By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 5 pages
of 5
Chinese
"leaf"
Ye is a name with a lovely meaning, which is probably just a bit short for usage outside the Chinese community. Paired with Mei, however, it could work. Ye-Mei would mean beautiful leaf, a lovely…
Ib is a rare feminine name with ancient roots, most prominently associated with Danish culture where it serves as a short form of the masculine name Ibsen or Jakob. In its feminine usage, it…
Yo is an uncommon feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In Japanese, it can be a shortened form of names containing the 'yo' sound, representing positive qualities like 'sun' or 'good…
Cornish
This punchy little name, reminiscent of Latin Io, has a whimsical and beautiful fable behind it. According to legend, the Cornish saint Ia was an Irish princess who sailed across the sea to Cornwall…
Cantonese surname that is occasionally heard as a first. The lack of vowels would make this one hard to wear in English-speaking countries.
Du is an extremely rare feminine given name in English-speaking contexts, though it functions more commonly as a surname of Chinese, Vietnamese, or French origin. As a Chinese surname (杜), it ranks…
French, intimate form of "you"
"you"
The onetime star of "Northern Exposure" named his daughter Tu Morrow. Think about it.
Hebrew or Chinese
"to me, or logic, power, beauty"
This short and sweet multicultural name has a lot of potential meanings packed into its two letters! As a Hebrew name, it is unisex, and means "to me". As a Chinese name, it is also unisex, and has a…
Spanish
"faith"
Relatively popular in Spain until the middle of the 20th century, this sweet and lively Spanish virtue name is also a Marian name, short for María de Fe. In Galician, it is sometimes also short for…
Japanese
"love; indigo"
Short form of Rose, Rosemary, Rowena, Rory et al
Ro is a casual short form that doesn't usually appear on the birth certificate on its own. But it makes a friendly nickname for any girls' name starting with Ro-.
Tupian
"mother"
In the Tupi culture indigenous to Brazil, Ci is a primeval mother goddess.
Karen
"to love"
A brief name from the Karen culture of Myanmar.
Italian river name
The good news: the Po is Italy's longest river, flowing across the north. The bad news: Po is a manic, scooter-riding red Teletubby.
Hebrew
"light"
Once a truly gender-neutral name in Israel, now used more often for boys. You may also consider Ora, Orli, or Orit.
Fa is a concise feminine name with diverse cultural origins. In Chinese, Fa (发/發) can mean 'to send out' or 'to develop,' symbolizing prosperity and growth. In Vietnamese, it may relate to musical…
Si is an intriguing feminine name with diverse cultural origins. In Chinese, Si (pronounced 'see') can represent various characters meaning 'silk,' 'thinking,' or 'four,' depending on the tone and…
