Names That Mean Beginning

Milan

Italian place name or Slavic

"the middle of the plain; gracious, dear; union"

In many Slavic and other European countries, Milan is purely a boys’ name , but in the US, it's also popular for girls – no doubt inspired by the fashionable Italian city. It entered the Top 1000 for…

Ziggy

German, diminutive of names beginning Sig/Zig

"victory"

Fitting in with Scottie, Stevie, Frankie, and Birdie, Ziggy is a nickname-y choice that feels energetic, cutesy, and cool. Borrowing star quality from Ziggy Stardust and Ziggy Marley, Ziggy is…

Jae

Korean name element or short form of any name beginning with J

Jae is a versatile name with multiple cultural origins. In Korean culture, it appears as a component in many names, meaning elements like 'respect,' 'wealth,' or 'talent' depending on the Chinese…

Nyssa

Greek

"goal"

A fairly common Greek name that would fit in well here.

Kia

African

"season's beginning"

Kia is a sweet, simple name that is now, unfortunately, associated with a Korean car label. Better today: Nia, Thea, or Keira.

Lu

Diminutive of names beginning with Lu

Lu is an adorable mini-name that could be short for Luna, Lucinda, Luisa, or any other name beginning with the letters Lu. Or it can just stand on its own in first or middle place.

Jools

English nickname for names beginning in Jul-

Jules may be hot in France, but the Jools spelling is almost as familiar in the UK and US, thanks to celebrity bearers Jools Holland and Jools Oliver. Jools is a unisex name.

Juju

Diminutive of names beginning with Ju-

An informal nickname for names such as Julia, Juliette, and June.

Meja

German, Swedish diminutive of names beginning with Mein- or Magn-

"strong"

The names from which Meja derived, including Meinhild and Magnhild, are long gone, but a Swedish singer called Meja (born Anna Pernilla Torndahl) has piqued interest in this modern derivative. Meja…

Arche

Greek

"beginning"

In Greek mythology, Arche was the muse associated with origins. As a baby name, it may be misunderstood as Archie.

Nini

Diminutive of names beginning with Ni-

A nickname for names such as Nina, Nicole, and any others containing the "ni" element. Olivia Rodrigo's character Nina "Nini" Salazar-Roberts in the High School Musical series has made it fresh for a…

Jenese

Modern invention, variation of Genesis

"the origin, beginning or formation; The First Book in The Bible"

A variation on the popular Biblical name Genesis, Jenese is also reminiscent of Jessica, Janessa, and Jenifer — and may well be considered a modern form of these names too. Also spelled as Genesee,…