Names That Mean Gracious

This diminutive of Ivan is commonly used for girls in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Elaborate, ultra-feminine variation of Gianna.

This common name in Finland, which is also a diminutive for Jan in Sweden, might feel a bit feminine in the English-speaking world, too close to girls' names Jan and Jane.

Irish form of Johnny

Nicknames ending in o are invariably cute, though this one is a boys' name in its own right. And not just any boy name, but a saint's name no less. Saint Hanno, aka Saint Anno, was an 10th century archbishop of Cologne, He is also known as, less attractively, Hanno of Worms, which is one of the oldest cities in Germany.

This name appears frequently in the Old Testament, notably as the Hebrew name of Shadrach.

A contracted form of Yehochanan, the Biblical Hebrew form of John. Variants include Yohanan and Johanan and the increasingly popular short form is Yahya.

The Catalan form of Mercedes, with the same Marian associations.

An elaboration of Jaan, not quite as widely used in Estonia as the original. Jaan is the Estonian form of John.

A spunky diminutive of Hanne, itself derived from Johanna or Johanne.

Currently fashionable in Slovenia.

Jianna was one of the fastest-rising names of 2020 after the deaths of Kobe and Gianna Bryant. It continued to rise in 2021.

Juana with an X factor.

La is the French prefix used to indicate paternity, much the same way Mc or O' are used in Irish and the son suffix is used in English. First names with the La prefix were popularized in the 19th century by the Free Blacks of New Orleans, who used La plus the father's first name, making Lashawn (or LaShawn) a name meaning son (or child) of Shawn, a phonetic spelling of Sean, the Irish variation of John.

More streamlined – and more authentic – than Shawna.

A gorgeous Hebrew name that was originally used for boys, but is now increasingly used for girls as well. As a bonus, you get the sweet built-in nickname Nina.