Names That Mean Form

It feels like a slenderized modern version, but Jennet actually has deep roots. Could this plucky name rescue Janet and Jenny from their datedness?

A pretty Roman name, but unfortunately also the English vocabulary word mania. Spelling it Manya would avoid the issue.

Zabelle and Zabel are fresh (to us) and ancient forms of Isabel, making zippy variations for modern lovers of that ancient name who feel the original is overexposed.

This Dutch nickname has been in use for hundreds of years in the Netherlands, and is as energetic as they come. Of course, the jokes practically write themselves.

Jowanet is the feminine form of Jowan (the Cornish form of John), making this name equivalent to Joan, Jane, Janet, Joanna, and the rest of that name family.

Nela is a pretty if slight name that ranks among the Top 1000 for girls in the UK. It is commonly used throughout Europe as a short form for any range of names ending in -nela including Cornelia and Fenella, though it is widely used on its own.

If you have an aversion to Briella, you can shorten it even further to this.

Bente, pronounced ben-tah, is a popular girls' name in both The Netherlands and Denmark though largely unknown in the English-speaking world. It suffers by being a near-homonym of the English word bent, not the best dictionary equivalent for a first name. Still, if you're looking for a girls' name that equates to Ben or Benjamin or Benedict, this may be one of your best bets.

This mini-member of the Ivo-Yves family of names is unlikely to appeal to English speakers, as it sounds like "ew".

It's unusual, but that may be its best feature.

Almost exclusively associated with opera diva Leontyne Price. If you want to use the suddenly-stylish Leontyne, we'd recommend the French Leontine spelling.

An alternative international spelling of Julia.

Pola is an international name that still bears the femme fatalish air of Polish-born silent screen vamp Pola Negri, whole birth name was Apolonia. Rarely used, she could join sisters Lola and Nola.

Gill and Jill are both medieval short forms of Gillian or Jillian, a feminine form of Julian. The problem with the G spelling is that some people will pronounce it with a hard G, like Gil, the short form of Gilbert. It's easy to see why the J spelling is more popular.

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.

As Theo and Thea get more popular, so do Teo and Tea, short forms of the Latinate variations of Theodore and Matthew -- which include Dorotea and Mattea. But like Theo and Thea, Tea can stand perfectly well on its own and blends seamlessly into any Anglophone or European culture, if that is your aim. Some may argue that the Tea version is the prettiest and it's certainly the sleekest.

Henriette is to Henri (or Henry) what Charlotte is to Charles. Yet this elegant French name is surprisingly rare in the States.

Cute tomboyish diminutive that's popular in Germany but has not spread far. An interesting choice for the parent who wants an elaborate feminine proper name with a modern short form.

The "To Be or Not to Be" jokes, via Shakespeare's tortured prince, will get old by Month Two.

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.