By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 139 pages
of 139
Dutch variation of Ina
Ina is a name that is used on its own but that originated as a short form of any name that ends in -ina, so Ineke is kind of a pet form of a diminutive. A rare name in the US, Ineke is not really…
Armenian, variation of Perchuhi "elegant lady"
"elegant lady"
This unusual name with a lovely meaning works surprisingly well outside its Armenia.
Hungarian
"my god is oath"
A sparky diminutive of Erszébet, the Hungarian form of Elizabeth.
Feminine variation of Slavic "Ruslan," from the Turkic/Persian word for "Lion"
"Lion"
Singer Ruslana Stepanivna Lyzhychko, who goes by her first name, won the Eurovision contest in 2004 and remains a popular artist in Ukraine.
Feminine variation of Zale, invented nickname-name, or short form of Azalea
All baby names can be made more "creative" by putting a Z at the beginning instead of what's conventionally there: B or C or H, for instance. Zaley is an adorable entry in this group, also spelled…
Italian variation of Joel
"Jehovah is his God"
Gioele is among the Top 50 names for boys in Italy, though the Italian version would cause pronunciation and spelling problems for English speakers. In the US, UK, or Australia, stick with the sleek…
Female variation of Maximilian
A feminization with a long (if sparse) history of use among European aristocracy. One young member of the illustrious Arco family of Central Europe is named Maximiliana.
Vies with Maximiliana for the title of most obscure Maximilian variant. You could argue that both were made obsolete by Jessica Simpson's use of Maxwell for her daughter.
English variation of Doris
Doss is Doris's cute, spunky, younger cousin. If Doris is wearing tan stockings and curling her hair, Doss is wearing skinny jeans and using a flat iron.
Irish
"bright"
Anglicized variant of Niamh.
Indigenous Australian variation of Lois
Famous Indigenous lawyer Lowitja O'Donoghue brought this name into prominence in Australia. She now has a research institute named for her. We think this fresh take on Lois has wide appeal.
Czech variation of Antonius
A current top 25 choice in the Czech Republic (spelt Antonín), this distinguished name has several notable bearers: from French playwright Artaud, to Czech composer Dvořák, to Death Eater Dolohov in…
Arabic variation of Alexander
Iskandar is one of the Arabic names for boys derived from a Western name.
Persian variation of Alexander
Turkish variation of Alexander
Celtic variation of Isolde or Italian
"island"
Isola (named for the Celtic heroine Iseult) was the unusual name of Irish author Oscar Wilde’s younger sister, who died of meningitis at the age of nine. Wilde later dedicated his poem Requiescat to…
Russian variation of Agrippina
This unusual name offers some cute nickname options such as Grusha, Feefee and Raffy.
Spanish variation of Hermes
"messenger"
Hermila stems from the Greek name Hermes, though in the contemporary world it would be considered one of the Spanish names for girls . One notable bearer, who certainly was a messenger with a…
Malian variation of Eve
Aoua is a Malian variation of Eve - the original woman’s name - which is fitting for a name so closely connected to Mali's first female parliamentarian. Aoua Keita’s father insisted on giving her the…
Cornish variation of Guinevere
Where does Gwen end and Jennifer begin? Gwenifer may feel like a mashup of the two names but it is a genuine Cornish name for girls that makes clear the relationship between Gwen and Jennifer,…
