If you keep your ears open next time you hit up the playground, you might notice a pretty interesting trend — exotic baby girl names are becoming more popular than ever. And with a little digging, we've discovered that countries with rich cultures and centuries of history behind them, like Italy, Ireland, France, Spain and Germany, have some of the best.
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In fact, the Italian name Isabella was the No. 1 baby girl name for 2009 in America, according to the Social Security Administration. Check out our list of the best exotic girl names, including Irish names, Spanish names, French names, Italian names and Australian names right here!
Irish girl names
Irish girl names are a growing in popularity because they have a unique quality and melodic ring to them. The name Aoife (pronounced "ee-fa") regularly falls in the top five baby girl names in Ireland. Check out our other picks:
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French girl names
From the Eiffel Tower to the romantic Seine River in Paris, France is all about romance -- and French names are no different! Here's our pick of beautiful French girl names:
Next Up: Spanish girl names
Spanish girl names
Spanish girl names are easy to spell yet sound mysterious and exotic. Check out our pick of Spanish names that are rich with meaning and beauty:
Italian baby girl names
We love Italian pizza, Italian leather — and Italian baby names! These classic, timeless names are perfect for your baby girl:
- Giulia (#1 according to Italian National Institute of Statistics)
- Sofia
- Martina
- Calinda
- Chiara
- Giorgia
- Aurora
- Francesca
- Elise
- Giada
- Matilde
- Beatrice
- Federeica
- Arianna
- Valentina
- Verona
- Penelope
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German Girl Names
With 23 percent of Americans claiming German roots, many are looking to their heritage for meaningful names. Check out our pick of the top German baby names for girls:
- Maria
- Anna
- Della
- Leonie
- Frieda
- Else
- Claudia
- Raine
- Amelia
- Heidi
- Adrian
- Amara
- Gaelle
- Giselle
- Alina
- Zelda
Originally published September 2010. Updated September 2016.