Updated November 2026
Across 15 pages
of 15
Hawaiian form of Matthew
"gift of God"
A refreshing variation on the Biblical classic Matthew, this Hawaiian form blends the stylish -o ending with the cool Kai sound. First appearing in the US stats in 1999, it has been climbing…
Spelling variation of Theodora, feminine variation of Theodore, Greek
As Theodore gets more popular for boys (it's now in the Top 10, and may even reach Number 1), Theodora is becoming more widely-used for girls, which means various spellings and short forms will…
Arabic
"gift"
A simple and pretty Arabic option that has been on the rise in the UK in recent years, possibly thanks to several famous Hibas, including telenovela actress Hiba Abouk from the hit show El Principe…
Spanish variation of Matthew
This semi-obscure historic name was recently chosen for their son by Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez. A possible namesake is Maceo Grajales, a Cuban guerrilla leader who was second-in-command of…
"gift from Allah"
Manha is a Muslim name given to about 100 baby girls in the US last year.
Hebrew
Shai is a name newly-used in the US for both boys and, slightly less often, girls. Though the correct pronunciation is "shy", many will say shay, which might be all right with you.
Diminutive of Theodora and Isidora, Greek
Dora is poised for a comeback, right behind Laura, Nora, Cora, and Flora. First-time parents who haven't watched cartoons in a couple of decades should be aware of the Dora the Explorer connection,…
Short form of Theodora, Greek
Now that Theodora (and Dorothea) are back, the adorable Teddi might work again for a baby girl. Teddi fits the rising trend of boyish nicknames for girls - alongside picks like Leni and Charlie.…
Variation of Jane
"God is gracious"
For a minute or two this sounded more modern than Janet, now equally outmoded.
Greek, French, from Hebrew
One of the relatives on the widely-branching family of John names, Yanis is in the French Top 50 and was a fast rising choice in the UK in 2022, when it went from being outside the Top 1000 to…
Mayan
Itzae is an ancient Mayan name showing signs of revival in our modern world.
Sanskrit
This Indian name meaning gift or offering feels familiar via sound-alikes Angela or Angelina, and made a brief appearance on the U.S. Top 1000. Anjali is a pretty route to a name that's at once easy…
Scottish, Meru, or Hawaiian
"son of Kenneth; happy one, gift"
Makena may be one of the names with the most diverse range of possible roots. It can be a spelling variation of the Scottish surname McKenna, or a name from the East African Meru community with a…
Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
With brother name Theodore ranking in the US top 10, this alternative might appeal to parents looking to honor Italian, Portuguese, or Spanish heritage.
Diminutive of Jane
Janet started as a pet form of Jane but has long been used independently. Jane is a feminine form of John, which derived from the Hebrew name Yochanan. Janet can also be considered a variation of…
Portuguese variation of Matthew, Hebrew
Portuguese variation of Matthew.
"gift of Jehovah"
The Hebrew variation of Jonathan, occasionally heard in the US.
Greek
"gift of the ocean"
Doris had long been on our so-far-out-it-will-always-be-out-for-babies list, and seemed to be written there in indelible ink. But there are signs of a sea change, that Doris could profit from the…
Diminutive of Theodora, Greek
Cute boyish short forms like Stevie, Scottie, Frankie and Billie are in some ways a relic of the past, when girls were given feminized versions of their father's names, but now, they're back in as…
Slavic, American
Possibly a spin on Damir, a Slavic name from the elements "give" and "peace, world" or from a revolutionary slogan. But the name's usage in the US seems more likely to be tied to its fashionable…