Names That Mean Variant
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About this list
The names
Arlet
Spanish and Catalan variant of French Arlette
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…
Marvin
Welsh, variant of Mervyn
"sea hill"
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…
Dane
English
"from Denmark"
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. Dane makes a great middle name, as…
Latisha
Modern variant of Letitia
"joy, happiness"
Latisha peaked in popularity in the US in 1979, reaching #221.
Miah
Swedish variant of Mia
Made most familiar by Miah Persson, a famous Swedish opera singer.
Sommer
German and Danish variant of Summer
You occasionally see the German and Danish word for "summer" pop up as a first name -- 16 girls were given it in 2016 -- and that trend may continue, now that the original has risen to Number 202 on…
Braiden
Spelling variant of Brayden
Another of the many -aiden names. Several spellings have charted in the US Top 1000 in recent years, but now most of the -aidens are fading. Braiden is no exception, dropping down the charts each…
Jory
Cornish variant of George, or diminutive of Jordan
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…
Kermit
Irish, variant of Diarmaid/Dermot
"without injunction, without envy"
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. Derived from the Irish surname Mac Diamada, itself from…
Monserrat
Spelling variant of Montserrat, Catalan place-name meaning "serrated mountain"
"serrated mountain"
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. Monserrat/Montserrat is a…
Liva
Danish
"variant of Lifa"
In old Norse mythology Lifa/Liva is one of only two people that are destined to survive Ragnarok (Nordic armageddon) and will therefore be the parents of a new race of man.
Amata
Italian feminine variant of the Latin Amatus
"beloved"
Name that's virtually unknown here but has a lovely meaning and a simple sound and spelling.
Akiva
Hebrew
"to protect, shelter"
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…
Pola
Short form of Amapola, Arabic
"poppy"
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.
Basha
Yiddish, variant of BATYA
"foreign woman"
Basha bears a family resemblance to other newly popular Slavic names Sasha and Mischa, all of them hearty, warm and welcoming.
Pau
Catalan variant of Paul
"small; peace"
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…
Sergia
Latin, female variant of Sergius and Sergio
"servant"
Not as common as brother Sergio, but still quite frequently heard in the Hispanic community, as in Bolivian singer Sergia Llanos.
Uziah
Hebrew, variant spelling of Uzziah, “Jehovah is my strength”
One of the most unusual of the biblical iah-options, this was the name of a long-reigning king of Judea, and just might appeal to the parent looking for a quasi-unique Old Testament choice. And it…
Thibaut
French variant of Theobald
A common first and last name in France and, especially, Belgium, more often spelled Thibault.
Kiva
Hebrew, variant of Akiva
"protect"
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…
