Updated October 2026
Across 74 pages
of 74
Short form of Douglas, Scottish
"black water"
Dougie is one of those names that spotlights the huge gulf that can exist between US and UK naming trends. In England and Wales, Dougie is a trendy nickname-name, ranking all the way up at Number…
Short form of Cornelius, Latin
"horn"
Cornelius is one of the Ancient Roman names that is not quite making a comeback, despite having been a Top 200 name in the US in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Blame Corny, a nickname that…
Short form of Gillian, feminization of Julian, Latin
"youthful"
Gill and Jill are both medieval short forms of Gillian or Jillian, a feminine form of Julian. The problem with the G spelling is that some people will pronounce it with a hard G, like Gil, the short…
English diminutive of Barbara, Greek
"foreign woman"
When the once-popular Barbara makes a comeback, so might Baba.
Short form of Melinda or Sanskrit
"knowledge, wisdom"
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.
Catalan form of Wilfred
"desires peace"
You'd be forgiven for thinking this is the Catalan form of Geoffrey, but it actually comes from a slightly different Germanic name — also with a peaceful meaning. It's a historical choice, belonging…
English word name
"to form a mental image"
If you like such uplifting New Age word names as Peace and Justice, the evocative and pretty Imagine should definitely be on your short list.
Latin form of Zephyrus, Greek mythology name
"west wind"
Zephyrinus is the form of the name of the Greek god of the west wind best known as the name of a pope and saint.
Feminine form of Peter
"rock, stone"
Peterina feels like an awkward invented feminization, ala Davette. To honor an ancestral Peter, consider Petra.
Short form of Guillermo, Spanish form of William
"resolute protection"
It's tempting to think of Gui as the Spanish form of Guy, but it's short for Guillermo.
Italian from Latin
"form of Emygdius"
Derived from Emygdius, a 3rd century saint's name of unknown meaning.
Abbreviation of James or short form of Jasper
Feminine form of Sebastian, Latin from Greek
"person from the city of Sebastia"
Some names rise in tandem in their male and female forms, but Sebastia is very rare while the male Sebastian is quite popular. But it certainly might be an attractive choice.
Diminutive of Willem, contracted form of Wilhelm, Dutch, German
"resolute protector"
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. Film director Wim Wenders brought this to…
Spanish form of Juniper
This unusual boys' name ending in O survives thanks to the missionary priest who founded the first of the California missions. With Juniper becoming a more popular name, especially for girls,…
French, feminine form of Henri
Henriette is to Henri (or Henry) what Charlotte is to Charles. Yet this elegant French name is surprisingly rare in the States.
German, short form of Josephine
Finja Is a Josephine nickname that ranks among the Top 100 girl names in Germany.
Catalan form of Yves
"yew wood"
This mini-member of the Ivo-Yves family of names is unlikely to appeal to English speakers, as it sounds like "ew".
Variation of Ealar, Scottish form of Hilary
"cheerful"
Ellar Coltrane, the star of Richard Linklater's acclaimed 2014 movie "Boyhood," is an outlier, namewise. Most others with his first name are girls, and there aren't even many of them -- the last time…
Welsh form of Honorius
"honorable"
Ynyr is still quietly used in Wales, though the alternative modern form of ancient Roman Honorius is the simple Honor. The name is used in the 1983 sci-fi movie, Krull , which follows the adventures…