By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 31 pages
of 31
Greek
"night"
Variant spelling of Nyx, the name of the Greek goddess of the night. It also coincides with the English word " nix , a corruption of German nichts "nothing". Nix would fit right in with names like…
Saw is a concise masculine name with multiple cultural origins and meanings. In English contexts, it may derive from the occupational surname for someone who worked with saws. In Burmese tradition,…
Diminutive of Thaddeus, Aramaic
"gift of God"
An approachable mini name that could go on the birth certificate, but may work best as a nickname. Full name options include Thaddeus, Theodore, and Thomas, which was the given name of Abe's son Tad…
Hebrew
"rain, dew"
A unisex Hebrew name often found in combination with others, as in Tal-El and Tal-Or.
Arabic, Hebrew
"splendour, light, glow; shaking, trembling"
A succinct variation of Ziya, Zia is an Arabic boy name, with a glowing meaning, also used as the Urdu and Bengali transcription. Notable bearers of the name include Bangaledeshi politician Ziaur…
Armenian
"king"
Ara is a unique boys' name that one of the most melodious in the Armenian name pool, familiarized by Notre Dame football coach Ara Parseghian. In Armenian mythology, Ara was a king so handsome that a…
Ary is a masculine name with multiple possible origins. It could be a shortened form of larger names like Aryeh (Hebrew for 'lion'), Aristotle, or Aryan. In Hebrew contexts, it directly relates to…
Arabic, Turkish
"gift, ancestor"
Although it's a traditional male name in the Middle East, Ata has a more feminine read in the US.
Chinese, Vietnamese
"treasure, jewel"
A unisex Chinese and Vietnamese with an appealingly simple, vowel-rich spelling.
Che is a masculine name with significant historical and cultural connections. Most famously associated with Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, the Argentine revolutionary, the name carries strong political…
Vietnamese, Ancient Egyptian nickname, "shining, successful, brightness; Amon is satisfied"
"shining, successful, brightness; Amon is satisfied"
A common Vietnamese name with a bright meaning, predominantly used for boys, though occasionally given to girls. The predominantly feminine form however is Huệ. Outside of Vietnamese circles, it may…
Diminutive of Jeptha
Jules Jephtha "Jep" Robertson, one of the stars of A&E's Duck Dynasty , is singlehandedly reviving this obscure nickname name. It's also allegedly been used as a nickname for Geoffrey and a little…
Kay as a masculine name has diverse origins. It can be a short form of names like Kenneth or Kai, or derive from the Middle English word 'key.' In Arthurian legend, Sir Kay was King Arthur's foster…
English, diminutive of Moses
"delivered"
If Gus and Max have made it, why not Moe? Can it be the lingering Three Stooges effect? We think that Moe, like Joe, is one of the friendliest and most open of regular guy nickname names and should…
Variation of Nazir, Arabic
"similar"
Naz is occasionally used as-is on the birth certificate, but you're more likely to encounter it as a nickname for Nazir or Nazareth.
Nature name
"herb; regret"
Botanical choice that can work for either gender. Simple and straightforward. Caveats: rue means "regret" in English, and "street" in French. Now in the Top 1000 in England and Wales for girls and…
English word name, diminutive of Sylvester
A bit too cunning.
Tae is a masculine name with East Asian origins, most prominently used in Korean and Japanese cultures. In Korean, Tae (태) means 'greatness,' 'enormous,' or 'extreme,' and is often combined with…
Scottish place-name
This name of the largest river in Scotland, renowned for its salmon fishing, is usually thought of as a nickname for Taylor.
"deer"
An alternative transcription of Tzvi, the latter of which is a Top 100 pick in Israel. It's a cool, sharp-sounding micro name which would make for a great distinctive alternative to Levi.
