Names That Mean Variant

  1. Dane
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "from Denmark"
    • Description:

      Dane is a more masculine Dana alternative, with added style edge. Dane has been on the US Top 1000 for more than seventy years, having entered the list in 1945.
  2. Kermit
    • Origin:

      Irish, variant of Diarmaid/Dermot
    • Meaning:

      "without injunction, without envy"
    • Description:

      Kermit was a Top 500 name until the 1960s, not coincidentally the decade in which Kermit the Frog made it a one-person (well, one-frog) name.
  3. Marvin
    • Origin:

      Welsh, variant of Mervyn
    • Meaning:

      "sea hill"
    • Description:

      Marvin has been neglected for so long that it's hard to believe that it has windswept Welsh roots. It also has some strong namesakes going for it -- singer Marvin Gaye, composer Marvin Hamlisch and boxer Marvin Hagler. It's the real name of both Neil Simon and Meatloaf. And let's not forget mention Marvin Gardens on Monopoly.
  4. Ozymandias
    • Origin:

      Greek variant of Ramses, Egyptian
    • Meaning:

      "begotten by Ra, the Sun God"
    • Description:

      Percy Bysshe Shelley got the name for one of his most famous poems -- a sonnet about the insignificance of man's labors in the vastness of time -- from the Greek name for Ancient Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II.
  5. Jory
    • Origin:

      Cornish variant of George, or diminutive of Jordan
    • Description:

      A rarely-used name even in its native Cornwall, Jory nevertheless feels very wearable, thanks to its similarity to familiar picks like Rory, Corey and Joey. Jory Cassel is a minor character in the first season of Game of Thrones.
  6. Ruslan
    • Origin:

      Slavic from Turkic
    • Meaning:

      "lion"
    • Description:

      A fairly common name in many Slavic countries, especially Russia – perhaps in part because it sounds close to the name of the country, although the two words are unrelated etymologically. The name Ruslan was used by Russian poet Alexander Pushkin for the hero of his epic poem Ruslan and Ludmila, based on Russian and Tatar folktales about the hero Yeruslan Lazarevich. Yeruslan or Uruslan is a Tatar name likely deriving from Turkic arslan "lion".
  7. Sergia
    • Origin:

      Latin, female variant of Sergius and Sergio
    • Meaning:

      "servant"
    • Description:

      Not as common as brother Sergio, but still quite frequently heard in the Hispanic community, as in Bolivian singer Sergia Llanos.
  8. Monserrat
    • Origin:

      Spelling variant of Montserrat, Catalan place-name meaning "serrated mountain"
    • Meaning:

      "serrated mountain"
    • Description:

      Monserrat is a variant spelling of the Catalan name Montserrat. It is likely the better spelling in English-speaking countries given the correct pronunciation of the name.
  9. Aleksander
    • Origin:

      Polish, Slovene, Estonian, Norwegian, and Danish form Alexander, Greek
    • Meaning:

      "defending man"
    • Description:

      An international variation of classic Alexander, this form has slightly softer sounds, yet feels just as strong. Popular in Poland, the Netherlands, Norway and Slovenia, but familiar in the UK too, short forms include Aleks, Sander, Sandi, and Sašo (Sasho).
  10. Akiva
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "to protect, shelter"
    • Description:

      Akiva has a distinguished scholarly pedigree and a lovely meaning. Its softer sound is very on trend for masculine names at the moment and is in line with more familiar monikers like Ezra, Elijah and Theo.
  11. Amata
    • Origin:

      Italian feminine variant of the Latin Amatus
    • Meaning:

      "beloved"
    • Description:

      Name that's virtually unknown here but has a lovely meaning and a simple sound and spelling.
  12. Pau
    • Origin:

      Catalan variant of Paul
    • Meaning:

      "small; peace"
    • Description:

      A very common name in Catalonia, in the northeast of Spain, in no small part because it translates as "peace" in the Catalan tongue. Alec and HIlaria Baldwin used it as one of the middle names for their son Eduardo.
  13. Arlet
    • Origin:

      Spanish and Catalan variant of French Arlette
    • Description:

      Arlet's is in the Top 100 in Spain, and this love is carrying over into the states as well, with Arlet being among the fastest-rising names of 2022. Related name Arleth is also red-hot, and was one of the fastest rising of the previous year in 2021, likely due to Telenovela star Arleth Teran. Arlet is also a character in the hit show "Infidels."
  14. Kiva
    • Origin:

      Hebrew, variant of Akiva
    • Meaning:

      "protect"
    • Description:

      The spiritual sounding Kiva has a number of other-worldly associations. Kiva is a "Stargate" character who becomes a commander in the Lucian Alliance, as well as a planet in "Star Wars." Kiva is also the name of a room used by the Hopi for spiritual ceremonies.
  15. Miah
    • Origin:

      Swedish variant of Mia
    • Description:

      Made most familiar by Miah Persson, a famous Swedish opera singer.
  16. Biel
    • Origin:

      Catalan variant of Gabriel
    • Description:

      A Top 10 boys' name in Catalonia that will likely be associated with actress Jessica Biel in the US.
  17. Pola
    • Origin:

      Short form of Amapola, Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "poppy"
    • Description:

      Pola is an international name that still bears the femme fatalish air of Polish-born silent screen vamp Pola Negri, whole birth name was Apolonia. Rarely used, she could join sisters Lola and Nola.
  18. Daveed
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "beloved"
    • Description:

      An uncommon variant of the classic name David that was brought to the fore by actor and rapper Daveed Diggs, one of the original stars of "Hamilton" on Broadway. He has said that his parents chose that spelling because his dad "liked the look of it."
  19. Ellar
    • Origin:

      Variation of Ealar, Scottish form of Hilary
    • Meaning:

      "cheerful"
    • Description:

      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 the Social Security Administration registered the name at all was in 1956, when six girls were named Ellar. Still, with Gaelic names being trendy, and the "El-" sound on the rise, it has some potential.
  20. Elikai
    • Origin:

      Hawaiian variant of Elisha
    • Description:

      A well-established (if rare) Hawaiian name that combines two trendy names: Elijah and Kai.

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