. Kristy is a special twist on names like Kristen or Christina, and maybe she'll absorb some of those #bossgirl vibes.
Charlotte
A true children's classic, Charlotte's Web teaches the all-important lesson of why we should never judge a book — or an animal– by its cover. Charlotte's would make a great name for a thoughtful little girl, or a grown woman who's always out to help the underdog.
Ramona
Thanks to the children's books by Beverly Cleary, we're all familiar with the name Ramona, yet it's not one we come across often in real life. Now's the time to change that. Let this spunky heroine be the inspiration for a perfect baby girl name.
