What are the different types of American Girl dolls. How many Girl of the Year dolls have been released. Which American Girl dolls focus on nature, sports, and the arts. What unique hobbies are represented in the American Girl doll collection.
The Evolution of American Girl Dolls: From Historical Characters to Modern Heroines
American Girl dolls have captured the hearts of children and collectors alike since their debut in 1986. Originally focused on historical characters, the brand has expanded to include contemporary dolls that reflect the diverse interests and backgrounds of modern girls. This article delves into the vast world of American Girl dolls, with a particular focus on the Girl of the Year (GOTY) line, which was introduced in 2001.
Girl of the Year: A Celebration of Contemporary Characters
The Girl of the Year line has become a cornerstone of the American Girl brand, introducing a new character annually since 2001. These dolls represent a wide range of interests, backgrounds, and experiences, allowing children to see themselves reflected in their toys. To date, there have been 20 Girl of the Year dolls, each with her own unique story and set of hobbies.
How are Girl of the Year dolls chosen?
American Girl carefully selects each Girl of the Year based on current trends, important social issues, and diverse representations. The company aims to create characters that resonate with contemporary children while also addressing relevant topics such as environmental conservation, inclusivity, and personal growth.
Nature Lovers: American Girl Dolls with a Green Thumb
Many American Girl dolls, particularly in the GOTY line, have a strong connection to nature. These characters inspire young girls to appreciate and care for the environment in various ways:
- Kira Bailey (2021): Helps care for animals in an Australian sanctuary
- Blaire Wilson (2019): Tends to animals on her family farm and enjoys gardening
- Lea Clark (2016): Protects animals from poachers in the Amazon Rainforest
- Saige Copeland (2013): Passionate about horseback riding
- Kanani Akina (2011): Advocates for endangered wildlife in Hawaii
- Lanie Holland (2010): Aspiring scientist with a love for nature
- Nicki Fleming (2007): Lives on a ranch and helps raise a service dog
- Jess McConnell (2006): Explores ruins and befriends wildlife in Belize
- Kailey Hopkins (2003): Surfer who advocates for protecting tide pools
- Lindsey Bergman (2001): Animal lover and advocate for animal dignity
How do these nature-loving dolls inspire environmental awareness?
By showcasing characters who are passionate about nature and wildlife conservation, American Girl encourages young girls to develop an interest in environmental issues. These dolls serve as role models, demonstrating how even small actions can make a difference in protecting our planet.
Athletic American Girls: Dolls That Inspire Active Lifestyles
Sports and physical activities play a significant role in many American Girl doll stories, promoting the importance of an active lifestyle and perseverance:
- Corinne Tan (2022): Avid hiker and skier
- Joss Kendrick (2020): Surfer and cheerleader
- McKenna Brooks (2012): Gymnast overcoming an injury
- Kanani Akina (2011): Paddle boarding enthusiast
- Chrissa Maxwell (2009): Swimmer
- Mia St. Clair (2008): Figure skater and hockey player
- Nicki Fleming (2007): Skilled skier
- Jess McConnell (2006): Soccer player and kayaker
- Kailey Hopkins (2003): Surfer
How do these athletic dolls promote physical fitness and teamwork?
By featuring dolls engaged in various sports and physical activities, American Girl encourages young girls to explore different forms of exercise and find activities they enjoy. These characters also demonstrate the value of teamwork, perseverance, and overcoming challenges in sports and life.
Artistic Expression: American Girl Dolls in the Creative Arts
The arts are well-represented in the American Girl doll collection, with many characters showcasing talents in music, dance, visual arts, and more:
- Kavi Sharma (2023): Aspiring Broadway performer skilled in singing, dancing, and keyboard playing
- Gabriela McBride (2017): Dancer and spoken word poet
- Lea Clark (2016): Aspiring photographer
- Isabelle Palmer (2014): Ballet and modern dancer with an interest in fashion design
- Saige Copeland (2013): Artist and advocate for art education
- Kanani Akina (2011): Ukulele player
- Chrissa Maxwell (2009): Enjoys sewing and knitting
- Marisol Luna (2005): Versatile dancer proficient in ballet folklorico, ballet, and tap
- Lindsey Bergman (2001): Trumpet player in the school band
How do these artistic dolls encourage creative expression?
By showcasing characters with diverse artistic interests, American Girl inspires young girls to explore their own creative talents. These dolls demonstrate that art can take many forms and serve as a powerful means of self-expression and communication.
Science and Technology: American Girl Dolls Breaking Barriers
While less represented than other categories, science and technology-focused dolls are beginning to make their mark in the American Girl collection:
- Luciana Vega (2018): Aspiring astronaut with a passion for space science
- Lanie Holland (2010): Budding scientist with a focus on nature studies
Why is it important to include STEM-focused dolls in the collection?
By featuring dolls interested in science and technology, American Girl helps to break down gender stereotypes and encourages girls to explore STEM fields. These characters serve as role models, showing that girls can excel in traditionally male-dominated areas of study.
Culinary Creations: American Girl Dolls in the Kitchen
Some American Girl dolls have a passion for food and cooking, using their culinary skills to help others and bring people together:
- Blaire Wilson (2019): Skilled cook who helps run her family’s farm restaurant
- Grace Thomas (2015): Passionate baker with entrepreneurial aspirations
How do these foodie dolls inspire culinary creativity and entrepreneurship?
By featuring characters who love cooking and baking, American Girl encourages young girls to explore the culinary arts. These dolls also demonstrate how food can be used as a means of connecting with others and even starting a business, fostering an entrepreneurial spirit in children.
Diversity and Representation in American Girl Dolls
American Girl has made significant strides in recent years to ensure that their dolls represent a diverse range of backgrounds, ethnicities, and experiences. This commitment to inclusivity is evident in both the historical character line and the Girl of the Year collection.
How does American Girl ensure diversity in their doll collection?
The company works with historians, cultural experts, and sensitivity readers to create authentic and respectful representations of various cultures and experiences. They also actively seek out stories that highlight different aspects of American girlhood, ensuring that children from all backgrounds can see themselves reflected in the dolls.
Some examples of diverse representation in the Girl of the Year line include:
- Kavi Sharma (2023): First South Asian American GOTY
- Corinne Tan (2022): First Chinese American GOTY
- Joss Kendrick (2020): First GOTY with a disability (hearing loss)
- Gabriela McBride (2017): African American GOTY with a passion for poetry
- Kanani Akina (2011): Hawaiian GOTY celebrating island culture
- Marisol Luna (2005): Mexican American GOTY showcasing cultural dance
The Impact of American Girl Dolls on Children’s Development
American Girl dolls have long been recognized for their positive influence on children’s development, going beyond mere playthings to become educational tools and sources of inspiration.
How do American Girl dolls contribute to children’s social and emotional growth?
These dolls and their accompanying books provide children with relatable characters facing real-world challenges. By engaging with these stories, children can develop empathy, problem-solving skills, and emotional intelligence. The diverse range of interests represented by the dolls also encourages children to explore new hobbies and passions.
Some key benefits of American Girl dolls include:
- Promoting literacy through accompanying books and stories
- Encouraging historical understanding through the historical character line
- Fostering empathy and cultural awareness through diverse representations
- Inspiring confidence and self-expression through characters with varied interests
- Teaching valuable life lessons and problem-solving skills through character storylines
Collecting and Caring for American Girl Dolls
For many, American Girl dolls are not just toys but cherished collectibles. The limited availability of Girl of the Year dolls, in particular, has made them highly sought after by collectors.
What are some tips for starting and maintaining an American Girl doll collection?
Whether you’re a longtime fan or just beginning your collection, here are some tips to help you care for and expand your American Girl doll family:
- Research the different lines and characters to determine which dolls appeal to you most
- Consider investing in proper storage and display options to protect your dolls
- Learn basic doll care techniques, such as hair brushing and clothing maintenance
- Join online communities or local clubs to connect with other collectors
- Keep an eye out for special editions or retired dolls at secondhand markets
- Document your collection with photographs and detailed records
The Future of American Girl Dolls: Trends and Predictions
As the American Girl brand continues to evolve, we can expect to see new trends and innovations in their doll lines. Based on current societal trends and the brand’s history, here are some potential directions for future American Girl dolls:
What new themes and characters might we see in future American Girl dolls?
While it’s impossible to predict with certainty, some potential areas of focus for future dolls could include:
- Increased representation of STEM fields and technology-related hobbies
- Characters addressing current social issues such as climate change or social justice
- More diverse representations of family structures and living situations
- Dolls with a focus on mental health and emotional well-being
- Characters exploring emerging hobbies and interests, such as e-sports or sustainable fashion
- Continued expansion of the historical line to include more diverse perspectives on American history
As American Girl dolls continue to inspire and educate children, they will undoubtedly adapt to reflect the changing world and the diverse experiences of girls today. By staying true to their mission of empowering young girls while embracing new ideas and representations, American Girl dolls are poised to remain a beloved and influential part of childhood for generations to come.
Huge List of American Girl of the Year Dolls and Hobbies – Sunshine and Hairbows
Tips and Tales
Sunshine and Hairbows
We put together a huge list of American Girl’s Girl of the Year dolls and their hobbies. Currently, there are 20 Girl of the Year (GOTY) dolls from American Girl. Some dolls might appear in multiple areas if they have more than one hobby that shows up in their books. There’s certainly a lot of hobbies represented — nature lovers, sports, arts, and science. Is there a hobby you would like to see in a Girl of the Year? Or that you think is underrepresented?
Girls of the Year from 2005-2009
Want to find a doll from your hometown? Check out our Map of American Girl Doll Home States.
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Nature Loving Dolls
Whether it’s a love of plants or animals, these dolls have a knack for caring for other living things.
- Kira Bailey (2021) — Kira helps care for animals in an animal sanctuary in Australia.
- Blaire Wilson (2019) — Blaire cares for animals on her family farm and enjoys gardening.
- Lea Clark (2016) — Lea spends time in the Amazon Rainforest protecting animals from poachers.
- Saige Copeland (2013) — Saige loves riding her horse, Picasso.
- Kanani Akina (2011) — Kanani wants to help save endangered wildlife in her home state of Hawaii.
- Lanie Holland (2010) — Lanie is an aspiring scientist and loves learning about nature.
- Nicki Fleming (2007) — Nicky lives on her family ranch where she rides horses and helped raise a service dog.
- Jess McConnell (2006) — Jess goes on a trip with her archeologist parents to Belize where she explores ruins and befriends a monkey and a parrot.
- Kailey Hopkins (2003) — Kailey loves surfing in the ocean and advocates to save tide pools from destruction.
- Lindsey Bergman (2001) – Lindsey loves animals and advocates for the dignity of all animals.
Kira helps care for animals, including koalas. Photo source: Americangirl.com.
Athletic Dolls
Lots of athletes in the Girl of the Year doll collection. Note that the dancer dolls are under the Artistic Dolls since dance is considered performing arts. They are also athletic, I know, I know.
- Corinne Tan (2022) — Mountain girl Corinne loves hiking and hitting the slopes to ski.
- Joss Kendrick (2020) — Joss is a surfer and a cheerleader.
- McKenna Brooks (2012) — McKenna is a gymnast who works hard to come back from an injury.
- Kanani Akina (2011) — Kanani’s collection includes a paddle board.
- Chrissa Maxwell (2009) — Chrissa is a swimmer.
- Mia St. Clair (2008) — Mia is a figure skater and plays hockey.
- Nicki Fleming (2007) — Nicki is a skier and has one of the best AG winter outfits out there.
- Jess McConnell (2006) — Jess enjoys playing soccer, although does not have soccer items in her collection. She goes kayaking in Belize and has a kayak and gear with her collection.
- Kailey Hopkins (2003) — Kailey loves surfing in the ocean.
She goes kayaking in Belize and has a kayak and gear with her collection.Joss catching some waves with Murph. Photo source.
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Artistic Dolls
These Girl of the Year dolls express themselves through various forms of performing and visual arts.
- Kavi Sharma (2023) — Kavi dreams of performing on the big stage and loves to sing, dance, and play her keyboard.
- Gabriela McBride (2017) — Gabriela is a dancer and writes spoken word poetry.
- Lea Clark (2016) — Lea is an aspiring photographer.
- Isabelle Palmer (2014) — Isabelle dances ballet and modern dance and loves designing clothing.
- Saige Copeland (2013) — Saige is an artist who advocates for art classes at her school. Her collection includes a painting set with her paintings.
- Kanani Akina (2011) — Kanani plays the ukelele.
- Chrissa Maxwell (2009)– Chrissa enjoys sewing and knitting.
- Marisol Luna (2005) — Marisol is a dancer participating in several types of dance including ballet folklorico, ballet, and tap.
- Lindsey Bergman (2001) — Lindsey plays the trumpet in the school band.
- Tenney Grant and Logan — Not technically GOTYs, but Tenney and Logan are in a band together, Tenney writes songs, sings, and plays the guitar and Logan plays the drums.
- Z Yang — Like Tenney and Logan, not a GOTY, but still deserving of being in our GOTY list. Z is an aspiring filmmaker.
Marisol loves to dance!
Science and Technology
Only a couple of dolls’ hobbies fall into the Science and Technology category — a category we might see grow in the future. Some of the nature loving dolls technically might fit into this category as well.
- Luciana Vega (2018) — Luciana loves learning about space and wants to be an astronaut.
- Lanie Holland (2010) — Lanie is an aspiring scientist and loves learning about nature.
Luciana dreams of going into space. Photo source.
Doll Foodies
These dolls use their love of food to help others.
- Blaire Wilson (2019) — Blaire loves cooking, her collection includes her Family Farm Restaurant.
- Grace Thomas (2015) — Grace loves to bake and often can be found at her grandparents’ bakery or baking with friends.
Blaire cooking up some fun in her family’s restaurant. Photo source: americangirl.com
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World Travelers
A few of the American Girl dolls are not in America for all of their stories, often traveling abroad with family.
- Kira Bailey (2021) — Australia
- Lea Clark (2016) — Brazil
- Grace Thomas (2015) — France
- Jess McConnell (2006) — Belize
Lea travels to Brazil in her stories. Photo source: americangirl.com
Do you have a GOTY in your collection? Who’s your favorite GOTY?
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The best American Girl doll girls: a definitive ranking
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The American Girl brand became a toy shelf staple beginning in 1986. The pricey dolls were the subject of many a schoolgirl fantasy and perhaps the franchise’s greatest claim to fame. But “American Girls” is more than just a line of dolls (though, yes, they are indeed a line of very expensive dolls). Each girl comes with a book series in which she faces her historical era’s challenges face on. Whether that means escaping from slavery, counting pennies during the Great Depression, or having her best friend die of cholera in her arms depends on the girl in question. But the American Girl books never shied away from some of the harder aspects of history, packaging them up through the eyes of young protagonists to make history approachable to young readers.
You could be an American Girl kid without ever owning a doll. The books alone offered a gateway into historical fiction, and the legacy of the historical characters reigns supreme. Naturally, schoolyard arguments would break out over which American Girl was the best. And so naturally, there has come the time to rank them.
To clarify, this ranking is only of the official historical character line — not offshoots like Girl of the Year (set in modern day) or the short-lived Girls of Many Lands (historical, but not restricted to the United States). We’re also taking into account some retried characters like Kirsten Larson, and ones that were only on the market for three years.
Behold, our official American Girl ranking:
16. Caroline Abbott, 1812
Caroline, my personal nemesisImage: American Girl
Petrana Radulovic: Still cannot believe we got a “Girl of the War of 1812” before an Asian-American Girl doll.
Emily Heller: If I wanted to read about an outdoorsy Midwestern girl who was born in a log cabin, I’d just read the Laura Ingalls Wilder books.
15. Samantha Parkington, 1904
Just look at that nightgown!Image: American Girl
Petrana: Samantha was the first American Girl doll for many girls. She’s safe. She’s a white brunette, so she appeals to a large demographic. She’s also by far the wealthiest of the American Girl characters and is pretty clueless to her own privilege.
To her credit, Samantha does, eventually, realize that her servant friend Nellie is but a poor working class girl who’s forced to work in factories. Also, a thing that has annoyed me about Samantha since I was seven years old is that she’s billed as the “Victorian doll” despite very obviously living in the Edwardian era. C’mon!
Emily: Perhaps I am biased because my sister had Samantha while I had the clearly superior Molly, but Samantha just feels like the obvious — and therefore boring — choice of the two original dolls.
She’s the vanilla ice cream of American Girl dolls. There is nothing wrong with it but once you get a taste for mint chocolate chip there’s really no going back.
14. Julie Albright, 1974
And you’re telling me they went with another blonde lead? Image: Amazon
Petrana: Julie’s problem is that the more interesting character to focus on in 1970s San Francisco would’ve been her best friend Ivy, a Chinese-American girl grappling with reconciling her Chinese heritage and her American upbringing. Julie’s whole thing is standing up for herself when she gets bullied for being a tomboy and a child of divorce, but making Ivy the lead of the 1970s focused series would’ve just added a whole lot more nuance! The Amazon Original movie recognizes this, putting Ivy at the forefront… even if she’s nowhere to be seen on the official American Girl page.
Emily: At the time that Julie was released (2007) the biggest thing she had going for her was that she was the most contemporary American Girl doll, representing the 1970s.
Now that we have Courtney representing the 1980s, Julie isn’t all that interesting.
13. Maryellen Larkin, 1954
Image: American Girl
Emily: Yet another blonde-ish white girl representing an era less than a century in the past. Boring!
Petrana: The 1950s is an oddly quiet time for the American Girl series to focus on, but Maryellen’s big thing is that she had polio in 1952, but doesn’t let her disability stop her from running and swimming. That’s already marginally more interesting than Julie. Also I gotta give Maryellen props, as she’s a fellow Floridian. Thank you, suburban expansion of the 1950s!
12. Cecile and Marie-Grace, 1853
Petrana: Cecile and Marie-Grace’s stories brim with potential.
The only dual dolls released with two sets of books, Cecile and Marie-Grace grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana and dealt with the 1853 Yellow Fever epidemic and the Antebellum South. However, their line was cut short for some reason, and only ran for around three years. Alas, poor Cecile and Marie-Grace — it’s not their fault they were around for such a brief period of time! Unlike the other girl who was introduced and axed within that short time (my personal nemesis, Caroline, the Girl of the War of 1812), Cecile and Marie-Grace don’t even appear on the official American Girl website! What gives!
Emily: Several American Girl dolls had a Best Friend released alongside them — Molly’s British friend Emily, Felicity’s rich friend Elizabeth, Samantha’s poor friend Nellie. But they’re inevitably relegated to sidekick roles and aren’t as popular as the main American Girl. I love the idea of two best friends getting equal billing! Unfortunately, though, Cecile and Marie-Grace just weren’t around long enough to make an impression.
11. Kirsten Larson, 1854
Image: American Girl
Petrana: American Girl stayed in their lane for the most part and never had a proper “pioneer” girl to challenge the Laura Ingalls Wilder books — but Kirsten comes closest. The thing that gives her story a distinct flair is that she’s a Swedish immigrant, so she gets the double whammy of grappling with American culture and building a log cabin.
In the first Kirsten book, her best friend dies in her arms of cholera. I read this at age six and was scared for nearly a decade longer, convinced cholera would be more of a problem in my adult life than it ended up being.
Emily: Honestly, the only thing I remember about Kirsten are her braid loops. They’re cute.
10. Rebecca Rubin, 1914
Image: American Girl
Emily: Rebecca is the first (and so far, only) Jewish Historical Character, a first-generation Russian-American representing Eastern European immigration to the U.
S. in the early 20th Century. Several American Girl dolls have struggled to fit in, but Rebecca’s struggle to maintain her Jewish heritage while the city goes all out for Christmas is particularly relatable. Rebecca is the rare doll where her background is more important than her historical era.
Petrana: Sometime after Julie and Caroline and a slew of blonde, white girls with very superficial reasons for “standing out,” an American Girl creative must’ve been like Hmm… maybe we could… do something else? It’s weird that after strides with Josefina, Kaya, and Addy, American Girl just churned out a bunch of blondes (like, not even a brunette or redhead for flavor?), but Rebecca became a step in the right direction, a way to communicate that the past had many perspectives.
9. Nanea Mitchell, 1941
Image: American Girl
Emily: The American Girl Historical Characters line has typically operated with one doll to represent one decade, with very little overlap.
Nanea proves that there are plenty of overlapping stories to tell. The 1940s and WW2 were covered with Molly, but as a white girl living in Illinois, her perspective is very different from Nanea’s as a native Hawaiian.
Petrana: Continuing my thoughts on Rebecca, Nanea is absolutely a bold step forward! She and Molly come from the same era, but her story is completely different. While American Girl should move forward in terms of decades (seriously, everyone complaining about 1980s Courtney being too recent needs to remember that it was 40 years ago), the franchise should embrace revisiting the same eras to tell different stories! Nanea, as a native Hawaiian right around the Attack on Pearl Harbor, brings a starkly different perspective than Molly in the Midwest.
8. Courtney Moore, 1986
Photo: American Girl
Emily: I’ve already gone on record about how much I love Courtney, American Girl’s first gamer girl.
When Courtney was originally announced, some adults on Twitter were freaked out about the fact that her story deals with the Challenger Explosion, but helping kids understand historical traumas through the lens of a relatable character has always been American Girl’s whole deal!
Petrana: I do not understand why people are freaking out about how Courtney sees the Challenger explode when Kirsten Larson’s best friend died of cholera in her arms and Addy Walker literally escaped from slavery. She is another blonde white girl, but she gets a step up over the others because she is so modern — that is, until the 1990s girl comes out.
7. Addy Walker, 1864
Image: American Girl
Emily: American Girl’s fifth Historical Character and first non-white doll was born into slavery, a move with a complicated history that culture writer Aisha Harris explained in a 2016 Slate article. As I mentioned above, American Girl stories have always tried to help young readers understand historical tragedies, and Addy’s books attempts to illustrate the appalling history of slavery in America.
But witnessing the Challenger explosion and living through slavery are two very different things, and there’s certainly fair criticism to be made about how the white-owned company handled its Black characters. Still, as author Connie Porter told Harris, Addy’s legacy is one of defiance. “She is a voice, she is a face, an embodiment of the lives of our African American ancestors. She takes readers past whatever negative connotations they may put on the word slave. They see Addy being what that world didn’t want people to see—a child, a human being with hopes and dreams, family, history, and the potential to live a full and abundant life — if given the chance.”
Petrana: Addy is a contentious figure, with some pointing to the uncomfortable fact that the only Black doll available at the time was born into slavery. But the fact that she was one of the first American Girl dolls — and that her story was ultimately a triumphant one — should not be understated. Should American Girl branch out to include more characters of color with stories that aren’t focused on trauma? Absolutely.
But Addy was a first milestone.
6. Kit Kittredge, 1934
Emily: Kit has the advantage of being the only American Girl character with a theatrically released movie about her. (There are a bunch of direct-to-video and TV movies, though.) Being played by Abigail Breslin is just going to give you an automatic boost in the rankings! Even without the Breslin Bump™️, though, Kit is one of my favorites because she’s a writer. Biased? Sure, but that’s just because I’m not as good a journalist as Kit.
Petrana: Samantha was my first, but Kit was my favorite. I didn’t gravitate towards her initially, because even though Samantha was white, she was a brunette so I liked to project myself onto her. But I read Kit’s books and immediately found the American Girl I shared the strongest bond with.
She wants to be a writer and as a very young aspiring writer, I clung to this. Kit’s family goes through a lot of Depression hardships, but she remains resilient. Also, her theatrical movie is legitimately good (Julia Roberts was an executive producer!) and I’m not just saying that because young me had a crush on the actor (Max Thieriot, if anyone was curious) who plays the charming hobo.
5. Josefina Montoya, 1824
Image: American Girl
Emily: The single article of clothing I most coveted from the American Girl catalogue was Josefina’s Christmas mantilla.
Petrana: Once again, American Girl stayed in their lane with stories of settling the American West — but Josefina offers a unique counterpoint. She’s not a pioneer; her family has lived in New Mexico for a long time! Like Kaya (see later) Josefina is an important reminder that the term “American Girl” does not solely apply to whatever blonde, white people born in this country were doing at the time.
4. Melody Ellison, 1964
Image: American Girl
Emily: Of the dolls representing decades less than 60 years in the past, Melody is the most interesting and fun. She’s a 10-year-old Motown singer! Named Melody! A little on the nose but still cute.
Petrana: There are still only two Black characters in the lineup (three if you count the retired Cecile), but Melody is another step forward. Her story centers on the Civil Rights movement. She has dreams of being a Motown singer! You go, Melody!
3. Kaya, 1764
Image: American Girl
Petrana: Part of the reason I ranked Kaya so high personally was that her game on the American Girl website absolutely ruled. It was this text-based survival game, where you, playing as Kaya, had to escape from kidnappers and trek across the wilderness. It no longer exists on the site (or at least, I personally cannot find it on the site), which is a shame because it was very hardcore.
I don’t think I actually ever beat it on the hardest setting. Perhaps one day…
Kaya is also important because she is the truest American Girl.
Emily: Kaya is American Girl’s only Native American doll, but she’s also the only doll with not one, not two, but six animal friends in her collection.
2. Felicity Merriman, 1774
Image: American Girl
Petrana: Felicity has all the power of being an American Girl and the added bonus of being the Supreme Horse Girl to rule them all. I really liked Felicity because I was also a huge fan of PBS Kids’ Liberty’s Kids, which centered around three young teenagers in the middle of the American Revolution. It was my favorite time period! Did I like it because of the Felicity books or did the Felicity books make me like it? I still don’t know the answer to this question, but I was extra prepared for Hamilton years later.
With a war building up right on her front door, there is inherently more drama in Felicity’s story than most of the other early American Girls, which makes for an exciting read when you’re 7 years old and you yawned through pages of Samantha’s tea parties. (Sorry, Samantha!)
Also shoutout to her family’s apprentice, Benjamin, whomst I had a crush on when I was seven.
Emily: Felicity represented the era we learned the most about in school, which means she got a lot of attention when I was looking for books to read for my book reports. She also lived in Virginia, where I grew up, which gave her even more of a relatable allure.
1. Molly McIntire, 1944
Image: American Girl
Petrana: Out of the original three American Girls (that’s Samantha, Kirsten, and Molly), Molly’s story is definitely the coolest — and the one that still holds up. Her dad is off serving as a medic in World War II, while she and her family adjust to the rapid new changes that the war thrust upon them.
She’s an original which gives her an extra bump in status here, even if some of the newer stories are more nuanced. But Molly’s was compelling, even in the beginning.
The American Girl characters always have interesting flaws, be it Samantha’s class obliviousness or Josefina’s shyness, but Molly stands out in my mind for being generally bratty to the point where sometimes I didn’t like her very much! But that stemmed from being the youngest kid in a big family — the only one without strong memories of their father — and it follows her throughout the series. Her friendship with Emily, a British girl displaced after the London Blitz, is a first stepping stone for Molly to realize that maybe she has it a bit better than some people. By the end of the series, she’s grown as a character and to be honest, I think about her arc to this day as a very good example of children’s literature.
We stan, Molly.
Emily: I love Molly so freakin’ much. She’s an icon for glasses-wearers, an icon for teacher’s pets, and an icon for weird girls who love attention.
We stan.
American girl names | PARENTS
Features of American Names for Girls
It is no coincidence that America is called a melting pot for nations, as well as a paradise for immigrants – people from all countries and continents flock there. That’s why American names for girls are famous for their originality and diversity, because they come from different cultures.
But this is not the only reason that endows them with originality. The point is that Americans are not at all embarrassed to name their children after their favorite pizza brand, city or state. The patriotic “America” is not uncommon for a girl from the USA. Other countries and even geographical terms are also quite common, including among celebrities – the daughter of Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin is called Ireland, and Kim Kardashian and Kanye West named their daughter North, which means “north” in English.
Alex – protector of people, courageous, reliable
Amanda – loving 011 Ana – grace, reliable, desired
Betty – worshiping God
Catherine – clean
Lara – seagull, housekeeper
Liza – promise to God, honoring God
Lillian – lily
Mickey – whimsical admirable, amazing
Sam heard by God
Tony fighting, competing in strength
Hannah – mercy, grace, strength
Charlotte – queen
Alison – noble, from the upper class
Russian-American female names
There are many English-language analogues of Russian names, which is understandable – the wave of Russian emigration during the October Revolution was significant.
In addition, America in the following decades seemed to many citizens of our country a promised land, the Russians sought to go there, if not to move, then at least to pay a visit – it is no coincidence that New York is famous for the Russian district of Brighton, and the Russian diaspora is also present in other American cities. Therefore, a resident of America will not be surprised if the girl’s name is Natalya, Diana or Margarita. However, these options will sound in their own American style – Diana will turn into Diane, Margarita will become Margaret, Varvara – Barbara, Elizabeth – Elizabeth, Catherine – Catherine, and Natalya – Natalie.
Is it possible to find beautiful American names for girls that in Russia will not sound too pretentious and exotic? Alas, for our Russian hearing they sound too foreign (Kelly, Heather or Beverly), with rare exceptions when there are similar ones: Mary – Maria,
Julia – Julia.
American names for twins
Americans choose names for twins in rhyme – it sounds nice and is remembered well.
For twin girls, parents choose the following pairs:
Jerry – Sherry,
Hikari – Rosemary,
Alana – Hannah,
Stephanie – Tiffany,
Haley – Holly.
9000 9
Amelie – Beverly,
In Russia, girls can be called in this way only in one case – if you are going to choose the United States as a permanent place of residence, otherwise such options will cause bewilderment, and sometimes ridicule from peers during the child’s education at school.
Meaning of female names
Female names in America seem simple, but they often mean something beautiful and noble. Take at least “Charlotte” – it sounds pompous, it means “queen”, but if you call your daughter that, then hardly anyone will suspect blue aristocratic blood in her, it is more likely that others will decide that the girl’s mother in her youth was fond of the series “Sex in the big city”. However, for parents from the United States, modern American names for girls sound quite traditional.
Most frequent:
Jessica – God-given 011 Miranda – amazing,
Alice – noble,
Amanda – loving.
The meaning of other names may be related to the occupation: Bailey – sheriff’s assistant, Abella – shepherdess.
Origin of names
It is an American tradition not to be limited to one word, sometimes the baby is given two or even three names that are important for the family. However, this is not necessary – there are options with one, there are a lot of them. The origin of American names is the languages of different peoples from all over the world, just because people from different countries mastered America. Mostly European, so in the USA there are often beautiful names for girls that have Roman and Greek roots, as well as Turkic and South American ones.
Lyubov Prishlaya
English name for a girl – what do you like?
In the variety of English names, you can find an option for every taste.
In this article, we will look at the main English female names and their meanings, and you can safely choose your favorite.
The choice of a name has long been taken seriously. It was believed that the meaning of a name can largely determine the fate of a person and the qualities of his character. But even today, much attention is paid to the meaning of the name and its origin.
Although English culture is more or less familiar to everyone and the names of famous people or heroes of films and books are heard, we rarely refer to their history and meanings. Therefore, it is doubly interesting to see how children are usually called in English culture, which English names for girls are rare and beautiful, what meanings they hide in themselves. You can read about popular male names in English here: Beautiful male names. And by visiting our website, you will have access to a huge number of other materials for learning the language: word practice, grammar and writing simulator, grammar lessons, videos with subtitles, podcasts on a variety of topics and much more.
Meaning of a name
Before choosing a name for a child, many people want to know the origin of the names and what they meant in their original form.
Let’s analyze popular female English names with translation. There may be different versions about their origin and meaning, and it is far from always possible to unambiguously establish the translation – we will give the most established meanings.
- Melanie (Melanie): came from the Greek language and means “dark”
- Florence (Florence): in Latin means “blooming”
- Agatha (Agatha): in Greek meant “good”
- Zoe (Zoe): in Greek meant “life”
- Rebecca (Rebecca): originates in Hebrew and means “to bind, fasten”
- Ruth (Ruth): translated from Hebrew as “friend”
- Barbara (Barbara): from Greek – “alien”
- Amanda (Amanda): derived from the Latin amandus – “worthy of love”
- Victoria (Victoria): translated from Latin as “victory”
- Irene (Irene): in Greek – “peace, tranquility”
- Miranda (Miranda): from the Latin word mirandus (“wonderful”)
- Bridget (Bridget): Irish name, which originally had the form Brighid meaning “exalted, enthusiastic”
- Sophia (Sophia): translated from Greek as “wisdom”
- Margaret (Margaret): from the Greek word for “pearl”
- Katherine (Katherine): Greek name, the most common version of the meaning is “pure”
- Deborah (Deborah): translated from Hebrew as “bee”
- Vivian (Vivian): derived from the Latin vivus “live”
- Emma (Emma): from Germanic names meaning “whole”
Some girls’ names in English have a transparent origin.
Ruby (Ruby) is consonant with the word ruby (ruby) and is of Latin origin with the meaning “red”. And the name Harper (Harper), which was worn by the famous American writer Harper Lee (Harper Lee), originally served as a surname and referred to harpists (harp – harp).
It is even easier to guess the meaning of such names as Daisy (Daisy) and April (April). The first repeats the word daisy (daisy), and the second – April (April), which, in turn, is associated with the Latin verb aperire “to open.” Both of these names began to be actively used in English no earlier than the 19th century.
Choosing names for girls in English, we pay attention to the meaning, it is not always possible to find out. And the point is not only that it is difficult to establish the history of the word: the meaning may simply be absent. Such an interesting story has a female name Vanessa (Vanessa). It was invented by Jonathan Swift (Jonathan Swift) for the poem “Cadenus and Vanessa”, combining the first letters of the name of his friend.
Royal names
If we are talking about the UK, for many, the first association with it is the royal family. Although politics has historically been the work of men, women have had their say as well. What beautiful female names in English do we meet at the royal court?
Perhaps one of the most important women in the history of Great Britain and the most famous queen is Queen Victoria. She ruled the country for over 60 years until 1901. Victoria is her first name. At birth, she was also given the middle name Alexandrina (Alexandrina). But the main one was Victoria, and it was it that was fixed in history: the era of her reign is called Victorian. Many geographical areas are named after the Queen, such as a city in Canada and a state in Australia. The name Victoria remains popular today.
The current Queen of Great Britain is Elizabeth II (Elizabeth II). Her full name sounds like Elizabeth Alexandra Mary (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary). Every element in it is a tribute to other members of the royal family.
She was named Elizabeth after her mother, Alexandra after her great-grandmother, and Mary after her grandmother. Elizabeth II ascended the throne in 1952 and has already surpassed her famous predecessor, Queen Victoria, in terms of the length of her reign.
The name Diana is very popular in England. In the royal family, it was worn by Princess Diana, the first wife of Prince Charles. Often her name was abbreviated and simply called Lady Di (Lady Di).
In politics, influential English women are not only the royal family. One of the most significant politicians was Margaret Thatcher (Margaret Thatcher). She became the first woman in Europe to serve as prime minister.
Variants of names
It should not be forgotten that English names often have abbreviations that are very popular. As the example of Lady Di shows, abbreviations are used even in relation to government officials.
It often happens that abbreviated variants are fixed in the language and become independent names.
For example:
- Sandra (Sandra): an abbreviated version of Alexandra (Alexandra)
- Stacy (Stacy): short for Anastasia (Anastasia)
In this case, the original version may be completely lost. For example, the form Alice (Alice / Alice) is derived from Adelaide (Adelaide), and in its original form the name sounded like Adalheidis.
Some names have different spellings. This is probably best seen in the forms Katherine / Catharine / Catherine / Catherina / Katharine / Katherina. Added to this diversity are abbreviations that can be used as a full name: Cat / Cathy / Kat / Kate / Kathie / Kathy / Katie / Kitty / Cate.
Masculine-feminine
In English, it is quite common to find names that can refer to both women and men, without differing in any way in form.
- Ash
- Cameron
- Kerry (Kerry)
- Kim (Kim)
- Morgan (Morgan)
- Parker (Parker)
Often this situation is typical for abbreviated versions.
Therefore, beautiful English female names can be obtained, among other things, from the abbreviation of the male form.
- Alex (Alex): short for the male name Alexander (Alexander) and the female Alexandra (Alexandra)
- Billie (Billy): short for Bill (Bill) and the female form of the name William – Wilhelmina (Wilhelmina)
- Chris (Chris): can be formed from Christopher (Christopher), Christian (Christian) or Christine (Christine / Christina)
- Frankie (Frankie): from male Frank (Frank) or female Frances (Francis)
- Jackie (Jackie): from Jack (Jack) or Jacqueline (Jacqueline)
- Nat (Nat): a variant of the forms Nathan (Naten), Nathaniel (Nathaniel), Natalie (Natalie)
- Robbie (Robbie): abbreviation of male Robert (Robert) or female Roberta (Robert)
- Ronnie (Ronnie): can be formed from Ronald (Ronald) or Veronica (Veronica)
- Sam (Sam): reduction of male Samuel (Samuel), Samson (Samson) or female Samantha (Samantha)
- Steph (Step): a variant of Stephen (Stephen) or Stephanie (Stephanie)
- Terry (Terry): formed from the male Terence (Terence) or the female Theresa / Teresa (Teresa)
English names in Russian
Already in the given examples of English female names, one can find those for which it is easy to find Russian counterparts.
