Names That Mean Form
Across 34 pages
of 34
Viliami
Tongan form of William
William has any international variations, including the super-popular Liam. This version is largely unknown beyond the South Sea Islands.
Luuka
Feminine form of Luca
A fun respelling of Luca. New Zealand canoeist Luuka Jones was named after Audrey Hepburn's son, Luca Dotti. Her mother changed the spelling to make it feel more feminine.
Oliveria
Spanish form of Olivia, Latin
"olive tree"
Olivia ranks in the Top 10 -- and sometimes even Number 1 -- in many countries now, so variations such as this Spanish form may get some attention.
Trainet
Romani form of Trinity
Mikael
Scandinavian, Finnish, and Breton form of Michael
"who is like God?"
This variation of Michael is very popular in Iceland and Puerto Rico, but has only made the cut for the US Top 1000 two separate years —2016 and 2023. Angel-esque boy names ending in L trended…
Maialen
Basque form of Magdalene
This undiscovered (by English speakers) Basque name would make a very attractive alternative to Madeleine. The Spanish canoeist Maialen Chourraut competed in the 2021 Olympic Games.
Limatana
Romani form of Clementina
Sinfoy
Romani form of Cynthia, also spelled Sinfi
Sibil·la
Catalan form of Sibyl, Greek
"seer, oracle"
An alternative, fuller version of Sibyl. The l·l spelling (ela geminada) is the unique Catalan way to write the double L sound (as in "soulless"). "El cant de la Sibil·la" (The Song of the Sibyl) is…
Amelija
Lithuanian form of Amelia, German
"work"
The top girl name in Lithuania in 2020. Alternate spelling Emilija came in at Number 3.
Gwenora
Cornish form of Guinevere, Welsh
"white shadow, white wave"
Gwenora teeters on the line between unique gem and modern invention. But it's not a smoosh name fashioned from Gwen and Nora but an old Cornish form of Guinevere, like its much more famous sister…
Emidia
Italian from Latin
"form of Emygdius"
Feminine form of Emidio
Svante
Swedish, short form of Svantepolk, Slavic
"holy people"
A jaunty, traditional name in Sweden's Top 100. Famous bearers include actor Svante Thunberg (Greta's father) and the father of physical chemistry Svante August Arrhenius. The name Svante is short…
Publia
Latin, feminine form of Publius
"of the people"
An ancient Roman name that hasn't found favor in the modern world.
Sid
Short form of Sidney, French
"Saint-Denis"
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.
Jowanet
Cornish form of Joan
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.
Martí
Catalan form of Martin
"warlike"
Iben
German, Frisian, and Scandinavian form of Ivo
"yew wood"
This unusual (to the American ear) unisex name is used throughout Scandinavia and Germany. It can be a Frisian and German variation of Ivo, derived from the element iwa element, meaning "yew". It is…
Edmee
French feminine form of Edmund
"wealthy protector"
Edmee is an antiquated name easily mistaken for the more popular Esme, but it is in fact a separate name, related to Edmé, a French diminutive of Edmund. In the classic French novel by Colette, Cheri…
Hux
Short form of Huxley, English
"inhospitable place"
As Huxley and Huck become more popular and accepted, so does Hux, either as a full name or a diminutive.