Southern Girl Names: Beautifully Unique and Timeless Picks

Author:

Published:

Updated:

Southern Girl Names Beautifully Unique and Timeless Picks

Affiliate Disclaimer

As an affiliate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. We get commissions for purchases made through links on this website from Amazon and other third parties.

There are plenty of reasons to love the South. The food is amazing, the hospitality is second to none, and the culture is rich and unique, not to mention, Southern charm.

Contents show

And when it comes to Southern belle names, the South has some of the most beautiful, unique, and timeless picks around.

The southern part of the United States includes the deep south; Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisana (if you love Cajun names check out that post)., Mississippi, Oklahoma and South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

We compiled a list of cute southern girl names, unique southern girl names, old southern girl names and modern southern belle names.

These Southern girls’ names are timeless and classic, yet still, manage to sound fresh and modern.

What Is the Most Southern Girl’s Name?

When you think of a Southern girl, what comes to mind? Maybe she’s wearing a sundress and cowboy boots, or sipping sweet tea on the porch.

Or perhaps she’s got a heavy drawl and a love for country music.

Whatever the image, one thing is for sure: Southern girls have a certain charm and charisma that is all their own.

And part of that charm lies in their names. From classic Southern names like Mary and Elizabeth to more unique choices like Magnolia and Scarlet, Southern girl names reflect the rich heritage and history of the South.

They also reflect the pride that Southern girls have in their femininity and their roots. If you are interested in country girls names in general, check out our post.

Amelia

Amelia

Amelia is of Latin origin, meaning “work”

Avery

English origin, meaning “ruler of the elves”

Belle

French origin girls name, meaning “beautiful”

Carter

English origin, meaning “one who uses a cart”, usually a male name but more often being used as a feminine name.

Charlotte

Charlotte

French origin, meaning “free man” or “petite”. Feminine form of the name Charles.

Elizabeth

Hebrew origin, meaning “God is my oath”

Emma

Latin origin, meaning “whole or entire”

Ella

English origin, meaning “all, completely; other, foreign”

Grace

Grace

Latin origin, meaning “favor, blessing”

Harper

Middle English origin, meaning “harp player”. Harper Lee was a popular American novelist.

Hunter

English origin, meaning “one who hunts”

Liliana

Latin origin, meaning “lily”

Magnolia

Magnolia

Latin origin, meaning “flowering tree”

Mary

Latin origin, meaning “bitterness”

Mason

English and Scottish origin, meaning “one who works with stone.”

Nora

Latin origin, meaning “honor”

Natalie

Natalie

Latin origin, meaning “born on Christmas Day

Olivia

Latin origin, meaning “olive tree”, for more tree names see our tree name post.

Parker

English origin, meaning “park keeper”

Penelope

Greek origin, meaning “weaver”

Sawyer

Sawyer

English origin, meaning “one who cuts wood”

Scarlet / Scarlett

Latin origin, meaning “red”, if you love red or blood names read this!

Victoria

Latin origin, meaning “conqueror”

Violet

Latin origin, meaning “purple”

Willow

Willow

English origin, meaning “Slender and Graceful”

Wyatta

English origin, meaning “hardy, brave”

What’s a Southern Belle name?

In the American South, it is not uncommon to hear a little girl referred to by her double name.

For example, a child named Mary Elizabeth might be called Mary Beth by her family and friends. This tradition is rooted in the region’s history and is a source of pride for many Southerners. Double names are often classics that have been passed down through the generations.

Additionally, you will find little girls with names like Annabelle, Blanche, or Parker. While these names may seem unusual to outsiders, they often have special meaning to the families who choose them.

In many cases, Southern names are a way of honoring family tradition. For example, a girl might be named after her grandmother or great-aunt.

Others are inspired by nature (see our flower girl names) or the Bible. Still, others are simply whimsical and fun, chosen because they make the child stand out from the crowd.

Whatever the reason behind them, Southern names are often as unique and spirited as the girls who bear them.

Abigail

Hebrew origin, meaning “my father is joy” or “father of exaltation.”

Alice

German origin, meaning “noble, nobility”

Anna

Anna

Latin origin, meaning “gracious, sweet, and bitter”

Annabelle

Latin origin, meaning “lovable, beautiful”

Annalee

Hebrew origin, meaning “favor; grace”

Astrid

Scandinavian origin, meaning “divine beauty”

Augusta

Augusta

Latin origin, meaning “venerable”

Aurelia

Latin origin, meaning “the golden one”

Berta

German origin, meaning “bright, famous”

Betsy

Hebrew origin, meaning “God is my oath”. diminutive of Elizabeth.

Bianca

Bianca

Italian origin, meaning “white”

Blanche

Name of French and German origin, meaning “white” or “pure”

Bonnie

Scottish origin, meaning “fine, attractive”

Callie

Name of Greek origin, meaning “most beautiful”

Caroline

Caroline

Name of Latin origin, meaning “Free Woman”

Catherine

Greek origin, meaning “pure”

Claire

Latin origin, meaning “clear, bright”

Clara

Latin origin, meaning “clear, bright”

Donna

Donna

Italian origin, meaning “lady”

Eleanor

Greek origin, meaning “light”

Faye

Middle English origin, meaning “fairy”

Myrtle

Latin origin, meaning “dark green”

Nancy

Nancy

French origin, meaning “gracious”

Ruby

Latin origin, meaning “red”; deep red precious stone

What Are Old Southern Girl Names?

Culture and tradition are revered in the American south. And when it comes to naming baby girls, Southerners often choose classic Southern baby names that have been passed down for generations.

Here’s a list of old or vintage Southern girl names:

Annamae

A Southern baby name of Hebrew origin, meaning “to love”

Alexandria

A baby girl name of Greek origin, meaning “defender” or “protector”, we have a full list of names which mean protector or guardian here.

Carla

Carla

German origin, meaning “free man”

Claudette

French origin, meaning “lame”. Diminutive form of Claudia.

Coralee

Old French origin, meaning “coral reef”

Dixie

A Southern baby girl name of French origin, meaning “tenth”

Ellen

Ellen

Greek origin, meaning “light” or “torch”

Gladys

Welsh origin, meaning “lame” or “proud”

Hannah

Hebrew origin, meaning “gracious”

Hattie

A diminutive of the name Harriet, Hattie is an English name that means “estate ruler”.

Heddie

Heddie

German origin, meaning “warrior”, for more badass warrior names see here.

Ida

German origin, meaning “hardworking”

Isabelle

Hebrew origin, meaning “consecrated to God”

Jemima

A baby girl name of Hebrew origin, meaning “dove”

Jessie

Jessie

Scottish origin, meaning “God is gracious”

Jody

A baby girl name of Hebrew origin, meaning “He will increase”

Josephine

A traditional girl name of French origin, meaning “God will increase”

Maribel

Hebrew origin, meaning “beautiful”

Melanie

Melanie

Greek origin, meaning “black, dark”

Memphis

Greek origin, meaning “beautiful and established”

Parker

This name is of English origin and means “park keeper”.

Tammy

A diminutive of the name Tamara, which is of Hebrew origin, and means “date palm” or “spice”.

What Are Good Southern Middle Names?

While northern middle names tend to be more commonplace and known, southern middle names often have a greater deal of charm and character.

This is likely due in part to the history of the south. For generations, people in the south have been known for their love of cotillions, derbies, and battlefields.

As a result, many southern middle names are steeped in heritage and tradition.

However, this is not to say that all southern middle names are old-fashioned. In recent years, there has been a trend towards choosing classic southern names with a southern twist.

Courtney

Courtney

French origin, meaning “short nose”

Daphne

Greek origin, meaning “laurel tree”

Dorrie

Greek origin, meaning “gift”

Eleanor

A popular Southern girl name of Greek origin, meaning “light” or “sun ray”

Helen

Helen

Greek origin, meaning “shining light” or “torch”

Isobel

Scottish origin, meaning “consecrated to God”

Lorraine

A baby name of French origin, meaning “from Lorraine”

Mae

A diminutive of the classic Southern name Mary, Mae is a Southern name of English origin, meaning “bitter” or “sea of bitterness”.

Maribelle

Maribelle

Old French origin, meaning “of the sea”

Margaret

Greek origin, meaning “pearl”

Tanya

A Russian diminutive of Tatiana, which is a feminine form of the Roman name Tatius or a derivation from the Sabine word tatene, meaning “father.”

Cute Southern Girl Names

Here’s our cute Southern girl name list:

Alouetta

French origin, meaning “lark”

Belinda

Belinda

A pretty Southern girl name of Spanish origin, meaning “Beautiful”

Clementine

The name Clementine is the feminine form of the Latin name Clemens and it means “merciful” or “gentle”.

Emery

German origin, meaning “brave”

Harriet

English origin, meaning “home-ruler”

Itzel

Itzel

Spanish origin, meaning “rainbow lady”

Lainey

Greek origin, meaning “bright, shining light”

Louella

French origin, meaning “famous warrior”

Ora

A baby name of Spanish origin, meaning “prayer”

Presley

A Southern girl name, meaning it can be given to either a boy or a girl. The name Presley is an English variant of the Scottish surname Pressley, which is derived from the Old English word press, meaning “priest”.

Reese

Reese

Welsh origin, meaning “ardor” or “passion”

Savannah

Name of Spanish origin, meaning “Treeless Plain”

Sutton

A baby name of English origin, meaning “from the south town” or “southern settlement”.

Taylor

This name is of English origin, and comes from a surname that originally denoted someone who was a tailor, from Old French tailleur, and ultimately from Latin taliare, meaning “to cut”.

Unique Southern Girl Names

Unique Southern girl names often evoke the sunny days and sweet tea of the south. So, here are some unique and pretty Southern girl names:

Aletta

Aletta

A Greek name, meaning “winged”

Beulah

A baby girl name of Hebrew origin, meaning “married”

Imogen

Gaelic origin, meaning “maiden”

Joetta

Hebrew origin, meaning “God will increase”

Laurel

Latin origin, meaning “the laurel or sweet bay tree”

Neely

Neely

Irish origin, meaning “victorious people”

Tallulah

Native American origin, meaning “leaping water”

Willadeene

English origin, meaning “Gray”

Sweet Southern Girl Names

Here’s our sweet Southern name list:

Chantilly

A name of French origin meaning “song” or “singing”.

Cornelia

Cornelia

Latin origin, meaning “horn”

Dakota

Native American origin, meaning “ally, friend”

Eileen

A name of Irish origin that means “light” or “shining one”. It is often associated with the name Helen.

Faith

English origin, meaning “faith” or “belief”

Hartley

Hartley

This Southern girl name is derived from a place name meaning “stag meadow” in Old English.

June

The name June is derived from the Latin name Junius, which was the name of a Roman family clan. The name Junius is thought to be derived from the goddess Juno.

Mona

Irish and Gaelic origin, meaning “noble” or “aristocrat”

Stella

Latin and Italian origin, meaning “star”

Modern Southern Girl Names

When it comes to naming their daughters, modern southern parents are sweet on sweet names. And while traditional southern girl names like Scarlett and Harper are still popular, modern parents are also giving their girls Southern baby names that are not traditionally used as names in the south.

Bryanna

Bryanna

Latin origin, meaning “strong, virtuous, honorable”

Cameron

Scottish origins, meaning “crooked nose”

Cheyenne

Native American origin, meaning “unintelligible”

Corliss

A name of French origin, meaning “little and fiery”

Emmalyn

Latin origin, meaning “entire, universal

Fallon

Fallon

A name of Irish origin, meaning “leader”.

Floretta

Latin name, meaning “flowering”

Genevieve

A name of French origin, Genevieve is the feminine form of the name Genevieve and means “woman of the people”.

Hayley

A name of English origin, derived from Old English words meaning “hay” and “meadow”.

Paisley

A Southern name of Scottish origin that is derived from the Latin word “pascua” meaning “Easter” or “Passover”.

Zelda

Zelda

A unique Southern girl name of Hebrew origin that means “shadow” or “night.”

Conclusion on Southern Belle Names

While any name can be a southern name, there are some that just have that extra bit of southern charm.

There’s something about southern baby girl names that just sound lovely.

Perhaps it’s the air of refinement and elegance that these southern names evoke.

Or maybe it’s the fact that many of these southern baby girl names have been passed down through generations of families in the south.

Whatever the reason, there’s no denying that southern baby girl names are popular.

Some of the most popular southern baby names for little girls include Mary, Caroline, and Grace. Some country baby names are inspired by towns or cities in the Southern states or states south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Whether you’re looking for a name for your own little Southern belle or just want to reflect your own Southern pride, these beautiful names are sure to please. So go ahead and choose your favorite – after all, every Southern girl deserves a perfect name.

About the author

Latest posts