Names That Mean Little

  1. Oshin
    • Origin:

      Manx
    • Meaning:

      "little deer"
    • Description:

      This Manx form of the popular Irish name Oisín is perhaps a more intuitive spelling outside of Ireland.
  2. Corcan
    • Origin:

      Manx
    • Meaning:

      "little heart"
    • Description:

      A lovely Manx name with an even lovelier meaning.
  3. Becan
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "little man"
    • Description:

      This more user-friendly Anglicized form of Beacan, could profit from its kinship with the popular Beckett--with which it could share the nickname Beck. Becan is an Irish saint's name, attached to the founder of a sixth century monastery.
  4. Eneko
    • Origin:

      Basque
    • Meaning:

      "my little one"
    • Description:

      Despite Eneko's very sweet meaning, it packs a lot of historical punch. Eneko Aritza was the first Basque king of Pamplona. It is somewhat related to the more well known Inigo.
  5. Sweeney
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "the little hero"
    • Description:

      The double 'e' gives this Celtic surname a genial sound. It derives from an old Irish name — Suibhne (SHEEV-ne) that was borne by several early saints and kings, including, unfortunately, one known as Mad Sweeney who spent his life living in trees and composing nature poetry. Another possible drawback is the association with Sweeney Todd, the bloodthirsty butcher of Sondheim stage-musical fame.
  6. Lunet
    • Origin:

      Welsh or French, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "idol, image; little moon"
    • Description:

      In Welsh, Lunet is a form of Luned or Eluned, a saint's name that also appears in Arthurian legend as a servant of the Lady of the Fountain who rescues the knight Owain.
  7. Vignette
    • Origin:

      English from French
    • Meaning:

      "short and evocative description; little vine"
    • Description:

      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 photo that fades into the background, sans border.
  8. Anissa
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "friendly"
    • Description:

      A pretty and delicate cousin of Anna is often heard in Scotland and is also currently popular in France. In the US it was brought to public attention by child actress Anissa Jones, who played Buffy on the popular TV show Family Affair, which debuted in 1966, bringing her name onto the charts the following year. Born Mary Anissa, her middle/stage name reflected her Lebanese heritage.
  9. Anshika
    • Origin:

      Hindi
    • Meaning:

      "beautiful little thing"
    • Description:

      A sweet-sounding Hindi name with a lovely meaning.
  10. Niven
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "little saint"
    • Description:

      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 name was given to only six boys in the US last year. Your parents may be familiar with actor David Niven.

      Other forms of the name include Nevan and Nevin.
  11. Hagan
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "little fire; young"
    • Description:

      For fans of Hayden, Aiden, and Logan who are on the hunt for something familiar but unique, Hagan may be a possibility. It comes from the Irish surname Higgins, which itself derives from either Ó hAodhagáin or Ó hÁgáin, lending it the meanings "little fire" or "young".
  12. Harbin
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "little bright warrior"
    • Description:

      A possible new entry in the Hayden-Corbin two-syllable boys' name club.
  13. Bambalina
    • Origin:

      Italian
    • Meaning:

      "little girl"
    • Description:

      Better saved for a doll.
  14. Usti
    • Origin:

      Cherokee
    • Meaning:

      "little"
    • Description:

      A Cherokee word name. Usti's feminine counterpart, Usdi, means "baby."
  15. Ninetta
    • Origin:

      Italian and Spanish diminutive of Nina
    • Meaning:

      "little girl"
    • Description:

      Might be carrying things too far -- little little girl? -- though could freshen up this favorite.
  16. Aodhnait
    • Origin:

      Irish, Gaelic
    • Meaning:

      "little fire"
    • Description:

      An ancient Irish saint's name derived from the same root as the popular Aidan.
  17. Rousseau
    • Origin:

      French surname
    • Meaning:

      "little redhead"
    • Description:

      Rousseau gives French flair to other red-haired names like Russell and Rory. It is associated with the influential eighteenth century philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, as well as the painter Henri Rousseau.
  18. Cantara
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "little bridge"
    • Description:

      An interesting and unusual choice, with a choral feel.
  19. Lillevi
    • Origin:

      Swedish
    • Meaning:

      "little devoted one"
    • Description:

      A sweet and sparky modern Swedish name, derived from the word for "little" plus the suffix vi, which may mean "devoted, dedicated". An intriguing alternative to the popular Lily family of names.
  20. Tenten
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "heaven; little by little; dot"
    • Description:

      Tenten is not a given Japanese name, but it was used for a character in the Naruto franchise.

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