By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 776 pages
of 776
ee-ZAY
This short and sweet French name is rising rapidly in its native country. Ysée is the most popular spelling, but variants include Isée, Isé and Ysé — the latter two are technically unisex, but only…
Persian
"golden"
An old Persian name meaning "golden" or "shining like gold". Today, the short form Zari is often used as a standalone.
Variant of Natalia
Star Wars fans may be interested in this unusual variant of Natalia with Leia -- as in the princess -- inserted into the second half. Nickname possibilities abound, making this one of those unique…
French
This jazzy French diminutive of Isabelle was first made famous by the title character of Raymond Queneau’s novel Zazie dans le métro , which was adapted into a film in 1960. It could also work as a…
Nickname name
Cardi B is the stage name of the rapper born Belcalis Almanzar. The name Cardi originated as a short form of Bacardi, a nickname the musician got because her sister is named Hennessy, after the…
English diminutive of Antigone, Greek
"worthy of one's parents, in place of one's parents"
An energetic nickname name occasionally encountered in England, particularly among Telegraph-reading circles. It is traditionally short for Antigone, but nowadays it's just as often bestowed as a…
English and Scottish nickname
"lamb or plump"
A bouncy English and Scottish nickname name, which originally started out as a term of endearment, either meaning "lamb" or (more probably) "plump". It has been in rare but regular use as a full name…
Finnish
A sweet Finnish nature name, meaning "cloud".
Scandinavian
Variant of Solveig.
Variant of Camry
Hebrew
Hebrew variant form of Deborah
Variation of Maelle
Aboriginal Australian
According to actress Yael Stone, who used this name for her daughter, it comes from the Djanbun clan of the Bundjalung nation.
American invented name
Part Hadley, part Madelyn, Madley might be viewed as either an invented smoosh name or an English place name. As a smoosh name, it could mean "field by the high tower" or "meadow of Magdala", while…
English word name
"of the stars"
This cosmological name is given to a handful of boys and girls each year in the USA. Likely to get confused with Stella, but definitely edgier and likely to start a conversation.
Diminutive of Cecilla
"blind"
A pretty, Frenchified nickname of Cecilia that would work well on its own, perhaps as a reference to an aunt Cece.
Arabic via Urdu
"beautiful"
Ultimately a feminization of the very fashionable boys' name Zayn, Zoyna and its ilk, such as Zaina and Zoya, are fairly popular Arabic names for girls in Pakistan and among Muslims in India.
Hawaiian
"night of the full moon"
A spirited name with major cross-cultural significance. In addition to its celestial meaning in Hawaiian, it means "rhyme" in Finnish and "congratulations" in Japanese.
Short form of Azalea or modern invented name
Zalie -- which may be styled Zayley or Zaylee or Zaylie, among other spellings -- might be a short form of the flower name Azalea or may also be a cute modern nickname-name used on its own. You might…
English surname
"noble"
An attractive unisex surname name, possibly derived from Adeline. May also be a variant of Eadlin.
