By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 127 pages
of 127
French/Breton form of Matthew
"gift of God"
This gallicized spelling of Mazhe, itself a Breton version of Matthew, is currently popular for baby boys in France, where it ranks in the Top 100. But this is one European name that probably will…
Scottish place name
"the little bay"
A pretty town in Scotland, named for its perfect horseshoe-shaped bay.
Finnish form of Adolph, German
"noble wolf"
Adolph is of course a name that is shunned by most people around the world, but Aatu is a form that feels far enough away from the original to be usable.
Adas is a masculine name with diverse cultural roots. In Lithuanian, it functions as a diminutive of the biblical name Adam, meaning 'earth' or 'man.' It's also found in Polish communities with…
Sanskrit
"love, desire"
Kama is the winged Hindu god of love, son of Lakshmi. His proper name is Kamadeva.
Jéan is a masculine name that represents a stylistic variation of Jean, the French form of John. The addition of the acute accent changes the pronunciation slightly while adding a distinctive visual…
Leão is a Portuguese masculine name meaning 'lion.' It's the Portuguese equivalent of Leon or Leo, derived from the Latin 'leo.' The name carries strong connotations of courage, strength, and…
Slovene
"dawn"
A uniquely Slovene name, ideal for a son born in the early morning.
Japanese
"number, amount"
Like many Japanese names, Kazu can be used for either gender and has a range or meanings, depending on how the kanji are drawn and interpreted. It can also be short for names such as Kazuko or Kazuya.
Adok is a masculine name with possible roots in several cultures, including African and Hebrew traditions. In some African communities, particularly in South Sudan among the Dinka people, Adok may be…
Russian diminutive of Isaak and Isidor
"laughter; gift of Isis"
Izya is a unisex Russian nickname, used for Isaak and Isidore for boys, and for Isabel and Isidora for girls. Unlike other Russian nicknames (Sasha, Anya, Sonya), this has not caught on…
Diminutive of Jernej, Slovene
"son of the furrow"
A popular Slovene nickname-turned-independent-name that, believe it or not, is related to Bartholomew. Nejc sounds like Nate.
Abia is a masculine name with ancient biblical and historical roots. It appears in the Bible as the name of several figures, including King Abijah of Judah, as Abia is the Latin form of the Hebrew…
Abey is a masculine name with multiple cultural origins. It can be a diminutive form of Abraham, meaning "father of multitudes" in Hebrew, or a variant of Abbie. In some contexts, it appears as an…
African, Nigerian, Yoruba
"the crown meets joy"
Short form of Adebayo
Diminutive of Adrian or Hindi
"stone, mountain"
While Adri is an Indian male name, it is more often heard throughout Europe as a diminutive of Adrian in its many forms. Pronunciation might be ay-dree or ah-dree, depending on the pronunciation of…
"full moon"
Raka is a Sanskrit word name — raka means "full moon" in the ancient language. Raka is mostly used as a boy name, but in the US, could reasonably be worn by a girl as well.
French, diminutive of names ending in -naël
"gift of God; blessed and generous"
The traditional French spelling of Nael, Naël is a French diminutive of names ending in -nael, though in recent years, it has risen up the charts as a standalone choice. A Top 20 name in France, it…
Word name
Howl joins the wild new gang of names with attitude to spare: We're talking Rebel, Rogue, Wilder, and Wiley. Howell makes it much more genteel.
Odön is a masculine name with Hungarian origins, a variant of the more common Ödön. The name derives from the Germanic element 'ed' meaning 'prosperity' or 'wealth.' In Hungarian tradition, it's…
