Finding the perfect name for a baby on the way isn't the easiest task. We want to make sure the name fits her personality before we even get the chance to meet her. It's also important that the name is one that has the potential to make her life even better.
One way to do that is to name our little girls after women we find inspiring, hoping that the fire that makes the famous woman so game-changing and heroic will be infused into our little one as well. So to aid in that quest, we've rounded up some baby girl names that are not only beautiful and powerful, but also take inspiration from incredible modern-day female heroes.
SERENA
The baby girl name comes from the word "serene" and the name means "calm, peaceful, tranquil," according to Baby Name Wizard. It's also a beautiful tribute to the incredible Serena Williams, who broke so many barriers for women in sports.
VIOLA
We love the name Viola, a refreshing variation of the more popular Violet. An added bonus comes from finding inspiration from the amazing Viola Davis. She's an incredible actor who also changed the game, becoming the first Black woman to win an Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for her starring role in How to Get Away With Murder. It was about time.
RUTH
We don't hear this name too often anymore, but we'd love to see it come back. Inspired by the by the incredible late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, it's a classic name that holds a lot of power.
INNA
A sweet short name, which is always in style for little girls, Inna is a nod to Inna Braverman. She's a game-changer in the area of energy as the co-founder of Eco Wave Power, a company using oceanic waves to produce energy.
VELMA
Velma is a name that's been around for a long time, but isn't used too often. For some major female inspiration, Velma Veloria is the first Filipino American, as well as the first Asian American woman, to be elected to the Washington State Legislature.
CONSTANCE
The baby name Constance means "standing together" and that's the power that comes from the name inspired by Constance Wu, the award-winning Taiwanese American actress who has always stood up and spoken out about the lack of diversity in media and how important it is for that to change.
ANGELA
The baby name Angela isn't too popular, but not totally out there either. For this list, we're pulling inspiration from Angela Merkel, the chancellor of Germany, and the first woman to hold that office. According to Time, she's considered the most powerful leader in Europe.
Tarana
This lyrical name connects to the powerful Tarana Burke, the woman behind the Me Too group and viral hashtag. She's someone all our girls have to look up to for helping to make the world safer for women everywhere. For the baby name, Tarana has everything that we look for to make a strong name for our little ones.
YOANI
The world isn't kind to women as a whole, but some places are far more dangerous than others. Yoani is a strong name for a little girl, inspired by Yoani Cordero, the Cuban journalist who began writing critically about what life is like in Cuba — even when it came with some big dangers.
LAVERNE
The baby girl name means "belonging to spring" which is a sweet name for a little girl. Bonus points come from having Laverne Cox share the name. She's an inspiration to women and girls and has made a difference in the lives of those who need some visibility.
ALLYSON
There are a lot of different ways to spell Allyson, but for parents who love the name and want to put some inspiration from a modern female hero, we love this version for Allyson Felix. In 2019, this incredible runner took home 13 gold medals, breaking Usain Bolt's long-held record for the most gold medals won at the World Championships.
TEGLA
Again, another name that's uncommon in the US, but it has a gorgeous ring to it. Inspired by Kenya's Tegla Loroupe, she was the first African woman to win the New York City Marathon. She opened the door for so many other elite runners and used her fame to better the world in Sudan, Uganda, and Kenya.
JACINDA
With the 2020 global health crisis, the name Jacinda was spoken more than it had been before. Thanks to the amazing response of Jacinda Ardern, the 40th prime minister of New Zealand, the nation was one of the few places on Earth that was able to stop the virus in its tracks early on.
AMIYAH
Amiyah sounds like a name fit for a princess. Of course, knowing about Amiyah Scott, the first transgender woman to be cast on The Real Housewives franchise, makes the name even more powerful than royalty.
GABRIELLE
The name Gabrielle has a beautiful sound to it. It sits in that perfect space between popular and uncommon. Also, sharing the name with the amazing actor and activist Gabrielle Union is not a bad thing, either.
SEYHAN
The name Seyhan isn't a common one in the US, but it has a beautiful sound to it. Inspired by the Turkish transgender rights activist Seyhan Arman, the name is traditionally for a boy, but we think it's a beautiful nonbinary name.
BENAZIR
While it's not a name that's common in the US, it pays beautiful tribute to Benazir Bhutto. The daughter of the president of Pakistan, she was the country's first female prime minister off and on between 1988 and 1997. She was up for another election in 2007 when she was assassinated at a campaign rally. She's someone worth honoring.
JANET
This baby name has been around for a long time, but by pulling inspiration from Janet Mock, the name takes on new life. Janet, who became the first transgender woman of color to write and direct a TV episode with Pose, is someone all our kids can look up to.
