30 Baby Girl Names Inspired By Royalty And The Stories Behind Them

Alexandra is a Greek name meaning "defender of men". The name has been used by Greek, Danish, and Russian royalty in the past. It also has a lot of nickname and alternative spelling potentials, which many families enjoy.

Eleanor is believed to be derived from Helen or Ellen, but it actually came from the Provençal phrase "alia Aenor," meaning "other Aenor." In Greek, it means "bright, shining one." Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine brought it from France to England in the 12th century.

Charlotte comes from the French feminized version of Charles. It was originally used by Charlemagne's son to mean "little Charles" but became popular thanks to England's Queen Charlotte Sophia, wife of King George III. Today, Princess Charlotte of Cambridge continues the tradition.

Elizabeth means "pledged to God" in Hebrew, and no one's life quite exemplifies that idea like Queen Elizabeth II, who has truly dedicated her entire life to God and country. It has been among the 50 most popular names for baby girls in the United States for over 100 years.

Queen Victoria had a daughter named Alice, who had a daughter named Victoria, who had a daughter named Alice. That's Princess Alice, known as the mom of the late Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip. Alice means "noble" in German.

Victoria is the Latin word for "victory." It's also the name of the ancient Roman goddess of victory. It's no wonder that the royals are driven toward the strong name.

Today, the name Anastasia is most commonly known for the legendary Grand Duchess of Russia, the youngest daughter of the last czar. The name means "resurrection, she who will rise again" — another powerful choice.

Matilda means "battle mighty" in German. St. Matilda was the wife of the 10th-century German king Henry I the Fowler. The name gained popularity among European royalty in the Middle Ages.

Catherine means "pure" in Greek. It's one of the oldest and most commonly used girl names, with tons of nickname potential. The name has been tied to English and French royalty.

Diana derives from words meaning "heavenly" and "divine." It is also the name of the Roman goddess of the moon, hunting, forests, and childbirth. Its most notable royal use has been Diana, Princess of Wales. Her name is now one of the middle names of her granddaughter, Princess Charlotte.

Beatrice means "she who brings happiness and blessings" in Latin. The name first appeared royally in Queen Victoria's youngest daughter. Today, Princess Beatrice of York proudly represents the moniker.

Cecilia derives from the Latin word for "blind." The name crossed into royalty to honor St. Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians.

Grace wasn't a royal name until Princess Grace of Monaco brought her signature look and demeanor to the royal family of Monaco. Coincidentally, Anne means "grace" in French and Hebrew.

Margaret means "pearl" in Greek and is derived from the French Marguerite. A queen of Scotland and princess of Hungary boasted the name before it landed in the British royal family with Margaret of Connaught and, later, Margaret, Countess of Snowdon.

Indira means "beauty" in Sanskrit. The pretty name has appeared many times in the history of Indian royalty.

Nefertiti means "the beautiful one has come" and was the name of a powerful Egyptian queen. Today, more and more people are considering the name and its unique nickname options.

Tatiana is the feminine form of a Roman family name, Tatius. It became popular in Russia as the name of one of the last grand empresses. Today, there's also Princess Tatiana of Greece and Denmark.

Sophie is the French form of Sophia, which means "wisdom" in Greek. Royal uses include Sophie of Württemberg. Today, there's Sophie, Countess of Wessex.

Frances is an English name derived from Latin for "free man" or "from France." It's typically been chosen as a middle name for royals.

There are many different ideas as to the original meaning of Mary, from "beloved" to "sea of bitterness." Today, it's one of the most popular little girl names internationally. Countless royals from around the world have proudly boasted the name.

Louise is the French and English feminine derivation of Louis and means "renowned warrior." It's been used by royalty in the Netherlands and Norway.

Adelaide is the German variant of "Adelheidis." It means noble or nobility, so it's not surprising it's popular among royals. The name was made popular by Marie-Adélaïde, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg.

Aiko comes from the Japanese 愛 (ai), which means "love" or "affection," and 子 (ko) meaning "child." It's a recent addition to the royal name list, with Aiko, Princess Toshi, who is the only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan.

Isabella is the Spanish and Hebrew variation of Elizabeth, meaning "pledged to God." Royalty with the names Isabel or Isabella date back generations and generations across many different countries and cultures.

Catalina is the Spanish and Corsican form of Katherine. Catalina was a royal Spanish princess before marrying into the British royal family, where she became known as Catherine of Aragon.

Philippa is the female version of Philip and was recently rumored to be among the baby names Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are considering for their daughter. Philippa of Lancaster became the queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Eugenie means "well born" and has been a name used by many queens and princesses over time. Today, Princess Eugenie of York proudly sports the unique name.

Sarah is the Hebrew word for "noblewoman" or "princess," so it's surprising it hasn't come up in royal circles more. The most well-known royal Sarah is the Duchess of York, ex-wife of Prince Andrew.

Helena is derived from the Greek Helene, which means "light, torch or bright." Queen Victoria named her third daughter Helena, which some believe was a tribute to the Roman Empress St. Helena.

Madeleine means "child of light" in Greek. It's been used by French and English royalty throughout generations. Today, Sweden has its own Princess Madeleine, Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland.