Names That Mean Form
Across 34 pages
of 34
Katerina
Macedonian, Czech, Russian, Bulgarian, and Greek form of Katherine, Greek
"pure"
Katerina and its near-identical twin Katarina have a pleasingly lilting European sound, though for some Americans they may be uncomfortably close to Katrina, which will be linked for a long time to…
Maja
German, Slovene, and Scandinavian form of Maya; also, Arabic
"splendid"
Whether you pronounce it my-a, ma-zha or ma-ha, Maja is an intriguing choice. Sometimes associated with Goya's famous painting "The Naked Maja." As a cognate of Maya, it's a Top 10 name in Slovenia…
Sinead
Irish form of Janet
"God is gracious"
One of the best known of the Irish girls' names , thanks to singer Sinead O'Connor. Though it's still in the Irish Top 100, it's no longer quite as fashionable in Ireland as Aoife or Aisling. But by…
Zenon
Ancient Greek and Polish form of Zeno and Zeus
"sky, shine; gift of Zeus"
Zenon is a relative of Zeno, which is a form of Zeus, used in both ancient Greece and modern Poland. With the new rise of all names mythological, this one may deserve a fresh look.
Madelina
Latinate form of Madeline
Madelina is the Madeline equivalent used in many European cultures. While it's a simple and melodic name, like its mother name it can lead to lots of spelling and pronunciation problems. The first…
Axelle
French feminine form of Axel
"father of peace"
Putting the emphasis on the "elle" softens a name that seems at once futuristic and medieval.
Lilou
Occitan pet form of French Liliane, or French compound of Lili and Louise
"lily; lily + renowned warrior"
Sweet, enchanting Lilou is considered both a pet name from the Occitan language (spoken in Provence in the south of France), and a compound name, blending floral Lili with classic Louise. It peaked…
Yevgeniya
Russian form of Eugenia
"well born"
In an English-speaking country, stick with Eugenia.
Xen
Variation of Japanese Zen, form of Buddhism
Xen might also be a minimalist reduction of Alexandra.
Amedeo
Italian form of Amadeus
"lover of God"
This euphonious Italian Italian name for boys , often associated with the painter Modigliani, makes a recommended creative choice. The Spanish tend to spell it Amadeo.
Cory
English variation of Corey, Irish, or diminutive of any Cor-beginning name
"from the hollow"
This Corey variation is getting a fresh shot of style juice thanks to young It Girl Cory Kennedy (not to be confused with RFK daughter, filmmaker Rory Kennedy).
Kester
Scottish form of Christopher
"one who carries Christ"
Nearly unknown outside the British Isles, this old Scottish variation has a sleek surname feel that can make an excellent update of the flagging Christopher.
Zen
Japanese
"meditation"
A spiritual word name used by actor Zoe Saldana for her son as well as more recently Nick Cannon and Alyssa Scott for their late son. Zen has been trending in recent years along with other spiritual…
Simm
Short form of Simon or Simeon, Hebrew
"the listener"
You might want to abbreviate this from one of the Biblical originals or use it as a name all on its own, an update of Sam or Finn. Sim is a Scottish Gaelic form of Simon.
Giannis
Modern Greek form of John, Hebrew
"God is gracious"
Gianni, the Italian form of Johnny, has gotten popular in the US, and there's a good chance Giannis will be next, thanks to rising star basketball player Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is Greek. It makes…
Zacharias
Greek form of Hebrew Zachariah
"the Lord has remembered"
One of several more venerable names that get to the nickname Zack if you're tired of Zachary. In the New Testament, Zacharias was the husband of Elizabeth and father of John the Baptist.
Malina
Feminine form of Malcolm or spelling variation of Melina or Polish, Bulgarian, Serbian
"raspberry"
Malina is a synthetic-feeling name that may be a feminization of the Scottish Malcolm or a spelling twist on the Greek Melina and that also has a fruit meaning in several Eastern European languages.…
Mica
Short form of Michal
Mica is not the same name -- though it sounds the same -- as Micah, but the h makes it feel more masculine.
Pol
Breton and Catalan form of Paul
"small"
Pol, pronounced as "pole," though a popular Breton name, would be an unusual form of a simple classic elsewhere. The Breton Saint Pol Aurelian was known as a slayer of dragons and a founder of…
Zack
Short form of Zachary or Zachariah
As the common short form of Zachary or, more unusually, Zachariah, Zack is less intuitive than Zach or Zac in terms of spelling but clearer in terms of pronunciations. Maybe because it rhymes with…