Music has always been a powerful medium for storytelling, and one way that songwriters have been able to connect with their audiences is by using the names of real or fictional girls in their song titles.
From classic hits of the past to contemporary chart-toppers, countless songs feature girls’ names in the title.
These songs range in style and genre, from rock and pop to R&B and country.
In this list, we will be exploring the 30 best songs with girls’ names in the title, highlighting the unique stories and emotions that these songs convey through their use of a girl’s name.
1. “Lola” by The Kinks
“Lola” tells the tale of a man spending the night with a woman who is actually another man.
It is seen as pro-LGBTQ+ because the song’s lyrics make references to Lola’s acceptance as a man and call for unconditional love.
2. “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” by The Looking Glass
This song tells the story of a waitress who misses her boyfriend because left her.
The sailor’s heart belongs to the sea, even though she would make an excellent wife.
Despite being a one-hit wonder, this song has a memorable melody that is impossible not to sing along to.
There was a rumor that “Brandy” was a woman by the name of Mary Ellis, but Lurie claims that Randy, his high school love, was the song’s inspiration.
Many girls were given the name Brandy in the following years due to the song’s success.
3. “Maggie May” by Rod Stewart
When writing the song “Maggie May,” Rod Stewart reflected on some of his personal experiences.
According to him, he wrote the song about an elderly woman to whom he lost his virginity during a jazz festival in 1961.
Named after Maggie May, a lady of the night who appears in an older song.
4. “Stacy’s Mom” by Fountains of Wayne
This song centers on a young boy who has an attraction to his friend’s mom.
His friend Stacy is said to have a crush on him, but it’s pointless because he only has eyes for her mom.
The lyrics were inspired by a friend of songwriter Adam Schlesinger who had a crush on his grandmother.
5. “Hey There Delilah” by Plain White T’s
Delilah DiCrescenzo was the inspiration for lead singer Tom Higginson’s song “Hey There Delilah.”
He met her through a friend and fell in love with her right away.
She wasn’t interested in Higgenson because she was already attached to someone else.
He penned the song from the perspective of a long-distance couple making plans for the future.
6. “Georgia” by Vance Joy
Vance Joy’s alternative/indie song “Georgia” is a softly sung ballad about a man’s love for a woman named Georgia.
The song’s opening line portrays a powerful attraction, but the following verses are debatable.
Some people believe that “Georgia” is about a man who fears losing her because of how vulnerable he feels after letting love in.
Some people think this is a poetic tale about the “lady who got away.”
7. “Iris” by Goo Goo Dolls
Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan’s film “City of Angels” inspired John Rzeznik to write the song “Iris.”
He thought the name of a singer and songwriter named Iris DeMent was attractive and decided to name the song after her once he came across her name while reading through the pages of a magazine.
8. “Runaround Sue” by Dion
Dion released his solo song “Runaround Sue” not long after he parted ways with the Belmonts in 1960.
No specific “Sue” exists, but Dion wrote it from the perspective of a man informing others about his unfaithful partner.
9. “Jenny” by WALK THE MOON
Fans of WALK THE MOON enjoy singing along to this upbeat, alternative indie song.
Although it’s not apparent who “Jenny” is, this song suggests that she had a brief summer fling that the main character wishes he could keep seeing.
10. “Ophelia” by The Lumineers
This song compares falling in love with fame to falling in love with a lady rather than being a song about a specific female named “Ophelia”.
The lyrics could also be interpreted as saying that fame isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
11. “Layla” by Derek & The Dominos
After reading the story “Layla and Majnun,” about forbidden love, Eric Clapton was inspired to write the song “Layla.”
Some people think he was inspired by his love for his friend George Harrison’s wife, Pattie Boyd, who eventually married Clapton after divorcing Harrison.
12. “Cecelia And The Satellite” by Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness
You might think McMahon composed “Cecelia and the Satellite” for his wife the first time you hear it.
It has a loving feel and a beautiful, cheerful melody.
He sings this song in an attempt to understand how different life will be after having a daughter.
13. “Angie” by The Rolling Stones
It was widely believed that the song “Angie” was inspired by David Bowie’s wife, whose name also happened to be Angela.
However, Keith’s daughter served as the real inspiration for the title.
Keith selected the song’s title, and Bowie wrote the lyrics.
Angie is a woman who appears to be going through emotional and financial difficulties before the main character attempts to end things in this slow rock song.
14. “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson
Even if you have no idea who Billie Jean is, you can see that Michael Jackson doesn’t want to be associated with her.
This song isn’t about a woman; rather, it’s about one of Michael Jackson’s stalkers who claimed custody of one of her twin girls.
He was under a lot of stress due to her relentless stalking and letters.
Jackson used this song as a means to express himself and what he was going through without directly attacking her.
15. “Jolene” by Dolly Parton
Although the song’s protagonist begs Jolene to not steal her man away in the lyrics, Parton’s inspiration was surprising.
Parton once met a young admirer who was 10 years old and noted how beautiful the girl was with her red hair and green eyes.
She asked the girl her name to which she responded, “Jolene” and Dolly Parton felt inspired to create a song about her.
16. “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond
Crowds still sing along to “Sweet Caroline,” with people yelling “bum, bum, bum” during the chorus.
Diamond wanted to create a song for his then-wife, Marcia Murphey, but he wanted to use a name with three syllables because it fit the melody better.
Later, he claimed that the song was a tribute to Caroline Kennedy, President John F. Kennedy’s daughter.
The popular song by Diamond would later be covered by other well-known musicians and turned into an unofficial anthem for the Boston Red Sox.
17. “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” by Deep Blue Something
Another song that became well-known many years after it was first recorded is “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” which was inspired by the film Roman Holiday.
This song offers insight into the humor of relationship failure.
While one partner seeks an end to the relationship because of their differences, the other partner focuses on that one special trait they both share.
18. “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” by The Beatles
John Lennon’s classmate Lucy O’Donnell served as the inspiration for the song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.”
His son had drawn stars around a picture of Lucy and titled his artwork “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.”
Before fans learned who the real “Lucy” was, there was speculation in the Daily Mail following the publication of an article alleging that “Lucy” was British actress Lucy Richardson.
19. “Come on Eileen” by Dexy’s Midnight Runners
This popular song from the early 1980s sounds shockingly different from most other major hits at the time.
The song’s distinctive qualities may have contributed to its success as a #1 hit in the US, UK, and Australia.
When they were both 13 years old, Rowland had a romantic relationship with a real girl named Eileen.
This song was written by him to capture the emotions of a young man experiencing his first sexual relationship in an uptight society.
20. “Kathleen” by Catfish and the Bottlemen
In this indie alternative rock song, McCann, the lead singer, discusses his back-and-forth feelings with a girl named Kathleen.
According to McCann, Kathleen is the kind of person who stresses you out and, even though you know it’s not a smart idea, you can’t help but fall in love with her.
21. “Sweetie Little Jean” by Cage the Elephant
The terrible circumstances of her kidnapping and passing served as the inspiration for the song “Sweetie Little Jean.”
The 12-year-old girlfriend of vocalist Mathew Shultz’s brother was killed when he was a young boy.
In the song, this story serves as an analogy for overcoming depression.
Despite having a tragic inspiration, the alternative/indie song has a cheery tune.
22. “Hailie’s Song” by Eminem
It’s clear that Eminem has always treasured his daughter Hailie.
This song was written by the rapper as a love letter to Hailie, his 7-year-old daughter, who, despite difficulties, makes life worthwhile.
Eminem was inspired to write this song after winning full custody after a lengthy court battle.
Initially, he had no intentions of releasing the song, but Dr. Dre persuaded him.
23. “Drew Barrymore” by Bryce Vine
Bryce Vine wanted to write a unique hip-hop song centered on feelings because there are so many love songs that emphasize how attractive a woman is.
Drew Barrymore is the ideal metaphor for the kind of girl he wanted to write about.
Whilst she is beautiful, she is more renowned for her somewhat down-to-earth, sweet, and rebellious nature than her appearance.
Vine claimed that, despite not being the sexiest, Drew Barrymore had a cool quality.
24. “Dear Luca” by Ayokay
The electronic/dance song “Dear Luca” is about reflecting on the past and realizing you were wrong.
In this song, the singer talks about Luca, whom he hasn’t seen in six years.
You no longer know this person because so much time has passed.
Even though you’ve lost contact, you can’t help but wish that they still knew how much you’ve changed and that they would forgive you.
25. “Proud Mary” by Creedence Clearwater Revival
This rock song was released as a single in 1969 and reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Although a riverboat, not a girl, was the subject of “Proud Mary,” it wasn’t always the source of inspiration.
Fogerty originally intended to write a song about a wealthy family’s maid.
Stu Cook suggested including the riverboat element, and for the first few chords, he even made the paddlewheel sound.
The lyrics tell the story of a riverboat worker who is proud of the work he does on the Mississippi River.
26. “Amanda” by Boston
After a seven-year hiatus, Boston finally released “Amanda,” which went on to become the band’s only number-one hit.
Although Sholz put more emphasis on the melody than on evoking feelings of love, it’s difficult to deny the song’s romantic undertones.
The song is a power ballad that tells the story of a man’s love for a woman named Amanda.
This powerful hip-hop/rock song explores the intense feelings that come with confessing your love to a girl for the first time.
27. “Rhiannon” by Fleetwood Mac
This song was written by the incredibly famous singer and composer Stevie Nicks and her then-boyfriend.
Nicks had never heard of the story of the Welsh goddess Rhiannon, but after hearing it, she was struck by how closely the song’s lyrics matched it.
The song tells the story of a woman who is possessed by her own spirit.
Nicks admitted that while she was writing the song, she had no idea who Rhiannon was; all she knew was that she was writing a song about a girl who wasn’t from this world.
28. “Veronica” by Elvis Costello
An elderly woman living in a nursing home and slowly losing her memory is the subject of the new wave pop-rock song “Veronica.”
The tragic story of Costello’s grandmother having Alzheimer’s disease served as the song’s inspiration.
The song received praise for its emotional depth and the way it dealt with the subject of dementia.
Paul McCartney contributed to the writing of “Veronica,” even though Elvis Costello is its primary singer and songwriter.
29. “Polly” by Nirvana
“Polly,” is a ballad about a young girl’s kidnapping, similar to “Sweetie Little Jean.”
The lyrics are written from the perspective of the kidnapper, describing his actions and thoughts.
He was hitchhiking to a rock concert when Gerald Friend kidnapped, attacked, and killed his victim.
“Polly” was occasionally played during live performances before it appeared on their album Nevermind.
The song is considered one of Nirvana’s most powerful and disturbing releases and has been praised for its unflinching look at a difficult and sensitive subject matter.
30. “Marjorie” by Taylor Swift
“Marjorie” is another song with a grandma as its inspiration.
The song is a tribute to Swift’s grandmother, Marjorie Finlay, who was an opera singer and passed away in 2003.
The song is a piano ballad that features Swift‘s emotive vocals and lyrics that reflect on the memories of her grandmother and how she’s still present in her life.
This country ballad does a fantastic job of conveying the feelings that come with losing a grandparent.
Best Songs With Girls’ Names – Final Thoughts
In conclusion, the 30 best songs with girls’ names in the title are a diverse collection of tracks that span multiple genres and eras.
From classic hits like “Sweet Caroline” and “Billie Jean” to more recent tracks like “Lola” and “Jolene,” these songs all have one thing in common: they feature a girl’s name in the title.
The use of a girl’s name in a song title adds personalization and often a story-telling aspect to the lyrics, making the song more relatable and memorable.
These songs have stood the test of time and continue to be beloved by listeners of all ages.
