Updated November 2023
Across 5 pages
of 5
Spanish
"small river"
Short and feminine, Ria has a rhythmic flow.
Japanese
"small lily"
French, feminine variation of Paul
"small"
Pauline had its moment of glory a century ago, when movie audiences were thrilling to the silent serial The Perils of Pauline , released in 1914. A Top 50 name in the US between 1908 and 1930, it…
Russian variation of Paul
Pavel may be widespread in the former Soviet Union, but it has a somewhat impoverished image here.
Irish
"small shoe"
Brogan is a cheerful Irish surname that would fit right in with the Logans and Br-starting names now trendy for boys. It's been on the pop list for the past three years, though it's sliding again.…
English word name
"small Christian church"
This rare spiritual word name could see a boost now that Josh Brolin used it for his daughter, born in December of 2020. Like many of the new additions to this category, Chapel is appropriate for a…
Variation of Lane
"a small roadway or path"
Unisex Lane is a hit for boys in the last few decades, remaining around the 200s in popularity. Laine may lean a bit more feminine, but still has that unisex feel.
Japanese, Norse
"doctrine or seaweed; north or small person"
Attractive, simple Japanese choice that, while not strictly unisex, could work even better for a girl, especially now that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West use it as the nickname for their daughter…
Spiritual word names are a hot trend and ever-expanding category of baby names. Chapel was notably used in 2020 by Josh Brolin for his daughter. He said of her name, "Chapel Grace is, to us, a…
English nature name
"small stream"
Brooke variation – or is the other way around? – that makes it more a nature name, less an eighties-style androgynous name.
English
"small brood of birds"
This offbeat word name refers to a small brood of birds. Cove has been an up-and-coming unisex nature name in recent years, and a few parents are recognizing Covey as an alternative. Be warned though…
Now that the popularity of Brooke is waning, and surname style variant Brooks is on the rise, Brook seems live a newly fresh nature-inspired option.
Welsh
This tailored Welsh surname is an attractive option for girls, fitting in with other single-syllable prepster girl names such as Sloane and Quinn. Vaughn can also be spelled Vaughan, as in the…
Variation of Yareli, Native American, Spanish
"water lady; small butterfly"
"a small salamander"
Rarely used on its own and irrevocably tied to former House Speaker Gingrich -- who was christened Newton.
Russian, diminutive of Pavel
"small, humble"
Similar in sound to Sasha, Pasha is a Russian diminutive of the name Pavel, itself a form of Paul. Also used as a title for a high ranking officer in the (now historical) Ottoman military, and as the…
Variation of Nori, Norse
"north, small person"
Nore comes from Nori, the Old Norse mythological name of the founder of Norway. As a feminine name, Nore is a variation of Nora popular in the Netherlands.
English, diminutive
"small valley"
The kind of name last found in northern Wisconsin in the 1950s, and even then it was probably a nickname for Delbert.
Short form of Rebecca or English
"one living beside a small stream"
Although the single-named singer is male, this might be a girl's nickname name or a sleek nature name that's perfect in the middle.
Breton and Catalan form of Paul
Pol, pronounced as "pole," though a popular Breton name, would be an unusual form of a simple classic elsewhere. The Breton Saint Pol Aurelian was known as a slayer of dragons and a founder of…