Names That Are Variations
Across 139 pages
of 139
Kilian
German variation of Cillian, Irish
"war strife; church"
This German spelling of the classic Irish Cillian is heard throughout Europe — it's a popular choice in France as well.
Nimród
Hungarian variation of Nimrod, Hebrew
"we shall rise up, we shall rebel"
Nimrod appears in the Old Testament as a Babylonian leader, a famous hunter, and a great-grandson of Noah, and while a Looney Tunes cartoon from the 40s may have tarnished its strong, rebellious…
Jannis
Frisian, Dutch variation of Johannes
"God is gracious"
In Germany, Jannis outranks its parent name, Johannes. Virtually no American babies were given the name in the last year on record.
Ainhara
Puerto Rican variation of Ainara, Basque
"swallow (bird)"
Many Puerto Rican girl names with an extra H are variations of Basque names, such as Nahiara, a form of Naiara, and Ainhara, which comes from Ainara. There is a popular Spanish Instagram influencer…
Basile
French variation of Basil
"regal"
Herby and aristocratic Basil remains a tough sell, but we’d like to introduce you to Basile, the delightful French version. It retains all of Basil’s charm, but sheds some of the pesto linkage.…
Kaspian
Polish variation of Caspian
"white"
Sebulon
Finnish and Scandinavian variation of Zebulon, Hebrew
"exaltation; little dwelling"
You lose the zippy Z with the Nordic form of Zebulon, but the softer nickname Seb is nice.
Katalin
Hungarian variation of Katherine, English from Greek
"pure"
Hungarian form of Katherine.
Thordis
Scandinavian variation of Þórdís, Old Norse
"thunder goddess"
The modern form of Þórdís.
Guðmundur
Icelandic variation of Guðmundr, Old Norse
"protection of God; good protection"
The modern Icelandic form of Guðmundr, an Old Norse name derived from gud , which meant both "good" and "god," and mund> , "protection." Guðmundur is currently a Top 10 boy name in Iceland.
Zakhar
Russian variation of Zechariah, Hebrew
"the lord has remembered"
Zakhar would make a fresh way to honor a Zachary, particularly if you have Russian heritage.
Ramazan
Turkish variation of Ramadan, Arabic
"scorching heat"
The Turkish name for Ramadan, the holy ninth month of the Islamic calendar during which Muslims typically fast.
Tammuz
Semitic variation of Dumuzid, Sumerian
"loyal child"
Tammuz is the Semitic variation of Dumuzid, a name from Sumerian mythology. Tammuz is the name of fourth month on the Hebrew calendar, corresponding with June and July on the Gregorian calendar. A…
Kosma
Polish variation of Cosmas, Greek
"order, beauty, universe"
Seppo
Finnish variation on Sebastian, Latin
"person from the ancient city of Sebastia"
Seppo has two separate Finnish origins. The first is as a nickname for Sebastian, a name used widely across Europe. The second version is derived from the Finnish word seppä , meaning "smith."
Emilis
Lithuanian variation of Emil, Latin
"rival"
Common in its native Lithuania, but likely to read feminine in Anglophone countries. Stick with Emil.
Sephora
French variation of Tziporah, Hebrew
"bird"
This lovely name is a softened French version of Tziporah, the biblical wife of Moses. Unfortunately, in the US, it's become attached to the cosmetics franchise. The brand Sephora claims to have…
Ry
Short form of Ryder or Rylan; spelling variation of Rye
Musician Ry Cooder brought this short form into the lexicon -- his full name is Ryland -- and it feels more familiar now that more Ry- beginning names such as Ryder and Riley are, ahem, riding up the…
Fatoumata
West African variation of Fatima, Arabic
"captivating, a woman who abstains"
Fatima, a popular Muslim name, was a daughter of Muhammad and one of the four perfect women of the Quran. Fatoumata and its short form Fatou are West African variations.
Duarte
Portuguese variation of Edward, English
"wealthy guardian"
Incredibly handsome and super smooth, Duarte sounds like it came straight out of a romance novel. You almost wouldn’t believe it’s derived from Edward.