Updated October 2026
Across 74 pages
of 74
German
"famous"
This cool and quirky short form of the suave Ludovic could be an even-more-adventurous spin on Nico and Hugo.
Russian, Bulgarian, and Macedonian form of Nahum, Hebrew
"comfort"
Naum is a Biblical name, rarely heard outside Russia, Bulgaria and surrounding areas, though alternative form Nahum is beginning to receive more attention in the US. Derived from the Hebrew naham ,…
French form of Octavius, Latin, or English word name
"eighth; musical and poetry term"
Octave shortens Octavius to a more manageable length, keeping the "eighth" meaning. In English speaking countries, however, people could easily confuse this with the musical and poetrry term octave .…
Short form of Pavel
"small"
Panya is a Russian diminutive that sounds a tad feminine to the Western sensibility.
English
"swift"
Kind of a combination of scoot and fleet, brought into public domain by actor Skeet (born Brian) Ulrich. We would recommend looking into the unsavory slang meaning of this name before choosing it for…
Medieval form of Theobald
"from bold people"
Similar in sound to the French "Thibault", which is far more popular, Tybalt is best known as the bloodlustful and brawling cousin of Juliet in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet . Perhaps this…
"people's ruler"
Theodoric feels prehistoric, though with short form Theo one of the hottest names around, this old German names for boys may soon feel new again.
Modern form of Roman Tullius, meaning unknown
Both Tullio and Tulio are modern forms of the ancient Roman family name Tullius. Though its meaning is unknown, Tullius has an illustrious history with many noble bearers, including a sixth century…
Armenian, rare form of Elisabeth
Gaelic
"youthful"
Irish Gaelic form of Julia
Russian form of Eugenia
"well born"
In an English-speaking country, stick with Eugenia.
Variation of Japanese Zen, form of Buddhism
Xen might also be a minimalist reduction of Alexandra.
Italian form of Amadeus
"lover of God"
This euphonious Italian Italian name for boys , often associated with the painter Modigliani, makes a recommended creative choice. The Spanish tend to spell it Amadeo.
Scottish form of Christopher
"one who carries Christ"
Nearly unknown outside the British Isles, this old Scottish variation has a sleek surname feel that can make an excellent update of the flagging Christopher.
Anglicized form of Irish and Scottish Fearchar
"dear man"
Definitely a far stretch for any child.
Short form of Simon or Simeon, Hebrew
"the listener"
You might want to abbreviate this from one of the Biblical originals or use it as a name all on its own, an update of Sam or Finn. Sim is a Scottish Gaelic form of Simon.
French form of Aurelius, Latin
"golden"
A glowing and sophisticated choice, Aurélien is the French form of the Roman Aurelius, ultimately from aureus meaning "gold, gilded". This form ranked in the French Top 30 back in the 80s and…
French form of Emil
"friendly"
Might make a worthy masculine spin on either of the uber popular Emma or Emily.
French form of the Latin Gabinus
"of Gabium"
Fans of the classic French film actor Jean Gabin might want to consider this one. Gabin is also a harmonica-playing character in the manga and anime series "Mirmo!"
Catalan form of William
An intriguing way to spin an old standard. Pronounced with a hard G: gee-yem.