Names That Mean Short

Kamma

Danish short form of Kamilla or variation of Katherine

Kamma is an appealing Danish name signifying a combination of Katherine or Karen and Maria or Margaret. It may also be a short form of Kamilla, the usual Scandinavian spelling of Camilla.

Vignette

English from French

"short and evocative description; little vine"

The french word vignette literally means "little vine," but in English it is a literary and art term. In literature, a vignette refers to a brief but vivid description, and in art, an illustration or…

Rise

English, Norwegia, Danish, Japanese

"move upward, ascend; mighty, distinguished; lapis lazuli + celestial"

A multicultural choice with a range of meanings, this name boomed in the 1940s and 50s thanks to the glamorous singer Risë (pronounced REE-sa) Stevens, who inherited her name from her Norwegian…

Velvet

English word name

"a fabric characterized by a short soft dense warp pile"

Velvet is a name that couldn't possibly be softer or more luxuriant. Many people have fond memories of it via the character of Velvet Brown, played by the young Elizabeth Taylor in National Velvet ,…

Oline

Norwegian feminine form of Ole or Olaf, Scandinavian, Norse

"ancestor's legacy, ancestor's relic"

Oline is an old school feminization of the classic Scandinavian names, Ole or Olaf, whose light, timeless sounds means it still ranks in the Norwegian Top 100 today.

Gail

Hebrew, short form of Abigail

"my father rejoices"

Gail was a mid-twentieth century favorite, which has been far surpassed by its original form, Abigail and nickname Abby. Spelling variations include Gale and Gayle, the latter represented by TV…

Aoibh

Celtic, Short Form Of aoibheann

"beautiful, radiant"

One of many Irish names that, despite pronunciation challenge, are beginning to be taken into consideration here as authentic Celtic versions of familiar English names.

Avri

English or Hebrew, spelling variation of Avery or feminine short form of Avraham

The name recently given to their daughter by Susan and Robert Downey, Jr. is pronounced like Avery and may be seen as a kree8tiv spelling variation of that popular unisex name or a girlish short form…

Sheba

Hebrew, short variation of Bathsheba

"daughter of an oath"

This biblical place-name for the region now known as Yemen started to feel fresh again as the name of the heroine of Zoe Heller's Notes on a Scandal , played on screen by Cate Blanchett. Sheba is…

Brea

Spelling variation of Bria or short form of Breana, English

"strong, virtuous and honorable"

Brea is another spin on the increasingly-popular Bria, another entry in the stylish Mia-Leah-Gia sisterhood. While Bria is on the charts with an arrow toward the top, Brea is used more quietly, maybe…

Cay

English word name or variation of Kay, diminutive of Caitlin, Catherine, etc.

"small island; pure"

Cay is a rare respelling of the retro nickname Kay, but one that may gain ground as a name that's both simple and unique. Like Kay, it can be a diminutive for any of the hundreds of Catherine…

Milla

Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Hungarian

"young ceremonial attendant, gracious people"

Milla originated as a diminutive of names like Camilla and Ludmilla, but has since become well established as a name in its own right in several European countries. Milla Jovovich is a Ukrainian-born…

Milly

Variation of Millie, English diminutive of Mildred or Millicent

"gentle strength; strong in work"

Milly and her more popular sister Millie are adorable Old Lady nickname-names springing back to life. Nearly 100 baby girls were named Milly, just Milly, last year, and Millie is in the US Top 500.…