15 Popular Foreign Names For Girls

If you're having a baby, one of the earliest challenges you'll have is figuring out what to name him or her. After all, the name you give them will stay with them throughout their entire life, becoming part of their identity along the way. A lot of parents like to stray away from the more common baby names of the generation, but you also don't want your child to be ridiculed for a "weird" or unpronounceable name. So why not pick one that's already popular, but not in your country?

Lots of people have already hopped on board the unusual, but beautiful name train when it comes to their children. These celebrities gave their kids super cool names that they're bound to be proud of as they grow up! But just as names change in popularity throughout time, like these ones that were all the rage back in the day, they also differ from country to country. A name as popular as "Ashley" here might sound totally weird in another nation!

Check out these names for girls that are popular in other countries, but uncommon in the United States. Your little girl will be almost guaranteed to be the only one with this name in her class, and everyone will comment on how beautiful it is! My personal favorite is #5. What's yours?

Make sure you SHARE these amazing names with everyone you know!

1. Elif

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This name stems from the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, Alif. It means "slender" or "thin," in reference to the tall, thin shape of the letter it's based off of. It's a very popular name in Turkey.

2. Nour

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This name is Arabic in origin, meaning "light," but it's most popular in Belgium. It's also a unisex name, so it's not unheard of for boys to be named Nour.

3. Pia

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Entertainment Tonight

Pia is a Latin name that means "pious." It's most popular in Norway, but if you go to Italy, you're also likely to find more than a few girls with this name.

4. Milla

This name is actually a shortened variant of the name "Camilla," which is a Latin name that means "servant of the temple," "free-born," or "noble." It's popular in Sweden, Norway, and Belgium.

5. Neve

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The original Gaelic spelling of this name is "Niamh," pronounced "ni-ev." However, the name now has many Anglicised versions, including Niav, Nieve, and Neave, all of which carry the original meaning of "bright" or "radiant." These days, the name is popular not only in its native land of Ireland, but also in England, Wales, and Scotland.

6. Rocio

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Pronounced "ro-SEE-o," this name is mostly popular in its native Spain, but is also used in Italy and Latin American countries. It means "dew drops."

7. Nika

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This name has origins all over the world, including in Persia, where it means "good," and Greece, where it means "victory." It's also used in countries such as Croatia and Slovenia as a shortened form of Nikola. Today, it's one of the most popular names in Slovenia.

8. Mona

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This name has roots in Arabic (meaning "wishes), Gaelic (meaning "noble one"), and Greek (meaning "solitary"). You're most likely to find girls with this name in Sweden, Ireland, and Norway.

9. Aleyna

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Sam Edwards/iStock

This Turkish name comes from the Arabic word "aleina," which means "above us." It's still most popular in Turkey, but it can also be found in Sweden, Belgium, and Ireland in increasing numbers.

10. Aoife

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videoinspirational/YouTube

It may look like a strange name, but Aoife (pronounced EE-fa) is a common name in its native Ireland and throughout the UK. It means "radiance" or "beauty."

11. Romy

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The Latin meaning of this name is "dew of the sea," and it's frequently used as a shortened version of the name "Rosemary." It's currently a popular name in England, Scotland, Ireland, and Belgium.

12. Tilly

The name "Tilly" has both French and German origins. Despite its cute sound, it means "mighty in battle." It's most popular in Sweden, Scotland, and England.

13. Esmée

Although it can also be used as a shortened form of the name Esmeralda, this name is most commonly used on its own. It originates from France, meaning "to esteem," and while it's still popular there, it's also gained steam in Ireland, England, and Scotland.

14. Iona

Iona is the name of a small island between Ireland and Scotland, but it has since become a name for girls as well, meaning "blessed." As you might expect, it's most popular in Scotland and Ireland.

15. Margaux

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Aleksandar Mladenović/iStock

This French name takes its inspiration from a village near Bordeaux that has a reputation for producing some of the best red wine around. It's pronounced the same as "Margot," but the fancy spelling gives it a fancy note for parents who want their daughter's name to stand out from the rest.

Make sure you SHARE these beautiful names with everyone you know!