Names That Are Variations
Across 139 pages
of 139
Lurleen
Modern variation of Lorelei
Has a country and western twang and a distinctive sound.
Nelle
Variation of Nell, English
"bright, shining one"
Nelle, typically pronounced like the one-syllable Nell, is an elegant form of the name used by author Nelle Harper Lee, who wrote To Kill A Mockingbird . With whatever spelling, Nell/Nelle is a…
Giacomo
Italian variation of James
"supplanter"
Giacomo is a primo member of the Giovanni-Gino-Giancarlo-Giacomo gruppo of Italian names that are beginning to be adopted by American parents. Singer/creative baby namer Sting chose it for his son.…
Manus
Irish variation of Magnus
"greatest"
This is an old Irish name associated with such heroes as the seventeenth century chieftain, scholar and poet Manus O'Donnell. It is likely a variation of Magnus, itself derived from the Latin word…
Maliq
Spelling variation of Malik, Arabic
"king"
The q-ending of this common name adds a quirky element.
Marc
French, Welsh and Catalan variation of Mark
Designer (as in Marc Jacobs) form of Mark. An international classic, but long falling in popularity as a boys' name.
Jarvis
English variation of Gervase, meaning unknown
Jarvis, one of the original two-syllable nouveau boys' choices, is a saint's name with a certain retro charm and a nice quirky feel. Though Jarvis peaked in the late 1880s, he is beginning to sound…
Geronimo
Native American; Italian variation of Jerome
This name of a renowned Apache leader and mystic would be a difficult choice, since it was used as a rallying cry in so many old westerns and by paratroopers jumping out of their planes in World War…
Germain
French variation of Germanus
"from Germany"
Saint Germain, the intellectual center of Paris, lends the name a creative aura. But most Americans would say jer-mayn. The Latin Germanus may mean sprout or bud, or brother.
Ellen
English variation of Helen
"torch; shining light"
An medieval English form of Helen, the sensitive but clear-eyed Ellen has swung in and out of style for centuries, often alternating with the parent name. Ellen was the more common in medieval…
Brigitte
French variation of Brighid
"strength or exalted one"
Brigitte is the French version of the ancient Irish Brighid long associated with 1950s sex symbol Brigitte Bardot. If you want to pronounce Brigitte the French way, it's brih-ZHEET.
Marion
French derivative of Mary
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
Fun fact: Marion was the birth name of movie star John Wayne. Although commonly thought of as a female name today, it was actually more popular for boys until the late 19th century, and was given to…
Martez
Spanish, variation of Martin
Adds some spunk and Latin rhythm to mundane Martin.
Tomasso
Italian variation of Thomas
"twin"
Nearly every name takes on a more sensual, worldly quality in its Italian version.
Andrée
French variation of Andrea
Gilding the lily.
Alix
French
"noble type"
A chic and sassy French choice, popular in France but likely to be confused with the more prosaic Alex in English-speaking countries. Although sometimes used in the US as a variant spelling of Alex,…
Gerik
Polish variation of Edgar
With roots in both Polish and Low German, Gerik is a blank slate of a name that has never made the charts. It's a possibility as a fresh twist on Eric or Derek.
Mads
Danish variation of Matthew
"gift of God"
Mads is a perennial favorite in Germany, the Nordic countries, and the Netherlands, where it is usually to be found in the Top 50. Just remember the D is not pronounced. Famous bearers include Danish…
Lynda
Spelling variation of Linda
"pretty"
When President LBJ's daughter Linda Bird changed the spelling of her name to Lynda, she set a trend for spelling adventurism that's still rippling through the name world today.
Gerhard
German variation of Gerard
In its native Germany, Gerhard was very popular a hundred years ago and is now rather old-fashioned. It isn't much used by English speakers either, but has a certain clunky charm about it.