Names That Mean Form

The S may confuse English speakers, but it's a French classic.

Georges

Has a sharp investigative quality that's not a bad thing to impart to a child. 

Keane

A truly international name with a multitude of origins.
 
From Finnish and Old Swedish, it is one of many international variations of Mary and Maria, and can also be spelled Majsa (pronounced MIE-suh).
 
 From its Portuguese and Brazilian roots, it is an anglicized form of Maísa (pronounced ma-EE-zu) and is considered either a form of Maisie, meaning "pearl", a form of Arabic Maisa, or a compound name, blending Maria and Luisa to make the meaning "beloved and famous in battle".
 
As a Japanese name, it is pronounced MAH-EE-SAH and can mean "dance + sand" or "strawberry + sand", depending on the Kanji combination used.
 
From its Georgian derivation, it comes from maisi, referring to the month of May and is often given to babies born that month. Originally, it was also used as a boy name, however, it is now nearly exclusively given to girls. In this case, it would be pronounced MIE-suh.
 
In Arabic, the name means "to walk with a proud gait", though some sources also suggest it means "handsome, beautiful". In this instance, it would be pronounced mie-SAH.

Maisa

A number related name option, Sixto is the Spanish variation of the Latin Sixtus, which means "sixth", or "scraped", depending on what root you follow. It sounds better when said the Spanish way (seeks-to) rather than as an English speakers might read it intuitively. 
 
A notable bearers was musician Sixto Rodriguez, better known by just his surname.

Sixto

A feminine form of Alaunus, the Gaulish God of healing and prophecy, Alauna is sometimes speculated to be a river goddess in her own right. As a name, it has been used for a number of rivers in the UK and across Europe, and while the exact meaning is unknown, it is suggested the name could mean "the nourishing one" or "to wander".

Alauna

Apolonia is a feminine name of Greek origin, derived from Apollo, the Greek god of sun, light, music, and poetry. It can be considered a variant of Apollonia, which gained recognition through Saint Apollonia, an early Christian martyr. 

The name has been used across various European cultures, particularly in Poland, Spain, and Portugal. Apolonia carries an elegant, classical feeling with its melodic sound pattern. While not among the most common names, it has maintained steady usage throughout history. In recent years, parents drawn to vintage names with historical depth have shown renewed interest in Apolonia, appreciating its sophisticated sound and mythological connections.

This spelling is the name of a character in John Steinbeck's novel, The Pearl.

Apolonia

An alternative transliteration of Asma, Asmaa is an Arabic name with a glowing, powerful meaning. Actress Asmaa Galal is a notable bearer, while surgeon and The Great British Sewing Bee contestant Asmaa Al-allak is another.

Asmaa

A name that works well in multiple languages, Zakariyya is the Arabic transliteration of Zechariah, Zacharias, and Zachary. The name has been consistently appearing in the England and Wales Top 1000 since 2010 and a recent count saw it rank at #602, while alternative spelling Zakariyah came in at #638.
 
Meaning "the Lord has remembered", Zakariyya holds significance in Islamic tradition. In the Quran, Zakariyah is a priest and a prophet, who prays for a son to continue his legacy and his role as a messenger of faith. His prayers are answered and he has a son, Yahya (John the Baptist).

Zakariyya

A Greek form of Anthony, derived from Latin. 

Antonios

While English speaking countries might heavily associate this name with the 5th century Attila the Hun, it remains a popular choice in Azerbaijan - and Hungary, with the Attila spelling. 
 
Usually said to derive from the Gothic word atta meaning "father", other sources suggest Atilla might also have Turkic etymology. Theories include that it comes from the Turkic elements as and til meaning "the oceanic ruler"; that it derives from the word atli meaning "cavalry" or " horseman"; or, that it is borrowed from an old name for the Volga River in Russia, once known as Atil or Itil.
 
Notable bearers include musician Atilla Engin and poet and writer Attilâ İlhan.

Atilla

Playful but with plenty of substance, Bartolo is an Italian short form of the grand Bartholomew which could lead you to further nicknames Bo and Tolly. Also used in Spanish, a notable bearer is Bartolo Longo, a former Satanist priest who returned to Catholicism and dedicated his life to his faith and charity. He was canonized as a saint in 2025 by Pope Leo XIV, which could renew interest in the new. 

Bartolo

A variation of the popular Elijah, this light and refined form is familiar in both Wales and Sweden. It is occasionally used as a short form of Elisabeth too. 

Elis

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 in France back in 2009 when it reached #12, and while it has now fallen in popularity, it remains in the Top 200.
 
The name first began to catch on back in the late 1990s, following the release of the 1997 film The Fifth Element, featuring a character called Leeloominaï (meaning "precious stones" in film's fictional language). Known by Leeloo, the character pushed alternative spelling Lilou into the Top 500 the year after the film was released.
 
Also appearing as Lylou, and more rarely as Liloo and Leelou (both of which did rank in the French charts when Lilou was at its peak), the name is currently in the Top 500 in the Netherlands and the Top 200 in Belgium, while in the US, just 12 girls recieved the name in a recent year.

Lilou

Succinct, stylish, and catchy, Ivo has the energetic impact of other names ending in -o. It is a multicultural choice with two distinct origins, and, as such, is familiar across a variety of countries, ranging from the Netherlands to Brazil, from Portugal to Czechia. 
 
On one hand, Ivo is a Germanic name, originally used as a short from of names including the element iwa, meaning "yew tree, yew wood", or more figuratively, "archer". As such, it's a cognate to French Yves, Cornish Ives, and the Scottish Ivor and Evander. 
 
Alternatively, Ivo may be used as a diminutive to Ivan, a variation of John used across Russia, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, England, Bosnia, and beyond. In this case, it would mean "God is gracious".
 
Another source for the name is the Bulgarian Ivaylo (or Ivailo) meaning "wolf", while variations include the Latin American Evo, Polish Iwo, and Finnish Iivo.
 
Pronunciation of the name varies depending on country and region. EE-vo is typically used in German, Dutch, Italian, Serbian, and Croatian, IH-vo is heard in Czech and EE-voo is used in Portuguese. EYE-vo is also used among English speakers. 
 
Borne by a number of French, Breton, and Cornish saints, more a more recent bearer is comedian Ivo Graham.
 
Despite its stylish sounds and multicultural appeal, Ivo has never appeared in the US Top 1000, and a recent year saw it given to 18 boys.

Mellie is not Millie and it's not Nellie, though it will forever be confused with those too more familiar nicknames. It's cute, too, and while some of the names it's usually short for may be sailing into the sunset (so long, Melody!), others like Amelia are rising through the ranks and may give Mellie a new chance to shine as a cute girls' nickname. Just be prepared for endless confusion.

Mellie

Sleek modern short form of a classic <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/173/scandinavian-names">Scandinavian name</a>.

Jari

Leon and related names like Leonardo and Leonidas are hot right now, but somehow this member of the family remains rare.

Leoncio

The name recently given to their daughter by Susan and Robert Downey, Jr. is pronounced like Avery and may be seen as a kree8tiv spelling variation of that <a href="https://nameberry.com/unisex-names">popular unisex name</a> or a girlish short form of Avraham, the Biblical Hebrew form of Abraham.

Avri

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).

Cory

Eabha, along with Aoife and Aoibhe and even the Anglo Ava, are all Eve sisters or soundalikes in the Irish Top 100.  Outside of Ireland, though, this Gaelic spelling would prove difficult.  Confusingly for English speakers, this name beginning with E is pronounced as Ava, while the A-beginning Aoibhe is like Eva.