Names That Mean Form

Coletta is a Latin relative of the better-known French Colette, which is derived from Nicole and is ultimately a feminization of Nicholas. Only a handful of baby girls are named Coletta or Nicoletta in the US each year, making this one of the rarest of the many forms of the name.

Coletta

Doesn't everything sound better with a French accent? Sylvain, the French variation of the Roman wood god's name, sounds somehow cooler and more sophisticated than Sylvan.

Sylvain

A spirited Russian name, derived from the Roman Valerius, this name is also transcribed as Valeriy. In an English speaking context, it has been used as a (feminine) alternative spelling to Valerie, however, the pronunciation and emphasis of the two names differ. Borne by Russian singer Valery Meladze and Russian composer, Valery Gergiev, it is also used for the titular character of Natasha Pulley's 2022 novel, The Half Life of Valery K.

Valery

This spin on the popular Hannah is widely-used in Europe and pronounced similarly to Hannah. It may also be a short form of Johanne, from John/Joan.

Hanne

Also appearing as Yuri and Yury this is a variation of the classic George, used predominantly in Russian and the Ukraine. Notable bearers include a 12th century prince of Kyiv Yuriy Dolgorukiy, the 15th century philosopher and astronemer Yuriy Drohobych, the cosmonaut (and first man to travel to space) Yuriy Gagarin, actor Yuriy Sardarov, and pop singer Yuriy Shatunov. 
 
Diminutives included Yura, Yurka, Yurik, Yurok, Yurchik, Yurochka, and Yuronka — Yura being the main one.

Yuriy

The once super-popular Karen has gotten a bad name of late. Is Karine different enough to survive? Perhaps, though it may take a generation or two for a real comeback.

Karine might also be considered a variation of Carina, an Italian diminutive of Cara meaning "dear".

Karine

Derived from the Persian name Mahvash, this celestial Urdu name means "moon-like", howeverm when considered with the symbolism of the moon in Persian culture,  this meaning could be elaborated to "beautiful like the moon" or "radiant like the moon". It's Turkish form is Mehveş.

Mehwish

Popular name in Spain drawn from the Provencal Mireio, coined by the poet Frederic Mistral.  Very pretty and, though difficult to spell and pronounce, simpler than the French version.

Mireia

Remiel is a form of Ramiel, an archangel of thunder and divine visions named in the bible. Remiel is actually more popular in the  US than the original, perhaps because of its connection to stylish name Remi.

Remiel

As a diminutive name, Riza is used predominantly in the Philippines, though it also has its roots in Hungarian, and in Arabic. Spirited yet familiar, Riza could be related to the surname Rizal meaning "rice field", to the names Tereza and Clarissa, or to the Arabic masculine name Rida, meaning "contentment".
 
Riza could be considered a unisex name, used across genders in Russia, Pakistan, Indonesia and the US, as nearly exclusively feminine in the Philippines and in Afghanistan, and as exclusively masculine in Albania, Germany, and North Macedonia.

Riza

Athena, the name of the Greek goddess of wisdom, warfare, handicrafts, mathematics, and courage, has become one of the most popular mythological namesakes in the contemporary Western world. On the rise in the US, the UK, France, and Iceland, time will tell if this short form catches on.
 
Similar in sound to Thea, it appears in the 2021 Marvel film Eternals, played by Angelina Jolie, and in the comic on which the film is based. A year later in 2022, it was given to 25 baby girls in the US, having been out of the stats since the 70s, when it was only given to 5 girls.

Thena

While Tessa is now preferred, this slightly sharper diminutive of Theresa was the more familiar option in the early 20th-century. It enjoyed a brief return to the US charts in the 60s and 70s but is currently given only to a handful of girls each year.
 Also associated with a word for long hair (tresses) and a river in Tuscany, it doubles up as a modern Cornish name, meaning "third".

Tressa

Vi is a common short form for Violet and Viola, not commonly used as a full name. But if you're trying to bridge a long first name and a long last, the minimalist Vi might be exactly what you need in the middle.

Viktoriya

Similar to Alma and Alba, Alina and Alexandra, Alvena is a clunky but interesting possibility. A notable bearer is Alvena Vajda Sečkar, an American painter, children's book author, and social activist. 

Alvena

In Hindu mythology, Dhruva was a devotee of Vishnu who became the North Star — also known as Polaris. Deriving from Sanskrit, it is a solid name, associated with unshakeable devotion, justice, and the solar system. 
 
Dhruvi is a feminine form of the name and is especially common in Gujarat in India. Youtuber Dhruvi Nanda is a notable bearer.

Dhruvi

Hanya, made famous by American novelist Hanya Yanagihara and German dancer and choreographer Hanya Holm, is a simple straightforward name rare in the US, where only a handful of baby girls are named Hanya each year. But it makes a distinctive short form for the overused Hannah or an update for the old world Johanna, so deserves more attention.

Hanya

A cheerful and bright sounding Arabic name, Hasana comes from the hasuna root, meaning "to be good, beautiful". Also used as the name of an Arab tribe from central Syria, it is related to the concept of Ihsan, or doing good deeds, in Islamic tradition. Hasan, Husna, and Hasna share the same root.

Hasana

Predominantly used in Romania, Ioana can also be used as an alternative to the Bulgarian Yoana. Fashion designer Ioana Ciolacu, actress Ioana Flora, and gymnast Ioana Stanciulescu are just a few notable bearers. 

Ioana

A popular choice in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lamija is a variation of the Arabic Lamia — not to be confused with the figure from Greek mythology whose name has a separate root and is said differently. 