By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 26 pages
of 26
Place name, Kikuyu
"mountain of white"
Kenya, a name borrowed from the East African nation and theoretically unisex, is now used mostly for girls. While it's had its ups and downs since entering the US Top 1000 in 1968, it currently ranks…
Ania is a feminine name with Slavic origins, particularly popular in Poland and other Eastern European countries. It functions as a diminutive form of Anna, which ultimately derives from the Hebrew…
Russian, diminutive of Natalya; also spelling variation of Talia
See TALIA.
Polish, Armenian, Serbian, and Russian form of Alex, Greek, Greenlandic
"defending men; harpoon line"
A variation of Alex used in a number of languages, Alek has the cool, solid feel of Erik and Axel. It can also be a name of Greenlandic origin, meaning "harpoon line".
Variation of Irina, Russian from Greek
"peace"
This form of Irina supersedes the original in its native country.
Sima is a feminine name with multicultural origins, appearing in Hebrew, Arabic, Indian, and Slavic naming traditions. In Hebrew, it means 'treasure' or 'valued,' while in Sanskrit it can mean…
Scandinavian
"headlands, promontory"
Like its cousin Tessa, Nessa -- a shortening of Vanessa or Agnes or Anastasia among other possibilities -- is an attractive nickname that can stand on its own.
Russian diminutive of Alexander
"defending men"
The energetic Russian nickname name Sasha is being used increasingly on its own, though since the prominence of the First Daughter, more than 90% of the American babies named Sasha are girls. Sacha…
Russian; Armenian, from Greek
A form of Alexander commonly used in Russia, Armenia, Estonia and Kazakhstan.
Viktoria is the Eastern European and Germanic spelling of Victoria, a name derived from Latin meaning 'victory.' This variation maintains the powerful meaning while giving it a distinctive…
Armenian
"Armenian"
Naming your son Armen is like naming him Roman, or German -- it's the term that denotes a person of Armenian descent. Armen has been used as a first name for centuries and is an unusual yet…
Russian variation of Elijah
"the Lord is my God"
A rare example of an a-ending boy's name that sounds masculine, Ilya has a large measure of creative Slavic charm. >p>Ilya Ilyich Oblomov is the central character in Goncharov's novel "Oblomov."…
Russian, diminutive of Veronika; Slovenian; Croatian, feminine form of Nicholas
Enticing modern nickname name possibility.
Slavic variation of Helga, Norse
"holy"
This Slavic form of the Norse name Helga is a classic in many Slavic countries, including Russia and Poland, where it currently ranks within the Top 100 girl names. It has historically ranked among…
Russian variation of Paul
"small"
Pavel may be widespread in the former Soviet Union, but it has a somewhat impoverished image here.
Yerik is a masculine name with Kazakh and Russian origins. In Kazakh culture, it derives from the word meaning 'freedom' or 'liberty,' making it a powerful name symbolizing independence and an…
Russian, diminutive of Mikhail
Misha was a boys' name with a soft feminine sound and vowel ending until actress Mischa Barton turned it to the girls' side. Now Misha, like Sasha, works as well in either spelling for girls and…
Russian, Greek
Alexei could well join the legion of Alex names popular in the US. There are countless opportunities to liven up Alexander, and Alexei (or Alexey) is one of the most straightforward and appealing.
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.
Russian, Polish, Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Romanian
"gift from God"
Popular in Poland, Moldova, Romania, and Russia, and familiar in the UK too, Bogdan is a rugged and strong sounding choice with a similar meaning to US favorite Theodore. Made up of the Slavic…
