Updated November 2023
Across 108 pages
of 108
Polish diminutive
Iga is virtually unknown in the US but ranks among the Top 1000 girls' names in the UK, undoubtedly because of the number of Polish immigrants there. It is one of those nickname-names, like Isa and…
Greek mythology name
Io may be one of the slightest names in the book, but there aren't many two-letter names with as much substance as this Greek mythological example. Io, a name used for the largest moon of Jupiter,…
Feminine variation of John, Hebrew
"God is gracious"
Jan, not short for Janet or Janice but standing on its own, ranked in the Top 200 throughout the 1950s but dropped off the Top 1000 in the 1980s and now is a truly extinct name, given to fewer than…
Diminutive of Jemma or Jemima
"gem; dove"
There was an eighties cartoon queen named Jem (& The Holograms), and this is as likely to be a full name as a short form – deriving from Jemma, Jemima or Jameela.
Finnish, Danish, Swedish variation of Jo
"Jehovah increases"
A unisex Scandinavian name. Joa is more common for boys in Finland but equally split between sexes in Sweden and Denmark.
Diminutive of Jocelyn, German
"member of the Gauts tribe"
Joss is more fashionable than Jocelyn or Josslyn. This is a short form that could be used independently, a la the singer Joss Stone. One of a troupe of adorable boyish nicknames newly fashionable for…
Japanese
"maple tree"
No - not a creative spelling of Katy. This name, which can be used for boys or girls, means maple tree. Kaede is unusual in Japan although it has been gaining more popularity after it has been used…
Modern, initials K + C
A two-initial nickname occasionally used on birth certificates — and a minimalist spelling of Kaci/Casey.
English word name
"family; connectedness"
This unusual English word name and surname was the middle name of American sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick, after his mother's maiden name. Its striking sound and appealing meaning make it a promising…
Variation of Laïs, Greek, meaning unknown
Lais is an Anglicized spelling of Laïs and Laís. The former is the original Greek variation of the name, borne by several Ancient courtesans. Laís is the Portuguese form, common in Brazil.
Diminutive of Elisabeth or French
"lily"
Lys is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In French, it derives from 'fleur-de-lis' meaning 'lily,' a flower symbolizing purity and the French monarchy. In Welsh and Scandinavian…
Dutch variation of Marie
"bitter"
A Dutch version of Marie - this is a cute name that has potential.
Swedish
"mother"
Moa was among the Top 100 Swedish baby names throughout the 2000s and 2010s, though it has since declined in use. Pronounced as MOO-ah in Sweden, it is virtually unknown in the US. Could Moa make an…
Catalan
"serrated mountain"
This short form is ubiquitous in its native Catalonia, but barely used elsewhere. However, we can see it appealing to parents who want to honor a Montserrat with something shorter and cuter.
Variation of Neve or Niamh or a diminutive of Nevin, Ginevra, or Nevaeh
"snow; bright; new; white phantom; heaven"
Short and crisp, Nev may be a number of things: an alternative spelling to Irish Niamh, Spanish Nieves, and Italian Neve; a nickname for Geneva, Ginevra, Nevaeh, or Ginevra; an English and Turkish…
Variation of Ngọc, Vietnamese
"jade"
Popular unisex choice in Vietnam.
"peace"
Although more common as a boy name — it is also a Catalan form of Paul — Pau has some use as a girl name, thanks to its peaceful meaning.
Latin
"seek; mission"
Cool new Q-starting possibility which suggests a sense of curiosity and purpose.
"next child"
Distinctive and intriguing relative of Rae.
Mapuche (Chilean)
"flower"
Rayen is well-known in Chile, and sometimes seen in the Netherlands, as a Mapuche girls name meaning flower. This name could be an alternative to people who like Ryan but want to keep it as a boys…