By Brynn McKeon · Updated September 2026
Across 14 pages
of 14
Anglicized spelling of Irish Niamh or Italian and Portuguese
"snow"
Introduced to the American public by actress Neve Campbell; it was her Dutch-born mother's maiden name. Neve is an interesting and fresh new possibility, one which Conan O'Brien chose for his…
Aramaic and Hebrew
"light"
Beguiling cousin of Sahara.
Russian, diminutive of Veronika; Slovenian; Croatian, feminine form of Nicholas
Enticing modern nickname name possibility.
Basque
"wish"
A very popular girls' name in the Basque country and Puerto Rico. It is among the Top 100 Spanish baby names , so it's a girls' name that's widely used in Spain.
Hindi, Sanskrit
"sapphire blue"
A variation of Nila, a name spread through African by the substantial Indian population there. Also a variant of Neala and Neila.
Spanish
"white snow"
Has a pure, clean aura, but is also evocative.
Spanish variation of Nathan, Hebrew
"given"
Spanish spelling of the Hebrew classic that might prove confusing to non-Spanish speakers.
Japanese, Norse
"doctrine or seaweed; north or small person"
Attractive, simple Japanese choice that, while not strictly unisex, could work even better for a girl, especially now that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West use it as the nickname for their daughter…
Serbian
"new"
Tennis star Novak Djokovic introduced this new first name to the English-speaking world, though it had long been familiar as a surname. The celebrity Novak, one of the greatest tennis players of all…
Spanish place-name
"covered in snow"
Named for its snowcapped mountains, Nevada is a state name which, unlike Carolina, Montana, and Dakota, has been relatively undiscovered. Warning: today's unvisited place-name could become tomorrow's…
Spanish diminutive of Daniel
"God is my judge"
So much more worldly than Danny.
Irish
"holy"
Possible Gaelic alternative to Kevin and Devon.
Greek mythology name
"night"
Nyx is the name of the Greek goddess of the night, and while it does lean feminine in the US, 27 boys did receive the name in a recent year compared to 69 girls. Short, snappy, and distinctive in…
Russian cognate of Greek Aniketos
"unconquered"
A popular choice in Russia, Nikita is a sharp, zippy choice that became heavily associated with the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in the 50s and 60s. Derived from the Greek name Niketas meaning…
Hebrew
"locking, closing"
This name of the final service on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is sometimes given symbolically to girls born on that day.
Swahili, Arabic
"divine grace, blessing"
Ultimately from the Arabic ni'ma , this Swahili name celebrates the blessing of a baby. Also used as a masculine name, Neema is notably borne by film director Neema Barnette and activist Neema…
Russian, Sanskrit
"victor; house"
Sharp and spiky with international potential, as a feminine name, Nikita has its roots in Hindi, Marathi, and ultimately Sanskrit. It comes from niketa , meaning "home, habitation", and may also be…
Italian, diminutive of Nicola
"people of victory"
A much more dynamic nickname than Nicky for any of the Nic-names. Part of a growing trend of boyish nicknames for girls - alongside Stevie and Lou - Nico has cheerful, snappy sounds, and a fresh,…
Greek
"lion of the new city"
Overly ambitious choice, recently borne by the hapless hero of cult movie hit Napoleon Dynamite.
Arabic
"safe"
Spelled Najee, this was chosen by rapper LL Cool J for his son several years ago.
