Updated October 2026
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Short form of Katherine, Greek
"pure"
Katti or Kattie is a short form of Katherine, more old fashioned than Kate and more unusual than Kathy.
Dutch short form of Matthijs
"gift of God"
Usually pronounced to rhyme with nice — though others may rhyme it with Jace — Thijs is a popular Dutch name short for that country's form of Matthew. Matt Lauer's half-Dutch son is called Thijs.
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 Elisabetta, Italian variation of Elizabeth
"pledged to God"
Isabetta is a charming spin on both the Elizabeth and Isabella families and a new way to go if you love the originals but want something more, well, original. Isabetta Rose is the name chosen by…
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.
Variation of Sukey, pet form of Susanna
"lily"
This spelling seems to be taking off as a result of media appearances as characters in first "Gilmore Girls" and then as Sookie Stackhouse, the Anna Paquin character in "True Blood," based on "The…
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…