Names That Mean Variant
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Aleix
Catalan variant of Alexis
Very popular in Catalonia, in part because of its use by a number of pro athletes. English speakers, though, may interpret it as a "yoonek" spelling of Alex.
Elixane
Basque, diminutive or local variant of Elizabeth
"pledged to God"
A rare name even among Basque speakers (fewer than 20 women in Spain are called Elixane), this beautiful name has drawn some attention via Elixane Lechemia, the French pro-tennis player. With its…
Zerline
French variant of Zerlin and Zerlina
"beautiful dawn"
Although a variant of the operatic Zerlina, Zerline has her own theatrical tale. She is the star character of the opera Fra Diavolo by Daniel Auber. Zerline, daughter of the innkeeper of Terracina,…
Aleksander
Polish, Slovene, Estonian, Norwegian, and Danish form Alexander, Greek
"defending man"
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,…
Matreya
possible variant of Maitreya
Maitreya -- with an I -- is the Sanskrit name of a messianic future Buddha, according to the Buddhist tradition. Without the I, it's most closely associated with Canadian teen actress Matreya Fedor.…
Ellar
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…
Daveed
Hebrew
"beloved"
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…
Ruslan
Slavic from Turkic
"lion"
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…
Ozymandias
Greek variant of Ramses, Egyptian
"begotten by Ra, the Sun God"
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…
Akelina
Hawaiian variant of Adeline
One of the many Hawaiian variants of European names to come out of King Kamehameha IV's 1860 edict mandating the use of Western-style baby names in the tropical archipelago.
Kalolina
Hawaiian variant of Caroline
Add this seldom-heard name to the vast array of international takes on Caroline.
Kukana
Hawaiian variant of Susannah
When King Kamehamaha IV of Hawaii mandated that residents of the island nation take on Western-style names in 1860, they adapted many traditional English first names to the unique Hawaiian…
Polala
Hawaiian variant of Flora
An unusual Hawaiianization of the fashionable erstwhile "grandma name" Flora, Polala is one of those unique baby names with crossover potential.
Akamu
Hawaiian variant of Adam
The Hawaiian version of ultra-classic Adam could make a cool choice for parents seeking something that feels fresh but still has roots in tradition. It also means "to blush" in Japanese.
Akela
Hawaiian variant of Asher or Adela
A unisex name in Hawaii, where it can signify either Asher (for boys) or Adela (for girls), Akela was also the name of a character in Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book .
Ekela
Hawaiian variant of Ezra
One of the many Hawaiian versions of biblical names to come out of King Kamehamaha IV's 1860 edict requiring his citizens to adopt Western-style names.
Elikai
Hawaiian variant of Elisha
A well-established (if rare) Hawaiian name that combines two trendy names: Elijah and Kai.
Kimo
Hawaiian variant of James
An upbeat Hawaiian name with the fashionable -o ending, Kimo would theoretically be an appealing choice... were it not for its homophony with the grim word "chemo."
Bohemas
Romani, variant of Bohemia
Boamos
Romani, variant of Bohemia / Bohemas