Names That Mean Form

Star Wars fans may know the lore behind the origin of the word and the concept Jedi well enough to confidently choose their name for their child. It has to do with balancing the forces of the universe.

Briefly in the US Top 1000 in the late 19th century, Fate likely emerged as a short form for the old French name, Lafayette. In the contemporary landscape however, it may well be perceived as a word name among English speakers, akin to Destiny, Chance, Blessing, and Chosen. Around six boys are given the name Fate each year in the US, though 2023 saw it rise a little, with ten babies receiving the name.

The Spanish version, with its -eena ending, takes the name out of the Oh My Darlin' realm, which for many American parents may be just the thing.

Overwhelmingly feminine in the US, where parent name Mackenzie is wildly popular, but masculine in the UK, where Kenzie ranks among the Top 1000 names for baby boys.

Truly original yet not strange name ripe for the plucking by the adventurous baby namer. Aurelius works too.

Rafa is an adorable short form introduced to the world by actors Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale, who used the name for their second son. Rafael is the Latin cognate of the Hebrew boys' name Raphael, but you don't need to be a Rafael to be a Rafa.

French version of August, for both sexes. And for those who feel the spelling of August is too plain.

One of the few Lu- names that you've probably never heard of, Lulie could prove a good alternative for Luna, Lucy, and Lula.

Nuri might be a nickname for the place name Nuria, popular in Spain and Portugal as a honorific for the Virgin Mary. Nuri is also a usually-masculine name heard in the Middle East, but to the Western ear it might work for girls or boys.

Eliška is warm and friendly, in the Misha, Sasha mode.

Sharp attractive short form which has a nautical translation in German: "keel" (although it isn't used as a name there).

Leontine is the French form of a name that's more familiar by its spelling variation Leontyne, the name made famous by opera diva Price. An obscure choice, Leontine nevertheless feels right for our lion-name-crazed moment.

If you have an aversion to Briella, you can shorten it even further to this.

The usage of this Arabic name has been increasing in the US, joining the Top 1000 for the first time in 2015. Aminah bint Wahb was the mother of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

Irish spelling of Eva or Ava, also spelt Eabha in Ireland.

Tavo is a stylish-sounding short form of an antique name.

This nickname-name is very popular in Germany, though Lottie is still the preferred version in the US. The problem, of course, is that you'll have to put up with a lotta jokes. See?

Dave is the ultimate good guy name, but where father name David is still holding onto a spot in the Top 20, Dave -- widely used as an independent name in the middle of the last century -- dropped off the Top 1000 a few decades ago and shows no signs of a comeback. Baby Davids today, often named for dad or grandpa, are more likely to be called David than Dave.

If you think there are too many Zachs around, you can use this historic nickname for Zachariah instead, though it does have a somewhat feminine feel.

Lester is one of the British surname names that were popular in the US in the early decades of the twentieth century: it was in the Top 100 through 1931, reaching a high of Number 52 in 1906. But dropping of the list in the late 1990s, along with Hester and Sylvester, we don't see much hope for a return visit.