Li is one of the richest starting sounds in girl naming across the full range of world languages. It appears in English classics, in Hebrew names built around the concept of light, in Chinese names connected to beauty and nature, in Vietnamese names rooted in the lotus, and in Scandinavian names that feel like they belong to a particular kind of quiet northern landscape.
That range is what makes this starting sound so worth exploring. Whether you want something familiar and well-loved, something elegant and long, something short and modern, or something genuinely rare, the Li- list has options that most parents have not come across before.
Here are 99+ girl names beginning with Li, organised by feel and style, with origins and meanings for each.
Classic Girl Names Starting With Li
Some of the most enduring girl names in the English-speaking world begin with Li. These names have spent generations proving themselves across different eras and still feel fresh enough to carry into another one. Parents drawn to names with genuine staying power tend to find several strong candidates here.
1. Lily — English and Latin origin, from the lily flower, meaning purity and innocence. One of the most consistently beloved floral names in the English language.
2. Lila — Arabic and Sanskrit origin, meaning night in Arabic and divine play or amusement in Sanskrit. Works beautifully across both traditions.
3. Lilah — Hebrew variant of Lila, also connected to the name Delilah, meaning night or gentle.
4. Liana — Italian and French origin, meaning to bind or vine, referring to the tropical climbing plant. Soft and flowing in sound.
5. Liberty — English, meaning freedom. Used as a given name since the earliest colonial period in America.
6. Libby — English diminutive of Elizabeth, meaning pledged to God or my God is abundance. Long established as a confident standalone name.
7. Lisa — Hebrew origin, short form of Elizabeth. Widely used across English, Italian, and German-speaking traditions.
8. Linda — Spanish and Germanic origin, meaning beautiful or gentle in Spanish, soft or tender in Old German.
9. Lindsay — Old English and Scottish origin, meaning island of Lincoln or wetlands. Used for girls and boys, primarily for girls in modern usage.
10. Lina — Arabic and Latin origin, meaning tender in Arabic and palm tree in Latin. Used widely across Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cultures.
11. Liliana — Spanish and Italian origin, meaning lily. Elegant and fully developed as a formal given name.
12. Linnea — Scandinavian origin, named after the linden flower and associated with the botanist Carl Linnaeus. Quiet, naturalistic, and beautifully Scandinavian in feel.
13. Livia — Latin origin, possibly meaning blue or envious, though most associated with Livia Drusilla, wife of the Roman Emperor Augustus. Ancient and genuinely distinguished.
14. Lilly — Variant spelling of Lily, equally valid and widely used.
15. Lillie — Victorian-era variant of Lily, associated with the actress Lillie Langtry. Carries a period charm that feels current again.
16. Lisette — French diminutive of Elisabeth, meaning pledged to God. Delicate, French, and distinctly its own name.
17. Liesel — German diminutive of Elisabeth, made widely known through its use in The Sound of Music. Warm and Central European in character.
18. Lili — French and German spelling variant of Lily. Used across multiple European languages with the same meaning.
19. Lilac — English, the fragrant purple flowering shrub. Used as a given name for its colour, scent, and visual beauty.
20. Liza — English and Russian variant of Lisa or Elizabeth. Direct and punchy with a long history of independent use.
21. Lizzie — English diminutive of Elizabeth. Warm, approachable, and fully established as its own name.
22. Livia — already listed above.
23. Lianne — French and English variant of Liana. Slightly softer and more familiar than the full form.
24. Lilian — Latin origin, variant of Lily, meaning lily flower. Used widely in Victorian England and still genuinely elegant.
25. Livvy — English diminutive of Olivia or Livia. Bright and playful as a standalone name.
Elegant Girl Names Starting With Li
Some Li names have a formal and flowing quality that suits more considered naming. These names tend to be longer, carry more syllables, and work particularly well for parents looking for something that sounds complete and unhurried. They tend to age well and hold up across formal and informal contexts with equal ease.
26. Liliana — already listed above. Worth including here for its elegance as a formal given name.
27. Liviana — Italian origin, feminine extended form of Livio, connected to the Roman Livia. Rare and genuinely refined.
28. Lieselotte — German compound name combining Elisabeth and Charlotte, meaning pledged to God and free woman. Long and layered with meaning.
29. Lisandra — Greek origin, feminine variant of Lysander, meaning liberator or she who frees men. Unusual and strong.
30. Lilianna — Elaborate variant of Liliana, adding an extra syllable and a slightly more ornate feeling.
31. Linette — Welsh and French origin, meaning idol or linnet bird, the small sweet-singing finch. Delicate and poetic.
32. Liridona — Albanian origin, meaning freedom. Carries a striking and melodic quality rare in Western naming.
33. Liyana — Arabic origin, meaning softness and tenderness. Used across Arab communities and increasingly in the broader English-speaking world.
34. Lisanne — French and Dutch compound of Lisa and Anne. Smooth and flowing as a full name.
35. Lissette — Elaborated French variant of Lisette, with a slightly more ornate feel.
36. Livna — Hebrew origin, meaning white or frankincense tree. Rare even within Hebrew tradition and genuinely beautiful.
37. Livnat — Hebrew origin, meaning white. Connected to the word for the moon and for purity across Hebrew texts.
38. Liselotte — variant of Lieselotte, slightly simplified in spelling but carrying the same compound meaning.
39. Linora — variant form connecting the Li- opening with the Nora ending, meaning honour or light.
40. Liobhan — Irish variant form connected to the name Líobhan, meaning beauty or radiance in Irish tradition.
41. Liusaidh — Scottish Gaelic form of Lucy, meaning light. One of the most distinctive ways to carry a classic meaning in an entirely unexpected form.
42. Liwen — Mapuche origin from Chile and Argentina, meaning clear speech or clear water. Rare outside South American communities and genuinely melodic.
43. Lirona — Hebrew feminine form of Liron, meaning my song or my joy. Lyrical and light.
44. Lizandra — variant of Lisandra, with a slightly different spelling carrying the same Greek meaning of liberator.
45. Liloue — Breton origin, meaning lily. Used in Brittany and occasionally in French-speaking communities elsewhere.
Short Girl Names Starting With Li
Short Li names carry their weight in very few letters. Several of the strongest options here are just two or three letters long and work precisely because they do not need anything more. These names tend to be easy to pair with longer middle names and surnames, and they read cleanly on everything from a passport to a school register.
46. Li — Chinese origin, meaning beautiful, plum, or reason, depending on the character. One of the most common given names in China and a genuinely strong standalone in any naming tradition.
47. Lia — Hebrew, Greek, and Italian origin, meaning weary in Hebrew and bearer of good news in Greek. Used widely across Mediterranean and European cultures.
48. Liz — English, short form of Elizabeth. Confident, clean, and completely wearable as its own name.
49. Lin — Chinese origin, meaning forest or fine jade. Also used in Welsh tradition as a variant form.
50. Lira — Italian origin, the currency but also a musical instrument, meaning lyric or song. Used as a given name with a musical and cultural feel.
51. Liri — Hebrew and Albanian origin, meaning my song in Hebrew and freedom in Albanian. Two strong meanings in four letters.
52. Lise — French and Danish short form of Elisabeth. Clean and quietly Scandinavian or French depending on pronunciation.
53. Linh — Vietnamese origin, meaning soul, spirit, or water. One of the most common Vietnamese given names and increasingly used outside Vietnam.
54. Ling — Chinese origin, meaning delicate, dainty, or the sound of jade. Elegant and specific.
55. Lian — Chinese origin, meaning graceful willow or lotus. Used for girls in Chinese naming tradition.
56. Lior — Hebrew origin, meaning I have light or light for me. Used for both boys and girls in Israel and Jewish communities globally.
57. Lida — Slavic origin, meaning beloved people. Used across Czech, Slovak, and Russian naming traditions.
58. Lilo — Hawaiian and German origin. In Hawaiian, meaning generous one. In German, a diminutive of Elisabeth. Also associated with the Disney character of the same name.
59. Lita — Spanish diminutive used as a standalone name, meaning little or beloved, depending on the root name it derives from.
60. Liha — Hebrew origin, meaning my shield or my protection. Short and meaningful.
61. Liaz — Hebrew origin, meaning my strength. Compact and strong.
62. Liav — Hebrew origin, meaning my father is willing or God is willing. Gender-neutral in Hebrew naming but used for girls.
63. Liba — Yiddish and Hebrew origin, meaning beloved or dear. Warm and intimate in meaning.
64. Libi — Hebrew origin, meaning my heart. Personal, direct, and tender.
65. Liri — already listed. Strong enough to appear here as well for its brevity.
Unique Girl Names Starting With Li
Parents looking for Li names that genuinely stand apart from popular name lists tend to find the most interesting options in mythology, Celtic traditions, Native American naming, and Hebrew roots that have not yet crossed into mainstream usage. These names carry real history and real meaning without the familiarity that comes with widespread use.
66. Lilith — Hebrew origin, meaning night or belonging to the night. Ancient and powerful, appearing in Jewish mythology as a figure of independence and strength.
67. Ligeia — Greek mythology, one of the Sirens, meaning clear-voiced or shrill. Used by Edgar Allan Poe as a literary name and carries a gothic and musical beauty.
68. Libuše — Czech origin, the legendary founder and prophetess of Prague, meaning beloved people. Deeply rooted in Czech national identity and rarely seen outside it.
69. Lileas — Scottish Gaelic form of Lily, used in the Scottish Highlands with the same floral meaning carried in a completely different shape.
70. Lilit — Armenian variant of Lilith, used in Armenian tradition with the same night-associated meaning but a warmer, more familiar feel.
71. Lilja — Icelandic and Scandinavian origin, meaning lily. One of the most distinctive ways to carry the lily name in a Nordic form.
72. Litonya — Native American Miwok origin, meaning hummingbird darting. One of the most vivid natural images in any naming tradition.
73. Liluye — Native American Miwok origin, meaning singing chicken hawk that soars. Rare and rooted in a specific tradition of naming from the natural world.
74. Lindiwe — Zulu origin, meaning waited for or the one we waited for. Given to long-awaited or firstborn children in Zulu tradition.
75. Lioba — Old German and Latin origin, the name of a celebrated eighth-century Anglo-Saxon saint, meaning beloved. Rare across all modern naming traditions.
76. Limor — Hebrew origin, meaning my myrrh or my spice. Used in Israel and Jewish communities, rare outside them.
77. Liraz — Hebrew origin, meaning my secret or mystery. Quiet and distinctive with a meaning that suits a thoughtful child.
78. Liridona — already listed in elegant section. Worth noting here for its rarity outside Albanian communities.
79. Lirion — Hebrew origin, variant connected to Liron, meaning my song. Flowing and musical.
80. Lirone — extended variant of Lirion, slightly more ornate in form.
81. Litzy — Spanish and American origin, a modern variant used in Latin American communities, warm and energetic in feel.
82. Livne — Hebrew origin, meaning white tree or frankincense. Used in Israel, rare elsewhere.
83. Liwan — Arabic origin, meaning wish or aspiration. Used in Arabic-speaking communities with a gentle and hopeful meaning.
84. Liyema — South African origin, meaning to stand firm or be strong. Rare outside southern African naming traditions.
85. Liusaidh — already listed in the elegant section. Belongs here equally for its rarity outside Scottish Gaelic tradition.
Li Names by Cultural Origin
Hebrew Li Names
Hebrew produces some of the most meaningful Li names available, many of them connected to the concepts of light, song, and the divine. These names are widely used in Israel and Jewish communities globally and have not yet crossed significantly into mainstream English usage, which makes them genuinely fresh options for parents with or without Hebrew heritage.
86. Liora — meaning light for me or my light. Feminine form of Lior.
87. Liron — meaning my song or my joy. Used for both boys and girls.
88. Limor — meaning my myrrh, associated with fragrance and beauty.
89. Liraz — meaning my secret, quiet and distinctive.
90. Livnat — meaning white, connected to the moon and purity.
91. Livna — variant of Livnat, meaning white or frankincense.
Chinese Li Names
Li as both a surname and given name has one of the highest usage frequencies of any name in the world. In Chinese tradition, the same sound can carry many different meanings depending on which character is written, giving Li names an inherent flexibility and depth.
92. Li — beautiful, plum, or reason, depending on character.
93. Lian — graceful willow or lotus.
94. Ling — delicate, dainty, or the sound of jade.
95. Lin — forest or fine jade.
96. Lihua — meaning beautiful flower or pear blossom.
Vietnamese Li Names
Vietnamese Li names carry the tonal quality of the language and tend to cluster around the concepts of soul, spirit, water, and natural imagery.
97. Linh — soul, spirit, or water. One of the most common Vietnamese given names.
98. Lien — lotus or connection. Used widely in Vietnamese naming tradition.
99. Lila — also used in Vietnamese tradition with similar meanings to its Arabic and Sanskrit origins.
Scandinavian Li Names
Scandinavian Li names tend to have a clean, quiet, and naturalistic feel rooted in the landscape and naming traditions of Northern Europe.
100. Linnea — the linden flower, quintessentially Swedish.
101. Lilja — lily in Icelandic, used across the Nordic countries.
102. Lise — the Scandinavian short form of Elisabeth, clean and understated.
Li Names and the Nickname Question
Many Li names are themselves already nicknames or short forms of longer names, which creates an interesting double layer. Libby comes from Elizabeth. Lisa comes from Elizabeth. Lizzie comes from Elizabeth. Lisbeth comes from Elizabeth. A parent who wants to honour the name Elizabeth while using something fresher on a daily basis has a remarkable number of Li- options to work with.
This also works in the other direction. Several names on this list are long enough to generate their own natural Li nicknames. Liliana becomes Lily or Lili. Liviana becomes Livia or Vivi. Lieselotte becomes Liesel. Choosing a longer Li name with a built-in shorter version gives a child the option to use whichever form suits them at different stages of life, which is a quality worth considering when the full name is being chosen.
Final Thoughts
Li names cover more ground than any other two-letter opening in girl naming. They span languages, cultures, and centuries without ever losing a quality that is hard to pin down but easy to recognise.
Whether the name you find here is one you have known your whole life or one you have never encountered before today, the Li sound gives it a particular softness at the start that works in almost any combination. That is a genuinely useful quality in a given name. It is also, perhaps, part of why so many of the most loved girl names in the world begin with exactly these two letters.