Top Baby Girl Names That Start With R

Many lovely names begin with R. Maybe you have a family tradition of giving the girls names beginning with R, or you just like the sound the letter makes. From biblical and Hebrew names to unique names from across the globe, along with more common and popular R girl names, we compiled a list of baby girl names starting with R with their meanings to help you find the right name.

Popular R Names for Girls

Want to know what are the most popular girl names that start with R? These are the top 21 R girl names in the United States:

1. Riley. Riley tops the charts as the most popular R name for girls. It either comes from an Irish surname (a variant of Reilly, where the meaning is unknown) or an Old English surname that means “rye clearing.”. It used to be a name for boys, but it’s gained popularity as a girls’ name in the English-speaking world. Although Riley is the top spelling, other variations like Rylee, Ryleigh, and Rylie also made it into the top 1000 girls’ names in the United States.

2. Ruby. This lovely name comes from the name of a precious stone. It comes from the Latin word ruber, meaning “red,” which is where the stone ruby gets its name. It’s the July birthstone, so if you’re expecting your baby in July, this could be a sweet name for your little one.

3. Raelynn. This combination of Rae (a short form of Rachel) and Lyn is another highly popular name beginning with R. Raelyn (the same name with one less n) is another highly popular name.

4. Rose. A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet, but this beautiful floral name is a classic for a reason. Although we associate it with the flower, did you know some say it may come from a German name Hrodohaidis, meaning “famous type”? It came to England with the Normans and then gained the association with the fragrant flower (which has the Latin name rosa). Although this name only really became popular from the nineteenth century onwards, most had the flower in mind when naming their babies.

5. Reagan. Reagan is an Irish surname that’s been anglicized from Ó Riagáin, which has roots in the Old Irish word for “king” with a diminutive suffix. It became popular for girls in the United States in the 1990s. Raegan is another popular variant of the name.

6. Remi. Remi is another popular girls’ name that begins with R. It has several different origins. It could be the shortened version of the Yoruban name Oluremi, meaning “the lord consoles me,” or a variant of the name Remy (a male name in France, but used as a girls’ name in the English-speaking world), which is the French form of Remigius, meaning “rower.”

7. Reese. This is an Anglicized form of the Welsh boy’s name Rhys, but it’s mostly used for girls, particularly in America. Actress Reese Witherspoon helped to make this name popular among girls.

8. River. River is a modern name that means a flowing body of water. It can be used for both boys and girls, with actor River Phoenix being the most popular example for boys.

9. Rosalie. This is the French, German, and Dutch form of Rosalia, a Late Latin name derived from rosa, “rose.” It’s a name that has appeared in various books, like Rosalie Hale in Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series, Rosalie in Anne Bronte’s Agnes Grey, and Rosalie Otterbourne in Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile.

10. Rachel. Rachel means “ewe” in Hebrew, and she was the first wife of Jacob in the Old Testament. It was a common Jewish name in the Middle Ages, but today it’s a popular girls’ name in general. It was especially trendy after the American sitcom Friends, with Jennifer Aniston’s character Rachel Green. Other famous Rachels include actresses Rachel McAdams and Rachel Weisz.

11. Ruth. With its root in the Bible, Ruth means “friend” in Hebrew. She was the central character in the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament and an ancestor of King David. American Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, was an iconic figure who had this name.

12. Rebecca. Rebecca most likely comes from the words “join,” “tie,” or “snare” in Ancient Hebrew. She was the wife of Isaac in the Old Testament. The name became popular among the Puritans in the seventeenth century and was the name of the book Rebecca by Daphne De Maurier. Famous Rebeccas include writer Rebecca West and actress Rebecca Romjin.

13. Rowan. Rowan comes from the Irish name Ruadhán, which has its roots in the word “red.” It could also come from the name of the rowan tree. It’s a name that is used for both girls and boys.

14. Reign. This regal name comes from the Latin regnum, meaning “royal power.”

15. Remington. This cool gender-neutral name comes from an adaptation of the name of the town of Rimington in Lancashire, England, and became a surname.

16. Raven. Raven comes from the name of the beautiful black bird with ebony feathers. The bird is associated with the Norse god Odin, but several Native American groups also revere it. It is a name used for both boys and girls.

17. Regina. This name means “queen” in Latin and certainly carries a regal air to it. It also gained quite the spotlight after Regina George in Mean Girls. However, Regina is the given name of many royals, like Queen Sofia of Spain and Queen Rania of Jordan. Singer Regina Spektor is another example of this name.

18. Rosemary. This name combines the names of Rose and Mary, but it’s also the name of a fragrant herb used in cooking. The herb gets its name from the Latin ros marinus, meaning “dew of the sea.” It became a given name in the nineteenth century. Twentieth century singer, Rosemary Clooney was a popular figure with this name.

19. Ryan. Coming from the Irish surname Ó Riain, Ryan has its roots in the Irish Gaelic word for “king.” Traditionally it was a boy’s name, but it has since become more popular as a girl’s name.

20. Rory. Rory comes from the Irish name Ruaidhrí, meaning “red” and “king,” and it was traditionally a boy’s name. However, since the series Gilmore Girls, where Rory was a nickname for Lorelei, it’s gained popularity as a girls’ name.

21. Rosie. Rosie is a sweet diminutive of Rose. American comedian Rosie O’Donnell and model Rosie Huntington-Whitely have this name.

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Unique Girl Names That Start With R

If you’re looking for a unique baby girl names, have a look at these R names for girls to find something a little different.

22. Rachida. Rachida is mostly used in North Africa and is an alternate transcription from the Arabic of Rashida, the feminine for Rashid, meaning “rightly guided.”

23. Raganhildis. This unique name is the Old Germanic form of Reinhild, which has its roots in the words meaning “advice” and “battle.”

24. Raluca. This is a lovely name from Romania that has its roots in the Greek name Rallou, although the meaning is uncertain.

25. Rhea. Rhea is an Ancient Greek name that some believe is related to the word rheo, meaning “flow” or era, meaning “ground.” According to Greek mythology, Rhea was one of the Titans, and the mother of Zeus. In Roman mythology, Rhea Silvia was also the mother of twin Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome.

26. Rhiannon. In the Welsh legend The Mabinogion, Rhiannon is a beautiful and magical woman who rides in a white horse. The name most likely means “great queen” and the figure of Rhiannon may have even been an old Celtic goddess of horses and fertility.

27. Rhodopis. Coming from the Greek word rhodon, meaning “rose,” and ops, “face” and “eye,” Rhodopis is a literary figure in the writings of Herodotus and Strabo.

28. Róisín. This pretty Irish name comes from the word for “rose.”

29. Rong. Rong is a Chinese name that can be used for both boys or girls, but depending on the characters used in the Chinese script. For girls, the name means “appearance” or “form.” But it can also mean “glory,” “honor,” “flourish,” “prosper,” or “harmonize.”

30. Ronja. This unique name was invented by Swedish children’s author Astrid Lindgren in her book Ronia the Robber’s Daughter (although Ronja is the Swedish spelling) in the 1980s. She took the name from the middle portion of the name of a Swedish lake, Juronjaure.

31. Roswitha. This is a powerful German name that is made up of the Germanic elements of hrod, meaning “fame” and swinth, “strength.”

More Unique Girl Names That Start With R

Choosing a baby name can be fun yet also overwhelming. Watch this video for some exciting facts that could help you find the perfect baby name!

Hebrew and Biblical Girl Names That Start with R

From Hebrew names to Greek and Roman biblical names, you’ll find all the interesting girl names that begin with R here.

42. Rahab. Rahab was a woman in Jericho who helped the Israelites take the city in the Old Testament. This biblical name means “spacious” in Hebrew.

43. Rebekah. Rebekah is the Hebrew form of Rebecca.

44. Rhoda. Although Rhoda comes from the Greek name for “rose,” Rhoda was a maid in the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark in the New Testament.

45. Rhachel. This name is the Biblical Greek form of Rachel in the Old Testament.

46. Rhouth. Rhouth is the spelling used in the Greek Old Testament for Ruth.

47. Rut. Rut is the Biblical Hebrew form of the name Ruth, but it’s also used today in Spain, Iceland, and Sweden.

48. Rivqah. Rivqah is the Ancient Hebrew for Rebecca and used in the biblical Hebrew form in the Old Testament.

49. Rahel. Rahel is the spelling used for Rachel in the Latin version of the Bible, but it’s also used in Germany.

50. Rotem. This gender-neutral Hebrew name comes from a desert plant, but it also has roots in the Hebrew word meaning “to bind.”

51. Raziela. This name is the feminine form of Raziel, meaning “my secret is God” in Hebrew, and also was the name of the archangel in Jewish tradition.

More Hebrew and Biblical Girl Names That Start With R

Cool Girl Names That Start With R

From the Middle East to Wales, here are some cool international names for girls that start with R that either sound cool, have cool meanings, great stories, or are linked to cool people.

62. Rihanna. This name is an alternate transcription of the name Rayhana, which means “basil” in Arabic. Of course, Rihanna became popular with American pop singer Rihanna, making this name explode in popularity in the early 2000s.

63. Rusudan. Rusudan comes from the Persian word for “day.” However, today it’s a Georgian name, and was the name of a thirteenth-century Georgian queen.

64. Ruqayyah. This pretty Arabic girls’ name comes from the Arabic words ruqia, meaning “rise” or “ascent” or from ruqyah, meaning “spell” or “incantation.” Ruqayyah was one of the daughters of the Prophet Muhammad.

65. Roxelana. This historical name comes from the Turkish nickname for “Ruthenian,” referring to the Ruthenia—a region covering Ukraine, Belarus, and Western Russia. Roxelana was the name of Hürrem, the wife of Süleyman the Magnificent, the sultan of the Ottoman Empire.

66. Rohesia. This pretty name is the Latinized form of the medieval name Rohese, which was the root of the modern name Rose.

67. Radha. Radha means “success” and “prosperity” in Sanskrit. Radha was beloved of the god Krishna and is associated with beauty and compassion.

68. Rathnait. This name comes from the Old Irish word for “grace” and “prosperity,” with a diminutive suffix. Rathnait was also an early Irish saint.

69. Rhonwen. Rhonwen is the Welsh form of the name Rowena. It’s used often in Welsh poetry.

70. Rhonda. The exact origins of Rhonda remain a mystery. Some think it’s a blend of Rhoda and Linda, while others say it could be from Rhondda Valley in South Wales or the title of British feminist Margaret Mackworth, Viscountess Rhondda. It has been used as a girls’ name since the twentieth century, but gained popularity in the 1940s. Actress Rhonda Fleming, born Marilyn Louis, changed her name to this.

71. Roxana. Roxana is a Greek name that comes from Asia. It’s the Latin form of the Bactrian or Persian name Roshanak, meaning “bright” or “dawn.” This was the name of Alexander the Great’s first wife, who was the daughter of a Bactrian nobleman. It also became popular with Daniel Defoe’s novel Roxana.

More Cool Girl Names That Start With R

Common Girl Names That Start With R

If you’re looking for some tried and tested common girl names that start with R, have a look at the list at a few classics that you can’t go wrong with.

82. Renata. This name comes from the feminine form of Renatus, which is Latin for “born again.”

83. Renée. This is the feminine form of René, coming from the Latin Rentaus, “born again” (the same root as Renata). It’s a classic French baby girl name. Opera singer Renée Fleming and actress Renée Zellweger are some famous examples.

84. Rita. Rita has its roots in the name Margherita—the Italian form of Margaret and also the name for the daisy flower—but became a shortened version of the name in its own right. Actress Rita Hayworth and singer Rita Ora are some famous Ritas.

85. Roberta. Roberta is the feminine of Robert, meaning “bright flame” from its roots in Old German. Fun fact: Did you know Joni Mitchell was born Roberta? Canadian astronaut Roberta Bondar is another cool Roberta.

86. Rochelle. Rochelle comes from the French city La Rochelle, which means “little rock.” It mostly became popular in the twentieth century and helped by the actress Rochelle Hudson.

87. Rosa. Rosa is a name you’ll find all over the world, from Latin countries, Scandinavia, and the Balkans. It’s the Latin name for the flower rose, but it may also come from Roza, a Germanic name meaning “fame,” or the word “dew” in the South Slavic languages. Civil rights activist Rosa Parks bore this lovely name.

88. Rosalind. Rosalind comes from the German words for hros, meaning “horse,” and lind, “soft” or “tender.” It was a name that came with the Normans to England. However, it wasn’t common at the time, and it was mostly during the Middle Ages it changed spelling, thanks to the Latin phrase rosa linda, “beautiful rose.” Edmund Spenser used it in his poetry and William Shakespeare also used this name in his comedy As You Like It. It has since become a common name in England.

89. Rosamund. Rosamund has a similar story to Rosalind, except instead of lind it used the word mund, meaning “protection.” It also came to England with the Normans, and was influenced by Latin, this time rosa munda, meaning “pure rose.” Rosamund was the name of one of Henry II’s mistresses in the twelfth century. Today famous examples include actress Rosamund Pike and writer Rosamund Pilcher.

90. Rowena. The origins of Rowena are uncertain, but some say it could be a Latinized form of the Germanic name coming from the elements hrod, “fame” and wunn, meaning “joy” or “bliss.” Rowena was one of the daughters of the Saxon chief Hengist, according to the twelfth-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth. Rowena was also the name of a character in Walter Scott’s novel Ivanhoe.

100. Roxanne. This is the English and French form of Roxana. It can also be spelled Roxane. It’s best known for the song by The Police, Roxanne. Roxane was also the love interest of the title character in the play Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand.

Pretty and Cute Girl Names That Start With R

Want a pretty and cute girl name that starts with R? Then this list of diminutive names, names with lovely and cute meanings, or names that just sound cute will help you get started.

101. Rain. Coming from the Old English, regn, this name simply means what we expect it to mean, “rain.” It’s a lovely and unique name that can be used for both boys and girls.

102. Rainbow. This pretty name is certainly a colorful one, as it means the arc of color that appears in the sky after the rain.

103. Rajuya. This lovely name means “hopeful” in Arabic.

104. Rapunzel. This pretty fairy tale baby name comes from the name of an edible plant, but it became a name after the Brothers Grimm wrote about the long-haired princess locked in the tower.

105. Ren. This Japanese name means either “lotus” or “love,” depending on the characters used.

106. Ria. Ria is a sweet short form of the classic name Maria.

107. Riko. Riko comes from the words “white jasmine” or “logic” and the word “child” in Japanese. Have a look at some lovely Japanese girl names for more inspiration.

108. Robin. Robin is the medieval English diminutive of the name Robert but became a name in its own right. It’s perhaps most famous for the hero Robin Hood, who stole from the rich to give to the poor, or the cute little, red-breasted bird. Although it was originally a boys’ name, it’s become a more popular girls’ name in the twentieth century. In popular culture, Robin was the name of one of the characters in the sitcom How I Met Your Mother. It’s also the name of actress Robin Wright.

109. Romy. This is a sweet diminutive of Rosemary, and was made popular by Austrian actress Romy Schneider, who played Empress Sissi in the Austrian Sissi trilogy.

110. Royalty. A regal name that comes from the Latin regalitas, derived from the word rex meaning “king.”

More Pretty and Cute Girl Names That Start With R

Beautiful Girl Names That Start With R

There are a lot of beautiful names from across the globe starting with R. Here are some R girl names with beautiful meanings, phonetics, literary references, and more.

121. Raphaella. This is the feminine form of Raphael, which comes from the Hebrew Rafa’el, meaning “God heals.” Raphael is one of the archangels, with Raphaella or Raphaela being the girl’s form of the name.

122. Radoslava. This Slavic name from Bulgaria, Serbia, and Czechia, is the feminine form of Radoslav, which comes from the Slavic elements rad, meaning “happy” or “willing” and slava, “glory.”

123. Rosabella. Rosabella is a name that combines Rosa with the suffix bella, meaning “beautiful.”

124. Rosaline. This is a medieval variant of Rosalind, and was made popular by Shakespeare, who used this name twice. Once in Love Labor’s Lost and in Romeo and Juliet.

125. Rosaura. Rosaura is a pretty flower name for girls meaning “golden rose.” It may have had its origins in the seventeenth-century play by Pedro Calderón de la Barca, Life Is a Dream, which is one of the first appearances of this name.

126. Rupinder. This name that’s mostly used in the Sikh community means “greatest beauty,” coming from the Sanskrit word rupa, meaning “beauty,” and the name of the Hindu god Indra, meaning “greatest.”

127. Ruqayya. This name is another transcription of the Arabic name, Ruqayyah.

128. Ratree. Ratree is a Thai name meaning “the night jasmine.”

129. Rayyan. Rayyan means “watered” or “luxuriant” in Arabic and is also one of the names of the gates of paradise in Islamic tradition.

130. Remedios. This name means “remedies” in Spanish. It’s also taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, meaning “Our Lady of the Remedies.” See more beautiful Spanish baby girl names.

More Beautiful R Names for Girls

The Bottom Line

Want to keep looking around at names for your little girl. Maybe you can check out some other letters of the alphabet, like girl names that start with S. Or maybe find more inspiration, like Hawaiian baby girls’ names or Italian baby girls’ names.

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