Girl names that start with Q are rare but real, from Quinn, Quincy and Queenie to Quinta, Qing, Quỳnh and Qamar, and this list of 36 gives a checked origin and meaning for every one.
Q is the rarest kind of letter to give a daughter, which is exactly why some parents love it. These girl names that start with Q include Irish and English surname names, Roman names built on numbers, Chinese and Vietnamese names, and word names meaning moon, currant, hawk and precious feather. No Q name made the U.S. girls’ top 10 for 2025, according to the Social Security Administration.
We only included names with their own Behind the Name entry, grouped by origin. Then come gender neutral picks, a guide to saying Q with and without a U, 12 popular names with a Q inside, and quick tips for pairing and testing your favorite.
Key Takeaways
- Q names are rare in the U.S., and none is in the SSA girls’ top 10 for 2025.
- The best-known Q names for girls include Quinn, Quincy, Queen, Queenie, Quinlan and Qiana.
- Many Q names are unisex, including Quinn, Quincy, Qing, Qiu and Qamar.
- Q is said as kw, k, a deep k or a sound close to ch depending on the language.
- Names like Jacqueline, Raquel and Monique have a Q inside if you want the letter without starting with it.
Table of Contents
Girl Names That Start With Q at a Glance
Quick Answer
Every origin and meaning here was checked against the name’s own entry on Behind the Name in November 2026. Where the reference calls a meaning uncertain, we say so.
Girl names that start with Q are rare in the United States, and many lists pad them out with invented spellings and unverified meanings. We did the opposite. Below are 36 girl names that start with Q, each one a feminine or unisex entry on Behind the Name, plus 12 popular names with a Q inside. That is every Q name we could verify that a parent might realistically use.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Quinn | English (feminine and masculine) | From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Cuinn, from the given name Conn (perhaps from Old Irish conn, “sense, reason”, or cenn, “head, chief”) |
| Quin | English (rare; feminine and masculine) | Variant of Quinn |
| Quincy | English (feminine and masculine) | From an English surname that came (via the place name Cuinchy) from the Roman name Quintus, “fifth”; borne by John Quincy Adams, sixth U.S. president, and musician Quincy Jones |
| Quincey | English (rare; feminine and masculine) | Variant of Quincy |
| Quinlan | English (rare; feminine and masculine) | From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Caoindealbháin, from the given name Caoindealbhán |
| Queen | English | From an old nickname taken from the English word queen, ultimately from Old English cwen, “woman, wife” |
| Queenie | English | Diminutive of Queen |
| Qiana | African American (modern) | From the name of a silk-like fabric introduced by DuPont in 1968 and popular in 1970s fashion |
| Quiana | African American (modern) | Variant of Qiana |
| Quianna | African American (rare) | Variant of Qiana |
| Quanna | African American (rare) | An elaboration of the sound element quan |
None of these is in the Social Security Administration (SSA) top 10 for girls born in 2025, which runs Olivia, Charlotte, Emma, Amelia, Sophia, Mia, Isabella, Evelyn, Sofia and Eliana. The SSA counts every spelling separately, so Quinn and Quin, or Qiana and Quiana, are treated as different names. To see how often a particular Q name has been given, use the Popularity of a Name search on the SSA baby names site. The SSA leaves out names given fewer than 5 times in a year, so some names here will not show up at all.
Quinn is the Q name most parents think of first. It comes from an Irish surname and is listed for both girls and boys, as are Quincy and Quinlan. Quincy has a clear American story: it came from an English surname, and John Quincy Adams, the sixth U.S. president, was named after his maternal great-grandfather John Quincy. Queen comes from an old nickname, and Queenie is its diminutive. Qiana and its variants Quiana and Quianna are modern African American names; Behind the Name says Qiana comes from the name of a silk-like fabric introduced by DuPont in 1968. For more ideas across every letter, see our main list of baby girl names.
Latin and Roman Q Names: Quinta, Quirina and Friends
Ancient Rome gives this list its biggest family. The Romans had only a small set of given names, and some were simply numbers. Quintus meant “fifth” and Quarta meant “fourth”, and Quintus became the root of a whole group of feminine names.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Quinta | Ancient Roman, Portuguese | Feminine form of Quintus, the Roman given name meaning “fifth” |
| Quarta | Ancient Roman | Roman given name meaning “fourth” in Latin |
| Quinctia | Ancient Roman | Feminine form of Quinctius, a Roman family name derived from Quintus |
| Quintia | Ancient Roman | Variant of Quinctia |
| Quintina | Ancient Roman | Feminine form of Quintinus, a Roman name derived from Quintus |
| Quintella | English (rare) | Feminine diminutive of Quintus |
| Quirina | Ancient Roman | Feminine form of Quirinus, possibly from the Sabine word quiris, “spear”; Quirinus was a Sabine and Roman god |
| Quirine | Dutch | Dutch feminine form of Quirinus |
| Quiteria | Spanish (rare), Late Roman | Meaning uncertain, possibly a form of Kythereia; Saint Quiteria was a semi-legendary 2nd-century Iberian martyr |
| Quitéria | Portuguese | Portuguese form of Quiteria |
| Queralt | Catalan | From the name of a sanctuary in Catalonia, Spain, devoted to the Virgin Mary |
Quinta is the feminine form of Quintus and is also used in Portuguese. Quinctia and its variant Quintia come from Quinctius, a Roman family name based on Quintus (which was originally spelled Quinctus), and Quintina comes from Quintinus. Quintella is a rare English diminutive. If you love the idea of a number name, Quinta (“fifth”) or Quarta (“fourth”) could be a sweet nod to a fifth or fourth child.
Quirina and Quirine come from Quirinus, a Sabine and Roman god whose name may come from a Sabine word for “spear”. The name was also borne by several early saints. Quiteria has an uncertain meaning; Behind the Name says it is possibly a form of Kythereia, and that Saint Quiteria was a semi-legendary 2nd-century martyr in Iberia. Quitéria is the Portuguese form. Queralt, from Catalan, comes from the name of a sanctuary in Catalonia devoted to the Virgin Mary. For more names with deep roots, see our unique girl names list.
Chinese and Vietnamese Q Names
In Mandarin pinyin, Q stands for a sound close to English ch, with no U after it. That makes Q a natural first letter for several Chinese given names. A written Chinese name is made of characters, and several characters can share one Latin spelling, so the meaning of a real person’s name depends on the characters chosen. Treat each meaning below as one common reading.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Qian | Chinese (feminine and masculine) | From a character meaning “handsome, beautiful”, or other characters with a similar sound |
| Qianqian | Chinese | A repetition of a character meaning “beautiful” or one meaning “rubia plant, madder plant”; other combinations are possible |
| Qing | Chinese (feminine and masculine) | From a character meaning “blue, green, young”, among other characters with a similar sound |
| Qiu | Chinese (feminine and masculine) | From characters meaning “autumn” or “hill, mound”, among others; the given name of the philosopher Confucius was written with the “hill” character |
| Quý | Vietnamese (feminine and masculine) | From Sino-Vietnamese, “precious, valuable” |
| Quyên | Vietnamese | From Sino-Vietnamese, “beautiful, graceful” |
| Quỳnh | Vietnamese (feminine and masculine) | From Sino-Vietnamese, “deep red”; also the Vietnamese name for a flowering plant (genus Epiphyllum) |
Qing can mean “blue, green, young”, Qiu can mean “autumn” or “hill”, and Qian can mean “handsome, beautiful”. Qianqian repeats a character meaning “beautiful” or one naming the madder plant. Behind the Name lists Qian, Qing and Qiu for both girls and boys and Qianqian as feminine. For more, see our Chinese girl names list.
Vietnamese names start with the letter pair Qu. Quý means “precious, valuable”, Quyên means “beautiful, graceful”, and Quỳnh means “deep red” and is also the Vietnamese name for a flowering plant. Print the tone marks exactly as spelled (Quý, Quyên, Quỳnh). U.S. paperwork does not always carry accents or special characters, so check that you are comfortable with how the name may appear on forms. You can find more in our Vietnamese names guide.
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Q Names From Around the World
The rest of our verified Q names come from Arabic, Kazakh, Nahuatl, Quechua, Inuktitut and biblical Hebrew. Several of them are among the most beautiful word names on this page.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Qamar | Arabic, Urdu (feminine and masculine) | “Moon” in Arabic |
| Qaraqat | Kazakh | “Currant” in Kazakh |
| Quetzalli | Nahuatl | “Feather (from the quetzal bird)” or “precious thing” in Nahuatl |
| Quispe | Quechua (Hispanicized; feminine and masculine) | From Quechua qispi, “free”, or q’ispi, “glass” |
| Qinnuajuaq | Inuit (feminine and masculine) | “Rough-legged hawk” in Inuktitut |
| Qetura | Biblical Hebrew | Biblical Hebrew form of Keturah, “incense”; Abraham’s wife after Sarah’s death |
| Qetzi’a | Biblical Hebrew | Hebrew form of Keziah, “cassia, cinnamon”; a daughter of Job |
Qamar means “moon” in Arabic and is listed for girls and boys in Arabic and Urdu. If you like it, our Arabic girl names list has many more. Qaraqat means “currant” in Kazakh. Quetzalli, from Nahuatl, means “feather (from the quetzal bird)” or “precious thing”; see our Mexican names list for more names with Nahuatl roots.
Quispe comes from Quechua words meaning “free” or “glass”, and Qinnuajuaq means “rough-legged hawk” in Inuktitut. Both are listed for girls and boys. If one of these names comes from a culture outside your own family, take time to learn how it is said and used before you commit.
Qetura and Qetzi’a are the Hebrew forms behind two biblical names English readers know with a K. Qetura is Keturah, “incense”, who in the Old Testament is Abraham’s wife after Sarah dies. Qetzi’a is Keziah, “cassia, cinnamon”, a daughter of Job. For more, see our biblical girl names list.
Gender Neutral Q Names
Q has an unusually high share of names listed for both girls and boys. All of them already appear in the tables above:
- English: Quinn, Quin, Quincy, Quincey and Quinlan.
- Chinese: Qian, Qing and Qiu.
- Vietnamese: Quý and Quỳnh.
- Arabic, Quechua and Inuit: Qamar, Quispe and Qinnuajuaq.
- With a Q inside: Dominique (see the last table).
If you want a crisp name that works for any child, Quinn is the obvious pick, and Qing and Qiu are short, gentle alternatives. See our gender neutral names guide for more.
Q Without U: How to Say These Names
Here is what most Q lists skip. In English, Q is almost always followed by U and says kw. But on this page Q also stands for a deep k sound (Arabic and Kazakh), a sound close to ch (Mandarin pinyin), and a plain k (Catalan, Spanish and Portuguese qu). The table uses the pronunciation printed on each name’s Behind the Name entry (mostly in the International Phonetic Alphabet), with a plain English hint.
| Name | Pronunciation | Quick hint |
|---|---|---|
| Quinn | /ˈkwɪn/ (English) | KWIN |
| Quincy | /ˈkwɪn.si/ (English) | KWIN-see |
| Quinlan | /ˈkwɪn.lən/ (English) | KWIN-lun |
| Quanna | /ˈkwɑn.ə/ (English) | KWAHN-uh |
| Queralt | /kə.ˈɾaɫ/ (Catalan) | kuh-RAHL: the qu is a plain k sound |
| Quiteria | /ki.ˈte.ɾja/ (Spanish) | kee-TEH-ryah |
| Quitéria | /ki.ˈtɛ.ɾjɐ/ (Portuguese) | kee-TEH-ryuh |
| Qamar | /ˈqa.mar/ (Arabic) | The q is said further back in the throat than an English k |
| Qaraqat | /qɑ.ɾɑ.ˈqɑt/ (Kazakh) | Both q sounds are deep, like Arabic q |
| Qian | /t͡ɕʰjɛn/ (Mandarin) | Pinyin q is close to ch: roughly chyen |
| Qing | /t͡ɕʰiŋ/ (Mandarin) | Roughly ching |
| Qiu | /t͡ɕʰjoʊ̯/ (Mandarin) | Roughly chyoh |
| Quý | /kwi˧˦/ or /wɪj˦˥/ (Vietnamese) | Said with or without the k sound |
| Quyên | /kwiən˧˧/ or /wiəŋ˧˧/ (Vietnamese) | Said with or without the k sound |
Two practical tips. If you choose a Q name without a U, such as Qing or Qamar, expect people to guess at it, so have a short way to say and spell it ready. And for Spanish and Portuguese names such as Quiteria, remember the u is silent: the name starts with a plain k sound, not kw.
Names With Q Inside (Not Starting With Q)
These names do not start with Q, but many parents who search for Q names really want a Q somewhere in the name. Each one below is a verified feminine or unisex entry, and we have kept them separate so the count stays honest.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Raquel | Spanish, Portuguese, English | Spanish and Portuguese form of Rachel, “ewe” in Hebrew |
| Jacqueline | French, English | French feminine form of Jacques (the French form of James), also commonly used in English |
| Jacquelyn | English | Variant of Jacqueline |
| Jaqueline | English (modern), Portuguese (Brazilian) | Variant of Jacqueline |
| Jacquetta | English (British) | Feminine diminutive of Jacques |
| Monique | French, English, Dutch | French form of Monica, a name of unknown meaning, most likely of Berber or Phoenician origin |
| Dominique | French (feminine and masculine) | French feminine and masculine form of Dominicus, “of the Lord” in Late Latin |
| Angelique | Dutch | Dutch form of Angélique, the French form of Angelica |
| Véronique | French | French form of Veronica, a Latin alteration of Berenice influenced by the phrase vera icon, “true image” |
| Marquita | African American | Feminine variant of Marquis, from a noble title based on Old French marche, “march, borderland” |
| Enriqueta | Spanish | Spanish feminine form of Enrique (the Spanish form of Heinrich, or Henry) |
| Joaquina | Spanish | Spanish feminine form of Joachim, a contracted form of Jehoiachin or Jehoiakim |
French gives this list most of its names: Jacqueline, Monique, Dominique and Véronique all end in the soft -que sound, and Jacqueline also appears as Jacquelyn and Jaqueline. Raquel is the Spanish and Portuguese Rachel, “ewe”. Enriqueta and Joaquina are Spanish feminine forms of Enrique and Joachim, and Marquita is a feminine variant of Marquis.
Sibling, Middle Name and Quick Tests
A Q name makes a bold first name and an unexpected middle name. A few pairing ideas, all from names on this page:
- Quinta and Quarta (fifth and fourth, for siblings with a sense of humor)
- Qing and Qiu (blue-green and autumn, as one reading)
- Quyên and Quỳnh (both Vietnamese)
- Quinn and Quincy (both Irish and English surname names)
- Qamar and Quetzalli (moon and precious feather)
For middle names, a short Q name like Quinn or Qing balances a long first name, and a longer Q name like Quiteria or Quintina pairs well with a one-syllable first name. Queen and Queenie can work as a middle name if you love them but want a quieter first name.
Before you decide, write out the initials and check that they do not spell anything you would rather avoid, say the full name across a room, and spell it out loud as you would for a receptionist. If you are also weighing other uncommon letters, see our lists of girl names that start with Y and girl names that start with X.
Related Betteroo Guides
- Girl Names That Start With Y
- Girl Names That Start With X
- Girl Names That Start With Z
- Unique Girl Names
- Gender Neutral Names
- Boy Names That Start With U
The Bottom Line
Q is one of the rarest first letters for girls’ names, and an honest list is shorter than most. But it is a good list: Quinn, Quincy and Quinlan for a crisp surname style, Queen and Queenie for vintage charm, Roman names like Quinta and Quirina, Chinese and Vietnamese names like Qing and Quỳnh, and word names like Qamar (“moon”) and Quetzalli (“precious thing”).
Pick the sound you want, check the meaning, and say it out loud for a week. If a Q name still makes you smile after that, it is a good name, and one your daughter is unlikely to share with many classmates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some girl names that start with Q?
Well-known girl names that start with Q include Quinn, Quincy, Queen, Queenie, Quinlan, Qiana, Quinta and Quirina. Short options include Quin, Qing, Qiu and Quý, and rarer picks include Quetzalli, Qamar, Queralt and Quiteria. Behind the Name lists origins from English, Irish, Latin, Chinese, Vietnamese, Arabic, Nahuatl and more.
Is Quinn a girl or boy name?
Both. Behind the Name lists Quinn as a masculine and feminine English name. It comes from an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Cuinn, which is derived from the given name Conn. Related forms Quin, Quincy, Quincey and Quinlan are also listed for both girls and boys, which makes Q a strong letter for unisex names.
What does Quinta mean?
Quinta is the feminine form of Quintus, a Roman given name meaning fifth in Latin. Behind the Name lists it as Ancient Roman and Portuguese. Quintus was traditionally given to a fifth child, or possibly a child born in the fifth month. Related names include Quinctia, Quintia, Quintina and Quintella.
What is a cute girl name that starts with Q?
Cute is personal, but many parents like Queenie, the diminutive of Queen, and short names like Quinn, Qing and Qiu. Quetzalli, which means precious thing or feather in Nahuatl, and Qamar, which means moon in Arabic, are pretty word names. Quyên means beautiful or graceful in Vietnamese.
How do you pronounce Qing?
Behind the Name gives the Mandarin pronunciation of Qing with a sound close to English ch, roughly ching. In pinyin, the letter q stands for this sound, so it is never said with a kw. Qing comes from a character meaning blue, green or young, among other characters with a similar sound, and it is listed for girls and boys.
Are there Q names without a U?
Yes. Chinese names in pinyin such as Qian, Qianqian, Qing and Qiu have no U after the Q, and neither do Qamar from Arabic, Qaraqat from Kazakh, Qinnuajuaq from Inuktitut, or the biblical Hebrew names Qetura and Qetzi’a. Qiana, a modern African American name, also skips the U.
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Related Betteroo Guides
7 Sources
- Social Security Administration. Popular Baby Names (top 10 names of 2025).
https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/index.html - Social Security Administration. Background Information for Popular Names.
https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/background.html - Behind the Name. Browse Names: feminine names with the first letter Q.
https://www.behindthename.com/names/gender/feminine/letter/q - Behind the Name. Meaning, origin and history of the name Quinn.
https://www.behindthename.com/name/quinn - Behind the Name. Meaning, origin and history of the name Quincy.
https://www.behindthename.com/name/quincy - Behind the Name. Meaning, origin and history of the name Queen.
https://www.behindthename.com/name/queen - Behind the Name. Meaning, origin and history of the name Quetzalli.
https://www.behindthename.com/name/quetzalli
