Names That Mean Form

A Slavic variation of Helen that might make an unusual update of that classic name.

Elya

Enza, the female form of the ever-more-popular Italian name Enzo, has emerged thanks to ID cover model and influencer Enza Khoury. As the Biblical Ezra grows more unisex — over 350 baby girls were named Ezra last year versus 8500 boys — Enza could take off too.

Enza

Ezabella is a creative variation of Isabella, with a distinctive spelling that incorporates the trendy 'Ez' prefix. The name has roots in the Hebrew name Elisheba, the root name of Elizabeth, meaning 'pledged to God,' though its more direct connection is to the Italian and Spanish Isabella. 

This modern adaptation emerged in the early 21st century as parents began seeking unique spins on popular classics. Ezabella offers the elegant sound and rich history of Isabella while providing a more uncommon option. The 'z' gives the name a contemporary edge and helps it stand out. 

Though relatively rare, Ezabella has gained modest usage in recent years, particularly in the United States, as parents continue to seek names that balance tradition with originality.

Ezabella

The nickname Davie is very hot right now -- for girls. Most Davies these days are female, but this is still a natural short form of the classic David.

Davie

A short form of Izabela, popular as a stand-alone name in Slovenia where it ranks in the Top 50. It might also be used in Poland, Czechia, Georgia, Hungary, and elsewhere as a form of Izabela/lla, Izidora, Izolda, Elizabeth, Adeliza, and similar.
 
A cross-cultural possibility, Iza might occasionally be used as a variation of the Arabic name Izzaa or Izzah meaning "glory, power, strength".

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

Hamlet

Jo is usually the feminine form of the name, while Joe is the masculine spelling. 

Nikol

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.

Rosana

This is the French form of Lazarus, which recently has been rising from the dead – it's popular on Nameberry, and was used for his son by musician Trent Reznor. Lazare might be familiar to some via the Gare Saint-Lazare train station in Paris.

Lazare

One of the best known of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/804/irish-names-for-girls">Irish girls' names</a>, 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 now everyone in the Western World knows it's pronounced shin-aid and so would have no trouble fitting in on an American playground.
 This name increased in popularity in Ireland via Sinéad de Valera, the wife of president Éamon de Valera, who was born with the name Jane, but later chose to use its Irish form Sinéad. Actress Sinead Cusack is the wife of Jeremy Irons.

Sinead

Many old-school girl names are feminine forms of male names. This one gets an exotic twist from being the female version not of Basil but the form used very commonly in Greece, Vasilios. This uncommon name would make an interesting and rare V-starting choice.

Vasiliki

The ancient German name Adelheidis gave rise to both Adelaide and Adelheid. While Adelaide is more popular and better known internationally, Adelheid is still used occasionally in Germany, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia. The German pronunciation is not that different from Adelaide, with a soft h and a long I sound instead of a long A in the last syllable.

Heidi originated as a short form of Adelheid.

Adelheid

Amaranta is the unusual and intriguing Latinate form of the Greek botanical name Amarantha, which connects to an eternal mythical figure.  An excellent choice for the parent who wants an A name but wishes to move beyond the usual complement of names from Amelia to Annabel.

Amaranta

Now that the range of names including the modern Emmeline and Amelia -- relatives of each other, but of neither Emily nor Emma -- has become so fashionable, the original root name Amelina is also due up for reconsideration. A lovely, delicate choice, its main disadvantage is that it sounds like a modern elaboration rather than the original name. And perhaps that it will be so often misspelled and mistaken for other forms of itself. But it is a lovely name with deep roots.

Amelina

An earthy rock'n'roll name with multiple origins. The Roc was a giant bird in Middle Eastern legend.

A Slavic form of the Greek Sabbas, this name is notably associated with Saint Sava, a 12th-century Prince and monk who became known as The Illuminator. He was the founder of Serbian Law and the first archbishop of the Serbian Church, and is considered the patron saint of Serbia.
 
Derived from Greek and Amharic, Sava means "old man, grandfather", making it a cool name with a 'wise, old soul' meaning.

Sava

A light and livelier form of the serious Severino, Seve is a Spanish diminutive, ultimately derived from the Latin Severus, meaning "severe" and "stern". Typically pronounced as SEH-beh in Spanish, it may be pronounced SEH-vay or SEH-vee by English and Portuguese speakers.
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Notably borne by golfing legend, Seve Ballesteros, it was also chosen by reality TV star Nicola Hughes and her husband for their son, born in 2025.

Seve

Thad is a tad too slight to stand alone as a name, though as a short form of the imposing Thaddeus it's as serviceable as Ted or Ed.

Thad

Eilish is one of those Irish names that, thanks to a celebrity, has suddenly become much more familiar outside of Ireland. Irish-American singer Billie Eilish (Eilish is actually one of her middle names) introduced the wider world to this Irish name as actress Saoirse Ronan did with hers. 

Interestingly, Saoirse Ronan's character in Brooklyn, based on the novel by Colm Toibin, was named Eilis, pronounced AY-lish in the movie (although usually EYE-lish or EYE-leesh with the fada).

While the Anglicized version of Eilish or Eilís is usually given as Elizabeth, it is sometimes translated to Alice, which is closer to the AY-lish pronunciation.