By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 127 pages
of 127
Welsh
"lion, leader"
Welsh for "lion", or a nickname for Llewelyn. Could make a cooler substitute for the blander Lou.
Gaelic
"chief"
Also a medieval short form of Nicholas, it is still heard in Ireland and Scotland, where it has mythological resonance – Colla Uais was an ancient Irish prince who ruled over northern Britain before…
Hebrew
"chief, number one"
Alef was brought into the spotlight when Natalie Portman chose the alternate spelling Aleph for her son. This is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, similar to calling your child Alpha or Primo.
French
"cove"
Name of Faulkner's great emotional villain in As I Lay Dying , Anse is not ordinarily used as a first name. It literally means cove in French, though the element ans means God in Old German and is…
Dutch diminutive of Bartholomeus
"son of Talmai"
Popular Dutch name that reflects the short, clipped style in vogue in that country. Bart, another short form of Bartholomeus and Bartholomew, is also popular there.
Contemporary nickname, Armenian
"king; falcon, hawk"
Baze is a nouveau nickname that originated on the TV show "Life Unexpected," as the short form consistently used for the character Nathaniel (Nate) Bazile. Its similarity to the name Blaise lends it…
Rosh is not Ross, not Rush, but an improvement on both of those more familiar names. The Biblical Rosh was a son of Benjamin, so you might consider it to honor a father or otherwise ancestral…
Nickname for Milton
"settlement with a mill"
If you'd like to name your baby after Gov. Romney, Mitt isn't it: his birth name is Willard. Mitt is an inherited nickname from Milton Romney, a favorite cousin of his father's who was a Chicago…
Chinese or Aboriginal, meaning unknown
Kija was a legendary king who brought Chinese civilization -- including rice and writing -- to the Korean people, probably in the 2nd century BC. Kija is also the name of a group of Aboriginal people…
Latin, Hebrew, or Japanese
"from Mars; bitter; or, myself"
Maro is an ancient saints' name -- he was an Italian follower of St. Flavia and was martyred -- rarely used in modern life. The name Maro may stem from the Roman Marcellus, related to Mars, the god…
Irish
"victorious"
Variously spelled Covy and Covey, this is a surname derived from the first name Cobthach. Like cousins Coby and Cody, it has an energetic nickname feel.
Hawaiian
"night of the full moon"
Like a large proportion of traditional Hawaiian names, Hoku can be used for both girls and boys.
English word name
"an immature bean pod used as a vegetable"
The unisex word name Bean, distant cousin of the infamous Apple, was used for the name of a child in Louise Penny's novel "A Rule Against Murder." A cute choice, it's likely best reserved for a…
English word name, diminutive of Katherine, Greek
"pure"
Kick is a word name that some parents might use for their baby in utero — akin to Bean or Booboo — but it's increasingly being heard as a word name especially used in the middle, a la Jeremy Sisto…
Short form of Cabot, Cable, or Cabel
You don't need to choose the longer form of this unusual name to arrive at Cabe, brother of Gabe and Abe. This earthy, unusual, friendly nickname-name was given to a handful of boys last year and can…
Dutch diminutive of Lucas, Latin
"man from Lucania"
The most popular short form of Lucas in the Netherlands, the other being Loek.
Dutch short form of Gilbert or Gijsbert, Germanic
"bright pledge"
Currently in the Top 30 in the Netherland, Gijs is s short form of Gijsbert, itself the Dutch form of the Germanic Gisbert and Gilbert. Said to rhyme with nice , the G is pronounced like the end…
Dutch diminutive of Anthony
Teun, pronounced like something between ton and tune in English, is one of the most popular boys' names in The Netherlands, consistent with that country's preference for short, simple names. The…
Dutch diminutive of Martijn or Augustijn
This short form stands alone in its native Netherlands.
Dutch diminutive of Simon, Hebrew
"the listener"
An attractive and popular choice in the Netherlands, but not one we see making it to the Top 50 in the US anytime soon.
