Names That Mean Little
Across 13 pages
of 13
Hamlin
German
"little home-lover"
One you might like for its cozy meaning, but there is that Pied Piper rat connection.
Harbin
German
"little bright warrior"
A possible new entry in the Hayden-Corbin two-syllable boys' name club.
Jenkin
Flemish
"little John"
Possible (and offbeat) middle name twist when honoring a familial John.
Keiran
Spelling variation of Kieran
"little dark one"
While Kieran is the class and most-used male form of this name, some people spell it Keiran in keeping with the female Keira, the version popularized by the gorgeous Ms. Knightley.
Ondine
Latin
"little wave"
Mythological spirit of the waters; spelled Undine, she was an Edith Wharton heroine.
Malin
Bulgarian, English
"raspberry; little warrior"
An international and unisex choice, Malin is a rare northern English name associated with the city of Sheffield. In this case, it would mean "little warrior". As a Bulgarian choice, it is a masculine…
Mannix
Irish
"a little monk"
An X -ending surname less common than the Jolie-Pitt-inspired Maddox. Grandparents might still associate it with the old TV crime show.
Chiqueta
Variation of Chiquita, Spanish
"little one"
This is an obscure spelling of the banana brand name.
Marceau
French variation of Marcel
"little warrior"
Mime Marcel Marceau actually had two versions of the same name. Marcel, Marceau, Marcella, Marcus, Mark -- all are variation of the Roman mythological name Mars, the god of war.
Niven
Scottish
"little saint"
Excellent candidate for use as an undiscovered surname name. Niven is the Anglicized spelling of the Irish name Naomhan, a diminutive of the word naomh which means saint. This handsome but unusual…
Oisín
Irish Gaelic
"little deer"
The name of the son of the legendary Finn McCool is often Anglicized to Ossian, but the original has recently been revived in Ireland and is currently among the most popular boys' names there.
Ossin
Irish, variation of Ossian
"little dear"
This name relates to Oisin, a famous ancient Irish poet, the son of Finn MacCool.
Bichette
French
"little doe"
Charming Gallic possibility but with some obvious playground problems.
Oran
Hebrew, Irish, Scottish
"light, song, little green one"
A calm and gentle multicultural choice. Oran is popular in Ireland, where its Gaelic form is Odhrán, meaning "little green one". In Scottish Gaelic, the name means "song", and in Hebrew, it's a…
Darren
Irish
"little great one"
Darren and wife Sharon shop for fifties memorabilia on eBay. The Connecticut place-name Darien might offer an update.
Parnell
French
"little Peter"
Likable choice for history-minded parents who might want to honor Irish patriot Charles Parnell.
Ninetta
Italian and Spanish diminutive of Nina
"little girl"
Might be carrying things too far -- little little girl? -- though could freshen up this favorite.
Prewitt
French
"brave little one"
Common surname rarely used as a first.
Quennel
French, Nahuatl
"dweller at the little oak tree; what is to be done, what remedy"
A multicultural option, visually similar to Quinn or Quentin and similar in sound to Kenneth, Cal, and Kelvin. As a French name, it relates to someone who lives near oak trees, while as a Nahuatl…
Ciarán
Gaelic
"little black-haired one"
Long popular in Ireland and England, Ciarán is the name of Ireland's first-born saint and twenty-five other saints. While this is the authentic Irish spelling, it is more familiar in the US in the…