By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 169 pages
of 169
Spelling variation of Jadon
"God has heard"
From obscure male biblical boy's name to unisex favorite, Jadon/Jaden, in all its variations, has had a meteoric rise in popularity, building on Jade and Jada, plus the trendy en ending.
German variation of Gerald
Briefly faddish a few decades ago when Darrell was cool. But does have a creative connection to poet Randall Jarrell.
Scandinavian diminutive of Katarina, Polish variation of Gaia or Estonian
"pure; earth mother; rejoice; echo"
Short, sharp, and pretty, Kaja is an international choice with multiple origins. Favored in Slovenia, Norway, and Poland, the similar Kaia is currently popular more widely. Most often used as a…
Greek variation of a diminutive of Alexis
Lexus, an automotive newcomer, has recently entered the Top 1000 -- more because of its association, we fear, with the status symbol car than its relation to the name Alexis. If you love this name,…
Finnish, Swedish, Danish variation of Cosmo
"order, beauty, universe"
Kosmo is easy to spell, pronounce, and understand, yet most English speakers would spell this uncommon name Cosmo.
Scandinavian variation of Christopher, Greek and Latin
"bearer of Christ"
This Scandinavian spin on Christopher gives that enduring classic a lighter, more individual twist, though many may see it as simply a kree8iv spelling. Not true: It has authentic roots as a…
Russian variation of Maria, Hebrew or Egyptian
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
Looking to honor Grandma Mary (or Maria) with something original? This Russian short form bears an unfortunate resemblance to the English word "mash", but if you can look past that, Masha has…
Spelling variation of Phoebe, Greek
"bright, pure"
Like Gwenyth and Issac, Pheobe is one of those names that many a delivery-dazed parent has accidentally spelled "wrong". It just doesn't make sense that the o comes before the e! If you really mean…
Icelandic nature name, variation of Sólja, Faroese
"buttercup"
Sóley is the Icelandic word for the buttercup flower, derived from the words meaning "sun" and "island." It is also used on the Faroe Islands as a short form of Sólja.
Spelling variation of Stephanie
Germans spell Stephanie with an f though the i ending is not traditional. Lady Gaga dropped the Stefani and No Doubt's Gwen sports is as a surname. Despite the celebrity connections, we say if you…
Finnish and Scandinavian variation of Erasmus
"beloved, desired"
A form of ancient name newly popular in Eastern Europe, Rasmus is rugged and distinctive - and on trend in Estonia and Finland. Virtually unknown in the U.S. but with its philosophical roots and…
Slovak; Russian variation of Vera
"truth"
With the rise of both international names and those that start with the letter V, this sharp alternative to Vera may become more familiar in the English-speaking world.
German variation of Sasha
"defending warrior"
In Europe, this name is mostly male, but here it's more fashionable for girls. It's a diminutive of Alexander.
Irish
"little old one"
St. Senán was a famed 6th-century monk, who founded a monastery on Inis Cathaigh whose ruins can still be seen today. Legend has it that before he could found the monastery, he had to banish a great…
Irish, variation of Shea or Seamus
"the stately, dauntless one or supplanter"
Shae is a unisex name derived from the Irish Gaelic surname Ó Séaghdha (meaning 'hawk-like'), which evolved into Shea, with the meaning "stately" related to its hawk origins. In Ireland, it's…
Amharic variation of Jehoaddan, Hebrew
"God delights"
Yoadan is the Amharic form of the biblical name Jehoaddan — a queen of Israel. Yoadan debuted on the charts in 2021, likely due to Ethiopian influencer Yoadan Ephrem.
Latinized variation of German Tielo or Till
"people"
One of the coolest of names, thanks to legendary jazz pianist Thelonious Sphere Monk, who inherited this Latin-sounding German name from his father. It has been used very sparingly since the 1960's,…
Slovene variation of Sebastian, Latin
"person from Sebastia"
Sebastian has many international nicknames, and Tian is the short form of choice in Slovenia. It is also spelled Tijan.
Norwegian and Swedish variation of Thor, Hebrew, English
"thunder; turtledove; victor; hill, rocky peak"
An interesting and attractive multicultural choice, Tor packs a lot in to three letters. It may be used as a modern form of Þórr (Thor) , the name of the Norse thunder god or as a short form of…
Spelling variation of Amory
"industrious"
While Amorie might be strictly a feminizing way to spell the unisex Amory, it also relates to the word Amore and the name Amoris, which mean love,
