When we think about our babies and their futures, we have so many hopes and dreams for them before they're even born. We hope they'll be happy with whatever passion they have in life. We wonder what they'll grow up be. We hope they can make a difference in the world or find love — basically, we just want them to be happy. That means every decision we make as parents can hold a lot of weight in those hopes and dreams.
We can put a child on the path for a great future by choosing a great name that we hope can inspire her in some way. We can use so many different areas for inspiration for a name that speaks to us, and we hope it sings to our little girls. One area is to look to women who have made their mark in the world, and there may not be a better area to look to than our first ladies. Some of them have made a larger mark on the world than others, but each one has done something in her own way.
Click through to see 20 baby girl names inspired the first ladies of the United States. These are a mix of classic and elegant and have an air of prestige that goes along with them.
MARTHA
We can't have a first lady-inspired baby name list without including the first first lady of the US, Martha Washington. She was the wife of President George Washington, with both living in the White House between 1789 and 1801. The name itself means "lady" or "mistress," according to Baby Name Wizard.
ABIGAIL
For anyone who wants a baby girl name inspired by the first ladies, Abigail is one of the few that can be inspired by more than one first lady. Abigail Fillmore, the first lady from 1850to 1853, and Abigail Adams, the first lady between 1797 to 1801, married to President John Adams. The classic name means "my father's joy."
DOLLEY
Dolley is an adorable name for a little girl, and surprisingly it's one that we've heard too often. The name is usually a pet name for Delores, which means "gift of God," according to Baby Name Wizard. She was a first lady for the United States between 1809 and 1817 as the wife to President James Madison.
ELIZABETH
For parents looking for a baby girl name with a classic and regal feel to it, nothing will do that better than Elizabeth. The name, meaning "God is my oath," has been around forever and is used by both the Queen of England, and former first lady, Elizabeth Monroe. She was married to President James Monroe, who was in office from 1817 through 1825.
LOUISA
Louisa is a feminine version of Louis, which means "famous in war," according to Baby Name Wizard. The name has an old-school, classic feel to it, which makes sense because it's been around a long time. This is tied to a first lady, Louisa Adams, who was married to President John Quincy Adams.
RACHEL
Most of us know the name Rachel from the NBC show Friends. She became famous for her hair and the relationship she had with her best friend's brother. But way back in the day, the name was known more for Rachel Jackson, wife to President Andrew Jackson, who served from 1829 to 1837.
ANGELICA
The name Angelica sounds like one of the names of an angel, and while we've heard it a few times before, it's still a baby name that flies under the radar for the most part. The name was that of one of the first ladies — but she wasn't a wife. Angelica Van Buren served in the role for her father-in-law, President Martin Van Buren, from 1837 through 1841. She was the youngest to have the title, which she assumed when President Van Buren's wife died.
ANNA
There are so many inspiring women that parents-to-be can use as the namesake for a little girl named Anna. But it's also the name of a first lady who lived in the White House for a year when her husband, President William Henry Harrison, served the nation in 1841. The name means "gracious," which seems apropos for a first lady.
LETITIA
In 1841, Letitia lived in the White House with her husband, President John Tyler, but she died in 1842. The name hasn't been around too much since 1980, but with the sweet meaning "gladness" or "happiness," we feel like the name isn't used as often as it should be. The adorable nickname, Letty, is just an added bonus.
JULIA
Julia is a name that's been around for centuries. Baby Name Wizard notes the name has been around since the 1880s, and it's still used fairly often today. The name is inspired by the second wife to President John Tyler, who was president between 1841 and 1845.
SARAH
Sarah is one of those baby names that has been popular for decades. Likely all of us know at least one Sarah. Despite this, the name, meaning "princess," has slid down the charts in recent years. But today, we were inspired by the first lady Sarah Polk, who was wife to President James Polk, who was in office from 1845 to 1849.
MARGARET
The girls' name, Margaret, feels like it's going to be around forever because it really has been. The name translates to mean "a pearl" and is inspired by Margaret Taylor, wife to President Zachary Taylor.
HARRIET
Harriet is a classic name, but we don't really hear it too much these days. The name is a feminine version of Henri, which means "ruler of an enclosure or home ruler," and it's made it on this list because of its connection to Harriet Lane, who was the first lady — but not as a wife (she was the niece) — of the president who was in office between 1857 and 1861, James Buchanan.
MARY
The baby girl name Mary is likely going to be classic and around forever — though it's not as popular as it once was. The name, inspired by first lady Mary Lincoln, wife to President Abraham Lincoln, is one that'll definitely stand the test of time despite its morose meaning of "sea of bitterness."
ELIZA
The name Eliza is a short form for the name Elizabeth, but it can also stand on its own as a name. It has the same meaning as that name, "God is my oath," according to Baby Name Wizard, and it's inspired by Eliza Johnson, wife to President Andrew Johnson, who served as president between 1865 and 1869.
LUCY
Lucy is a sweet, short, and cute name we love for precisely those reasons. The name is derived from the word "light," and it's been a popular name for a long time. It was most popular in 1880 and is slowly rising again. It was inspired by first lady Lucy Hayes, who served in that position from 1877-1881 as wife of President Rutherford B. Hayes.
LUCRETIA
The baby girl name Lucretia has fallen out of favor, but it was popular name in the 1880s, according to Baby Name Wizard. This makes sense because it was likely inspired by first lady Lucretia Garfield, who lived in the White House in 1881.
FLORENCE
The name Florence has such a classic feel to it, and while it's not as popular as it once was, we're all for bringing this name back. The first lady to President Warren G. Harding, Florence Harding, was in the White House from 1921 to 1923, and the moniker remains as timeless as ever.
JACQUELINE
Jacqueline is a classic name that's been around for a long time. According to Baby Name Wizard, it was most popular in 1960. This makes sense, given the name is inspired by arguably one of the most well-known first ladies in modern history, Jacqueline Kennedy. She was in the White House with her husband, President John F. Kennedy, from 1961 to 1963.
MICHELLE
Of course, this name is inspired by first lady Michelle Obama, who served at the White House from 2009 to 2017. The name is inspired by a French name that means "who is like God." While it hasn't been as popular in recent decades as it once was, the name being used now is certainly inspired by this powerful woman.
