Naming the baby can be a difficult decision for parents and usually involves quite a bit of compromise. If mom and dad have narrowed down their choices to a baby girl name beginning with the letter "R" they can use the list below to find the perfect name for their little girl.
Rachel
The spelling Rachel was the 75th most popular girl name in 2008 and the spelling Rachael was the 481st most popular. The character Rachel Green from the hit show Friends and Rachael Ray, the celebrity chef and talk show host have brought attention to this name. Common nicknames for Rachel include Ray and Rach. Rachel is a biblical name meaning “lamb” that has never been overly popular and would be a nice choice for a baby girl today.
Ramona
The name Ramona has a somewhat old-fashioned and sassy feel. Ramona Quimby was the Beverly Cleary heroine in many of her books. Ramona hasn’t been in the top 1,000 baby names since 1988 making it an unusual baby name choice today. The nickname Mona is a possibility, but the full Ramona is spunkier.
Rebecca
Parents will have a hard time keeping people from calling Rebecca, Becky. If that doesn’t bother them, then this is a great, classic name that will likely never seem out of place or out of style and yet is still unique enough that a little girl named Rebecca (Becky) would probably be the only one with her name in her classes.
Reese
Reese has shot up the charts since 2000 when it entered the top 1,000 baby names at spot number 886. In 2008 it had made it all the way to the 154th spot. This is possibly in relation to the popularity of actress Reese Witherspoon. Reese was originally a boy name, typically spelled Rhys, but it’s a name that works equally well on a baby boy or a baby girl today.
Regan
Regan seems like a modern surnamey girl name, but actually Shakespeare used Regan as the wicked daughter of King Lear in the play of the same name. Reagan is an alternate spelling although Regan is typically pronounced Ree-gan and Reagan is usually pronounced as Ray-gan. Neither name has ever been in the top 100 baby girl names in the United States.
Rilla
From 1880 until 1911 Rilla was in the top 1,000 baby girl names. Rilla was the name of Anne’s youngest daughter in Anne of Ingleside, Rainbow Valley, and Rilla of Ingleside – the books by L.M. Montgomery. The Rilla in the books was named after Anne’s adoptive mother, Marilla. This is a sweet little name that would make a unique baby girl name today.
Rose
In 2008 Rose was the 344th most popular baby name in the United States; its lowest rating on record. Rose is more commonly used as a middle name than as a first, but it definitely fits in with popular names such as Emma and Lily. Rose would make a fantastic first name choice for a baby girl now.
Roxanne
Roxanne has the unfortunate connection to the Police song, "Roxanne", about prostitution. It’s a great sassy name especially with the adorable nickname Roxy, so hopefully some parents will be able to get past the song. It’s also a find for parents looking for something recognizable but unusual because it hasn’t been in the top 1,000 baby girl names since 2000.
Ruby
Ruby is an old-fashioned jewel of a name that is making a comeback. "Ruby Tuesday" is a Rolling Stones song that gives Ruby a little bit of rock and roll cache. In 2008 Ruby was the 113th most popular baby girl name.
Ruth
A soft sounding biblical favorite, Ruth was the 362nd most popular baby girl name in 2008. Ruth is a familiar name that would be an unusual baby name choice today.
Whether parents are looking for a classic biblical name such as Ruth or something full of sass such as Roxanne or Ruby there is an "R" name that is perfect for every kind of parent.
Find this article useful? Read also Baby Names for Girls Beginning with the Letter O, Baby Names for Girls Beginning with the Letter P, Baby Names for Girls Beginning with the Letter Q.
Sources:
Social Security Administration. Popular Baby Names (accessed on January 25, 2010).
The Baby Name Wizard. Namipedia: Baby Names in Closeup (accessed on January 25, 2010).
Lindsey Rinehart - Lindsey Rinehart is currently a freelance writer. She graduated from Western Washington University with a Bachelors Degree in Psychology ...
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