Updated October 2026
Across 74 pages
of 74
Catalan short form of Alexander
"defending men"
Catalan form of Hugh
"mind, intellect"
A rare Catalan name that may be too cuddly for English speakers.
Welsh form of Francis
You'd have to be bold (or Welsh) to change the spelling of Francis like this... but it certainly stands out.
Short form of Gustavo, Spanish variation of Gustav
"staff of the Goths"
Tavo is a stylish-sounding short form of an antique name.
Romani form of Hezekiah
This biblical compound was found on a Romani man in England around 1900, but wouldn't be out of place on a boy today.
Welsh form of Peter
A softer, less vowelly variation of Peter, that appears in the Welsh Bible but not currently in the charts there. The Welsh name for daffodils, the national flower of Wales, is cennin pedr , "Peter's…
Dutch form of Pepin
"awe-inspiring"
Pepijn, with its emphasis on the second syllable pronounced with a long i to rhyme with pine, is in the Dutch Top 100. Clipped, energetic-sounding nickname names such as Pep and Pip are stylish in…
Dutch form of Tycho, Greek, Dutch, Old Norse
"hitting the mark; thunder"
This Dutch form of the ancient Greek saints' name Tycho is in the Top 100 in The Netherlands. While largely unknown in the English-speaking world, it's got a cool sound and ancient roots, which…
Polish, Czech and Romanian form of Marianus/Marius
"related to Mars, Roman god of war"
An attractive and little-known member of the group of romantic, Euro-chic boys' names ending in -ian: think Julian, Fabian, Florian, Adrian. The visually identical but etymologically unrelated female…
Dutch short form of Gilbert or Gijsbert, Germanic
"bright pledge"
Currently in the Top 30 in the Netherland, Gijs is s short form of Gijsbert, itself the Dutch form of the Germanic Gisbert and Gilbert. Said to rhyme with nice , the G is pronounced like the end…
Welsh form of Paul
A Welsh biblical name that currently doesn't chart in its homeland. If you like the sound, you might also consider spelling it (the unrelated name) Powell.
Welsh pet form of Elizabeth
Betsan is little-known outside of the U.K. but it could provide an intriguing alternative to Liz, Beth, Betsy, Betty, and Libby.
Welsh form of Fiona; or "foxglove"
"foxglove"
A pretty halfway house between the modern name Ffion, which has been popular in Wales in recent decades, and the unrelated name Fiona.
English diminutive of Bernadette, Bernadine, or Bernice, German
"brave as a bear"
Bernie is an old school unisex nickname name, on the order of Bobbie or Willie. But with Billie and her tomboyish crew coming back, it's time to get Bernie on your radar! Bernie has a certain vintage…
Short form of Cabot, Cable, or Cabel
You don't need to choose the longer form of this unusual name to arrive at Cabe, brother of Gabe and Abe. This earthy, unusual, friendly nickname-name was given to a handful of boys last year and can…
French/Breton form of Matthew
"gift of God"
A gallicized spelling of Mazhe, itself a Breton version of Matthew, which is currently popular for baby boys in France. In the English-speaking world, where the é accent is not always recognized,…
Welsh form of Margaret
Marged is to Margaret what Elspeth is to Elizabeth, and Karen to Katherine.
Short form of Sydney, French
"Saint-Denis"
Sydney may be by far the more popular spelling of this name for girls, but it's also predominantly female. Over 1200 baby girls were named Sydney in 2021 vs. 37 baby boys. Contrast that with Sidney,…
Armenian form of Isabel, a form of Elizabeth, Hebrew
"pledged to God"
The dashing Zabel -- or its Frenchified variation Zabelle -- was the name of a 13th century ruling queen of Armenia. In this modern era ruled again by the name Isabella and Isabel, Zabel provides a…
Lithuanian form of Isabella
Another international member of the Isabel family.