Lumi may be a rare girls' name in the USA and England, but it comes in the Top 50 in Finland, where it means snow. Given the popularity of Winter, Holly, Ivy and many other wintery-christmassy names, we think that short and spunky Lumi definitely has potential for greater usage outside its home country as one of the more unusual names for Christmas babies.

The one-named singer clarified the confusing pronunciation on this one (in her case, it's shah-DAY), but a number of parents have looked for more phonetic spellings. The Finnish version means "rain."

This simplified version is not nearly as popular as the original (it also destroys a perfectly good palindrome), and has been on the decline in recent years.

Anja is one of the most international of several versions of Ann/Anna now being imported, also including Anya and Annika.

This nickname-name is very popular in Germany, though Lottie is still the preferred version in the US. The problem, of course, is that you'll have to put up with a lotta jokes. See?

This attractive multicultural name is found in India and Finland, where it is also a word meaning "frost."

Sanni derives from Sanna, a variation of Susanna used in Scandinavia.

One of those pan-European nickname names much more familiar in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe than in the US, though related name Mina is making a comeback here. Light and bright, it could be an alternative to Mila, Minnie, or Millie.

If you're ready to move beyond Anna and Hannah, consider this traditional Scandinavian short form of Susanna, historically very popular in its native lands.

Ulla, the beautiful Swedish secretary in The Producers (played by Uma Thurman in the movie) who purrs, "Ven you got it, flaunt it," has changed the image of this name forever. Ulla may stand on its own or be an abbreviation of Ursula or Ulrika; Ula may be seen as another spelling.

A punchy alternative to Pearl as it gains popularity, it may also be used as a short form of Vilhelmina or Wilhelmina.

To the non-Scandinavian ear, a cute and unusual nickname name, used by Finnish supermodel Suvi Koponen. It has a zippy, yet sunny feel to it, and could make an interesting alternative to Susie.

An airy variant of the Finnish name Aura, which derives either from the Greek "aura" (breath; breeze) or from Old Norse "aurr" (earth; clay). It is also sometimes encountered as a short form of Aurora or Aurelia.

A sweet and intuitive Finnish word name. The double U's up the quirkiness, for English speakers at least. Also used in Estonia, notable bearers include actress Tuuli Narkle, cartoonist Tuuli Hypén, singer Tuuli Rand, and footballer Tuuli Tasa.

A name made most famous by the operetta The Merry Widow which features "The Vilja's Song". A vila is a woodland spirit or fairy in Slavic mythology. Vilja also means "grain" in Finnish and "will, intent" in Swedish, and is very popular as a girls' name in Scandinavia, ranking in the Top 100 in both Finland and Norway.

Enni is a concise, feminine name with Finnish origins, though it appears in various cultures with different etymologies. In Finland, it often functions as a diminutive of names containing the element "en" or may stand independently. The name has gained moderate popularity in Finland during recent decades. In Japanese, written with different characters, Enni can have meanings related to blessing, connection, or circle. The name's brevity and pleasant sound make it accessible across language barriers. With just two syllables and an appealing flow, Enni has a contemporary feel while maintaining a certain softness appropriate for a feminine name. Its international versatility and modern simplicity appeal to parents seeking a name that is both distinctive and easy to pronounce.

A Finnish word name for the lily of the valley flower.

Anneli is one of the hundreds of Anne variations with an intriguing spelling. This name has been popular throughout Scandinavia over time and would certainly translate easily to English-speaking countries.

Leena is the form of Lena found in Finland and Estonia. It sits just outside the Top 1000 in the US, where it may be used as a Lena alternative that avoids pronunciation confusion.

Although Lumi (Finnish for "snow") is far more popular, the elaboration Lumia is used in Finland as well. It's also a technical word in English for patterns of light used as an art form, and in Italian it refers to the citron fruit and tree – a pear-shaped citrus fruit also known as a sweet lemon. Nokia chose the name for a brand of smartphone, now discontinued.