By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 119 pages
of 119
Japanese
"righteous; beautiful hope; valuable and beautiful"
This simple, bright Japanese name is used on both boys and girls and has numerous meanings. It can be interpreted as meaning "righteous" and "prince", or a combination of mi meaning "beautiful" and…
Diminutive of Mary or Margaret
Has a dotty, antic feel via dotty, antic Auntie Mame.
Miko is a multicultural feminine name with rich and varied origins. In Japanese, it can mean 'beautiful child' or refer to a shrine maiden or female shaman. In Hungarian, it serves as a diminutive of…
English form of Irish Ailbhe, Swedish and Norwegian feminine form of Alf
"white; elf"
While the male Alva or Alvah relates directly to the minor Biblical character, the female version is more likely an Anglicized form of the Irish name Ailbhe, or a feminine form the name Alf (and Alf-…
English
"helpful, pillow"
Cody is a once-trendy boys' name occasionally used for girls. The Cody trend has now given way to other nickname-y names such as Rory and Ruby.
Arabic
"morning, before noon"
Short, sweet Arabic name with a time-of-day meaning. In Islam, the Duha prayer is a voluntary morning prayer.
Color name
This color name, spelled either Gray or Grey is rapidly catching on. Actress Jenny von Oy recently called her daughter Gray Audrey.
German variation of Elizabeth
"pledged to God"
Ilsa is remembered as the radiant but tragic heroine of "Casablanca," and it's having something of a European resurgence.
Sanskrit
"affection, love"
An Indian name with a beautiful meaning, and a light sound that could easily travel across cultures.
Hebrew
"light"
Cute, nickname-y, and international, à la Romy or Demi. Spelling it Orly turns it into a busy French airport.
Greek; Hebrew; Persian
"mountain dweller; fruit; fairy"
This name used for both sexes in several cultures is quite well used in Israel.
Latin
"laughing"
Kwah, Liberian; variation of Snow
Snoh is a term used in Liberia by the indigenous Kwah people to refer to God. In the US, it may also be a spelling variation of word name Snow. Snoh rose in use in 2022, likely influenced by Swedish…
Short form of Sunita or Sunisa
Pronounced like Sunny, Suni is the nickname of astronaut Sunita Williams. Suni is also the nickname of US Olympic gymnast Suni Lee, whose full name is Sunisa.
English, diminutive of Victoria
"victory"
More modern nickname for Victoria than Vicky. Better known as Tori spelling.
"alive, living, life"
Viva la baby with this life-affirming name, one of the appealing group of girl names that mean life . Other related life-giving names on the rise: cousins Vida and Vita, and Vivian, Aviva, and even…
Czech
"white"
Since this is strictly a male name in Slavic cultures, better to stick with the "Bella" spelling here.
French
"blue"
The middle name of the Travoltas' Ella is used twice as often -- 36 to 18 babies in the US last year -- for boys as for girls, leaning even more to the male side than the traditional Blue.
Biblical place-name
Cana is well-known to readers of the Bible as the city where Jesus performed his first miracle. If other place names, both modern and ancient, real and mythical, can be baby names , why not Cana?…
Native American
This Native American tribe name is an attractive option for a boy or a girl. Tia Mowry used it for her son in 2011.
