Baby Girl Names That Begin with F

Popular, Unusual and Classic Female Name Choices

Jan 18, 2008

The letter F is rarely found at the beginning of popular baby girl's names in the United States-- which is too bad, because many beautiful names begin with this letter.

When it comes to baby girl names, few popular names start with the letter F. You might expect that from U or Q, but it seems that a letter with a soft sound like F would have a bigger following. Nonetheless, according to the U.S. Social Security Baby Name Index, only one name beginning with F made it to the Top 100 list-- Faith, all the way down at #64!

Clearly, the letter F needs a revival when it comes to baby girl names. Sure, some names like Fanny and Fern may as well remain obscure, but plenty of pretty choices are out there. If you're looking for a baby girl name that starts with the letter F, here are some fine choices.

Faith. This somewhat trendy girl's name is a gentle complement to the popular name Grace. As far as "word" names go, Faith has a more classic feel than choices like Precious or Destiny. It's also become a popular middle name.

Fiona. Fiona's more popular in Great Britain and Ireland, but this melodic, vowel-heavy name is slowly climbing the charts in the U.S. as well. It's hard to tell if the character in Shrek is helping or hurting the rise of this name. Fiona originates from a Gaelic expression meaning 'fair."

Felicity. Despite the popular 1990s TV show, this pretty name has never caught on. It's from the Latin name Felicia (another uncommon name that was around a little more during the Baby Boom), which means "happy."

Frances & Francesca. Frances is a very classic name that was more popular earlier in the twentieth century. Francesca, the pretty Italian equivalent, has never been popular in the U.S. Perhaps parents in search of old-fashioned names who are sick of Isabella and Elizabeth will give these names a shot. The meaning of these names is simple-- "French person."

Flannery. This name is associated most with author Flannery O'Connor (whose real name was Mary Flannery O'Connor), and it's never caught on. If you like the androgynous last-name-turned-first-name trend but are leary of bringing another Taylor or Morgan into the world, this may be a fresh choice. Flannery is from a Gaelic phrase that means "red courage." Another similar and uncommon name is Finley, which is Gaelic for "pure hero."

Florence & Flora. Horribly outdated or quaintly chic? You be the judge. These names come from a Latin word that means "flourishing."

Fatima. This Arabic name is slowly becoming more popular int he United States. (Caution: pretty as it is, the first three letters make this name ripe for teasing.) Fatima means "baby's nurse."

Fawn. Too sexy and cutesy, or chic and unique? Unlike the 1970s hit Dawn, Fawn has never really caught on. Faith and Fawn are a good set of names for twins.

Fantasia. Despite the American Idol champ with this name, this unique name is still rarely used. It derives from a Latin expression meaning "fantasy."

Farrah. Way too 1970s for your tastes? Maybe, but this unusual name can be a nice alternative to Cara or Tara. Farrah is simply derived from the word "fair."