Choosing a name for a girl can be a big decision, and some names carry unique meanings. While many names symbolize strength, beauty, or victory, there are also names that mean failure. These names often come with interesting stories or cultural backgrounds that can lead to deep conversations. Understanding their meanings can help parents choose wisely or simply spark curiosity.
Today, we’ll look at a few girl names that mean failure. We’ll discuss their origins, meanings, and how they might be perceived in different cultures. Whether you’re researching names for a character in a story or just curious, this list offers a unique perspective on naming.
Girl Names That Mean Failure
1. Mara
Mara is a Hebrew name meaning ‘bitter’ and can symbolize failure when connected to the biblical story of Naomi, who changed her name to Mara after losing everything. It represents a struggle and loss.
2. Laila
Laila, while traditionally meaning ‘night,’ can also represent failure as it evokes darkness and a lack of light, metaphorically linking it to setbacks or disappointments.
3. Delilah
The name Delilah, which means ‘delicate’ or ‘weak’, carries connotations of betrayal in the story of Samson, symbolizing failure in relationships and trust.
4. Hagar
Hagar is a name of Hebrew origin meaning ‘fugitive’ or ‘stranger’. It represents a woman who faced immense struggles, making it resonate with themes of failure.
5. Jabez
Although typically a male name, Jabez means ‘sorrow’ or ‘pain’, reminding us in its essence of failure and struggle, which can be reflective in a girl’s experience too.
6. Callie
Callie means ‘beautiful’ in Greek, but its sound can evoke feelings of loss or failure when linked to stories of characters that face challenges.
7. Keren-Happuch
This biblical name means ‘horn of beauty’, but the character’s narrative involved significant trials, symbolizing overcoming failure in multiple contexts.
8. Penina
Penina refers to ‘pearl’ but is also linked to sadness and failure when one looks at the struggles of the character in the biblical sense.
9. Eglah
Eglah means ‘heifer’ in Hebrew, and in certain narratives, it reflects themes of failure or disappointment within biblical literature.
10. Berenice
Berenice means ‘bringer of victory’, but its historical context sometimes included stories of loss and failure in battles.
11. Nemea
This Greek name connotes ‘failure’ through its connections to the Nemean Lion, representing struggles and challenges faced by heroes.
12. Divina
Divina, meaning ‘divine’, can ironically link to failure, as the pursuit of divinity often leads one through trials and hardships.
13. Nessa
Nessa relates to ‘failure’ as it comes from the term ‘in trouble’ in Hebrew, alluding to struggles and adversity.
14. Vanya
Vanya means ‘gracious gift’, yet links back to stories of unfulfilled promises, correlating with a sense of failure.
15. Niamh
Niamh signifies brightness but has stories associated with grief, linking indirectly to the theme of unachieved potential.
16. Kiona
Kiona, meaning ‘brown hills’, embodies the struggles of returning to failure, representing a path of challenges in pursuit of goals.
17. Thalia
Thought of as ‘to bloom’, Thalia can symbolize failure when paired with stories of unrealized potential and dreams.
18. Elika
Elika means ‘God has answered’ but may also resonate with feelings of abandonment, reflecting the theme of failure in life’s trials.
19. Yenna
This name, meaning ‘to fall’, explicitly connects with failure, resonating with the idea of hardship and loss.
20. Eurydice
Eurydice means ‘wide justice’, but her narrative is tied to loss and failure within the context of love and life struggles.
21. Meri
Meri means ‘sea’ and connects with unfathomable depths of emotion, often symbolizing failure in navigating personal relationships.
22. Sela
Sela, meaning ‘rock’, can ironically symbolize the feeling of being stuck, emotionally reflecting the theme of failure.
23. Myra
Myra means ‘myrrh’, associated with bitterness and hardship, creating a connection to concepts of failure and adversity.
24. Lila
Lila means ‘night’, representing darkness and silence, often depicted in literature as the time of failure.
25. Zazie
Zazie is a playful name but carries connotations of confusion and miscommunication, aligning with the theme of failure.
26. Nirvana
Nirvana may mean ‘bliss’, yet its pursuit reflects a journey often filled with failure and hardship before achieving peace.
27. Amara
Amara means ‘eternal’, but can also symbolize the failures that lead to the quest for something everlasting.
28. Izdihar
Izdihar is an Arabic name meaning ‘prosperity’, but its journey often involves facing significant failures first.
29. Malaika
Malaika means ‘angel’, a figure often depicted as a guide through struggles or failures toward healing.
30. Tara
Tara means ‘star’, often alluding to guidance through the dark times associated with life’s failures.
31. Shaira
Shaira means ‘poetess’, whose stories might often reflect the failures in human experience, weaving through emotions of loss.
32. Hilde
Hilde means ‘battle’, signifying the failures that come in the pursuit of challenges and conflicts.
33. Ronin
Ronin signifies a ‘masterless samurai’ symbolizing profound failure or loss, connecting to themes of resilience.
34. Lexia
Although Lexia typically refers to ‘word’, it can connect with failure in the sense of miscommunication or lost meanings.
35. Cleo
Cleo means ‘glory’, inherently contrasting with the meaning of failure, as glory is often seen after overcoming struggles.
36. Luna
Luna means ‘moon’, symbolizing cycles of darkness experienced during failure but always returning to light.
37. Yara
Yara means ‘small butterfly’, often connecting to fragile transformations that can encounter failures along the journey.
38. Allie
Allie is a diminutive of Alexandra and means ‘defender’, often highlighting the failures faced in quests for protection or safety.
39. Cyprus
Cyprus typically represents a tree, symbolizing stability but can also represent failure due to external conditions affecting growth.
40. Janus
Despite being often depicted as a two-faced figure, Janus embodies dual nature, including facing failures as part of journeys.
41. Aisling
Aisling means ‘dream’, often illustrating the failures that arise from broken ambitions or unattained goals.
42. Daria
Daria means ‘possessor of goodness’, yet the struggle to maintain goodness may lead to repeated failures.
43. Maya
Maya signifies ‘illusion’, alluding to failure that comes from chasing unrealistic dreams.
44. Sahara
Sahara, meaning ‘desert’, can symbolize the barrenness of failure in one’s pursuits.
45. Cassandra
Cassandra means ‘shining upon man’, yet her story highlights failure in not being believed, despite truth.
46. Cleo
Cleo means ‘glory’, associated with the failures encountered leading to that eventual fame or recognition.
47. Kaia
Kaia means ‘pure’, but the reference to broken purity aligns with themes of failure or disappointment.
48. Alea
Alea means ‘exalted’, representing the failure that comes in striving for higher aspirations.
49. Zara
Zara means ‘princess’, but can symbolize failures experienced in the quest for royal status or acceptance.
50. Isolde
Isolde signifies ‘ice ruler’, often entailing stories of heartbreak and failure in love.
51. Bellatrix
This name meaning ‘female warrior’ evokes stories of battles lost rather than won, connecting to failings.
52. Calypso
Calypso signifies ‘to conceal’, reflecting the failures hidden within one’s identity or past.
53. Saida
Saida means ‘happy’, yet often describes moments where happiness fell short, highlighting failures.
54. Cecilia
Cecilia means ‘blind’, symbolizing blindness to failure in relationships or endeavors.
55. Portia
Portia, meaning ‘wealthy’, often represents the failures that stem from wealth disparity and personal growth challenges.
56. Floria
Floria stands for ‘flowering’, contrasting with the failures of life that can prevent bloom and growth.
57. Celandine
Celandine means ‘swallow’, relating to freedom but can symbolize failures encountered on the road toward it.
58. Henrietta
Henrietta means ‘ruler of the home’ but can represent failures within domestic spheres that women navigate.
59. Allura
Allura means ‘temptress’, which can link with the failures that attract negative influences in one’s life.
60. Lorelei
Lorelei means ‘alluring enchantress’ but her tale involves fatal distractions, reflecting failure in choices.
61. Alecto
Alecto means ‘unerring’, ironically connected to failures as it speaks to the flaws in human judges or perceptions.
62. Amarys
Amarys means ‘to be beloved’, but struggles for love can demonstrate pathways of failures.
63. Xiomara
Xiomara translates to ‘ready for war’, yet often symbolizes the failures in personal fights for one’s freedom.
64. Serafina
Serafina relates to ‘fiery’, but connecting flames can also represent destructive failures.
65. Kyra
Kyra, meaning ladies’ lord, alludes to the failures entailed in upholding such high expectations.
66. Sapphira
Sapphira means ‘beautiful’, contrasting fulfilling beauty with failures in trials.
67. Maisie
Maisie implies ‘pearl’, often connecting to life’s struggles to find joy amidst failures.
68. Mariposa
Mariposa means ‘butterfly’, often signifying transformation stemming from failures.
69. Hermione
Hermione means ‘messenger’, showcasing the failures encountered in conveying vital truths.
70. Zia
Zia translates to ‘light’, indicating failures led through darkness, particularly in struggles for enlightenment.
71. Nyssa
Nyssa refers to ‘beginning’, yet can symbolize failures in the commencement of journeys.
72. Elysia
Elysia, translated as ‘blissful’, connects to the often-failing pursuit of sustained happiness.
73. Danica
While Danica means ‘morning star’, it may also symbolize the failing moments before the dawn.
74. Cressida
Cressida, from the Trojan War, signifies failures often faced during love’s challenges.
75. Elowen
Elowen means ‘elm tree’, which represents strength, but symbolically often faces failures from environmental pressures.
76. Astraea
Astraea means ‘star maiden’, intertwining celestial beauty with tales of personal failures.
77. Vita
Vita means ‘life’, contrasting with failures in various life stages and experiences.
78. Selah
This biblical name embodies pauses, often after failures needing time for reflection.
79. Maeva
Maeva translates to ‘welcome’, but can reflect failures in acceptance and belonging.
80. Essa
Essa means ‘gift’ yet often tells stories of the burden of failed expectations.
81. Orla
Orla means ‘golden princess’, but stories of royalty often showcase failures en route to the crown.
82. Suri
Suri means ‘princess’, also hinting at failures related to societal pressures.
83. Dazzle
Dazzle symbolizes brilliance but can represent the fleeting nature of success and numerous failures.
84. Liora
Liora means ‘light’, with an undertone of failure encountered before obtaining realization.
85. Avalon
Avalon means ‘island of apples’ and can symbolize utopia only reached after many failures.
86. Freya
Freya means ‘lady’, often highlighting the struggles that underscore her qualities of beauty among failures.
87. Celeste
Celeste denotes ‘heavenly’ yet is connected with the fall from grace leading to failures.
88. Iris
Iris signifies ‘rainbow’, symbolizing hope amidst life’s failures.
89. Willow
Willow reflects bending under pressure, showcasing resilience against failures.
90. Lyra
Lyra denotes the harp, often representing the harmonious aftermath of failures.
91. Nessa
Nessa means ‘pure’, often touching upon the imperfections encountered along the path of life.
92. Talia
Talia means ‘dew from God’, symbolizing rejuvenation following failures.
93. Juno
Juno refers to ‘queen of heaven’, reminiscent of historical narratives involving the trials and failures of queens.
94. Phaedra
Phaedra means ‘bright’, echoing tales of the darkness of failure that follows her bright beginnings.
95. Thea
Thea means ‘goddess’, signifying both divinity and the folly leading to human failures.
96. Zara
Zara means ‘flower’, yet links deeply to stories of loss amidst beauty.
97. Zephyr
Zephyr represents ‘gentle breeze’, embodying changes that are often met with failures.
98. Yvette
Yvette means ‘yew’, connecting to endurance, marked by failures encountered throughout time.
99. Cleona
Cleona means ‘glory’, where the pursuit often involves facing overwhelming failures.
100. Otelia
This name symbolizes wealth but touches on failures through its context of lost riches.
101. Lavinia
Lavinia signifies ‘purity’, capturing the failures of maintaining such standards in life.
102. Ines
Ines refers to ‘pure’, embodying the struggles surrounding failure that challenge purity.
103. Olwen
Olwen translates to ‘white footprint’, signifying a path that may occasionally reveal hardships or failures.
104. Jael
Jael means ‘mountain goat’, representing careful navigation through life’s failures.
105. Fenella
This Gaelic name means ‘white phantom’, echoing past failures nestled in folk stories.
106. Aveline
Aveline translates to ‘hazelnut’, metaphorically representing life cycles that often encompass failure and renewal.
107. Letha
Letha means ‘oblivion’, often linked to the failures one tries to forget.
108. Cyra
Cyra means ‘throne’, juxtaposed with the narratives involving loss or failures in rule.
109. Rhea
Rhea means ‘flowing’, illustrating the ups and downs experienced through failures.
110. Aoife
Aoife means ‘beauty’, often enmeshed in narratives of failed battles for what is beautiful.
111. Nahla
Nahla means ‘a drink of water’, symbolizing refreshment after the failings of thirst for growth.
112. Kiera
Kiera means ‘little dark one’, representing the shadow of failure often looming behind success.
113. Tanith
Tanith means ‘serpent lady’, often highlighting failures through strong character navigations.
114. Beryl
Beryl relates to the gemstone, often symbolizing oversights and failures in gathering perfection.
115. Portia
This brave name means ‘offering’, often leading to trials and failures in meeting expectations.
116. Sienna
Sienna reflects earth tones but symbolizes a journey often filled with unexpected failures in self-discovery.
117. Calantha
Calantha means ‘beautiful flower’, hinting at perfection often marred by experiences of failure.
118. Raina
Raina means ‘queen’, often representing how a quest for royalty can emerge from failure.
119. Varinia
Varinia has historical ties to beauty yet often travels through tales of failures in courtliness.
120. Sephora
Sephora means ‘bird’, suggesting freedom but often the risks leading to failures.
121. Imogen
Imogen means ‘maiden’, intertwined with tales of lost innocence through failures.
122. Mairead
Mairead means ‘pearl’, representing the oft-accompanied challenges and failures of beauty.
123. Eira
Eira translates to ‘snow’, often referring to purity marked by failures of warmth.
124. Tansy
Tansy represents the strength of the herb but reflects the failures of resilience against adversities faced.
125. Nadja
Nadja means ‘hope’, presenting the paradox of hope often linked with the failures of reality.
126. Estee
Estee relates to elegance, sometimes masking failures found within the pursuit of grace.
127. Faustina
Faustina means ‘fortunate’, juxtaposing failure often seen in the guise of fortune lost.
128. Xara
Xara means ‘princess’, highlighting the failures frequently strived against in the royal tales.
129. Thandie
Thandie means ‘beloved’, capturing moments lost through struggles and failures in relationships.
130. Liora
Liora translates to ‘my light’, often symbolizing the failures preceding enlightenment.
131. Cressida
Error in her love story concludes with Cressida, inherently linking her narrative to failure.
132. Laney
Laney implies ‘path’, suggesting the failures often part of any journey undertaken.
133. Agatha
Agatha means ‘good’, but reflects the failures encountered when striving for better.
134. Petunia
Petunia represents ‘flower’, often highlighting the fragility of beauty underlined by failures.
135. Marta
Marta stands for ‘lady’, hinting at trials and tribulations faced by women through failures.
136. Frida
Frida means ‘peace’, juxtaposed with the ideals of peace often interrupted by life’s failures.
137. Suki
Suki implies ‘beloved’, yet carries the weight of failures in companionship.
138. Nola
Nola means ‘fair’, often outlining failures encountered through discussions of justice.
139. Linnea
Linnea signifies ‘twinflower’, often conveying the beauty of relationships tainted with failure.
140. Adara
Adara means ‘noble’, but often represents failures faced in guiding nobility.
141. Uma
Uma translates to ‘nation’, connecting to struggles and failures seen in titles and land.
142. Elspeth
Elspeth implies ‘pledged to God’, reflecting the repeated failures encountered in maintaining faith.
143. Zadie
Zadie means ‘princess’, thus linking well to the challenges and failures faced in royal narratives.
144. Juna
Juna means ‘young’, often depicted in stories reflecting the failures of youth.
145. Adella
Adella implies ‘noble’, echoing the failures felt among those claiming greatness.
146. Pippa
Pippa means ‘lover of horses’, connecting to failures faced in pursuits of the untamed.
147. Wynne
Wynne signifies ‘fair’, yet histories present a view of risks leading to failures.
148. Octavia
Octavia means ‘eighth’, often reflecting failures that plagued journeys across numbers.
149. Amity
Amity means ‘friendship’, symbolizing the failures often present in pursuing and maintaining social ties.
150. Zaria
Zaria means ‘flower’, relating to the struggles that lead to setbacks in personal growth.
Final Thoughts
Choosing a name for a girl that means failure opens up a conversation about resilience and overcoming challenges. Many of the names listed carry significant stories that remind us that failure is a part of life’s journey. Understanding these names can add depth and invoke curiosity in various cultures and contexts.
These names may evoke emotions or histories that highlight the struggles and lessons learned through failure. Whether for fictional characters or real-life inspirations, their meanings can resonate and provide valuable insights.
Explore more fascinating names and see how meanings can shape our perceptions by checking out our piece on names that mean failure or delve into the complexities of misfortune in naming.