L. Elizabeth Forry
The Regency Era has been trending lately due to popular shows like Bridgerton, Sanditon, and Netflix’s latest hit: Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. And fans of these shows may want to invoke that royal style by choosing a popular Regency Era girl name!
In England, the Regency Era lasted from approximately 1811-1820 when Prince George ruled as the Regency for his afflicted father, George III. However, the more widely accepted timeline is from 1795 to 1837.
The Regency Era is a sub-era of the longer English Georgian Era that lasted over a century from 1714 to 1837. After this, the English entered one of its lengthiest eras, the Victorian Era.
English girl names from the Regency and Victorian eras have long been popular options for parents-to-be. Many of this era's names are Biblical names. Also popular were French, Greek, and Latin-inspired names, as it was an era of enlightenment, art, and poetry.
Related: 75 Royal Girl Names Perfect For Your Little Princess
If you’re searching for a name for your baby girl that has stood the test of time, or at least the last few centuries, then a Regency Era name should be at the top of your list!
Most Popular Regency Era Names for Girls
Some Regency Era names were around long before the 18th century and have lasted well into the 21st! Here are some of the most popular Regency Era baby names for girls.
- Anne - Hebrew. Gift of God’s favor.
- Elizabeth - Hebrew. God’s oath.
- Emma - German. Whole or universal.
- Grace - Latin. Graceful blessing.
- Charlotte - French. It is a diminutive of Charles, which means free man.
- Hannah - Hebrew. Favor, grace.
- Isabelle/Isabella- Spanish variation of Elizabeth. It means God is my oath.
- Julia - Latin. Youthful.
- Sarah- Hebrew. Princess.
- Sophia - Greek. Wisdom.
Classic Regency Era Names
These names may not top the charts, but they have always stayed in style. Choosing one of these for your baby girl is a safe bet she’ll have a classical name without having five other girls in their class with the same one!
- Abigail - Hebrew. A father’s joy.
- Alice- German. Noble.
- Amelia - German. Industrious.
- Betty- A diminutive form of Elizabeth. Oath of God.
- Caroline - French. Strong.
- Catherine- Greek. Pure.
- Diana - Latin/Greek. Divine,
- Emmeline - German. Industrious.
- Genevieve - Welsh. White wave.
- Helena - Greek. Shining light.
- Jenny - Old Wesh. Fair one.
- Jessie - Hebrew. Lord exists.
- Judith - Hebrew. Praised.
- Juliet- French. Youthful.
- Kate- English/Greek. Pure.
- Laura- Latin. Honor.
- Lily - Latin. Pure,
- Madeline- Greek/English. High tower.
- Marianne/Mary Ann- French. Little and bitter.
- Susanna- Hebrew. Graceful lily.
- Violet- Latin. Purple.
Unique Regency Era Names for Girls
Some of these names may sound like more modern baby girl names, but they were actually popular names during the Regency Era!
- Aurelia - Latin. Golden one.
- Amabella - Latin. Loveable.
- Celine - French/Latin. Heavenly.
- Clarissa - German/Latin. Bright and famous.
- Daphne - Greek. Laurel tree.
- Imogene - Latin. Maiden, innocent.
- Lilias- Scottish. Lily.
- Marina - Latin. Of the sea.
- Peace - Latin. Peace. Tranquility.
- Phoebe - Greek. Radiant.
- Portia - French/Latin. An offering.
- Selina - Greek. Moon.
- Serafina - Latin. Fiery, burning.
- Siena - Italian. Reddish-brown.
- Simone - Hebrew. One who hears.
- Unity - English. Oneness. Together.
- Uriana - Greek. Heavenly. Unknown.
- Zillah- Hebrew. Shade, protection.
Regency Era Literary Names for Girls
Regency Era literature has a popular and almost cult-like following in some literary circles. Few bookies can dispute the influence of authors like Jane Austen, Charlotte and Emily Bronte, or Mary Shelley. Here are some of our favorite Regency Era authors and character names inspired by famous literature.
- Amy - Latin/French. Beloved. The youngest of the March sisters in the classic novel Little Women.
- Beth - A diminutive form of Elizabeth. The March sister with a tragic end in Louisa May Alcott’s classic Little Women.
- Eliza - A diminutive of Elizabeth. The formidable heroine from the play Pygmalion and the classic musical Pygmalion musical My Fair Lady.
- Emily - Latin. Rival. One of the Bronte sisters.
- Jane - Hebrew. God is gracious. Few names could be more Regency Era than this one. Jane is the first name of the beloved author Jane Austen and the title character from the Gothic novel Jane Eyre.
- Josephine -Hebrew. He shall add—perhaps the most beloved of the four March sisters from Little Women.
- Lucy - Latin. Light.
- Maria - Latin. Bitter drop of the sea. Eldest sister to the writers Emily and Anne Bronte, who unfortunately died at the age of 11.
- Margaret/Meg - Greek. Pearl. The eldest of the March girls in the novel Little Women.
- Mary- Latin/Hebrew. Bitter drop of the sea.
- Nancy - Greek. Grace. Nancy always makes me think of the tragic heroine from the classic Dickens novel Oliver Twist.
Old-Fashioned Regency Era Names for Girls
Not all Regency Era names have stayed fashionable. And nothing was considered worse during the Regency Era than being out of style or obsolete! Just ask any of the Featherington women from the hit Netflix TV show Bridgerton.
Nonetheless, some of these female names are adorable and were common names during the time. Some names stayed in style much longer than others, and who knows, with the influx of Regency period dramas and shows, maybe they’ll cycle back again!
- Agnes - Greek. Pure. Holy.
- Alfread - English. Elf power.
- Annette - French. Grace.
- Arabella- Latin. Yielding to prayer.
- Augusta - Latin. Great, magnificent.
- Bridget - Irish. Strength.
- Cecelia - Latin. Blind.
- Cressida - Greek. Gold.
- Deborah- Hebrew. Bee.
- Drusilla - Latin. Fruitful.
- Edith - Old English. Riches.
- Edwina - German. Prosperous friend.
- Eleanor - Greek. Shining light.
- Ellen - English. Light. A variation of Helen.
- Eloise - French. Healthy and wide.
- Euphemia - Greek. Well-spoken.
- Fanny - Today, most people associate this word with a person’s bottom or other female anatomy. However, if you’re familiar with Funny Girl or Jane Austen books, you may be familiar with this French name that is a nickname for Frances.
- Florentina - Latin. Flourishing. Prosperous.
- Francesca - Old French. Free. This is a more feminized form of Frances used for girls and boys, especially in France.
- Georgiana - Greek. Farmer. A feminized version of George.
- Gwendoline - Irish/Welsh. White ring.
- Harriet - French. Ruler of the household.
- Henrietta - German. House ruler.
- Helen - Greek. Torch.
- Honora - Latin. Honor.
- Hyacinth - Greek. Blue crystal. Flower.
- Jemima - Hebrew. Dove.
- Joanna - Hebrew. God is gracious.
- Josephine - Hebrew. God increases.
- Lavinia - Lavinia may have the ring to it of an old, maiden aunt, but this Latin name means Pure.
- Leonora - Italian. Light.
- Letitia - Latin. Joy or gladness.
- Lydia- Greek. A woman from Persia or an Asian land. Beetlejuice fans are familiar with this Gothic-style name!
- Louise - Old German. Renowned warrior
- Marjorie - Scottish. Pearl.
- Octavia - Latin. Eighth.
- Phyllis - Greek. Green tree branch.
- Penelope - Greek. Bobbin weaver.
- Prudence - Latin. Caution.
- Rosina - Italian. Rose.
- Temperance - English. Modesty or restraint.
- Theodosia- Greek. God-given. This name is used in the hit Broadway music Hamilton because it was the name of the infamous Aaron Burr’s wife and daughter. Perhaps that is why it fell out of style in America.
- Thomasina - Aramaic. Twin.
For more baby name inspiration check out these popular baby name lists:
- 75 Old Money Baby Names That Sound Rich and Glamorous
- 105 Gilded Age Names for Girls and Boys
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