Names That Mean Little
Across 13 pages
of 13
Coleman
English and Irish
"little dove"
The name of three hundred saints, a mustard, and your own baby boy. Coleman was off the US Top 1000 list for much of the 1960s and 1970s, but it was a mainstay before and has been for most years…
Rían
Irish
"little king"
The origin of the Anglicized Ryan, this Irish name feels like a brighter and fresher alternative.
Derin
Variation of Darren, Irish
"little great one"
A rare, gender-neutral take on Darren. As a feminine name, Derin has Turkish roots.
Petrushka
Russian
"little stone, parsley"
Russian diminutive from Pyotr (Peter), a very familiar form generally used only for small children, pets or close family members. It's also the Russian word for the herb parsley. The most famous…
Atla
Norse
"little mother"
A Norse goddess who was one of the nine mothers of Heimdall. Atli, the masculine form, is related to the popular Hungarian name Attila.
Eunan
Irish
"little Adam, or little fearful one"
A saint’s name, Anglicized from Adomnán or Ádhamhnán, which may derive either from Ádhamh (Adam) or from Gaelic adomnae "great fear". St Eunan was a 7th century abbot of Iona best known for his "Law…
Row
Diminutive of Rowan or Rowena, Irish, Scottish, Welsh
"rowan tree, little redhead; white spear, famous friend"
Ro- names are on the rise — think Roman, Rory, and Rowan — but straightforward and streamlined Row (and Rowe, Roe, and Ro) takes this trend to the next level. The pared-down single syllable gives Row…
Etty
English diminutive or names ending with 'etta' or 'ette'
"little"
Ettie or Etty works as a nickname for any name with a prominent "et" sound, usually at the end: think Henrietta, Juliette or Colette. The -ette ending is a French diminutive suffix.
Joliet
French
"little pretty one"
Juliet sound-alike Joliet actually derives from the name Jolie, and was historically a term of endearment, later a surname. It's an attractive alternative to Juliet names and could work to honor a…
Fiadhnait
Irish
"little deer"
Sweet Irish saint's name related to the rising star Fiadh.
Umama
Arabic
"little mother"
This name quite fittingly means "little mother."
Ayden
Variation of Aidan, Irish
"little and fiery"
Ayden in all its variations is becoming more unisex. Still, there were only 47 girl Aydens born last year vs. 3600+ baby boys with the Ayden spelling alone.
Umayma
Variation of Umama, Arabic
"little mother"
An attractive possibility among girl names starting with U , borne by the aunt of the Prophet Muhammad.
Drumlin
Irish
"little ridge"
Bombette
English invented name
"little bomb"
An explosive name brought to public attention by Olympic skateboarder Bombette Martin. Her name was inspired by her dad's boxing nickname, Bomber.
Vignette
English from French
"short and evocative description; little vine"
The french word vignette literally means "little vine," but in English it is a literary and art term. In literature, a vignette refers to a brief but vivid description, and in art, an illustration or…
Rian
Irish
"little king"
As Ryan quickly becomes a plausible option for a girl, some parents may be interested in the spelling Rian — the more authentic and original form of the name.
Snieguolė
Lithuanian
"little snow"
The Lithuanian name for Snow White, as well as the word for "snowflake" and the snowdrop flower.
Rini
Japanese
"little bunny"
Cute Japanese name with a nickname to match. Rini was used in the Sailor Moon series.
Clarinet
French
"little bell"
Woodwind instrument which could have baby name potential, given its proximity to names like Clare and Juliet.