Updated November 2023
Across 34 pages
of 34
Short form of Matthew
"gift of God"
Still one of the most appealing short forms, which goes a long way toward explaining the sustained popularity of Matthew. Matt is perennially the popular guy in high school, friendly, attractive, and…
English diminutive of Elva, Irish
"leader of the elves"
If Ellie and Evie are fashionable, why not Elvie? This is a diminutive of the Anglicized version of the Irish name spelled Ailbhe.
French form of Latin Augustus
"great, magnificent"
French version of August, for both sexes. And for those who feel the spelling of August is too plain.
Danish, Norwegian, and German form of Amalia or Amelia
"work"
Popular in Norway and Denmark, but familiar across Europe, Amalie can be pronounced as a-MAHL-yah, much like sister Amalia. A variation of Amelia, it shares the same Germanic element, amal meaning…
Greek form of Hebrew Zachariah
"the Lord has remembered"
One of several more venerable names that get to the nickname Zack if you're tired of Zachary. In the New Testament, Zacharias was the husband of Elizabeth and father of John the Baptist.
Welsh form of Molly or Thai
"jasmine flower"
Seems unfamiliar, till you realize everyone will just hear it as Molly. In Wales, Mali is a Top 100 name.
Hebrew diminutive of Esther, Persian, or Basque
"star; sweet honey"
Esti is most commonly a short form of Esther and Estelle, both making the big move from old lady name to cool young name. It's also a popular short form of the Basque names Estitxu and Estibalitz, or…
Romanian form of Octavian
A cool international name that could join the ranks of cool N-ending boy names. Americans may know it best from retired NFL player Tavian Banks.
Short form of Desiree, French
"desired"
Desi makes Desiree a lot cuter and more boyish.
Italian, feminine form of Constantine
"constant, unchanging"
This version adds some Italian flair to the somewhat stolid Constance.
Breton form of Anna
"grace"
Also spelled Anael, this offers a new spin on an old standard. Or even a couple of old standards, if you count Annabelle.
Italian form of the Latin family name Fabricius
"craftsman"
Romantic Italian choice.
German, short form of Rudolph
"famous wolf"
Rudy hasn't yet enjoyed the comeback of cousin name Ruby, despite having been chosen by hip couple Sadie Frost and Jude Law, but it still could happen. Rudy has a lot going for it as a…
French form of Amalric
"work power"
Friendlier french form of ancient Germanic royal name Amalric or Emmerich.
Vietnamese
"science, intellect"
A cool and straightforward Vietnamese name, which resembles the increasingly popular Hawaiian name Koa.
Short form of Michal
Mica is not the same name -- though it sounds the same -- as Micah, but the h makes it feel more masculine.
Short form of Gabriel, Hebrew
"God is my strength"
Gabe ranked in the Top 1000 from 1880 until 1905, when it fell into obscurity. There are fewer than 100 boys named Gabe, just plain Gabe, each year in the US, compared with over 10,000 named Gabriel.…
French form and German short form of Michael, Hebrew
"who is like God"
While the (male) French form is pronounced in English like the girls' name Michelle and the German form had a hard k-like sound in the middle, this variation of Michael is distinguished by being used…
Russian form of Hebrew JEHOIAKIM
"God will establish"
This strong and commanding Russian name is pronounced ah-KEEM.
Teutonic, French, early form of Ludwig or Louis
An aromatic, unconventional name.