Names That Mean Form

Cait, pronounced like more popular sister Kate, is the form used when shortening Caitlin or any of the other Irish and Gaelic Cait-starting variations of Catherine.

This elegant, minimally-spelled name could be a variant of Rosanna/Roseanna. But it's also the Portuguese version of Roxana, with all the meaning and history of the name, but none of the "Roxanne" associations.

John is a name that's widely translated around the world, and this is one of the more unusual options. It is known internationally largely through rugby players, such as Sione Tuipulotu, captain of the Scotland rugby union team.

This feminine form of Ambrose has not seem much use in the United States, but it does sometimes appear on the birth certificates of those from Cajun or Creole backgrounds.

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

Minda is a simle, even familiar-sounding name that is nevertheless completely unknown. It might be a contraction of Melinda but it is a genuine Indian name with an appealing meaning.

You don't need to choose the longer form of this unusual name to arrive at Cabe, brother of Gabe and Abe. This earthy, unusual, friendly nickname-name was given to a handful of boys last year and can make an intriguing choice. But be warned: It will forever be mistaken, at least at first hearing, for the more familiar Gabe.

There are almost the exact same number of female and male Sidneys born in the US these days, which makes Sid a perfect gender-neutral nickname. And cute for boys or girls.

Ferenc is well used in Hungary, where it has the intriguing nickname Ferko, it has been associated with the playwright Molnar.

With a sound that brings to mind at once "whim," "vim," and "win," this is one Dutch boys' name with serious potential for use in the English-speaking world.

Variant of Bevan

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 monasteries.

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 syllable may be "may" or rhyme with dad; last two syllables pronounce lee-na, though of course some will inevitably say lye-na. Only a handful of girls received this name in the US last year, making it a distinctive and pretty classic, but don't choose it ignoring its very real down side.

Elizabeth is a name of hundreds of variations, but this German name for girls, redolent of the Olde Country, is unfamiliar in the U.S. and likely to remain so.

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.

An lesser-known member of the John-Joan family, though popular in its native habitat, has never emigrated, possibly due to its non-intuitive pronunciation.

The traditional Irish girl's name Bevin – an Anglicization of Bébhinn – is rarely heard outside the Emerald Isle, but could make an fresh and fashionable namesake for an Aunt Beverly.

As a form of the Hebrew Yochanan, Yahya is an Islamic name that honors the prophet John the Baptist, making it one of many international forms of John. In Islamic tradition, Yahya is celebrated for his dedication to and understanding of scriptures from a young age and for his gentleness and sinless life.
Currently popular in England and Wales, Yahya has also been on and off of the US Top 1000 charts since 2015.

This European version of Cyril (pronounced like French Cyrille) makes the Top 100 in Belgium.