By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 169 pages
of 169
Polish, Czech, and Slovak variation of Jacob, Hebrew
"supplanter"
Jakub is an authentic Polish variation of the megapopular Jacob, but in the US it will feel like a kree8tiv spelling. Kuba is the cute Polish short form.
Spelling variation of Jordan
Jordynn is one of the many spelling variations of Jordan—and it does not improve on the original. This iteration has appeared in the US Top 1000 since 2010, though it's currently at its lowest point…
Arabic, variation of Lila
"night"
Many spelling variations of this beautiful Arabic name can be seen across preschools today, with Lyla, Lilah, and Lila being the most popular. Lylla has been on the rise in recent years, with parents…
Russian and Basque, feminine variation of Paul
This version of the more familiar Paulina is occasionally used in the US, though some may see it as relating more to the word pole than to the classic Paul.
English variation of Emily or combination of Emma + Lee
"rival; universal + meadow"
Is it a smoosh of Emma and Lee or a spelling variation of Emily? With Em- names so popular, it's no surprise to see Emmalee in use, but there are other Em- and -lee names that might feel less…
Turkish, Bosnian variation of Tariq, Arabic
"the one who knocks at the door"
This bold and straightforward name is a common variant of Tariq in Turkey and Bosnia and is used as an alternate spelling in Arabic-speaking countries. In Arabic, Tariq was historically used in…
Spelling variation of Esme
Esme and by extension Esmee have gotten more popular in the US in recent years, but that extra e can confuse an already-confusing pronunciation, especially if you start adding accents.
Feminine variation of Julian
"youthful"
Gillian is a name that was in common usage in Great Britain until the 1970s, when it dropped out of the Top 100 and is yet to return. Until recently, it had not crossed the Atlantic in significant…
Spelling variation of Jada
Actress Jada Pinkett Smith propelled her name into the limelight during the 1990s and early 2000s. Alongside this rise, variant spelling Jaida entered the US Top 1000 in 1998 and peaked at Number 516…
Spelling variation of Jody
The Jodie spelling might be even more obscure, at this point, than the fading original, except actresses Jodie Foster and Jodie Sweetin have kept it in the public eye.
Spelling variation of Braydon
Braeden was one of the many -aiden names that we heard everywhere just a few years ago. Now it's fading, along with Aiden, Jayden, and company.
Spelling variation of Brandon
The en ending is so fashionable these days, a lot of people prefer it even when the alternative as with Brandon has more heft.
Spelling variation of Corbin
This spelling just barely made it into the Top 1000 for 2013, but nonetheless was an on-the-rise name for the year.
Place name, American variation of Holstein, German
"dwellers in the wood"
Holston is a uniquely Southern place name — that of a river, lake, and mountain in Tennessee, as well as a town in Virginia. Holston was first used for the river, previously called the Cherokee…
Variation of Asaiah or variation of Aisa, Hebrew, English
"God hath made; east"
Used predominantly on boys but an increasing number of girls too, Aziah might be a variation of the Hebrew Asaiah, a name that celebrates God as a creator, or it could be a modern twist of the…
English variation of Cheyenne, Sioux
"people of a different language"
This is a variation of Cheyenne that is slipping in the popularity list toward obscurity.
Spelling variation of Cory or Corey
Corey was always the most popular form of this Irish name, with Cory (as in New Jersey Senator Booker) in second place and Kory riding caboose. Kory et al were in the first wave of unisex names that…
Spelling variation of Fanny, diminutive of Frances
"from France; free man"
It's hard to believe, via a 21st-century sensibility, that Fannie was ever a Top 50 name. But Fannie was even more popular than Fanny in its late 19th-century heyday, and stuck around much longer,…
Spelling variation of Jersey, place name, Old Norse
"Geirr's island"
Likely an alternative form of Jersey, a name associated with reality TV, an island in the English channel, a US state, and knitted pullovers, Jhersi might follow the trend of adding Js and Hs to…
Spanish variation of Nathan, Hebrew
"given"
Spanish spelling of the Hebrew classic that might prove confusing to non-Spanish speakers.
