Names That Mean Form

  1. Zeynep
    • Origin:

      Turkish form of Zaynab, Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "beauty; fragrant tree"
    • Description:

      Pretty and strong, Zeynep is one of the most popular girl names in Turkey, where it has ranked in the Top 10 for more than 40 years — half of which it has spent in the very top spot. Familiar in The Netherlands, the UK, Germany, and France, Zeynep is related to the Arabic Zaynab which is well-used throughout the Muslim world.
  2. Amaury
    • Origin:

      French form of Amalric
    • Meaning:

      "work power"
    • Description:

      Friendlier french form of ancient Germanic royal name Amalric or Emmerich.
  3. Jess
    • Origin:

      Short form of Jessica, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "behold or wealthy"
    • Description:

      Many variations of Jessica, including Jessie and Jessa, are used on their own, but Jess is an exception, given to only a handful of baby girls last year. But Jess is certainly the name that many Jessicas are called.
  4. Erastus
    • Origin:

      Latinized form of Greek Erastos
    • Meaning:

      "beloved"
    • Description:

      The Biblical Erastus was an assistant of Paul's in the New Testament. A name used in the 19th century that has fall off the scope, but may be revived as parents dig deeper for undiscovered Biblical choices.
  5. Galina
    • Origin:

      Russian and Slavic feminine form of Galen, Greek
    • Meaning:

      "calm, healer"
    • Description:

      Commonly used in Russia, has an Old World Slavic feel. The original Galen can be used for girls as well as boys.
  6. Elka
    • Origin:

      Scandinavian, pet form of Adalheidis
    • Meaning:

      "noble one"
    • Description:

      Much more manageable than the full form of the name. Possible international alternative to Ella.
  7. Ola
    • Origin:

      Norwegian and Swedish form of Olaf
    • Meaning:

      "ancestor's relic"
    • Description:

      Simple, friendly, distinctive name heard in several cultures. The a ending may feel more feminine in the US than Ole, though both variations are acceptable in Scandinavia.
  8. Nicolai
    • Origin:

      Scandinavian and Slavic form of Nicholas
    • Meaning:

      "people of victory"
    • Description:

      Related to the Russian name Nikolai, this is a fresh and worldly form of a popular favorite.
  9. Lotta
    • Origin:

      Short form of Charlotta or Carlotta
    • Description:

      This nickname-name is very popular in Germany, though Lottie is still the preferred version in the US. The problem, of course, is that you'll have to put up with a lotta jokes. See?
  10. Musa
    • Origin:

      Arabic, Turkish, and Persian form of Moses
    • Description:

      With its gentle but solid sounds, Musa is a name that feels both dignified and energetic. The Arabic, Turkish, and Persian form of Moses, Musa is popular internationally, from The Netherlands to Turkey to The UK.
  11. Stan
    • Origin:

      Short form of Stanley
    • Meaning:

      "near the stony meadow"
    • Description:

      One of the old-school nicknames -- think Ray, Vince, Frank -- that's on the brink of coming back into style. Name him Stanislav or Constantine and he'll have a groovier long form to fall back on.
  12. Gala
    • Origin:

      Russian and Slavic feminine form of Galina
    • Description:

      Festive name of the wife of Salvador Dali. In Spanish, Gala comes from the Roman name Galla, a feminine form of Gallus meaning "rooster" or "a person from Gaul".
  13. Thijs
    • Origin:

      Dutch short form of Matthijs
    • Meaning:

      "gift of God"
    • Description:

      Usually pronounced to rhyme with nice — though others may rhyme it with Jace — Thijs is a popular Dutch name short for that country's form of Matthew. Matt Lauer's half-Dutch son is called Thijs.
  14. Cristian
    • Origin:

      Spanish, Romanian and Italian form of Christian, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "follower of Christ"
    • Description:

      Both Christian and Cristian rank in the US Top 500 names for boys, and while the classic "Ch" spelling is used more than four times as often, Cristian is still given to more than 1000 boys each year, and is often used in the Hispanic community.
  15. Marko
    • Origin:

      Variation of Marco, Spanish form of Mark
    • Meaning:

      "warlike"
    • Description:

      Marko is one of the many names derived from Mars, the god of war. Marco is the more usual Spanish form but Marko is a variation used in Spain along with Russia, Ukraine, and several Slavic countries.
  16. Riah
    • Origin:

      Short form of Zachariah, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "The Lord has remembered"
    • Description:

      If you think there are too many Zachs around, you can use this historic nickname for Zachariah instead, though it does have a somewhat feminine feel.
  17. Tu
    • Origin:

      French, intimate form of "you"
    • Meaning:

      "you"
    • Description:

      The onetime star of "Northern Exposure" named his daughter Tu Morrow. Think about it.
  18. Rafa
    • Origin:

      Short form of Rafael
    • Description:

      Rafa is an adorable short form introduced to the world by actors Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale, who used the name for their second son. Rafael is the Latin cognate of the Hebrew boys' name Raphael, but you don't need to be a Rafael to be a Rafa.
  19. Freddie
    • Origin:

      Short form of Alfreda or Frederica
    • Description:

      Freddie, especially with the ie ending, is one of the old-school boy-names-for-girls that came into vogue at the turn of the last century. Freddie, all on its own, ranked among the Top 1000 girl names until 1958, but in 2021 it was given to just 8 baby girls. Maybe that makes it prime for a comeback, ala Billie?
  20. Gabe
    • Origin:

      Short form of Gabriel
    • Description:

      Gabe ranked in the Top 1000 from 1880 until 1905, when it fell into obscurity. There are fewer than 100 boys named Gabe, just plain Gabe, each year in the US, compared with over 10,000 named Gabriel. Our advice: Go with the crowd and choose the angelic long form, and then call him Gabe if you want to.