Names That Are Variations
Across 139 pages
of 139
Eissa
Arabic variation of Jesus
"savior"
Eissa, a name found frequently as both a last and a first in Arabic lands, is the Arabic form of Jesus. Also spelled Isa, Issa, and Esa, Eissa came to greater prominence when it was chosen for their…
Ruslana
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.
Zaley
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…
Najma
Spelling variation of Naima
The Hebrew Najma, more phonetically spelled Naima, is rarely heard in the US but was used by star Mahershala Ali as the middle name for his daughter Bari.
Kynslee
English, variation of Kinsley
One of many "yooneek" spelling variants of the increasingly popular Kinsley.
Tylan
Invented name, variation of Tyler or Rylan
Though it lends itself well to the pleasant nickname Ty, it's also the name of an antibiotic powder for animals.
Faigy
Feminine variation of Faigel, Yiddish
"bird"
Faigy is notable as New York State's quirkiest favorite name, widely-used in the Hasidic community.
Defne
Turkish variation of Daphne
"bay tree, laurel tree"
Defne is one of the most popular names for baby girls in Turkey, ranking at the top of the list along with Zeynep and Elif. This is one girls' name that makes an easy transition to English-speaking…
Gioele
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…
Anh
Vietnamese
"hero, brave, petal, flower"
This simple unisex Vietnamese name has multiple meanings, including "hero", "petal", "brave", and "bright", depending on the characters used to write it. One of the most popular names in Vietnam, it…
Maximiliana
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.
Maximilienne
Female variation of Maximilian
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.
Doss
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.
Asriel
Spelling variation of Azriel, Hebrew
"God is my help"
Azriel, also found as Azrael or Asriel, is the name of the Angel of Death in Jewish and Islamic tradition. The Asriel spelling occurs as a Biblical name, notably as the forefather of the Asrielite…
Neave
Irish
"bright"
Anglicized variant of Niamh.
Dawud
Arabic variation of David
Dawud is a widely-used Arabic name, a version of David that is among the British Top 1000 names for boys .
Lowitja
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.
Kory
Spelling variation of Cory or Corey
Kory was always the least-used version of this name, which was always used less often for girls than for boys. As Corey and Cory, the name still hangs on in the boys' Top 1000, but Kory dropped off…
Antonin
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…
Artem
Ukrainian variation of Artemis
Ukrainian Artem (ar-TEM) and Russian Artyom/Artiom (which can also be transcribed as Artem, though still pronounced ar-TYOM in Russian) are ultimately derived from the name of the Greek goddess…