Names That Mean English

Lita

Cydney

Francie is one of the most neglected nicknames for Frances, despite having more style value than Franny and Fanny and being more unique than Frankie. We'd love to see it get more use, whether as a Frances short form or as an independent name.
 
You may recognize it as the name of Francie Nolan, the protagonist in Betty Smith's classic novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

Francie

Dates from when Charlene was hot enough to have spelling variations. 

Sharlene

Diehard World War II buffs may be interested in this name as a reference to American combat medic Desmond Doss, the first conscientious objector to be awarded the metal of honor. But it carries a host of negative connotations in the U.K., especially in Scotland, related to laziness and the shirking of work.

Doss

We've seen Beatrice and Beatrix climb in popularity, along with traditional nickname Bea. And now there's Bee, giving it a buzzy nature world spin, plus a tie to popular late night TV''s Samantha Bee, not to mention Aunt Bee on the old The Andy Griffith Show TV show. Bee can theoretically be short for any <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/b">girl names starting with B</a>.

This spelling of Bennett is typically seen as a surname, but gets moderate use as a first name for baby boys and girls.

Bennet

A turbulent bad boy name, no matter how you spell it.

Kaos

Rein, along with Reign, have taken over from Rain as a trendy word name. Should you rein it in or let it rein? Okay, bad puns we know, but that's the downside of word names. This is a true unisex name, given to 15 girls and 12 boys in the US in one recent year.
 
This could work as a Christmas-inspired form of Reign, Reina, and Rain too, as some will think of reindeer on seeing it.

Rein

The Finnish form of Andrew is featured in mythology as Antero Vipunen, a giant in Finland's national legend the Kalevala

Antero

All names bella have been popular in recent years, and though Clarabella suffers from its association with Clarabelle clown and cow, it may rise as those negative images fade.

Clarabella

More uncommon and powerful than garden varieties like Rose and Lily. Named for Scottish botanist Dr Alexander Garden.

Gardenia

Weather inspired choices from Sunny to Stormi are currently in vogue, and Hazy could be a contender to replace 70s star Misty. Referring to fog and dry, dusty air, "haze" is an atmospheric phenomenon in which the visibility of the sky is obscured, in turn evoking imagery of hazy, summer days. Alternatively, it might be used a diminutive of popular Hazel, inspired by the likes of Daisy and Maisie.
 
In theory then, Hazy is a zippy, sweet, and stylish option, so why doesn't it rank? Well, for one, hazy weather is associated with pollution in the air, and for another, hazy also means "undefined, unclear, uncertain", relating to incomplete memories and (sometimes drunken) confusion. Not the ideal connotations for the bearer.
 
We recommend you go for Hazel with Hazy as a fun nickname, or perhaps consider another unusual weather-inspired choice — Soleil or Snow for example — or for some sound-alike choices, Zaylee, Zadie, Hayden or Taisie.

Hazy

Though it looks, to the untrained American eye, like a yoonek spelling of Jordy, Geordie actually refers to people from Tyneside in Northeast England and the local dialect there. To give you a sense of what it implies to Brits, Geordie Shore is British MTV's long-running answer to Jersey Shore.

Geordie

A handful of baby girls were named Poem in the US in the most recent year, along with Poet and Poetry. But of course, these word names can work for boys too.

Poem

It's difficult to imagine anyone using the first name Jonesy -- and in fact, in the most recent US tally, there were nearly 100 babies named Jones but none named Jonesy.  Still, this is a name that many people with Jones for a name, last or first, end up being known by, and as a nickname, it's sorta cute in a Skip, Chip, Bitsy kind of way.

Jonesy

The Salishan are ingenious people from the Pacific North West, made up of four major groups who speak one of 23 Salishan languages. The name "Salish" is an anglicization of Séliš, the local name of the Salish Tribes of the Flathead Reservation in Montana. They are known for their weaving and work with red cedar wood. 
 
It also appears in the name of a sea in the Pacific Ocean, the Salish Sea, which was renamed in 2009 to reflect the significance of the water to the Salishan, and to recognize the importance of taking care of it.
 
Rarely used as a given name, it is notably borne by Salish Matter, a social media star and a competitive gymnast, who is the daughter of YouTuber and photographer Jordan Matter. In response to questions about his daughter's name, her father explained it was inspired by a cruise in the Pacific North West that the family took when her mother, Lauren Boyer, was pregnant with her. On hearing the name of the Salish Sea, her then three-year-old brother insisted it was his sister's name, and it stuck.
 
A name that might appeal to those who have Salishan ancestry they wish to honor, or an alternative to the more popular Sailor, Selah, and Shiloh, Salish appeared in the US stats for the first time in 2024, when it was given to five girls.

Salish

Lew is a masculine name that originated as a short form of Lewis or Louis. It has English and Scottish roots, derived from Germanic elements meaning 'famous battle' or 'renowned warrior.' 

The name gained popularity as a nickname but has also been used as an independent given name. While never among the most common names, Lew enjoyed modest popularity in the early 20th century in English-speaking countries. It has a classic, straightforward quality with a friendly, approachable feel. 

Britain's young Prince Louis has popularized the Louis version of the name, currently twice as popular as Lewis, with Lou given to about 70 baby boys in the US last year versus a dozen called Lew.

Dahlia is getting more visible, and so Dahliana feels more plausible.

Dahliana

Boyish nicknames for girls -- like Charlie and Frankie -- are in fashion, but Geraldine is out. Jerri just might split the difference. 
 
Jerri Manthey is a polarizing three-time contestant on Survivor.